Originally Posted By: sinbad

...The line often attributed to John Lennon - "Ringo isn't the best drummer in the world. He isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles" - was actually uttered by British comedian Jasper Carrott in 1983.



Just in case anybody missed that the first time around!

The only quotes I can find from John about Ringo's drumming are quite positive:

"Ringo's a damn good drummer. He was always a good drummer. He's not technically good, but I think Ringo's drumming is underrated the same way Paul's bass-playing is underrated. Paul and Ringo stand up anywhere with any of the rock musicians." --Playboy magazine interview (1980)

"In spite of all things, the Beatles could really play music together when they weren't uptight, and if I get things going Ringo knows where to go just like that and he does well." -- from Lennon Remembers (1971

And other drummers have said:

"I think he's vastly underrated. The drum fills on A Day In The Life are very complex things. You could take a great drummer today and say, 'I want it like that.' They wouldn't know what to do." - Phil Collins, 1992

"He consistently came up with new ideas that always seemed perfect for the song, but it wasn't just a matter of him picking a basic beat for a song, because lots of drummers could do that. Ringo definitely had the right kind of personality and creative ideas for The Beatles music. You will rarely find a Beatles song without something noticeable that Ringo played or didn't play." - Kenny Aronoff, Modern Drummer Magazine 1987

"I was playing maracas or something behind him, just listening to him. I swear he never varied the tempo. He played that back beat and never got off it. Man, you couldn't have moved him with a crane. It was amazing. He played a hell of a back beat, Man, and that's where it's at." - DJ Fontana (Elvis Presley's drummer for 14 years).

For what The Beatles were doing - Ringo was ideal. You wouldn't want a Buddy Rich style drummer backing The Beatles - it would sound like a car crash.

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