(Gibson) One might expect Ringo Starr to be secure in the knowledge that nearly every rock drummer who has come in his wake cites him as an influence. Fact is, however, it took the remastering of The Beatles' catalog to present him in what he feels was a proper light."I love the remasters," he told M – Music & Musicians, in a just-published interview. "And you know why? You can hear the drums! Suddenly people [were saying], 'Oh, we better look again at his playing.' Sometimes that's been in doubt in a lot of people's minds. Of course, with Lennon and McCartney in the group, what do you expect? The first clue was when we remixed Yellow Submarine. Paul and I went to Abbey Road to listen to it, and we both said, 'Who the hell played that?' So yeah, suddenly people were saying, 'Oh, maybe he could play.' The one thing I can always look at is that The Beatles' music is great. What we did, the four of us, is incredible."
Starr's new album, Ringo 2012, was released January 31. His 13th All Starr Band tour will launch June 14 at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario. more on this story
