This is what I get for posting without looking things up. Thanks for the correction.
But they both made their own luck.
I used the Beatles to illustrate a number of concepts in my classes. And George Martin was a perfect example of a boss.
Pete Best was consistently late and troublesome, and finally Martin asked the lads if they knew a drummer who could keep a beat AND show up on time.
They knew this drummer with Rory and the Hurricanes, named Ringo…
And it was his work ethic that got him the job.
(…the best job in the world)
Earlier in the thread, someone claimed that Ringo wasn’t innovative. That’s an incredibly inaccurate statement. Maybe it’s because what Ringo played sounds common now, but it sure wasn’t common then. For example, listen to the verses of “Ticket to Ride.” I’d challenge anyone to cite a record that had that specific beat prior to Ringo. I could list many more examples, but one seems enough.
Well said. Ringo always executed very tasty fills (e.g., Strawberry Fields, A Day in the Life). But he was likewise a master of shuffles, of playing just ahead or just behind the beat.
This may seem like a weird comparison, but it’s also what made Bonham great (not how hard he hit the drums). Both these guys knew how to swing. Both of them played exactly what the song needed.
None of you mentioned that Ringo was the best ever narrator for Thomas the Tank Engine.
The Beatles may have never gotten as far as the Cavern gigs if Pete Best and his mom hadn’t started handling bookings after the Beatles decided to stop paying their first manager. Pete Best wasn’t really replaced by Ringo as much as he was replaced by Brian Epstein.
With George Carlin in there, that’s saying something!
Not really “finally.” George Martin wasn’t impressed with Pete’s drumming after their first audition, and decided that they would use a session drummer (Andy White) when they did the recording. Martin has always said that he wasn’t asking that Pete be fired from the band, just that he wasn’t going to use him on the recording.
Martin was as surprised as anybody when Ringo showed up for the first recording session.
…and had White replace Ringo on drums anyway.
I was always amused at what Martin said about it in the Beatles Anthology documentary: “Ringo, to this day, bears those scars.”
If you think Ringo wasn’t a great drummer, I suggest you listen to Abbey Road. While Lennon, McCartney and Harrison were stretching their creative talents to the limits, Ringo was right there with them, doing everything from Ginger Baker-style cymbal crescendos to the lightest brushwork conceivable. Whatefver the song called for, he delivered. There aren’t many musicians on any instrument who are that versatile, and those who are, are called geniuses.
I think the best way to look at it is this: Ringo was the luckiest man in the world to be invited into the Beatles just as they were about to explode… and the Beatles were the luckiest band in the world to find the perfect drummer for their sound.
And remember, much of their early success was driven by Beatlemania, especially teenage girls. Ringo fit that phenomenon perfectly. The press and fans conveniently gave each Beatle a role:
John: the Witty Beatle — sharp, sarcastic, rebellious.
Paul: the Cute Beatle — charming, handsome, approachable.
George: the Quiet Beatle — reserved and understated.
Ringo: the Funny Beatle — deadpan, lovable, and naturally comic.
I remember my older sister and her friends obsessing over and debating who their “favorite” Beatle was. That helped turn me into a lifelong Beatles fan from an early age. Their buzz hooked me; their talent kept me hooked.
Ringo wasn’t just the guy behind the drum kit. He was part of the chemistry that made the Beatles the Beatles.
Absolutely. Bonham’s influences were jazz drummers. In fact, there is an early drum solo by Bonham that starts with him playing part of a famous Max Roach solo called “The Drum Also Waltzes”, note for note. People always comment on Bonham’s power, but he could also play with a light, delicate finesse. It was really his feel that made him great, likewise with Ringo.Your comparison was spot on.