Sinister: My name's Ringo and I play the fool

[Nick.Dastoor at xxx.uk]

Dougal said:

>This brings us to your other interesting question about the nature
>of an individual's contribution to a band. You say that 'you might as
>well say Ringo spoiled the Beatles'. I don't think he spoiled the Beatles,
>but I think most people would agree that his contribution to the band's
>output was overshadowed by the other members. When a journalist
>asked Paul McCartney if he thought Ringo was the best drummer in
>the world, he quickly replied 'I don't think he's the best drummer in
>the Beatles'. He wasn't a particularly good drummer [...]

For heaven's sake, let's nail this Ringo lie once and for all!  People make fun
of Ringo just cause he's named after crisps and he's all big and clumsy.  Or
because they fancied Pete Best.  Yes that's it, isn't it Dougal?  You never even
gave Ringo a chance!  It wasn't *his* fault EMI told the band to lose Besty or
lose the deal.  I suppose it must have been hard for him when his brother George
ended up being the fifth Beatle despite being unable to play anything at all,
except the big ponce and football.  Very popular with the girls, though.  As was
Ringo, especially with Brummie lassies.  Did you ever see the proto-video for
'Something' that they showed as part of the Anthology series?  It had all the
Beatles skipping around the countryside with their speshal friends.  Paul and
Linda play kiss chase with some lambs. George and Patti Boulaye lose themselves
in each other's eyes, quite oblivious to a jealous God hatching his evil plans
in the bushes.  Even John and Yoko look quite sweet, resting their hair against
a tree and listening to the flowers grow.  It's a beautiful scene.  But what's
that noise puncturing the rural peace?  Why it's Ringo and his bird Maureen
tearing through the trees on a dirty great motorbike!  NMEEEEAOWWWWWWW!
Cracking stuff.

That Paul quote about him not even being the best drummer in the Beatles was a
joke!  Y'know - the kind of witty off-the-cuff remark for which John was usually
renowned.  John had just made a fart joke that got a big laugh from Sir Reginald
Snodgrass of the BBC and Paul's competitive streak was stirred.  That was how
the Beatles became so funny - that 'anything you can do I can do better' spirit
of rivalry.  Sometimes they'd get jokes sent over from Brian Wilson in America
and that would inspire them too, although they wouldn't always get all the
references.  Poor old Brian went mad eventually, trying to come up with a
punchline to some fantastically elaborate gag involving vegetables and Red
Indians that would completely rewrite the book of comedy.  Have you seen the
book of comedy?  It's fucking brilliant and has a whole chapter on how to laugh
girls into bed.  It doesn't tell you how to stop them laughing, though.  Maybe
that was in Brian Wilson's rewrite.  Sadly, we'll never know.

Ringo though - ace drummer.  Listen to 'Rain'.  Dooph dooph.

N. x


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