Ringo Starr on a Roll: ‘Y Not’ is Tops

CENTRAL PARK SOUTH, MANHATTAN: Only two of these creatures walk the Earth, and today, you’re going to be in the room with one of them. Not only is there a Beatle inside this posh NYC hotel overlooking Central Park, but believe it or not, he’s about to spend some time with you.

You text Ringo Starr’s publicist and let them know you’re in the lobby, ready to interview him about Y Not, the terrific new self-produced solo album that marks his 25th release since being in the Fab Four. A few minutes later, an assistant appears and walks you downstairs, where you and four other journalists will be invited to step through a door and meet The Man.

Y Not by Ringo Starr

You’re a pro, so you’ve listened to the disc, which features a big list of talent that includes Joe Walsh, Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, Richard Marx, Van Dyke Parks, and – oh yeah – Paul McCartney. Track after track has remained lodged in your head, and unbelievably, this drummer whose beat changed the world is playing better than he ever has.

You’ve read the press release, absorbed the advance, but you realize that, more than any other artist, the research for this interview has been going on your whole life. Haven’t you been hearing his beat in The Beatles since the day you were born? Haven’t you always been listening to that English accent over stereos and TV speakers, from countless song spins and documentaries?

Today, that unmistakable Ringo voice will simply vibrate through the air and land in your ear – no equipment needed. Because you’ve scored the seat right next to him. Somehow you’re going to try and get the answers to your (and your colleagues’) questions while comprehending the magnitude of his massive accomplishments. Without freaking out.

A benevolent ruler/host, Ringo invites your colleague from CBS Radio to ask the first question. Writers from the FabForum are also there. It’s a friendly group. The 10:20 A.M. NYC press conference for Y Not is on. You are officially groovy.

Q: How did the writing process change from Liverpool 8 to this album? Were there certain things you had gone through in order to change that style?
A: I think because of Liverpool 8, the song “Liverpool 8”, it gave me the impetus to say, “I’m going to do a mini-biography song now on each record.” And that’s how I got to “The other Side of Liverpool”, so you know, it’s just an idea I had.

And then I got the words to “The Other Side of Liverpool”: “The other side of Liverpool is cold and damp/Only way out of there/Drums, guitar and amp.” It was like an expression in the ‘60’s.

So I’m not interested in doing a biography, 3,000-page book. I do it better with music and this is how I’m doing it. So you get glimpses of my life. But they’re from me. Not from an outsider, not by other people.

Q: Ringo, since you’ve been co-producing since the ‘90’s, and now you’re producer, what is the difference for you?
A: You know, I had a lot of fun with those other records, but this one I just started very casual. I started in the bedroom in LA. And with Pro Tools, you can do any of that, just record in your bedroom.

And I had a synthesizer, a keyboard, and I had Roland (electronic) drums. And I started finding rhythm patterns and chords on the synthesizer, and then I’d play drums to that. I had no songs. And so I did five or six in that room, and then I went to England, and I have a small studio there, and I did five more tracks with the organic drums.

Found a synthesizer, but with (co-producer) Bruce Sugar, because he plays piano. I can’t really play. You see, that’s why on “Fill in the Blanks” I’m playing piano, because I can only play in that chord, and in that key.

And Joe (Walsh), you know, is a family member, he was living in the guest house, and he played some guitar in LA. Dave Stewart was passing by, said, “Hey, how you doing?” — pick up a guitar and play.

We had no songs, no real melody, just the chords, and so I did that for a while, and then I thought, “Well, I have to turn these into songs now,” because they were just these rhythm patterns. And that’s when I started calling people. You know with the Roundheads [Steve Dudas on guitar, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on keyboards, Don Was and Mike Bradford on bass], it was the same tune on the last five records, and so I wanted to write with other people.

So I have written with Dave Stewart before, and he is great for structure. And so I had this idea for “The Other Side of Liverpool”, he came over, we wrote that. I sort of wrote it, but he structured it. In time it turned into a tune.

And Van Dyke Parks is a friend of mine, and I thought, “Van Dyke’s a great writer, I’ve never written with him. We hang out…” So I gave him a call, he said, “Sure.” And Joss Stone was in LA, and it just started getting great! Glenn Ballard, Joe Walsh – he’s a writer, I’ve done a record with him anyway. So I just sort of called people to write with. And that’s how it started coming together.

I’d say I want to write a song to this track. I would play two tracks, I’d say, “Pick a track.” Because there’s no melody or anything on it. So they’d say, “Where’s the guitar?” I’d say, “No no no! We’re writing to the track!” We’re not going to saw away at it, although that’s how we’re all so used to writing. And anyway, it turned out great, as far as I’m concerned.

But that’s how it happened. It’s an organic way. You know, there’s no, like, big plan.

Q: “Walk with You” sounds very country-feeling, very country-flavored, and then you’ve done that in the past. Gary Nicholson is on this album, and he’s basically a country writer.

A: Well, Gary Nicholson was in town, and so was Gary Wright, so they’re coming up. And “Peace Dream” was the one we wrote together, but he had that in his computer. He had all these peace lines, and I thought, “Oh God, how great: Last night I had a peace dream.” So we started from there and we wrote it.

But I don’t feel it’s countryish, and you saw (violinist) Ann Marie (Calhoun)yesterday at the gig. She can play country, that’s why she’s an incredible violinist. She can play regular, classical stuff, but she can swing. And very few classical violinists can swing.

It doesn’t sound country to me, but I know what you’re saying. Because it’s got, like, a violin on it, it gets placed in that category. But I think the most country one is “Can’t Do it Wrong”. Really. With Gary Burr, from the Roundheads.

Q: Would you ever consider doing a country album?
A: I think, yeah, I’d consider it. I’m going to do another country album, just go to Nashville. Get a band together in LA. But there’s many types of records I keep going, “Yeah, I want to do THIS type of record.” I do that, and then I just start working, and it’s another Ringo album. You know?

Ringo Starr

Q: This is the first album, to my knowledge, where members of the All Star Band collaborated with you in the studio. You’ve played with a lot of the members of the All Star Band. Was there ever a thought of making albums with them, instead of just the live shows?
A: Yeah. The earlier All Star Bands, we were often (saying), “Yeah, I’m gonna write new songs, and I’m gonna record them as a band.” Never happened. We just never got around to it! But it was always a thought. Some things happen. Some things don’t happen.

But, it’s always been a thought. You know, Richard Marx passed by, and I had these tracks. He’s a classic songwriter, I said “Pick one of these,” and we wrote the song. And Edgar Winter lives in LA, and he’s a good sax player… “Hey! Someone I know – give ‘em a call.” You know?

There was no really great planning. It’s like, I’d call them, and (say), “Come on over if you’re not busy. And if you’re busy, then I’ll get someone else.” That’s how it worked.

Q: You could work with anyone you wanted to, and you have this great lineup for this particular album. If you could tell me the personal story about putting together one of these tracks, and working with some of those artists and what you loved about it?
A: As I had just been saying, “If you’re in town, you’re on the record.” I think it’s how we started the other day with Tina the Tabla Girl (Tina Sugandh), she’s on “Rhino”, and she’s on “Peace Dream” actually.

I got a call from Dave Stewart, saying, “Tina the Tabla Girl’s just landed at LAX.” “Well, tell her to come on by.” And she came by, and she’s on the record! If she hadn’t landed, who knows what way the record would have gone? You know what I mean? It’s that open.

Tina Sugandh AKA Tina the Tabla Girl

So I just called around, like Paul (McCartney), I called Paul because he is an incredible bass player, and he’s a friend, and I knew he was coming in for the Grammys.

I’m in LA, I have the track, I said, “Why don’t you come and play on this track?” He came over, and then I was playing him tracks, and then he heard “Walk with You”, that was his idea, he said, “I have a piece for that,” and he got up and did that thingy on the chorus, there. It was just magic, it just happened.

And I’m always there to let things happen when I record, it’s not strict you know, and I’ve enjoyed it that way. Next!

Q: Ringo, tell us about your interest in electronic drums. How long has that been going on? Do you spend a lot of time with it, and will we see more of it in the future?
A: It started a long time ago because I was rehearsing for an All Star band, and I was practicing before we got (together).

I was in an apartment in Monte Carlo, so I couldn’t really play my organic drums! MY drums, I call organic. I love organic. So I went down to Nice, and I got a little kit, and that’s how I got into it.

And what I found on this record, because five tracks are with the Roland, and five tracks are with the organic drums: I feel like I’m Jeckyl and Hyde, you know? I feel like “Ringo plays the organic drums ba-bump ba-bump”, and then this other guy plays the Roland. I haven’t got a name for him! (Laughs) Cuz you do more! I play differently, like “ksss ksss ksss”.

I’m telling you, if you listen to the [song on the] new album, “Time”. “Time” is actually a short song with a long end, but (the band) is rocking, the whole track is happening. But now, I wouldn’t play drums like that on “The Other Side of Liverpool”, and the organic songs. But, I’m open, I’m open to look what’s going on.

We tried to bring in a drum programmer, and when you bring in a drum programmer he comes in with a computer. But the Roland triggers the drum program, and then it goes on the track. It’s a nanosecond later, and it hurts me. I couldn’t do it! I fall on the back of the beat, anyway, and this was just a nanosecond later and it just messed up my whole game. And we took that out and went direct.

Q: I want to ask you about the new song, “Everyone Wins”. You resurrected that song.
A: I did a take with Peter Asher, and it didn’t make it to (an earlier) CD, and it was very long. But I didn’t have a copy. Peter Asher didn’t have a copy.

The good news with the Internet is that somebody’s got everything you ever did, and so we sure enough went on the Internet, and somebody had a copy that they played. I’ve got a mic to the computer to get a copy! I didn’t have it.

But Joe (Walsh) and I shortened the breaks, because it just seemed to go on forever, so we just shortened the spaces between the verses, and tightened it all up.

That was the next thing, because Jonny Waldman, the co-writer, out of the blue I got an email, “Oh man, the state of the world, that song we wrote in ’92, why not have a look at it?” So that’s what made me look at it and go, “Yeah this is great.” And that’s how that came about.

I’d love to sit here and say, (in an omniscient voice) “I plan every detail. I do it all.” But the world is turning and things come at you, you know? And that’s how that happened.

I understand why it didn’t make (the original album it was slated for), because it’s just too saccharine. There’s just too much space between the song. Anyway, we’ve got this one now, and you’ve got the old one. Not me! (laughs)

Q: When you played Radio City, you just put out the new record, and some people have it and some people don’t. Have you ever thought of doing what Prince has done, and what Paul was doing on Sunday: include it as a part of a something, so that the ticket price is for people who might want to get the album, or might not know that the new album is out. Or maybe who go to music stores, and maybe don’t download?
A: There are no music stores. They’re all gone. Tower’s gone. What a blow that was. We used to go hang out there.

But no, I’ve never thought about that, because if you look at my ticket price it’s reasonable. You come in…the first tours, we let kids under five in free, because you needed babysitters. We don’t do that anymore. But I’d rather have a reasonable ticket and not force you to have my record.

I mean that’s part of the act now, “Yeah, I’ve got a new record out, ‘Y Not’! Who’s got ‘Y Not’? One. Two. Three. You can count ‘em. It’s part of the fun. It’s a record that they can get if they want it. That’s how I look at it. I’m not going to force the issue on them.

Q:  Paul’s gig on Sunday…
A: Oh yeah, that was a great show! I was at that show, were you at that show? It was great, because he was close. And he comes from Liverpool like I do! Someone shouts for Liverpool, shout back! He can have that. You can’t have that when you’re on the big stage. I love seeing him in these small environments. And they said, “Nod your head.” So I was nodding my head with the best of ‘em.

We’ve got to end this, guys! Peace and love! On your way, guys! Thank you.

**

You walk out of the hotel in a little bit of daze. The interview went great. The two of you rubbed elbows on the way out. He really is a heck of a gent. You take out your phone and dial. Your dad answers. He was the first one who ever played you a record with Ringo Starr. It feels good to know you can write this article up soon. You’ll share the whole experience. — David Weiss

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