Playing with Paul is magic... for the audience and us
Sir Ringo Starr tells KEIRAN SOUTHERN about marriage, lockdown creativity and reuniting (safely) with former bandmates
SIR Ringo Starr had no plans to slow down before the coronavirus pandemic intervened. His appearance and fizzing energy bely his 80 years – and had it not been for Covid-19, the man born Richard Starkey would have been on the road in 2020.
As it stands, Sir Ringo’s All Starr Band is set to return to the stage in June, though he admits the plans are far from set in stone due to the virus’s continued disruption.
The pause in performing gave him a chance to look back on three decades with the group, collating the book Ringo Rocks: 30 Years of the All Starrs.
This proved an emotional experience, Sir Ringo says from his Los Angeles home.
“The first band was like everything else – it’s brand new. And, ‘Oh, wow, it’s working’. And I had a lot of great players.”
Musicians who have been part of the ever-evolving line-up include Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, rocker Peter Frampton, New Orleans musician Dr John and R&B star Billy Preston, among others.
Drummer Sir Ringo, who spent 10 years in the Beatles with supernova talents Sir Paul Mccartney, John Lennon and George Harrison, admits that being the frontman was fun.
“It gave me a chance to be down the front, Mr Personality, while playing the drums for all these other tracks. So, I won both ways.”
In lieu of touring, Sir Ringo has been keeping himself busy by making new music – the single Here’s To The Nights, an uplifting track featuring a stellar guest list including Sir Paul.
It will appear on the appropriately named EP Zoom In, due for release in March.
Sir Ringo, who was knighted in 2018, says, “I have a little guest house here and it’s now my studio.
“This time it was a little awkward because people were getting tested to come and play. Or, if they had a studio, they could play in their own place. So that took the pressure off the lockdown a little because I was drumming, singing and hanging out with musicians.
“I do go to the gym quite a lot. And I also I took half of the gym, now that’s where my paint studio is. So I can make a mess without Barbara getting crazy.”
Barbara is of course Barbara Bach, Sir Ringo’s wife of 39 years. The actress is best known for playing Bond Girl Anya Amasova opposite the late Sir Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me.
While lockdown strained many a relationship, the Starrs are as strong as ever.
“I love the woman,” he says. “I loved her from when I first saw her at LAX in 1980. She was at the airport with a boyfriend and I was at the airport checking in, and we happened to be going to Mexico to do the same movie.
“And that’s how it happened. Not like it was a big plan. It was just ‘OK, here we go’. And we get on real well together, relax together. Of course, some days, I don’t do it properly. My room’s not tidy. I mean, regular s*** that goes down in any couple that has been together a long time. But I’m blessed she’s in my life.”
The Starrs have had their base in LA for the better part of a decade. Sir Ringo cites the Southern California sunshine as one of the biggest attractions but also loves the fact famous friends are just a call away.
When putting together Here’s To The Nights, he flicked through his star-filled phone book and had Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl and Grammy-winning blues musician Ben Harper over.
It can be dizzying speaking to Sir Ringo as he casually mentions stars in his orbit.
Name-dropping is probably the wrong expression – after all, former Beatles are the stars towards which others gravitate, but I am conscious that on the other end of the phone is a superstar. Which brings us on to another – Sir Paul.
The former bandmates had just got off the phone when I called. They took to the stage together in July 2019 at Dodger Stadium, to the delight of the Beatles fans.
So, can Sir Ringo promise a repeat when Covid-19 is vanquished?
Sir Ringo says: “I love that, getting up with him. We did it at the O2 in England (in 2018). And then he called me and he said, ‘I’m doing Dodger Stadium, if you want to do a few numbers’.
“Sure. He picked three numbers, and I went down there. And it’s magic for the audience as well as us. I love playing with him.
“The audience is like, ‘Oh, there’s two of them! Wow’. It lifts everything, in a joyous way. I had a great time. We’re still pals. We don’t hang out with each other a lot. But if we’re in the same country, and if we’re in the same town we always have a dinner, and we say hi or he comes over here or I go over to his house.”
Our call comes to an end, but not before some wise words from Sir Ringo. While the pandemic offered the chance to look back, the world’s favourite drummer looks forward.
He says: “You know, life goes on.”
Ringo Rocks:
30 Years Of
The All Starrs is out now from juliensauctions. com