Some of that musicality is undoubtedly related to the bands they were in or the records they played on. I mean, think about it: How many of us would have heard of Ringo if he wasn't in the Beatles? This is not, in any way, a slam against Ringo, who is actually a good drummer IMHO (based not just on the Beatles, but on the fact that he was a regular on the British club scene prior to joining Liverpool's finest.
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). But then again, there were plenty of other drummers who were well regarded among the British musical crowd, so what made Ringo stand out to Paul, George, and John? Some intagible variables, I imagine, relating to personality, temperament, work ethic, and versatility/adaptability. I suppose the combination of chemistry, timing, and effort in a band setting, or at least a setting with other musicians in the room, goes a long way....
Derek once said that the best way to deal with this is to write as you would do face-to-face. 
