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Q: Welcome to the "Ringo Rama Radio Hour". During the next 60 minutes we'll have an intimate conversation with Ringo Starr as well as a generous selection of songs from ""Ringo Rama"", the new album by rock-and-roll's greatest drummer.
I'm Jody Denberg. Ringo, we're here today in Manhattan. What are some of the specific memories that come to your mind when you visit New York City?
A: Well, always, our first trip here, which was so incredible. You know, landing in -- at the airport in New York. Before we left, we were all a bit nervous, because we knew that, you know, in England and Europe we were really well-known. And we landed in New York and it was just the same. And the record had got to No. 1 and all the excitement of it all and the kids hanging out everywhere. And you know, for any musician, any band America is the place. And it was great. So I just remember all the excitement was so great.
Q: You look great. How do you keep so fit?
A: Well, I watch what I eat and I work out and I try and live a healthy life.
Q: Folks are already calling "Ringo Rama" one of your best solo works ever. What makes "Ringo Rama" special for you?
A: The plan of life is that you improve. And I think since 1989, when I sort of got back into the music business - touring, making records - that, you know, they should get better. That's the only plan, really, that your ideas about what you want to do are stronger and they come through. So on "Ringo Rama" it's more of a band feel, where "Vertical Man" was a band also, but it had too much stuff on top in the end. It was still a good album, I'm not putting it down. But this one, I feel, is better because it's more open and there's more of my personality stamped on it. And that's the aim of the game.
Q: The first song on "Ringo Rama" is Eye to Eye --
A: Eye to Eye.
Q: It sets the tone for what the album and Ringo Starr are all about, peace, love...
A: ...and love, yeah. It's -- you know I am a product of the '60s. And if you've ever seen my live tours, you know, the All-Starr tours, I'm -- every song is peace and love. I've got the peace sign going there and I've still got it going because, you know, it's, it's what I'm about. I am about peace and love. I am about non-violence. And so I've just got to express that every chance I get. Actually, you know, what drives me crazy is that I've been put down for that. You know, who does he think he is? (Laughs). I'm just me, folks, saying (lowers voice), "Ringo Rama", peace and love.
Q: Why do you think peace and love are so hard to achieve?
A: Well, you know, everybody has something to hide. (Laughs). I don't know. I have this incredible dream that one day, one minute, the whole world, at the same time, will decide it's time for peace and love. So I just do my part. And I think that's all you can do. I'm not telling anyone else what to do. I do this and that's the end of my story.
SONG: EYE TO EYE
Q: That was Eye to Eye, the first song on Ringo Starr's new album, "Ringo Rama". Welcome back to the "Ringo Rama Radio Hour".
Ringo, on the one hand, you say it don't come easy.
A: Yeah.
Q: On the other, you sing: Peace and love and harmony. Now, tell me how hard can it be? You were born during wartime. Violence has affected your loved ones. The world's in turmoil today. Do you manage to stay optimistic or do you go back and forth?
A: I go back and forth, like everybody else. The good thing is I'm optimistic more than not. You know, I was born -- I mean, my mother had the great line that they started the war 'cause I was born. They had to do something. (Laughs!) God rest her soul.
Q: Well, talking about your early days, you were sick a couple of times as a kid.
A: Yeah.
Q: Wasn't it during a hospital stay in Liverpool that you first got interested in drumming? How did that happen?
A: It was my second year in hospital that I had tuberculosis. And in those days, they used to put you in what we liked to call a greenhouse in the country, the countryside. And thank God, someone had invented Streptomycin. And you just sat around for a year getting well. And so to keep you entertained, once a week, they'd have like lessons. Could be knitting. It could be modeling. It could be anything. And occasionally, it was music. And they'd bring in tambourines, triangles and little drums. And the teacher would have a big sheet -- a big card. So if she pointed to the yellow dot, you hit the drum. And if she pointed to the green dot, you hit the triangle or whatever. You know, it was very, very primitive.
But anyway, from that moment, I wouldn't play in the band unless I had a drum. And, you know, they just became the love of my life. They became the dream that I one day would have my own set, which happened. And then the other dream was that I would play with other musicians, which came true. And it's still going on.
Q: Did you ever dream that you would go to Memphis in your mind?
A: I never went to -- dreamt I'd go to Memphis in my mind. But Memphis was in my mind a lot growing up, because all of the music that came out of Memphis. They -- I did try to get to Houston, Texas, when I was 18 because of Lightnin' Hopkins, the blues player. But no, I never thought I'd ever get to Memphis. And I've actually stood in Sun Records where they made... you know, in the recording studio there -- and stood where they've all stood.
Q: In the Anthology video, each of the Beatles had a different recollection of meeting the king of rock-and-roll.
A: Yeah.
Q: Were there any details of that get-together that you all agreed on?
A: No. (Laughs). No, we all came -- just even later than the Anthology, Paul and I -- Klaus Voormann was doing a painting of our meeting with Elvis, because nobody took any photos. And so he gave us both a piece of paper and said, "Now, draw your vision of what the room looks like." And I actually came in the front door from the right and on Paul's drawing, he came in the front door from the left. So I think we were just too excited.
SONG: MEMPHIS IN YOUR MIND
Q: You're tuned to the "Ringo Rama Radio Hour". And we just took a trip with Ringo Starr to Memphis in Your Mind, one of many rockers on the great new disc "Ringo Rama".
With this album it is clearer than ever that you're a rocker and not a mod, isn't it?
A: I am a rocker, yeah.
Q: We just went to Memphis musically, but you live in England, LA, Monte Carlo, Colorado. Where do you and your wife, Barbara, spend the most time?
A: It depends on the year. Depends where we empty the suitcase. That's where we feel we live. But for the last 14 years, we've actually lived in Monaco. We're residents of Monaco. And we have homes in England, homes in L.A. So that's the deal.
Q: The next song we're going to listen to is a beautiful ballad called Imagine Me There.
A: Yeah, I love this song. Because the sentiment is so great because, you know, we do -- we separate I'm on tour or whatever. And it can relate to anything -- to children, to your wife, to your loved one -- where when things get tough -- for me, it's great, you know, when I'm just like sad in a hotel I can imagine Barbara there, y'know? I prefer she was there, of course. But I have to imagine it.
Q: We often see Barbara on stage taking photos and videos.
A: Yeah. Yeah.
Q: Do you think she'll ever share them with us?
A: Well, you'll have to talk to her about it. When she does put the book together, then you can interview her.
Q: I'd love to.
A: Me too.
Q: After more than 20 years of marriage to Barbara, do you have any tips on making a marriage successful?
A: If you start with the great premise that I love that woman since I first saw her and, you know, I'm blessed that she loves me. And…you have to remember how deep your love is when you're having those bad days. It's too easy to throw it all away. And so far, we've done that. You know, I've heard it over and over again, that, you know, don't go to bed angry. And however bad the day's been, we have always made it up before we go to sleep. Talked about it or we've at least admitted it and acknowledged whatever the distance is. And that way, then you can get back together.
SONG: IMAGINE ME THERE
Q: Imagine Me There is the song you just heard from Ringo Starr's fab new disc "Ringo Rama". And it is Fab. In fact, there are mentions of or allusions to Instant Karma, Let 'Em In, Within You, Without You, Tomorrow Never Knows. Many other clues for you all that repeated listings reveal. I get the feeling that you're a big Beatles fan.
A: Well, I am a big Beatles fan. And, you know, unbeknownst to anyone, I used to be one. But I have no problems of putting titles and lines from other songs in my songs, because they're great lines and great titles. And some of them I even thought of. You know, I think this is the third time I've used "It Don't Come Easy." I used that on Time Takes Time, I think, as well. So it's just a great line that, you know, expresses so much. So I just put it in again.
Q: As a Beatles fan, do you collect any memorabilia and is there anything you're looking for?
A: No. I don't collect any memorabilia. I wish I'd have kept everything I had. But who knew you had to keep it. Just gave it away. And we lost so much and we didn't look after a lot of it. I believe Paul's got everything he ever had, but I lost a lot of mine.
Q: At this stage of the game, how do you handle overwhelming fame and overbearing, well-meaning fans?
A: Oh, it's part of the job. I am famous, but -- I'm in the limelight now because I'm promoting "Ringo Rama". You know, when I'm not doing that, life is fairly normal. The fans are the fans. You know, I have no problems with them when I'm working. But if I'm on holiday, you know, I just say, "Excuse me, I'm on holiday, too." And most people understand. The kids always understand. But sometimes you can have a hard time with a so-called grown-up.
Q: Perhaps the only English phenomenon as big as the Beatles is the Royal Family. What inspired "Ringo Rama's" psychedelic take on royalty Elizabeth Reigns?
A: The band. The Roundheads were living with me in England. I have a studio there, so we put down 11 tracks. We did five in L.A. and 11 in England. And we had a day off and they all drove into town, to London, to see the city. And they found that pub where the Hanging Tree was. And they came back and it was all exciting because it was the Jubilee year last year. And there was banners everywhere and there was a huge concert in the park -- in the palace, I mean. And Dean came back, Dean Grakal, one of the writers. And he said, "What is this ER?" Because there was a big banner saying, "ER." And I said, "Well, that actually says Elizabeth reigns." So he thought that was a great line for the title of the song. So then we went into the Royal Family with the American's take on it, because they love them, and my take, where I don't feel they're relevant anymore. So my part in it was 600 servants use her detergents… So I'm sort of like, we don't need a King, you know. God save the Queen, if you know what I mean, we don't really need a King. I think it should end with this queen. We started with the Queen Mother, who was well-loved. And I just think it's ended now.
If you go to the palace to watch the changing of the guard, which all the tourists do. They don't know if the Queen's in or not or they don't even care. They're just going for the pageant. So I think we can have the pageant without them. I think they should have built a hospital in the name of the Queen Mum, but they didn't. They just decided not to pay taxes and keep the money.
Anyway, (raises voice) that's my rant on them. Listen next week for the angry world of Ringo Starr. And so that's what we did. But we let them off the hook because we say, All of our sins are as big as the Windsors, so let's point the finger no more. 'Cause in the end, we don't want to point the finger, we want to just carry on our own lives. End. Play the track.
SONG: ELIZABETH REIGNS
Q: Ringo Starr with Elizabeth Reigns from his new CD "Ringo Rama". At the end of the song, which is a…balanced view of the Queen and company --
A: Yeah.
Q: -- you say, "Well, there goes me knighthood."
A: "There goes me knighthood." Yes. I think it has gone. Well and truly gone now.
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Listen to a bit of Ringo and Jody's conversation
