Ringo’s favorite drum bit
A friend asked me a few weeks ago in all seriousness if I knew what Ringo’s favorite bit of drumming was that he did for The Beatles.
Yep. I didn’t know. Some of you probably do.
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From an interview in The Big Beat
Max: What’s your favorite piece of work you did as the drummer for the Beatles?
Ringo: My favorite piece of me is what I did on “Rain.” I think I just played amazing. I was into the snare and hi-hat. I think it was the first time I used this trick of starting a break by hitting the hi-hat first instead of going directly to a drum off the hi-hat. But I couldn’t do that anymore because that came out of something that could only happen back then.”
“Rain” – The Beatles (b-side to “Paperback Writer”)
Just one more tiny piece of musical trivia to file in your brain.
Love it.
Name: Heather Browne
Ringo was doing some great stuff around that era – the drumming to “She Said, She Said” is equally fantastic, and his son Zak (who is one of the best drummers out there right now) has said that his dad’s drumming on “The Word” off ‘Rubber Soul’ is particularly noteworthy.
But nice one on ‘Rain’ – My all time favorite Beatles track.
Paul — November 10, 2006 @ 11:27 am
Huh.
Very cool.
Meghan — November 10, 2006 @ 12:04 pm
The drumming on “Rain” is pretty great as is McCartney’s bass playing.
In regards to “The Big Beat” and the Beatles, you really have to read Bernard “Pretty” Purdie’s claims that he played drums on all of The Beatles early hits. He’s delusional, but its hilarious.
One final bit of trivia on The Beatles drumming; the only drum solo on a Beatles record (Abbey Road Side Two before The End) was not played by Ringo, but rather, by Paul McCartney.
enjoy
bz
zimcox — November 10, 2006 @ 7:39 pm
It’s learning little things like what Ringo’s favorite drum bit was that just make my day.
Everyone should appreciate randomness.
Saw Brandi Carlile last night…awesome concert. Look forward to your post.
Bec — November 11, 2006 @ 3:48 pm
Sorry, zimcox but that’s definitley Ringo playing the drum solo on “The End.” Paul was a terrific drummer who can be heard on a handfull of Beatles tracks (“Back in the USSR,” “Dear Prudence” & “Ballad of John & Yoko”)but Ringo – who hated solos -was pushed by George Martin & the other Beatles to play a brief one at the end of Abbey Road.
“The End” was meant to be a Beatles version of the Creem/Zeppelin-style solo-swapping coming into popularity in the late sixties, and was played live in the studio. John, Paul & George traded guitar solos (listen carefully and you can identify the player of each)after Ringo’s drum break.
(But give him time and for all I know Bernard Purdie will claim he played the solo on Abbey Road).
Anonymous — November 12, 2006 @ 4:17 pm