Ringo’s Drumming – Black Crowes’ Drummer Speaks
A friend of mine just passed this along to me and, although I really don’t know much about drumming, I think he nailed it. Especially the last part. On the Crowes website you can ask their drummer questions, here’s the Q&A:
Hey Steve,
Long time fan. Saw you guys with Joan Jett and Aerosmith in Miami in 1990, I think.
Here’s my question- I’ve recently been playing The Beatles: Rock Band and I’m realizing more now just how different Ringo was as a drummer. His playing is pretty simple and very connected to the songs, yet less intuitive than a lot of subsequent rock drummers. I can’t really put my finger on why, but learning the tunes is actually kinda difficult.
Any thoughts?
Spencer
San Francisco, CA
—————————————
Spencer,
First things first – I don’t remember ever having played a show in Miami with Aerosmith and Joan Jett. We certainly did some shows with Aerosmith in 1990, but none were anywhere near Miami. And, as much as we do in fact love rock n’ roll, we never were party to anyone putting another dime in any jukebox, baby, either.
So, with that cleared up, let’s move on:
Ringo Starr’s drumming is infallible, untouchable, and he is quite simply the greatest drummer in the history of rock n roll music. So, there’s that.
With this in mind, it would stand to reason that you might struggle to learn his parts, even on so rudimentary a level as Rock Band provides. I will resist the urge to write an endless screed about why Ringo’s drumming is beyond reproach and instead offer a quick “Q and A” to examine your specific points.
Q) Was Ringo actually “different as a drummer”?
A) Was Magic Johnson “different as a point guard“? Was Frank Lloyd Wright “different as an architect”? You bet your ass. As much as people try to disparage Ringo’s playing, no one ever seems to have a suggestion as to what drummer would have made those recordings better. And that’s because there was not, is not, and never will be, a drummer more perfectly suited for the Beatles.
Q) Was his playing “pretty simple and connected to the songs”?
A) If by “pretty simple”, you mean “pretty perfect” and if by “connected to the songs”, you mean, “integral to the execution of these rock n’ roll masterpieces”, then the answer is a resounding YES.
Q) Was Ringo “less intuitive” than a lot of subsequent rock drummers?
A) Absolutely not. Few if any drummers in rock history have been more intuitive. Ringo understood exactly what every song needed to have, and bear in mind he was working with not one, but three songwriters.
Q) Any thoughts?
A) Yes. Don’t argue with me about this. I know what I know.
I love John Bonham, Charlie Watts, Phil Rudd, and the nutjob from Wilco (and about a million other drummers) as much as anyone could. They are all perfect for their bands. They are all irreplaceable. But Ringo was in THE BEATLES.
Check the scoreboard.
Ringo wins.
SG
