As far as Paul’s drumming goes, it’s good – it’s just wrong to say he’s “better” than Ringo.

[55] cute cartoon
(I’ll spare everyone my defense of Yoko. I’m sure few want to hear it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgfGmEKVM8k

It takes a minute to get going. The few seconds at 5:39 are worth the price of admission, but don’t cheat.

I’d like to hear Paul attempt “She Said She Said” … Paul can groove but he’s not really a drummer.

You’re kidding about Paul playing the drums on Beatles songs right?
Just in case, for the record, Paul played drums on Ballad of John & Yoko, Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence and Mother Nature’s Son. That’s the whole list for Paul on drum kit.

At noon that day, while taking a break from hacking a path through the thick vegetation, the two British explorers finally get to ask one of the bearers about the drums. The man becomes extremely agitated. When pressed on the subject, he says only one thing: “Oh no, no. Drums no problem. Much worse when drums stop for two days.”

That night the two explorers are woken again by the drums, and the night after that as well, but no matter how hard they push for an explanation all they hear, again and again, is the same useless reply: “Oh no, no. Much worse when drums stop for two days.”

Finally, exhausted from lack of sleep, unable to go further, they give up and turn the expedition around, returning to their base at the nearest trading outpost. All the way back the bearers seem much relieved.

Immediately on arrival, the explorers seek out the chief from whom they’d hired the bearers and demand an explanation. “Oh no, no,” the old man says, “Drums no problem. Much worse when…”

“…Yes, yes old bean, when the drums stop for two days, we’ve got that part,” snarls Stanley.

Livingstone then loses it completely and screams, “But why is it bally worse when the drums stop for two days?”

The chief raises his hand for silence, pauses and says, in the gravest voice he can muster;

“That’s when bass solo starts.”

[46] it IS very very very difficult to play slow and groove, no doubt!!!! ballads are really hard to play! Brush work is also super artistic. Ray Charles, was amazing! also, VERY difficult to work for as a drummer. i’ve known a few guys here in town that worked with him. yes, his body is swaying, but it’s certainly NOT a metronome!!! he was very FAR from locking a drummer in. in fact, he tried to throw them off! in his auditions, he would play slow, slower and slowest. he’d also tap his foot, completely out of time!!!. drummers HATED working for him, ‘coz he was sooo difficult to follow.

i understand that last part. i’ve worked for tons of bandleaders and frontmen. they generally don’t tap their feet in time, so it’s really distracting to watch them and try and follow “their” time. they’re usually in some kind of rhythmic vortex! : ~

[49] ah! yeah, i really didn’t know what you were talking about w/ dummkopf and “twiddly-diddly”. i do think some “shredder” types, with chops – any instrument – get a bad rep & rap, from other players/fans that simply don’t like that sorta thing. most of them just have a greater emotional depth and vocabulary with which to express themselves.

i like a TON of different musics and different styles of players, but the ones who can do it ALL, is where i find my greatest influences.

Yeah, it’s true Ringo(and John)’s technical skills receded a bit after they stopped touring.

I’m just saying though that a real virtuoso maybe shouldn’t be considered as such if they can’t hold it down on that basic level. I’ve played with people who had “chops” but often couldn’t leave well enough alone when it was called for, so to me they weren’t really all that.

Also I agree [45] 100% on Ringo. People who trash him are way off- base. Though he did get worse as time went on; there are some pretty unconvincing performances on their latter albums. But yeah I mean if Ringo’s so bad how come those early songs make you want to get up and dance?!

Have to disagree partially with the premise of the first part.
Because something is simple doesn’t make it “dumkopf”
Listen to a super slow Ray Charles song. There are rarely many aspects that are conventionally considered virtuosic in there. But it is DIFFICULT to play that slow and groove. Ray Charles could groove slower than just about anyone. His whole body was swaying — he was acting as a metronome, partially so the drummer could keep it locked in. Lots of people that are “real virtuosos” can’t do what he did.

and I have to say. . .
Ringo Starr is abundantly UNDERrated
extremely musical, vastly influential, not (conventionally) virtuosic,
just a master of simple, effective and tasty. There is no better drummer for that band (and that band was Not Too Shabby). What, you wanted Keith Moon in the Beatles? Neil Peart? Billy Cobham? Disatrous and pointless.

Love Ringo Starr
Love Levon Helm too.

For luckiest, I’ve got to throw in Mitch Mitchell, not because of any lack of skill (he’s actually one of my favorites and ofter overlooked because he essentially only played with Jimi) but because his inclusion in the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and thus the fame and fortune that accompanied it, came when he won a coin flip between himself and Aynsley Dunbar that Chas Chandler used to determine who would be the drummer.

Noel Redding and Billy Mitchell however, richly earn inclusion on the luckiest list with their rather modest talents.

yes, there are some technically proficient players that “can” do just about anything, but they are devoid of feel. i study and adore many different styles of music and work hard to stay true to whichever genre i’m playing. when it’s appropriate to cross-reference styles, i’ll do it; otherwise, i just try to play what is required.