The one drummer Chad Smith had “the magic touch”
To qualify as a truly great drummer is much harder than it is for guitarists and bassists to rise to the top. For a sticksman to stand out behind the kit, they have to do something truly unique, and as the world of rhythm is distinct from that of melody, devising fills, utilising rudiments and holding the ship together in a way that fits in with the essence of the song is very tricky. One man who knows how to do this is Red Hot Chili Peppers maestro Chad Smith.
Smith often doesn’t get his dues because his band features two other figures deemed to be at the very top of their respective instruments, bassist Flea and guitarist John Frusciante. With the former a slap-bass icon who has his own unique style and a starting point for most four-string players, and the latter a genre-bending innovator, blending the spirit of Jimi Hendrix with post-punk and alt-rock, this pair instantly grab the attention and overshadow the critical work of the man behind them who holds it all together.
When you add the presence of Flea and Frusciante to the fact that Red Hot Chili Peppers are derided for their somewhat one-dimensional funk-rock style by many music fans, Smith finds himself largely overlooked However, those who are prone to more nuanced thought know full well that he’s a drummer of the highest order who can institute hard rock bursts like one of his heroes, John Bonham, deliver jazz and prog-inflected complexity like other influences in Neil Peart and Ginger Baker, and ice-cool R&B grooves like Charlie Watts, all at the drop of a hat.
This rhythmic dexterity and unbridled dedication to serving the song was informed by another overlooked drummer, who not only held his band together rhythmically but offered left-field sounds from the drums that made him stand out and pioneer rock drumming: The Beatles’ Ringo Starr.
Due to the monumental significance of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison’s songwriting, Starr has been dismissed as a drummer by much of the musical world for decades. However, it speaks volumes that the world’s greatest rhythmic heroes who emerged in his wake all pay heavy sonic deference to him, whether Dave Grohl, Max Weinberg, Questlove, Taylor Hawkins, or even Green Day’s Tré Cool. From turning simple drum patterns into effective, recognisable riffs to his complex leading left-handed patterns, Starr’s work with The Beatles features some incredible moments.
Smith, like his esteemed peers from the drumming world, is fully aware of the Liverpudlian’s prowess. In 2015, when speaking to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for a special video alongside other rhythmic heroes that celebrated Ringo Starr by exploring his iconic kit, he had some very glowing words for the classic rock star. He said he has “the magic touch,” which is a theme that has recurred in conversations about Starr by those in the know since the Fab Four split in 1970.
Smith said: “He really had a knack for coming up with really interesting musical parts that became rhythmic hooks. He has the magic touch.”
Whether it be the introduction of ‘Can’t Stop’, the slow groove of ‘Californication’ or even the funky fire of ‘Give It Away’, it’s clear that Chad Smith takes a lot from Ringo Starr. He’s also a master at serving the song with his own rhythmic licks, adding an extra flavour to the mix. Red Hot Chili Peppers would not be the same without him; there’s no surprise their potency was taken up a level after he joined.
