...why would he need to change the way he plays over the years? Millions of people love the way he plays, its his signature. You seriously expect him to buy a double bass pedal or start playing Grunge, These guys invented almost every style of pop/rock during 7 short years, give him a break.
Not buy a double bass, but per the ' I Feel Fine' studio example above, nowhere live does Ringo play a mambo type groove with that adeptness post 1965, he never shows chops like that again is my point.
Show me any live example of Ringo playing a mambo type grove with a cross stick snare... none.
Further listening of the studio track reveals the right hand cascara pattern is never duplicated live with the same proficiency. Latin grooves are driven by the cascara pattern, its played tight, on the beat, Ringo's live examples are not there, they're behind the beat and simple'd out like a rock drummer would play them.
So the reality is if one can do it in the studio, there's no reason (at least) some of the same would be done/shown live, and Im not talking about leaving out a few beats, Im talking about proficiency. Don Henley plays live with the same proficiency he does in the studio, weather or not its the exact same parts doesn't matter.
On the '
I Feel Fine' studio example, Ringo never again shows the same level of proficiency. That IFF studio vid BTW is titled 'The Beatles - I Feel Fine isolated drum track, drums only', there's no mention of Ringo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAS1R2umcpk
In the live versions posted above there is a more complicated fill after the middle break than what is on this version.
Hmmmm, I don't hear that fill being 'more' complicated, I do hear it more behind the beat, unlike the studio version, and I also hear everything else about the live examples being crap compared to the studio cut, like its a different drummer.
The studio cut sounds like some experienced drummer came in and said "Hey man, that's a mambo feel!" and then proceeds to overdub it like someone versed in latin grooves, i.e. with a cross stick and a tumbao patterned kick... and not just a bullshit attempt, the stuff is on, way more on than I believe a 1965 Ringo could play it.
If you listen to other
1965 period outtakes of the Beatles in the studio its clear the drumming is lagging, not on it, they're even adding tambourines to tighten up the groove. I could see a producer suggesting the need for tighter drum tracks, Ringo clearly is not on it. They couldn't digitally adjust tempos back then, they would bring in a drummer who could overdub.
So when I hear a Don Henely, or a Jim Keltner, or a Vinnie Coluita, I hear the same, or even a heightened level of proficiency in their playing now as I did years ago. When I listen to the IFF studio track and other 65' Ringo playing examples the levels of proficiency don't jive between the two.