Ringo Starr and Over 100 Drummers Cover Beatles’ ‘Come Together’
Ringo Starr appears on a new charity cover of the Beatles’ “Come Together,” joined by an all-star, 100-plus-drummer cast featuring Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, the E Street Band’s Max Weinberg and Pearl Jam’s Matt Cameron.
“Drum Together” — which supports WhyHunger, a charity working to “end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food” in the U.S. and abroad — unites players from across rock, pop, jazz and funk, including members of famous bands and renowned session veterans. Viewers can donate to the cause online through single or monthly donations.
The drummer list also includes Stewart Copeland (the Police), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge), Simon Kirke (Bad Company), Mike Portnoy (formerly of Dream Theater), Steve Gadd, Steve Jordan, Bernard Purdie, Gregg Bissonette, Jack Dejohnette, Nic Collins (Genesis), Keith Carlock (Steely Dan), Vinnie Colaiuta and 11-year-old YouTube star Nandi Bushell, among many others.
This isn’t an ordinary Beatles cover, either in scope or in sound. The clip seamlessly compiles footage of all the drummers remotely tracking their parts, alongside numerous bassists, guitarists, keyboardists, singers, string players, horn sections and auxiliary percussionists. And the result is an expansive, 10-minute rendition of the Abbey Road tune, veering into jazz-fusion instrumental breaks and big-band grooves.
You can watch the video below.
Several major musicians are listed at the charity’s site under the section “Artists Against Hunger and Poverty,” including Bruce Springsteen, Carlos Santana, Jackson Browne, Chicago, Yoko Ono, Dead & Company and Michael McDonald.