h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Can somebody who knows something about playing drums explain to me why exactly Ringo's work on Beatles tracks comes in for so much criticism? He sounds fine to me. Oh, I don't play myself, so answers in plain English please!

Well, he sounds fine to me too, although I am not a drummer either. I believe that one of Ringo's most famous critics was Muhammad Ali, of all people, who thought that Ringo just bashed away and didn't make the rhythm 'skip along'. I think he's even quite interesting at times in the Beatles' later stuff. Charlie Watts on the other hand is pretty boring and predictable (with the exception of Sympathy for the Devil), but perhaps nothing but a solid boom-tat sound would really work with the Stones.

I read an article where Ringo was given sole credit for the success of the Beatles. Apparently most of his beats are a fraction of a second late. Apparently this has a psychological effect on the brain that makes music sound more pleasant.

A researcher (can't remember who, sorry)in another thread quoted a great John Lennon quote about Ringo:

Interviewer: Is Ringo the best drummer in the world?
Lennon: Ringo isn't the best drummer in the Beatles!

Ahem! Have any of you heard 'Ticket To Ride'? Paul and John wrote in a syncopated drum line, and even on 15-odd studio takes, Ringo couldn't get it right. Listen to the single - it's better than the album version but still terrible.

On most other tracks, Mr. Starkey's drumming is deliberately simplistic - effectively just a mask for general incompetence. No, wasn't the best drummer in the Beatles - I gather McCartney is quite handy with the sticks.

B