"Ringo was a star in his own right in Liverpool before we even met. Ringo was a professional drummer who sang and performed and was in one of the top groups in Britain, but especially in Liverpool. So Ringo's talent would have come out one way or the other ... whatever that spark is in Ringo, we all know it but can't put our finger on it. Whether it's acting, drumming, or singing, I don't know. There's something in him that is projectable and he would have surfaced as an individual ... Ringo is a damn good drummer."
These were the words of Ringo's former band mate John Lennon in an interview just before he was killed.
Born Richard Starkey, he changed his name to Ringo Starr while drumming for Rory Storm and The Hurricanes because of the numerous rings he wore in his fingers. Officially a member of The Beatles in 1962 after their drummer Pete Best was sacked, Ringo's friendship with John, Paul and George could be traced back to early 1960 when they were part of the local music circuit in Liverpool and Hamburg. Occasionally, whenever Pete Best would call in sick or not turn up for a gig, Starr would contribute with drumming responsibilities. It was on one such session when Starr impressed the other three by nailing the drum beat to Ray Charles' "What I'd Say." From then on, John, Paul and George knew that Ringo was destined to become a Beatle and without a second thought was their first choice to replace Pete Best.
While most critics would dismiss Starr's drumming to be something mediocre that lacks the technical feel to it, he still however remains a major influence on most rock drummers for his consistency in keeping time and rhythm and as someone who could resonate an appropriate drum sound to give each song its distinctive soul. This claim was further backed by Sir George Martin who produced most of The Beatles records from 1962 to 1970, "He's got tremendous feel. He always helped us to hit the right tempo for a song, and gave it that support – that rock-solid back-beat – that made the recording of all the Beatles' songs that much easier."
Although Ringo simply considered all of these theories to simply being a left handed drummer playing a right handed kit, giving that delayed beat created as result of starting off with his left hand. Phil Collins of the Genesis is another left handed drummer of the rock world and dedicated their 1981 hit 'That's All' to Ringo.
Ringo, who was one of the pioneer of the Matched-Grip drumming, hit the hi-hat in a rather unorthodox fashion, often at a horizontal angle with the body of the stick rather than the tip. This resulted in a more deeper tone off the hi-hat and can be heard on their early single 'I saw her standing there.'
When one hears their hit 1965 single 'Ticket to Ride,' you can't simply ignore the unique drum pattern that runs through out the song. Considered to be very innovative for it's era, the cardinal rule book of that time instructed for the the snare to be struck at the second and fourth beat. Ringo instead hit the snare on the second and the third off-beat and then the tom-tom on the fourth off-beat. While most conventional drummers would consider this technique as absurd for breaking away from the rule book, this innovative sound gave the song a cheerful ticket to ride to the top of the charts.
Even their hit 1966 single 'Rain' is a bright resonance of Starr's innovative drumming techniques. It paints a bright picture of Starr's unique drum breaks and fills created by that delayed left hand playing on a right handed kit but one which perfectly walks hand in hand with Lennon's vocals, McCartney's bass and Harrison's guitar licks.
While Ringo maybe considered a simple or mediocre drummer, for many he is truly a pioneer of many sorts - matched-grip technique or using muffling devices on the drums to obtain a flat deep but rich sound. Most music enthusiasts can clearly distinguish between a Ringo drum pattern and that of another drummer. And that's what makes him unique.
Being part of the most famous rock band in history may have certainly contributed to his fame, but the underlying fact to Ringo's popularity and fame lies in his unique and distinctive sound that makes him easily identifiable, promoting him to top ranks among the class of the best drummers in rock music.
Peace and Love Everybody!