Definitely Ringo. That cymbal pattern along with the rim ticks, kick and tom is great. I am with BEC. That one is a bugger to emulate. So when people say Ringo was not all that great. Play that track and see if they can play it.

Quick questionhn: In what source are these two things documented, being the use of the Ludwigs and him simplifying live performances?

As for Ringo simplifying live stuff, listen to any live show, he did all the time, on many tunes. I have a 26 CD set of all concert tapes known to exist and Ringo plays parts different live. Much more basic licks and parts. I'm sure a lot of it was because they couldn't hear each other most of the time. As for using Ludwig in the studio, of course he did. They used their stage gear. And, if he was using a Rogers tom (hah!), it would be an Ajax drum wouldn't it? English Rogers?

I don't think the English version of Rogers sounded alot like the Yank version did they?

When you're talking breaking Beatles down to individual tracks, you're speaking my language...I played I Feel Fine once a week for nearly 20 years playing Ringo in a tribute band. Granted, Beatles tunes were sped up to sound more punchy, but it is indeed hard to keep that tempo going.....I can honestly say 99% of the time we played too slowly. Yes, beautiful Luddy tone rim shots on the solo and never known Ringo to play any other than Luddys, save for the Premier Duroplatics...Unique guitar sound is a Gibson J160 E acoustic being played through a Vox AC-30 amp. The intro feedback was a monster to reproduce live....an "A" note plucked on Paul's bass while the Gibson acoustic was held face into the amp reverberating and feeding back the A note on the guitar. The much maligned and undesired feedback becomes a classic sound.....I too have a fair collection of back tracks but this version I never heard before. Thank you for sharing. E Dean Heck Cool1

I always played much of "What'd I Say" and the cymbal bell part on" Good Lovin" as paradiddles with my right hand on the ride cymbal bell and my left hand alternating between the snare drum rim shots and the mounted tom. If we had played this tune, I would have probably played part of "I Feel Fine" the same way. My philosophy was always to try playing the part as I perceived it to be played on the record, but modify it to my own limitations and abilities if necessary.

Dan, I have certainly have read this .. But will do some googling now for a source..

Cheers

Here's one link that I found... refers to The Luddies..

Note there are many differences on some of the live vids so many have been post "remixed"... Where's Ringo? I'm sure he knows the story..

http://oldies.about.com/od/thebeatlessongs/a/ifeelfine.htm

Cheers

John

I don't think Purdie's claims make any sense at all, and I think they have been pretty thoroughly debunked. Read through these links and see if you still think it possible Purdie's claims are valid

http://www.beatlesagain.com/breflib/purdie.html

http://www.jimvallance.com/03-projects-folder/purdie-project-folder/pg-purdie.html

Besides, I don't think even Purdie claims to have played on anything as late as I Feel Fine.

I have no idea why a drummer of Purdie's stature and accomplishments would have fabricated this story, but it's pretty clear to me he must have. I used to think (as some of the links point out) that he'd played on some really early recordings that originally featured Pete Best, and then later on just confused the sessions - with the number of sessions he did that would certainly be plausible.

But in interviews he's pretty explicit that Brian Epstein was present, and paid him a five figure amount to keep quiet about it. This makes absolutely no sense. Surely a lot of people would have had to know about it - George Martin and all the recording engineers at Abbey Road would have known instantly that something was different about the recordings. But there's never been anyone come forward to collaborate Purdies story.

OK, so here's a challenge:

Go to Youtube and listen to the available takes from 1 to 6. Some are missing.

Then listen to 7. Up to 6, you have a very clunky tune and one very much like the live versions which are also clunky. For example, chech the live version in Paris. At 7 you have something completely unlike the others and something very much closer to the final release (if it isn't the final release itself).

Makes no sense to me.

I worked with George Martin and Geoff Emerick several times over the years. I played them the Beatle Decca audition tapes and Hey Jude rehearsals in late 1979. They were very surprised this stuff was floating around and asked me for copies, which I gave them. I asked Geoff and Sir George many questions about Ringo and the gear used by all in the studio. I'm convinced Ringo was never overdubbed by any session cats.

Purdy may have over dubbed some Tony Sheridan Hamburg tapes in NYC in 1964. Guitars and drums were fixed up for those tapes I understand.

I don't think Purdy replaced Ringo on anything. It'd easily be noticed on their recordings. And, the technology didn't allow for patching up clinkers and tempo errors, which do appear on many early Beatle tracks. If they fixed up Ringo's tracks, why didn't they fix up Paul's numerous errors on "Do You Want To Know A Secret", or Ringo's ending clinker on "No Reply"? These Purdy "theories" border on "Area 51" stories in my book.