Ringo Starr, the drummer for The Beatles, is not just any musician but a highly skilled one with a unique approach to his craft. Instead of viewing drumming as a standalone performance, Starr sees it as a vital part of the bigger musical picture. Unlike other drummers of his caliber, he didn’t spend his youth trying to mimic his idols behind closed doors.
In fact, he only ever bought one record that focused on a drummer, showing his distinct lack of interest in drum-heavy compositions.
Starr’s disinterest in isolated drumming reveals a lot about his playing style, which is all about lifting up the music and his bandmates rather than seeking the spotlight. Even though some have criticized this selfless approach, it was a key factor in shaping the legendary sound of The Beatles.
During a 2019 chat with Dave Grohl for Rolling Stone, Starr looked back on his early days of drumming, recalling his dream of becoming a drummer since he was 13. But when asked about his favorite drummers during that time, Starr candidly admitted that he wasn’t particularly focused on drumming in the music he listened to.
He explained his mindset clearly: “Well, Cozy Cole is the only one I ever mention, but anything Little Richard did — people always feel it’s weird, but I never listened just for the drums. I listened for the whole track. [Another drummer I heard at the time] had a section going where the hi-hat was part of the fill! First time I ever heard it.”
In a 2020 interview with Rolling Stone, Starr once again mentioned Cozy Cole, saying, “The only drum solo I talk about is Cozy Cole’s ‘Topsy’ from all those years ago. That’s the only one I liked. But John Bonham did quite a good one one time.”
Although Starr wasn’t a fan of drum solos, he did show his skills on ‘The End.’ The Beatles were generally against long drum solos, which matched Starr’s own feelings about them. Paul McCartney reflected on this shared viewpoint: “Ringo would never do drum solos. He hated drummers who did lengthy drum solos. We all did. And when he joined The Beatles, we said, ‘Ah, what about drum solos then?’, thinking he might say, ‘Yeah, I’ll have a five-hour one in the middle of your set,’ and he said, ‘I hate’ em!’ We said, ‘Great! We love you!’ And so he would never do them.”
Even though Starr didn’t care for drum solos, he still admired Cozy Cole’s ‘Topsy,’ appreciating its impact despite its unconventional style. While Cole didn’t directly influence Starr’s drumming, he certainly left a lasting impression, proving that the art of drumming is about more than just copying others.
