Starr in his eyes
Not everyone can produce incredible photos with a little help from their friends. But then not every keen amateur photographer was in The Beatles. Ringo Starr is hoping to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity by releasing rare snaps he took almost 60 years ago while on the road with the Fab Four.
Shot in black-and-white and colour, drummer Ringo, 83, says: “We always had a professional photographer to take photos of us, but I just loved taking pictures and I still do.”
The photos include images of John Lennon and Paul Mccartney recording at Abbey Road Studios and the first-ever photo of Ringo behind the drums at the Cavern in Liverpool – a venue the band would go on to play almost 300 times. But Ringo is sure it can’t be his kit he is bashing. He says: “That’s the first ever shot of me playing at the Cavern. These are not my drums. The snare and the sticks would have been mine, but I never had a white kit.”
One rare colour shot from 1966 shows George Harrison with a Spanish guitar. Ringo says: “John and Paul would write the songs at the beginning, then George started, and then I joined in, too late may I add.”
Of a trippy self-portrait taken on infrared film in 1969, Ringo says: “You can tell it’s the late 1960s because all the tricks were coming out.”
And of a black-and-white snap of John in Paris in 1964, Ringo says: “I love that shot. Besides the fact that John has his glasses off, he is sitting in a typical ‘him’ pose.”
A candid black-and-white photo catches John and Paul recording at Abbey Road Studios. Ringo, who sang Beatles favourite With A Little Help From My Friends, says: “Another one of John and Paul. They seem to have spotted me.”
The photos are now being reproduced from negatives for the first time as large museumquality prints to raise money for causes close to Ringo’s heart such as homelessness, animals and fighting brain tumours and cerebral palsy.
Twelve images will be available to buy, with all proceeds going to the
Lotus Foundation, set up by Ringo and his wife Barbara Starkey.
The Foundation aims to “fund, support, participate in and promote charitable projects aimed at advancing social welfare”.
More of his camerawork features in his book Photograph, released in 2013. He told the Mirror at the time: “All of the Beatles had cameras after we went to Japan but I’d been taking pictures for a while before that.”
Many long-forgotten snaps from his childhood, and life with John, Paul and George and manager Brian Epstein were discovered when Ringo opened boxes from late mum Elsie’s Liverpool home which he had stored in his attic since her death in 1986. “It was like an Aladdin’s cave - a treasure trove of memories,” he reveals.
And now, six decades on, some of these will have another life as prized possessions, framed on the walls of fans around the world.
They will also help Ringo provide much-needed help for others in this new charity venture.
Prints from The Photograph Portfolio 2024, signed by Ringo, are available to buy at www.ringostarrprints.com. Proceeds go to the Lotus Foundation. The publishers, Genesis Publications, are also making a donation from every purchase to the charity.
All the Beatles had cameras after Japan but I’d been taking pics for a while