I have no clue on this one. So i wanna see what you guys have to say.

he's okay, but I like keith moon better. *blush*

Ringo was the best drummer in the Liverpool area. He's a great drummer, we just didn't get to see him show off in the days of Beatlemania touring, but he always kept a great beat, and that solo in "The End" is my all time favorite drum solo.

He was an amazing dummer (person), but I wouldn't say he was an amazing dummer (technically)... If that makes sense... kinda.

I telll you something, he was an awesome drummer. He allowed the space for the others to enrich. I've played a few Beatle songs in my time and any drummer that really, really tried to get his style has had a tough time.
He has great elements of jazz and the time changing that he had to do with Beatles stuff is far removed from the boring 4 on the floor formatt that so many 'amazing' drummers champion themselves and show off with.

He had great expression without having to do the 'Thunder rolls". Not detracting from the other amazing drummers like Moony, Mitchell and Bonham.

The Beatles as a whole band had the art of writing and recording perfectly imperfect!
I think that will make sense to any beatle lover who really does sleep with headphones on and panning to one side! lol!

As a drummer (thanks to Ringo's inspiration) I can unequivocally declare: yes...he is indeed an amazing drummer, for many  reasons.

His childhood full of debilitating illness...playing drums, while therapy, is still a rather strenuous activity.

He was the best drummer in Liverpool at the time according to many sources, including the Beatles. 

He brought personality & a common man quality to the group at the start which helped propel them to fame.

He was able to play Latin (I Feel Fine) pop, rock, and various time signatures one after another (All You Need Is Love, Happiness Is A Warm Gun, etc.) which is difficult to do and do well.

He virtually invented (or perhaps more to the point brought to the fore) the open hi-hat technique that gave a solid wash of cymbals to the backing of a song.  Rocking!

He had a strong back beat (bass drum) that brought that aspect to the fore as well.

He inspired countless, countless people to take up drums, many of whom went on to fame themselves.

Songs of note: Rain (his favorite), A Day In The Life (the fills he did were absolutely perfect, and no one would have ever played them as musically as that), The End (Abbey Road), She Said She Said, and many more.  His inventive yet supportive style and laid back personality was perfect for the Beatles.  No other drummer could have added so much.

Technical ability is nothing without feeling, without empathy and understanding.  And maybe some love.  And he brought all that and more to the group.

He was *never* a lesser member than anyone else.  It was a four poster bed and he held up his end as much as anyone else.

It was a four poster bed, but Martin and Epstein were holding up the bottom.

Quoted from Rowdy, posted July 10, 2004, 5:53pm at here

It was a four poster bed, but Martin and Epstein were holding up the bottom.

No, Martin was the blanket and Brian the pillow.

Phil Spector was the cat that clawed away at a good bed and made it indistinguishable.

Quoted from Rowdy, posted July 10, 2004, 8:08pm at here

Phil Spector was the cat that clawed away at a good bed and made it indistinguishable.

\\Nah, but he did pee on the spread, thereby covering part of it over with his own 'contribution'.








We could do this all day!

Quoted from Hannah, posted July 10, 2004, 7:45am at here

he's okay, but I like keith moon better. *blush*

Me too! He's more interesting to watch.  But Ringo was perfect for the Beatles. He brought a sensitivity to the band. Or something like that. Funny how his son sort of replaced Moonie. Now I hear he's joining Oasis? Or is that a rumor.

I don't know if I would call him amazing. Amazing and Ringo? It doesn't really fit. I mean he's good and all but amazing? Would anyone consider him an innovater or creative in his drumming? Seriously because I don't know the technicalities of drumming so maybe he was. Who knows.

Now as for Keith Moon.... Glad to see there are others that appreciate him!

Quoted from Maccalvr, posted July 11, 2004, 5:26am at here

I don't know if I would call him amazing. Amazing and Ringo? It doesn't really fit. I mean he's good and all but amazing? Would anyone consider him an innovater or creative in his drumming?


****Yes!  I even gave you examples.  That's *exactly* what he was....a creative innovator.


Now as for Keith Moon.... Glad to see there are others that appreciate him!

***Moon was great at what he did as well.  But him being good shouldn't diminish Ringo's being good.  They were totally different types of drummers, which is obvious since Keith was different from all the others, except maybe Mitch Mitchell.

Oh, I don't think Keith being good takes away from Ringo being good. It's just more obvious with Keith as he was more out there. Well I mean for non-drummers that is. I was seriously asking about Ringo being an innovator! No sarcasm was intended! But I should have read your previous post more carefully!!! Sorry! The whole cymbal thing Ringo did is certainly important. Moon lived on the cymbals!  Yay Ringo!

Quoted from Maccalvr, posted July 11, 2004, 6:08am at here

Oh, I don't think Keith being good takes away from Ringo being good. It's just more obvious with Keith as he was more out there. Well I mean for non-drummers that is. I was seriously asking about Ringo being an innovator! No sarcasm was intended! But I should have read your previous post more carefully!!! Sorry! The whole cymbal thing Ringo did is certainly important. Moon lived on the cymbals!  Yay Ringo!

Sorry... I didn't mean to put you in a spot of feeling like apologizing...

I was taught how to drum by Ringo but I ended up being more of a Keith drummer, back when there weren't many (there's more now obviously).  I was hot in the 60's.  Now it's kind of passe'.

Keith was important to the Who because he needed to fill the space and gaps, given that there were only 3 instruments.

Ringo's group didn't need that kind of frantic playing.

Apples and oranges.

A Keith drummer? As in the wild style? Cool!! Is it hard to play a Who song? I mean are people able to copy Keith? I have no idea about these things. Is Ringo hard to copy? Or should I say play not copy. Keith is so dramatic when he plays. Throwing the drumsicks, twirling them, screaming while he plays, breaking things. He made people want to look at the drummer! Which I think is rare. But then like you said, Ringo made people want to BE a drummer!

Quoted from Maccalvr, posted July 11, 2004, 6:20am at here

A Keith drummer? As in the wild style? Cool!! Is it hard to play a Who song?


***YES!  Damn near impossible!  LOL 

I mean are people able to copy Keith?


****I don't know about others but I played all over the place LIKE him but except for some riffs and a specific fill here or there I could never copy exactly what he was doing for a whole song.  His licks were too unpredictable, even after hearing them a million times (for the most part). 

****Plus the man had to have inexhaustible energy to play that constant style.  I'm FAR too lazy!

I have no idea about these things. Is Ringo hard to copy? Or should I say play not copy.

***Not usually.  Again, different styles, Ringo's more structured and easier to emulate.

Keith is so dramatic when he plays. Throwing the drumsicks, twirling them, screaming while he plays, breaking things. He made people want to look at the drummer! Which I think is rare. But then like you said, Ringo made people want to BE a drummer!

***Yeah, the theatrics were never part of my style, just the drumming.  But they were simply both great for different reasons.

Quoted from misterchaz, posted July 10, 2004, 4:51pm at here

He was *never* a lesser member than anyone else.  It was a four poster bed and he held up his end as much as anyone else.

You even think he kept his end up as much as lennon/mCcartney?

Quoted Text

Is it hard to play a Who song?

***YES!  Damn near impossible!  LOL 

So how well does Zak do?

I have heard MANY Beatle tribute bands, including The Bootleg Beatles on numerous occasions, and I have NEVER heard a drummer faithfully copy Ringo's playing. Most drummers struggle with the intro to She Loves You and the breaks in Ticket To Ride - listen closely, their timing is WAY off.

Ringo might not have been a flashy, flambouyant drummer, but he was extremely solid, and REALLY hit those drums hard. Just check out any live footage of Ringo - and I don't mean TV shows as most of these were mimed and Ringo wasn't allowed to actually hit his drums or cymbals! Watch the Washington concert or the Sweden show; especially Long Tall Sally - watch the other guy's faces as he really goes to town on his kit!

What really annoys me is that no-one ever seems to knock Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones. Listen to their early numbers such as I'm Free; his timing was absolutely apalling!

Ringo is not the kind of person who feels he has to justify what he brought to the Beatles' sound - HE knows how good he was, and so do other drummers.

Tracks to listen to:

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You) - From the Beatles at the BBC
Wait - Rubber Soul
What You're Doing - Beatles For Sale
Helter Skelter - White Album
Sgt Pepper (reprise) - Sgt Pepper

To name just a few!!!!!

[quote by=The_End link=Blah.pl?b=starr,m=1089433720,s=19 date=1089589364]I have heard MANY Beatle tribute bands, including The Bootleg Beatles on numerous occasions, and I have NEVER heard a drummer faithfully copy Ringo's playing. Most drummers struggle with the intro to She Loves You and the breaks in Ticket To Ride - listen closely, their timing is WAY off.


BAng on about those two tracks in particular. Always the highbrow test on any Beatle cover attempt.

Quoted from An_Apple_Beatle, posted July 11, 2004, 11:55pm at here

BAng on about those two tracks in particular. Always the highbrow test on any Beatle cover attempt.

Thank you - I thought it was just ME who noticed!! LOL

Quoted from number14, posted July 11, 2004, 8:34pm at here

You even think he kept his end up as much as lennon/mCcartney?

Absolutely.  You are mistaking the concept of what each person did with what they were worth to the group.  

Try having a song like A Day In The Life be as effective, moving (or even realized at all) without Ringo's drum.

Or the 2-3 second burst of George's lead in Got To Get You Into My Life.

Seemingly small bits yet their catalog is full of them and it would be that much the poorer with out them.

They would have been SOMEone, but never the BEATLES with -any- of the 4 missing.

Quoted from The_End, posted July 12, 2004, 12:21am at here

Thank you - I thought it was just ME who noticed!! LOL

You're right, of course.  And he DOES smash them puppies!

Another is From Me To You.

A big part of his sound was his backwards tom fills, and for a regular drummer that is very unnatural to replicate smoothly. 

Otherwise his general song structure is supportive, not non-stop fill like Keith...which was just what Who needed.

And I have always maintained Watts was an over-praised drummer...maybe he was great in the early 60's doing trad jazz but he has very very few identifiable licks.  He keeps a rock hard beat.  Beautifully.  But that's about it, not flashy at all.

Quoted from Maccalvr, posted July 11, 2004, 9:31pm at here

So how well does Zak do?

Very well!

Zak moonlights for oasis too aswell as The Who. Saw them at the Isle of Wight festival this year and Zak did not disappoint.

I think Noel Gallagher is 'made up' that  the blood of Beatle is in his 'Beatles' tribute group. lol. 

Apologies to hardcore Oasis fans but some of those tunes are'nt even subtley lifted from the true great well of Beatle songwriting. I would'nt have minded Oasis paying respects to their heroes in this way except for Liam Gallagher beginning to think he was big enough to slate Macca!! He earnt an enemy outta me that's for sure!

Quoted from An_Apple_Beatle, posted July 12, 2004, 10:12am at here

some of those tunes are'nt even subtley lifted from the true great well of Beatle songwriting.

And some not so subtle!

It's funny because I read recently that Liam Gallagher was begging to get backstage at Glastonbury to see Paul McCartney - eventually Paul's 'people' let him through!

Quoted from The_End, posted July 12, 2004, 12:06pm at here

And some not so subtle!

It's funny because I read recently that Liam Gallagher was begging to get backstage at Glastonbury to see Paul McCartney - eventually Paul's 'people' let him through!

Your right I'd heard that too. Does anyone else remember the incident at a London airport a couple of years ago where Liam apparantly threw a copy of Macca's biography? At who or what I don't know.

Amazing drummer, no doubt about it!

Amazing!

A few innovative tunes-
Ticket To Ride - Who would have thought up a beat like that for a song?
I Feel Fine - Dare you to get the trills correctly on the toms throughout the entire song.
What Goes On - I've always hated and struggled with this shuffle. Damn that swishing motion on the hats.
A Day In The Life - Fills are incredible
Paperback Writer - Anyone finish a quick roll off on the rims lately? On purpose?
Get Back - The beginning beat to this song coming off the cymbals to the toms is legendary and still wows the drumming community for its uniqueness.

Quoted from tkitna, posted July 13, 2004, 1:31am at here

Amazing!

A few innovative tunes-
Ticket To Ride - Who would have thought up a beat like that for a song?

***Paul.  But Ritchie played it.

I Feel Fine - Dare you to get the trills correctly on the toms throughout the entire song.

***Excellent example.  It's tough!
What Goes On - I've always hated and struggled with this shuffle. Damn that swishing motion on the hats.

***Another great example...that casual shuffle on the hi hats...doing it is one thing...keeping it up for the whole song (or breaking from it then going back) is much tougher than one might think.

A Day In The Life - Fills are incredible

***I concur.

Paperback Writer - Anyone finish a quick roll off on the rims lately? On purpose?

***LOL  To this day I can't do a rimshot.  Not on purpose anyway.

Get Back - The beginning beat to this song coming off the cymbals to the toms is legendary and still wows the drumming community for its uniqueness.

Hm. I'll have to listen for that one aspect again.

Maybe Ringo was a very good drummer who did amazing stuff often.  Nah, that would make him amazing in itself.  The guy was just that good.

I hope Ringo reads all this! It's a shame we can't post it on HIS website!

Hehe

Yeah the live footage of Ringo is amazing. I bet I've seen live footage that you guys haven't seen!

1964 Adelaide, Australia

Quoted from broady, posted July 13, 2004, 1:11pm at here

I bet I've seen live footage that you guys haven't seen!

1964 Adelaide, Australia

I might have that - I  bought a copy of a Beatle's special broadcast on Australian TV years ago - it was called Rage. I remember there was a whole concert on there recorded during their first visit to Oz! I'll have to check that out later!

Quoted from The_End, posted July 13, 2004, 12:05pm at here

I hope Ringo reads all this! It's a shame we can't post it on HIS website!

Maybe he will who knows

Quoted from number14, posted July 27, 2004, 4:43pm at here

Maybe he will who knows

I hope so