Ringo Starr as a drummer

ZowieZiggy wrote: I would just say to the initiator of this thread that Carl Palmer, Mike Schrieve, Bill Brufford, Ian Paice, John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell and Keith Moon to name of few came from the sixties. They were awesome drummers and could more than probably hold the comparison with ANY current drummer. so what's the point to say that Ringo was only good for the sixties??? Do you mean that those guys (I'm not talking about Ringo whom I think is not a great drummer) were only good because they were part of the sixties???     IMO, the only one who plays in the same league nowadays is Mike Portnoy. I am not a huge DT fan, but I witnessed one of their concert in October 2007, and I was mostly looking at him because he is just fabulous.

Those guys were exceptions to the general rule. Drummers from the 50's and early 60's generally aren't technical or are great drummers. All most of them can do is keep 4/4 time.

There's always a few exceptions to every rule.

jammun wrote: I'm listening to some Beatles right now...say ya'll he was the drummer for this particular band.  Outclassed technically by countless others who came later, but the man knew what a beat was all about, way 'bout '63.  If this is going to turn into a Ringo bashing thread, please let's name some great drummer's who were amongst the driving force for those bands of the era.  Dave Clark?  Charlie Watts?    Quick, who was the drummer for Herman's Hermits?   Or for that matter the Kinks or Yardbirds?   I ain't sayin' the guy was the original incarnation of John Bonham, but please.   And screw what McCartney played or did not play, drum-wise, on the White Album.     Warning sexist comment:  Ringo ended up with the best 'bird'.

I'm listening to some Beatles right now...say ya'll he was the drummer for this particular band.  Outclassed technically by countless others who came later, but the man knew what a beat was all about, way 'bout '63.  If this is going to turn into a Ringo bashing thread, please let's name some great drummer's who were amongst the driving force for those bands of the era.  Dave Clark?  Charlie Watts? 

Edited by jammun - December 19 2008 at 23:48

chopper wrote: progrocker2244 wrote: AlanD wrote: Wish I could've had Ringo in my band....   Would be very cool, but would you really want him as your drummer instead of technically capable drummers like Mike Portnoy, Nick D'Virgilio, Carl Palmer, or Alan White??? Listen to Portnoy's drumming on the Yellow Matter Custard CD, he certainly doesn't add anything much in the drumming department, skilful drummer though he is.

Great example. I was really surprised when I saw that, I thought Portnoy would be playing fills all the time trying to stand out and ruining the whole thing, and it was nothing like that. He played the original arrangments most of the time.

progrocker2244 wrote: SgtPepper67 wrote: I don't think Ringo actually couldn't play what Paul wanted like everybody use to say. Maybe he didn't get what Paul wanted him to play or he just didn't care. I can easily picture Macca telling him "Play it like this: tutu taam tu pum tu ta" haha I know I talk like that to the drummer in my band. But seriously, what's for sure is that the sessions for the white album were very tense. Paul always had ideas in his mind for what he wanted on his songs, and at that point some times the others just didn't care. You can even see that in the Let it be movie.   There might be some truth to that, but in the book Beatlesongs (if you've ever read that), says that stuff was tense, but Ringo wasn't able to play what Paul wanted. I mean, if you listen to Band on The Run album by Paul, the drumming is honestly better than anything Ringo ever played. It's almost safe for me to say that Macca's a better drummer than Ringo.

AlanD wrote: Wish I could've had Ringo in my band....

I love the drumming on Band on the run, but I don't think is as good as the drumming on Abbey Road. Besides, IMO that's the only album with Macca on drums where drumming is interesting. I don't like the drums on McCartney, McCartney II or Chaos & Creation that much really, although I think they're good albums.

I don't think Ringo actually couldn't play what Paul wanted like everybody use to say. Maybe he didn't get what Paul wanted him to play or he just didn't care. I can easily picture Macca telling him "Play it like this: tutu taam tu pum tu ta" haha I know I talk like that to the drummer in my band. But seriously, what's for sure is that the sessions for the white album were very tense. Paul always had ideas in his mind for what he wanted on his songs, and at that point some times the others just didn't care. You can even see that in the Let it be movie.

I'm pretty sure Ringo played in Ob la di ob la da too. As far as I know the track where he didn't play were Back in the USSR and Dear Prudence, and probably Why don't we do it in the road.

rileydog22 wrote: I find it interesting that most arguments that support Ringo do little to distinguish his abilities from those of a metronome.

Exactly. He's not much different than a metronome. And occasionally a metronome's actually better!! Did you know that he actually couldn't get the drums to Obladi Oblada?? Paul actually did them, and tey're not even hard!!!