Rain - The Beatles Experience

So, I went to see Rain - The Beatles Experience yesterday. Talk about a phenomenal tribute band. The one thing I kept noticing though was that, IMO, the drummer made Ringo look better than Ringo ever made Ringo look. Lots of double-sticking and great playing all around. What's everybody's thoughts on Ringo? All-time great or lucky bastard?

The drummer also used sheets over the toms on a couple tunes. They looked to be nylon (like parachute material). The deadened thump through the mics was fantastic.

Theatre, modern brainwash, whatever Beatles was, drum clinic wasn't in there. Ringo did the job.

I think Ringo did what was right for the song.Also remeber the time period.Many bands that have great singers are not really great on there instuments--not saying they were bad just not great.Also some drummers do what is good for the band or the band likes what he does and how he does it----AC/DC,Areosmith,Just a few.The point is that they made lots of money doing what they wanted to do.

Ringo is awesome. He's one of the main reasons I started drumming.

Ringo is awesome. He's one of the main reasons I started drumming.

You and thousands of other guys as well. Ringo's feel is happy. he does some stange crap sometimes in the later tunes, but his early stuff is just so happy, it's exactly what the tune needs. The sloshy hihat the laid back snare...it's very unique. Maybe it was influenced by the music of Britain back then but it fits. His fills are usually a little rushed but they are always energetic, even though there's not a lot of flashy notes or major kit work. He says he plays to the singing, leaving space for where needed.

He's no technical wizard, but he is a force. And he DEFINITELY was at the right place at the right time. And it just goes to show you, Pete Best wasn't a bad drummer, he just didn't complete the picture they way they all wanted...

To be honest the dude wasn't amazing, but he was amazing for the music. He wasn't dropping amazing fills and junk but he stayed in the pocket. But I definitely wouldn't go out and buy a Ringo drumsolo DVD if you know what I'm saying

To be honest the dude wasn't amazing, but he was amazing for the music. He wasn't dropping amazing fills and junk but he stayed in the pocket. But I definitely wouldn't go out and buy a Ringo drumsolo DVD if you know what I'm saying

I think the tom fills in "A Day In The Life" are some of the most amazing fills I've ever heard.

Jon

p.s. Awesome promo shot of Ringo notamachine!!!

lucky bastard, and he knows it

don't get me wrong--he was a great drummer and a great musician--but he was not as musically talented as John, Paul or George, and he knew it and was humble about it. Which is great, because the last thing that band needed was another big ego!

Okay:

I've been down this thread road before, so those of you who may have read my previous threads, be patient. First things first: I'm not going to sit here and tell you that Ringo Starr was and is on a technical level to Thomas Lang, Marco Minneman, Jojo Mayer, Mike Portnoy, Virgil Donati, and countless other players we can all think of. Any of the above mentioned could run rings, technically speaking, around Mr. Starkey. That's not the point here.

Ringo was EXACTLY what The Beatles needed, at the right place, at the right time. But lucky to get the chair? no way. When The Beatles were a struggling group of leather clads rockers trying to forge an identity, Ringo was an established drummer, playing with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. There was many a night after he finished his set with Rory, he'd go and sit in with The Beatles at the Star Club. That's 8, 10 , 12 hours sometimes he'd play.

Ringo played exactly what two budding songwriters needed to hang their arrangements on and help give them life. As they grew as songwriters, his ability grew with them. Listen to anything off of the inital albums, then go to material like ' Ticket To Ride' where he's flamming and off kiltering the beat; Paperback Writer, where he is the first drummer I've heard on any recording do 16th note fills on the high hat in the song verses. 'In My Life' , where he syncopates between the snare, hats, and ride bell. ' Here Comes The Sun', where he slides between 4/4 and 6/8. Ringo's Fills aren't quite like any other drummer you'll see either...He's a lefty playing a right handed setup, and that 'awkwardness' results in some interesting work.

Ringo was the 'working man's' rock that all three songwriters in that band needed. Which was, he was steady, solid, and THERE. paying attention to the song, not what Quadropataflattaparadiddleflam he could slip in that would dazzle the drummers in the audience. I measure his importance in influence. I can say, with total surety, that an entire generation of drummers, INCLUDING some of those technical masters I mentioned off the top first picked up a set of sticks because of Mr. Starkey. I'm no technical wizard, but he 's one of my main influences, and if I ever met him, I'd tell him that and thank him for showing me that music could be such a joy, and could change your world.

:thu:PEACE:thu:

To me he is a true drummer that played what was right and had solid time. HE wasn't lucky, he added what the music needed. He didn't overplay or underplay. He is what most bands look for today, someone with a good pocket and great sense of time. IF I remember right, John and Paul sought him out. They felt he was the best with their songs. John, Paul and George were lucky to find a solid drummer to lay such a great foundation for their playing and singing.

JUst like Charlie Watts with the Stones, They both have great feel and time with tasty fills and accents that ADD to the songs and the singing. They have what you want from a drummer in a band. Often imitated, but never duplicated. Just my thoughts.....

And John Densmore with The Doors.

Ringo, Charlie Watts, and John Densmore deserve credit that they don't get for something aside from their drumming skills.

They managed to have the incredible amount of will power needed to restrain themselves from driving their drumsticks through the skulls of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and Jim Morrison, all five being well-known pains in the ass to deal with.

I saw Rain last year. It was a good performance, helped by having a fifth player on keys in the background to add the various keyboard and other instrumental (horns, etc.) parts. Having the music somewhat masked by the audience singing along was a little hard to take.

Okay: I've been down this thread road before, so those of you who may have read my previous threads, be patient. First things first: I'm not going to sit here and tell you that Ringo Starr was and is on a technical level to Thomas Lang, Marco Minneman, Jojo Mayer, Mike Portnoy, Virgil Donati, and countless other players we can all think of. Any of the above mentioned could run rings, technically speaking, around Mr. Starkey. That's not the point here. Ringo was EXACTLY what The Beatles needed, at the right place, at the right time. But lucky to get the chair? no way. When The Beatles were a struggling group of leather clads rockers trying to forge an identity, Ringo was an established drummer, playing with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. There was many a night after he finished his set with Rory, he'd go and sit in with The Beatles at the Star Club. That's 8, 10 , 12 hours sometimes he'd play. Ringo played exactly what two budding songwriters needed to hang their arrangements on and help give them life. As they grew as songwriters, his ability grew with them. Listen to anything off of the inital albums, then go to material like ' Ticket To Ride' where he's flamming and off kiltering the beat; Paperback Writer, where he is the first drummer I've heard on any recording do 16th note fills on the high hat in the song verses. 'In My Life' , where he syncopates between the snare, hats, and ride bell. ' Here Comes The Sun', where he slides between 4/4 and 6/8. Ringo's Fills aren't quite like any other drummer you'll see either...He's a lefty playing a right handed setup, and that 'awkwardness' results in some interesting work. Ringo was the 'working man's' rock that all three songwriters in that band needed. Which was, he was steady, solid, and THERE. paying attention to the song, not what Quadropataflattaparadiddleflam he could slip in that would dazzle the drummers in the audience. I measure his importance in influence. I can say, with total surety, that an entire generation of drummers, INCLUDING some of those technical masters I mentioned off the top first picked up a set of sticks because of Mr. Starkey. I'm no technical wizard, but he 's one of my main influences, and if I ever met him, I'd tell him that and thank him for showing me that music could be such a joy, and could change your world. :thu:PEACE:thu:

Yep-yep.

Great post.

Perhaps a little of both. Some are born to greatness, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.

+1

I'm mainly a guitar player so I might see it from a different light than most of you. I think Ringo is the absolute epitome of what a drummer should sound like. I can't think of a single instance where I didn't think his playing was just right.

I wouldn't go quite that far, but you are correct! He played what was need fro the TUNE, not just for the drum part. People get caught up in technique, but you have to listen to the overall! Those tunes they were doing we're meant to be listeners tunes. The first ones (mop top days) were meant to be, as someone said it in the Compleat Beatles, ritual dance music. They felt good, they made you sing along, they made you happy to move your feet. Sgt Peppers and the stuff afterward was where Ringo and George Martin really shined! You have to appreciate the overall!