You can only judge The Beatles by the standards of their own era, and history has done that. The band surveyed what was then-currently happening in music and they drastically improved upon it. To suddenly teleport them to today would rob them of the ability to review the past 40 years of music - much of which was (by the way) influenced by THEM. Simon Cowell can't see the forest because of the trees.

Simon is a moron. He's old fashioned and no different from the sort of people who snubbed The Beatles before they got famous. Ringo was the final part of the puzzle in what made the Beatles special. He is a a great rock drummer, acknowledged by his peers and very influential. The Only thing Simon has going for him is being outspoken and cocky, which supposedly makes "great" tv viewing.

What a moron, showing how completely pathetic he is. people forget that the Beatles pioneered mulit-track recording and tape cutting of one take into another without drum machines, few drummers would survivie such treatment of their drum tracks. the fact is it's impossible to tell when this occurs in Beatles tracks, proving that ringo is actually one of the greatest drummers of all time! Most polls of pro drummers put Ringo near the top for this very reason. I woulsd imagine there have been very few drummers who could have pulled this feat off. As someone working in the music industry for years i have yet to see someone carry off a cut'n'paste on protools perfectly without a click track to guide them. Ringo is like a top loose forward in Rugby - invisible for most of the game but the team would be lost without him.

If I read this right then Simon would have done exactly what Sir George Martin did - "Get rid of your drummer and you've got a contract"

That's one of the reasons Pete Best was dropped just before they became massive.

But personally I don’t think the Beatles would be that big in today’s climate (if they came out today) because they don’t fit the mainstream music criteria and also the cultural difference in today’s society when compared to the 1960’s. What sells now is pretty boys and girls dancing and looking sexy or rappers talking about guns, drugs and hoe’s. Today it is about the visual product and not just the music. That’s why Milli Vanilli would do so well today

Anyone who doubts Ringos drumming ability should listen to the Beatles White Album and Abbey Road Album the musicianship of Starr and Harrison are superb, particularly the final medley track of Abbey Road - and here is a question - Will any of the idol winners so far be remembered in 40 years time - I very much doubt it

I say he is entitled to his opinion, we should have a go at stuff for posting his comments, the Beatles we're and still are great.

For the world to have another "Beatles phenomenon" I think a new instrument would have to be invented, ie the electric guitar because at the moment the greatest talents that most of todays artist have is there cosmetic noses, boobs, and bootys.

LOL, Simon had his ONE and only chance to make it big and he FAILED to sign the spicey girls. Its just like the dude that quit the beatles before they got big. FAIL.

If Cowell is correct, it just demonstrates why the music industry is so screwed up these days; focusing on the "Get Rich Quick" style of management rather than producing quality product is never going to work in the long run.

IT WAS A JOKE!

Strangely reminded of John Lennon's quote from 1966 about the Beatles being bigger than Jesus. If only Cowell had released some records for us to burn.