John Lennon had mixed feelings to say the least on Ringo Starr‘s musicianship. While the pair would work together for years not just in The Beatles but on one another’s studio projects, Lennon had some choice words for his former bandmate. In one of the last interviews Lennon gave before his death, he explained that Starr was already a “star” before he joined the band, but that his drumming was a little lacking at times.
While Lennon would argue that Starr is not “technically” a good drummer, the style and magic he brought to The Beatles made all the difference. He went on to praise the everyman skills of the veteran performer, saying his knack for on-screen performances was just as important as his unique drumming style.
He told Playboy Magazine: “Ringo was a star in his own right in Liverpool before we even met. He was a professional drummer who sang and performed and had Ringo Starr-time and he was in one of the top groups in Britain but especially in Liverpool before we even had a drummer. So Ringo’s talent would have come out one way or the other as something or other.
“I don’t know what he would have ended up as, but whatever that spark is in Ringo that we all know but can’t put our finger on… whether it is acting, drumming or singing I don’t know… there is something in him that is projectable and he would have surfaced with or without the Beatles. Ringo is a damn good drummer. He is not technically good, but I think Ringo’s drumming is underrated the same way Paul’s bass playing is underrated. Paul was one of the most innovative bass players ever.
“And half the stuff that is going on now is directly ripped off from his Beatles period. He is an egomaniac about everything else about himself, but his bass playing he was always a bit coy about. I think Paul and Ringo stand up with any of the rock musicians. Not technically great… none of us are technical musicians. None of us could read music. None of us can write it. But as pure musicians, as inspired humans to make the noise, they are as good as anybody.”
Elsewhere, Lennon would praise Starr as being musically ahead of him by a few years. He shared: “I’m most happy for Ringo’s success because it always went round that Ringo was dumb but he ain’t dumb. He just didn’t have that much of a writing ability and he wasn’t known for writing his own material.
“There was a bit of a worry, although he can make movies and he does make movies and he’s good at it, but how was his recording career gonna be? And in general, it’s probably better than mine actually.”
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