Please. Keith Moon's left hand, six months after Moon's death, was a better drummer that Ringo Starr ever was.

But no one can replace Sir Toppemhat.

And what's this about George being a "really talented role player." Get The Concert for George on dvd (if you're into the Beatles). It's amazing just how good George Harrison's songs are.

Strictly as musicians, I don't think any one of the Beatles was the A #1 musician with his intrument. (Page a better guitarist than Lennon, etc.) The Beatles were more about the songs than about "time for my guitar solo to wow everyone and prove that I'm the best guitar player ever", a la Page or Clapton or Hendrix or heavy drum solos like Moon or Bill Kreutzman & Mickey Hart. What they were was something more than the sum of their parts, and really great song writers.

Ringo wasn't brought in because he was a better drummer than Peter Best, but rather because he was more of a showman.

I think Ringo was the designated driver. If Keith Moon had been in the Beatles, they would have all gone over the edge in the 1960s at some point in a haze of booze and pills.

I think my all-time British invasion lineup would have been Lennon, McCartney, Moon, and Clapton. Lennon and McCartney to write, Moon and Clapton to play.

Of course, I'd take Hendrix over Clapton and give a player to be named later in a heartbeat if we were including Americans. And I might trade Lennon for Jim Morrison for better vocals.