I Love Liberty!...so tasteful, could play with power & finesse...great player! Surprised he lasted as long as he did with Billy. Had an old friend that played with him before anyone had ever heard of Mr. Joel...he was a Pricc then & as far as I know, is a Pricc now. Gotta admit, if I had that much talent & money as he has, I'd be a Pricc too...wait a minute, I'm already a Pricc! LOL!

I think Ringo is one of the most musical drummers,that I have ever heard.I've heard from many players over the years that there is nothing Ringo played,that they couldn't do,and I strongly dissagree with that.

Could they play his parts note for note?I guess,but its not really the same.He,first of all,came up with the parts to begin with(well,most of the time anyway).And they way he played them is even more impressive.He left just the right amount of space,between the notes,so you could appreciate everything else that was going on.

Lots of drummers found just the right band over the years.Would Moonie have been terrible in another band?Maybe.But the Who was the Who,because of him,and his lack of perfect time.Zep would not have been the same without Bonham,and he certainly made an enormous contribution to the sound,and overall rawness of the band.

Steve B

I saw Liberty in 1990. One hell of a clinician, one hell of a drummer. I was catching clinics all the time at that point in my life, having seen everyone from Liberty to Tommy Lee to Louis Bellson!!! Every time I saw a good clinic, it made me appreciate where those cats came from as far as their drum parts. All of those little things I would catch helped turn me into a better player. I would love to catch a good clinic about now, as I feel like I am at a bit of a plateau in my playing at this point...

Ringo provided a no-frills back beat, and that in itself is impressive. I get a little irritated by non-drummers (and non-musicians, for that matter) who poo poo Ringo. Yeah, I also got irritated with Lennon's assessment that Ringo was not the best drummer in the Beatles, for that matter.

While I am not 100% influenced by Ringo, I do turn to him when I figure out that I am over playing on a certain tune. I have NEVER been a note-for-note cover drummer, and I always inject a little bunny magic into every tune I play. I tell every band that I audition to play in that "if you are looking for Peart, I am not your guy." Sometimes I am thanked for calling, but usually, it leads to a nice, long conversation and an audition.

Ringo, Moonie & Bonzo...sounds like a Circus Chimp act! LoLoLoLo

I think that the Beatles were unique in the fact that none of the members were virtuoso musicians by themselves, but together they comprised one of, if not THE greatest BANDS in history! Therein lies the magic...all three of the Chimps above played in BANDS - not one man shows...Bands that were like "Cheers", everyone knew their names...not the bands name, but the individual band members name.

I have to admit, at one point in my life I too bashed Ringo :eek:...I was young & arrogant. Eventually, I grew-up & grew as a person, and I've come to appreciate many players that I use to pooh-pooh...more than likely Ringo has influenced my playing, after-all, he's been part of my life for almost 50 years!

You just proved that there is hope- it took me over 30 years to NOT hate the Eagles, and I swear it was just that it seemed their music was shoved down my throat when I was younger. I don't immediately turn the channel any longer when an Eagles song comes on.

Yes, it is about playing in a BAND, not a one-man show!!! Bozzio is the closest to a one-man show I could tolerate (I LOVE his drumming, btw) as far as a percussion extravaganza. Yeah, I get really irritated with the drum corps guys that noodle around in Banjo Center playing as loud as they possibly can. Don't those jag offs know that if guys like me don't buy when they're around, eventually there won't be a Banjo Center for them to play in?

Great thread. Personally I'm a 'less is more' kind of guy - not into any kind of solos, drums, guitar or whatever, with only a few exceptions, and only when it suits the tune. It's all about the tune for me. Ringo has been my greatest influence, and was my inspiration to start drumming in the early 70s. To me, he was the perfect fit for the band, and as far as the tunes go, they speak for themselves. I'm of the opinion that the beat should suit the music, and any fills, or flourish should be attempted only to embellish and compliment, and not be used as a showcase. I'm certain that I am far from the best drummer here on this forum, but that's my opinion at any rate. I used to get into drum solos in my younger days, but rarely have the patience for them anymore. I do get a kick out of showmanship on occasion - came across this not long ago. Probably been posted here before, but for any who have not seen it...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItZyaOlrb7E[/ame]

Yeah, I don't do drum solos any longer. I got really tired of doing them just as an excuse for the band to go take a leak or a line. What about the ol' bunny? This is why I like doing stuff where we take a break.

I saw it titled "drummer at the wrong gig" or something like that. He seems to be a bit Tommy Lee-like. It's cool with me, if that matters...

I must be really old, did "let there be drums or teen beat" preceed the Beatles? I liked Sandy Nelsons playing a lot more then Ringo but being in the right place at the right time trumps most everything else right?

Tom

Not familiar with the songs you stated. I will have to find those songs and lend my ear to them.

Frankly, if Ringo didn't get famous but another player who played for the tune was in his place, I'd probably ask WW_D? if you know what I mean.

Yeah, Ringo was in the right place at the right time but he didn't squander his opportunity either.