Starr originated from the band 'Rory Storm and the Hurricanes' and replaced
Pete Best as drummer in 1962 due to reservations expressed by George Martin towards Best and with this concern in mind The Beatles replace Pete Best altogether with
Richard Starky, working under the pseudonym Ringo Starr.
Starr's drumming style played a pivotal role in the music played and recorded by The Beatles and then went on to establish a new approach to rhythm in popular music that some claim continues to grow in its significance and influence with every decade since The Beatles recorded their music. Starr is left-handed yet plays a right-handed kit; his tendency to lead with his left hand contributes to his distinctive drumming style. Lennon described Starr as being the "heart" of the Beatles. Starr is also considered to have advanced various modern drumming techniques (for playing and recording) such as the matched grip, placing the drums on high risers for visibility as part of the band, tuning the drums lower, and using
muffling devices on
tonal rings, along with his general contributions to The Beatles as a whole. Specific drum parts executed by Starr in notably signature fashion include the fill that brings the drums and bass guitar into "
Hey Jude", the steady rock and roll beats in "Some Other Guy" and other early Beatles recordings, the drum kit pattern through the bridge of "Hello, Goodbye", and the driving bass drum notes found in "
Lady Madonna", underlying the more intricate, double-tracked snare drum.
