WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.040 Welcome back to the Deep Dive. Today we are taking 00:00:02.040 --> 00:00:04.740 a massive stack of sources focused on one of 00:00:04.740 --> 00:00:09.060 the most recognizable yet persistently underestimated 00:00:09.060 --> 00:00:11.740 figures in modern culture, Richard Starkey. Known 00:00:11.740 --> 00:00:14.140 to the entire world, of course, as Ringo Starr. 00:00:14.300 --> 00:00:17.140 Exactly. And it's such a classic case, isn't 00:00:17.140 --> 00:00:19.300 it? The caricature just completely eclipses the 00:00:19.300 --> 00:00:21.879 man. It really does. For decades, the dominant 00:00:21.879 --> 00:00:24.140 narrative has been that he's the lucky one, the 00:00:24.140 --> 00:00:26.780 funny one, maybe the slightly simple beetle, 00:00:26.899 --> 00:00:28.879 the guy who was just there. Right. The amiable 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:31.550 fourth corner. But if that's all you see, you 00:00:31.550 --> 00:00:34.130 miss this profoundly compelling story of resilience, 00:00:34.530 --> 00:00:37.869 of compositional genius, and really of artistic 00:00:37.869 --> 00:00:40.670 longevity. So our mission today is to move past 00:00:40.670 --> 00:00:43.710 that shorthand. We want you, the listener, to 00:00:43.710 --> 00:00:46.530 walk away with a thorough appreciation for the 00:00:46.530 --> 00:00:49.250 sheer struggle Ringo endured. just to survive. 00:00:49.530 --> 00:00:51.829 And then the revolution he quietly orchestrated 00:00:51.829 --> 00:00:53.789 in rock drumming and how he built one of the 00:00:53.789 --> 00:00:56.369 most durable post -supergroup careers in music 00:00:56.369 --> 00:00:58.810 history. This is about understanding Rigo Starr 00:00:58.810 --> 00:01:01.450 not as a footnote, but as an essential artistic 00:01:01.450 --> 00:01:03.810 and cultural phenomenon. We've got an incredible 00:01:03.810 --> 00:01:06.469 journey ahead. We're tracking his evolution from 00:01:06.469 --> 00:01:10.260 a truly... Well, a Dickensian childhood in poverty 00:01:10.260 --> 00:01:12.439 -stricken Liverpool. A childhood just riddled 00:01:12.439 --> 00:01:14.799 with near -fatal illness. Right through the chaos 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:17.219 of Beatlemania, into the establishment of his 00:01:17.219 --> 00:01:20.299 unique musical fingerprint, and finally, his 00:01:20.299 --> 00:01:23.400 contemporary role as Sir Ringo Starr, Night Bachelor. 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:27.079 Recognized for services to music in 2018, it's 00:01:27.079 --> 00:01:29.500 an incredible arc. It is. That's the sweep of 00:01:29.500 --> 00:01:32.280 it. We're unpacking his unique style of drumming. 00:01:32.599 --> 00:01:34.719 those famous linguistic contributions we call 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:37.659 Ringoisms, and we're going to dissect the genius 00:01:37.659 --> 00:01:40.859 business model behind his sustained success with 00:01:40.859 --> 00:01:42.859 the all -star band. And it's important to note, 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:46.019 as of 2025, he remains the longest living member 00:01:46.019 --> 00:01:48.620 of the classic Beatles lineup. Which is a testament 00:01:48.620 --> 00:01:50.519 to that same resilience we're about to examine. 00:01:50.879 --> 00:01:53.200 Okay, let's unpack this crucial beginning. We 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:56.019 really have to begin with his birthplace, 9 Madren 00:01:56.019 --> 00:01:58.640 Street in the Dingle area of Liverpool. And this 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:01.030 location is so key, isn't it? It's everything. 00:02:01.370 --> 00:02:04.170 It was an inner city area just defined by post 00:02:04.170 --> 00:02:07.890 -war austerity and genuine hardship. Ringo's 00:02:07.890 --> 00:02:11.189 parents, Richard Starkey and Elsie Cleave, they 00:02:11.189 --> 00:02:14.330 were confectioners, but the poverty surrounding 00:02:14.330 --> 00:02:19.039 them was just... His biographer, Bob Spitz, he 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:21.219 didn't pull any punches when describing it. No, 00:02:21.259 --> 00:02:23.939 not at all. He called his upbringing, and this 00:02:23.939 --> 00:02:26.800 is a direct quote, a Dickensian chronicle of 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:29.500 misfortune. And that language, it feels exactly 00:02:29.500 --> 00:02:31.159 right when you look at the details. It really 00:02:31.159 --> 00:02:33.159 does. I mean, the houses in the Dingle were described 00:02:33.159 --> 00:02:36.900 as being tiny postage stamp sized was the phrase. 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:39.889 Wow. Yeah. And, you know. Poorly ventilated, 00:02:39.909 --> 00:02:43.569 crumbling plaster walls. Just the absolute epitome 00:02:43.569 --> 00:02:45.810 of working class struggle in the 1940s. And the 00:02:45.810 --> 00:02:47.949 situation at home wasn't much better. No, the 00:02:47.949 --> 00:02:50.370 domestic situation mirrored the economic hardship. 00:02:50.650 --> 00:02:53.110 His father, also Richard Starkey, they called 00:02:53.110 --> 00:02:55.490 him Big Richie, he was often absent. Prone to 00:02:55.490 --> 00:02:57.189 drinking, right. Yeah, prone to drinking and 00:02:57.189 --> 00:03:00.030 dancing in pubs for days at a time. This left 00:03:00.030 --> 00:03:02.689 his mother, Elsie, in this incredibly precarious 00:03:02.689 --> 00:03:04.909 financial position. She was trying to survive 00:03:04.909 --> 00:03:07.860 on meager support payments. I think I read it 00:03:07.860 --> 00:03:10.460 was 30 shillings a week. That's right, 30 shillings, 00:03:10.460 --> 00:03:13.860 just an impossible amount. So she had to take 00:03:13.860 --> 00:03:17.259 on these relentless, menial jobs before she finally 00:03:17.259 --> 00:03:20.139 settled into a 12 -year stint as a barmaid just 00:03:20.139 --> 00:03:23.159 to keep their small household afloat. But poverty, 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:26.099 as bad as it was, was really just the backdrop 00:03:26.099 --> 00:03:29.300 to a far greater threat. His health. his life 00:03:29.300 --> 00:03:30.879 -threatening health issues. This is a relentless 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:33.500 series of medical crises that you can see fundamentally 00:03:33.500 --> 00:03:35.919 shaped his personality and his opportunities. 00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:38.479 The first major blow came when he was just six 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:41.669 years old. He suffered a severe attack of appendicitis. 00:03:41.689 --> 00:03:43.849 Which was then followed almost immediately by 00:03:43.849 --> 00:03:46.409 peritonitis, a really serious abdominal infection. 00:03:46.729 --> 00:03:48.449 And this wasn't just a tough illness. I mean, 00:03:48.469 --> 00:03:50.330 for him, it was a near -death experience. He 00:03:50.330 --> 00:03:53.330 fell into a coma that lasted for days. For days. 00:03:53.509 --> 00:03:56.530 And his recovery demanded a grueling 12 months 00:03:56.530 --> 00:03:59.150 away from his family, spent in the Myrtle Street 00:03:59.150 --> 00:04:01.349 Children's Hospital. Just try to imagine the 00:04:01.349 --> 00:04:04.150 isolation and the fear of a six -year -old enduring 00:04:04.150 --> 00:04:08.250 that in the 1940s. It's unimaginable. And the 00:04:08.250 --> 00:04:11.110 impact of this extended illness was immediate 00:04:11.110 --> 00:04:13.270 and devastating on his education. Oh, completely. 00:04:13.530 --> 00:04:16.970 When he was finally discharged in May 1948, his 00:04:16.970 --> 00:04:20.649 mother was so terrified of a relapse that she 00:04:20.649 --> 00:04:23.209 kept him home for almost another year. So by 00:04:23.209 --> 00:04:25.709 age eight, he's just severely behind. He was 00:04:25.709 --> 00:04:28.290 functionally illiterate and had a very poor grasp 00:04:28.290 --> 00:04:31.050 of basic mathematics, an impossible gap to make 00:04:31.050 --> 00:04:32.970 up. And he needed intensive help, which he got 00:04:32.970 --> 00:04:35.170 from a neighbor, right? A surrogate older sister. 00:04:35.410 --> 00:04:38.139 Marie McGuire Crawford. She gave him dedicated 00:04:38.139 --> 00:04:40.500 twice -weekly tutoring just to try and get him 00:04:40.500 --> 00:04:43.060 caught up. But just as he was starting to find 00:04:43.060 --> 00:04:45.819 his footing, tragedy struck again. Five years 00:04:45.819 --> 00:04:49.899 later. In 1953, at age 13, he contracted tuberculosis. 00:04:50.279 --> 00:04:52.839 So another long period of isolation. Two full 00:04:52.839 --> 00:04:56.839 years in a sanatorium. This, however. This is 00:04:56.839 --> 00:04:59.339 where the narrative shifts from just pure misfortune 00:04:59.339 --> 00:05:02.199 to, well, to destiny. This is the pivotal moment. 00:05:02.360 --> 00:05:04.279 This is what directly links his suffering to 00:05:04.279 --> 00:05:06.000 his future fame. Exactly. You're talking about 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:08.259 the genesis of Ringo Starr, the drummer. Because 00:05:08.259 --> 00:05:10.279 the staff at the sanatorium, they were actively 00:05:10.279 --> 00:05:13.540 trying to counteract the debilitating boredom, 00:05:13.540 --> 00:05:15.579 right? Stimulate motor activity in the patients. 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:17.579 And they encouraged them to form a hospital band. 00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:19.620 And that's where he received his first percussion 00:05:19.620 --> 00:05:22.170 instrument. And it wasn't a sleek, professional 00:05:22.170 --> 00:05:25.569 Ludwig kit, you know? It was a makeshift mallet 00:05:25.569 --> 00:05:28.490 crafted from a humble cotton bobbin. And he used 00:05:28.490 --> 00:05:30.750 it to strike the cabinets next to his bed. Just 00:05:30.750 --> 00:05:33.269 to create a rudimentary rhythm. The experience 00:05:33.269 --> 00:05:35.810 wasn't about professional ambition at all. It 00:05:35.810 --> 00:05:39.449 was about alleviating the immense mental and 00:05:39.449 --> 00:05:42.889 physical drag of two years of isolation. Music 00:05:42.889 --> 00:05:46.180 became his necessary release. That anecdote is 00:05:46.180 --> 00:05:48.399 so crucial because it shows that drumming was 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:51.639 never about stardom or money first. For him it 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:54.149 was about therapy. It was about self -expression. 00:05:54.370 --> 00:05:56.889 Precisely. So when he finally returned home in 00:05:56.889 --> 00:06:00.649 late 1955, his motivation for any kind of traditional 00:06:00.649 --> 00:06:04.230 employment was understandably lacking. His initial 00:06:04.230 --> 00:06:06.569 attempts at work were, well, they were disastrous. 00:06:06.870 --> 00:06:09.149 Completely. He secured a job with British Rail, 00:06:09.250 --> 00:06:11.310 but mostly for the warm uniform that came with 00:06:11.310 --> 00:06:13.870 it. And then he was quickly laid off. After failing 00:06:13.870 --> 00:06:16.649 the mandatory physical exam, his past health 00:06:16.649 --> 00:06:19.550 history just kept coming back to haunt him. The 00:06:19.550 --> 00:06:22.490 system was already against him. Then he took 00:06:22.490 --> 00:06:24.930 that job as a waiter on a dayboat. Traveling 00:06:24.930 --> 00:06:27.269 between Liverpool and North Wales, and he quit 00:06:27.269 --> 00:06:29.970 that almost immediately. But not because he hated 00:06:29.970 --> 00:06:32.029 the job, which is the funny part. No, it was 00:06:32.029 --> 00:06:34.209 because he was terrified it might make him seem 00:06:34.209 --> 00:06:36.250 suitable for seafaring work, which would lead 00:06:36.250 --> 00:06:39.029 to conscription into the Royal Navy. He was actively 00:06:39.029 --> 00:06:41.769 trying to avoid the draft. It just shows the 00:06:41.769 --> 00:06:44.149 anxiety that young men were facing in that post 00:06:44.149 --> 00:06:47.949 -war era. It wasn't until mid -1956 that any 00:06:47.949 --> 00:06:50.970 stability emerged, and that's thanks to his stepfather, 00:06:51.189 --> 00:06:53.629 Harry Graves. Graves was truly instrumental, 00:06:53.829 --> 00:06:56.490 wasn't he? In every sense. Not only did he help 00:06:56.490 --> 00:06:59.529 Ringo secure a stable apprentice machinist position 00:06:59.529 --> 00:07:02.490 at a place called Henry Hunt and Son, but Graves 00:07:02.490 --> 00:07:05.790 also widened Ringo's musical horizons. He was 00:07:05.790 --> 00:07:08.230 a big band fan. A passionate fan of big band 00:07:08.230 --> 00:07:10.949 music artists like Dinah Shore and Billy Daniels, 00:07:10.970 --> 00:07:13.769 this exposed Ringo to these complex rhythmic 00:07:13.769 --> 00:07:16.459 structures. that were far beyond the scope of 00:07:16.459 --> 00:07:18.600 early rock and roll. And that machinist job, 00:07:18.779 --> 00:07:22.199 ironically, provided the final push toward his 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:25.120 calling. It did. He befriended a co -worker there 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:27.779 named Roy Trafford, and the two of them just 00:07:27.779 --> 00:07:32.060 bonded intensely over the emerging skiffle craze 00:07:32.060 --> 00:07:34.439 sweeping Britain. And they began their earliest 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:38.480 rehearsals, drumming, picking, singing, in the 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:40.850 factory cellar. during their lunch breaks. So 00:07:40.850 --> 00:07:43.290 the path to Rory Storm didn't start in a club. 00:07:43.470 --> 00:07:45.769 It started beneath Machine Shop. So we transition 00:07:45.769 --> 00:07:49.069 now from that machine shop seller to the nascent, 00:07:49.069 --> 00:07:51.910 chaotic Liverpool music scene. And Ringo's early 00:07:51.910 --> 00:07:53.889 efforts in the skiffle genre were incredibly 00:07:53.889 --> 00:07:56.889 raw, but they established his core appeal, that 00:07:56.889 --> 00:07:59.949 primitive, infectious, rhythmic drive. His first 00:07:59.949 --> 00:08:02.050 band, the Eddie Miles Band, which later became 00:08:02.050 --> 00:08:04.470 Eddie Clayton and the Clayton Squares, they played 00:08:04.470 --> 00:08:07.399 typical skiffle hits. But you have to think about 00:08:07.399 --> 00:08:09.959 the setup. Oh, it was nothing. Ringo was literally 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:12.319 raiding a thimble across a washboard. Or banging 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:14.379 on biscuit tins in chairs. Yeah, this wasn't 00:08:14.379 --> 00:08:16.399 sophisticated percussion. It was just primal 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:19.180 noise creating what were described as primitive 00:08:19.180 --> 00:08:22.579 driving rhythms. It's almost impossible to imagine 00:08:22.579 --> 00:08:25.500 the Beatles' future being built on someone banging 00:08:25.500 --> 00:08:27.800 a biscuit tin. Well, that's why Christmas Day 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:30.839 1957 was such a pivotal moment. His stepfather, 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:34.299 Harry Graves. He gifted him a real, albeit secondhand, 00:08:34.299 --> 00:08:38.090 drum kit. It had a bass drum, a snare. and this 00:08:38.090 --> 00:08:41.070 is the best part, a makeshift symbol fashioned 00:08:41.070 --> 00:08:44.809 from a rubbish bin lid. A bin lid. But that crude 00:08:44.809 --> 00:08:46.950 kit was enough to professionalize his sound. 00:08:47.049 --> 00:08:50.549 It was. As Skiffle faded in early 1958 and American 00:08:50.549 --> 00:08:53.070 rock and roll took over, that kit allowed him 00:08:53.070 --> 00:08:55.850 to transition seamlessly. And this led him directly 00:08:55.850 --> 00:08:58.750 to joining Rory Storm and the Hurricanes in November 00:08:58.750 --> 00:09:01.570 1959. Which was a significant step up. I mean, 00:09:01.590 --> 00:09:03.549 they were one of the city's leading bands. And 00:09:03.549 --> 00:09:05.549 this is where Richard Starkey officially sheds 00:09:05.549 --> 00:09:07.860 his identity and becomes the legend. The stage 00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:10.220 name Ringo Starr was born from the numerous rings 00:09:10.220 --> 00:09:12.139 he always wore. Right. And the surname Starr 00:09:12.139 --> 00:09:15.399 was partly chosen because it intentionally suggested 00:09:15.399 --> 00:09:17.720 a country and Western influence, which was hugely 00:09:17.720 --> 00:09:20.000 popular at the time. Not only that, but it was 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:22.740 self -aggrandizing in the best way. Their live 00:09:22.740 --> 00:09:25.379 shows leaned heavily on Ringo's stage persona, 00:09:25.659 --> 00:09:28.559 prominently billing his drum solos as Starrtime. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:31.879 So even before he was a Beatle. He was already 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:35.220 a stage personality. Absolutely. By early 1960, 00:09:35.659 --> 00:09:38.820 the Hurricanes were a huge draw. They were successful 00:09:38.820 --> 00:09:41.360 enough to secure a three -month residency at 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:43.500 a Butlin's holiday camp. Which was seen as a 00:09:43.500 --> 00:09:46.649 massive achievement back then. A huge deal. That 00:09:46.649 --> 00:09:49.309 success then led them to the famous Hamburg residency 00:09:49.309 --> 00:09:52.470 at Bruno Koschmeiter's Kaiserkeller, starting 00:09:52.470 --> 00:09:55.389 in October 1960. I think we sometimes forget 00:09:55.389 --> 00:09:58.370 the hierarchy that existed in Hamburg. The Hurricanes 00:09:58.370 --> 00:10:01.149 were the established band. They were top -billed 00:10:01.149 --> 00:10:03.870 and paid significantly more than this fledgling, 00:10:03.909 --> 00:10:06.269 scruffy group called the Beatles. Ringo was already 00:10:06.269 --> 00:10:09.129 a well -known, respected drummer in that hyper 00:10:09.129 --> 00:10:11.309 -competitive environment. They absolutely knew 00:10:11.309 --> 00:10:13.649 him. In fact, Ringo first recorded with three 00:10:13.649 --> 00:10:15.769 of the future Beatles, Lennon, McCartney, and 00:10:15.820 --> 00:10:19.539 Harrison on October 15, 1960. That's right. They 00:10:19.539 --> 00:10:21.919 were backing the Hurricane singer Lou Walters 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:24.379 on a cover of Summertime. So this wasn't just 00:10:24.379 --> 00:10:27.580 some casual meeting in a club. Ringo was already 00:10:27.580 --> 00:10:29.460 professionally integrating with them. And it 00:10:29.460 --> 00:10:31.519 wasn't just the Beatles who recognized his talent. 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:34.600 Tony Sheridan, another key figure in that early 00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:37.879 Hamburg scene, tried repeatedly to poach Ringo 00:10:37.879 --> 00:10:40.659 away from Rory Storm. Which just proves that 00:10:40.659 --> 00:10:42.440 Ringo wasn't just waiting around for an opportunity. 00:10:42.620 --> 00:10:45.919 He was actively sought after because of his distinct 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:49.480 driving rhythm. So that existing reputation made 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:53.500 him the logical, if controversial, replacement 00:10:53.500 --> 00:10:56.559 when manager Brian Epstein decided. to fire Pete 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.759 Best in August 1962. If controversial is a good 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:01.879 way to put it. But despite his standing among 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:04.580 the musicians, the public reaction was just volatile. 00:11:04.860 --> 00:11:06.980 Volatile is an understatement. The public backlash 00:11:06.980 --> 00:11:09.860 was immediate and intense because Pete Best had 00:11:09.860 --> 00:11:12.659 this massive local following. We have accounts 00:11:12.659 --> 00:11:15.700 of literal protests outside venues. Fans were 00:11:15.700 --> 00:11:18.340 shouting, Pete forever, Ringo never. and George 00:11:18.340 --> 00:11:20.559 Harrison, who was often the most outspoken of 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:22.799 the group. He was even physically assaulted. 00:11:23.059 --> 00:11:25.919 He received a black eye from an upset fan during 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:28.580 that transition period. So Ringo's early days 00:11:28.580 --> 00:11:31.480 as a Beatle were incredibly fraught. And just 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:34.139 when the public was questioning him, his professional 00:11:34.139 --> 00:11:36.860 confidence was undermined by George Martin. Right. 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:39.779 Ringo's very first official session was September 00:11:39.779 --> 00:11:44.019 4, 1962, but just a week later for the second 00:11:44.019 --> 00:11:46.860 session for Love Me Do. Martin replaced him. 00:11:46.940 --> 00:11:49.580 He brought in a session drummer named Andy White. 00:11:49.820 --> 00:11:51.820 So imagine Ringo, who had just weathered that 00:11:51.820 --> 00:11:54.860 public storm, being told to step aside. He was 00:11:54.860 --> 00:11:57.059 relegated to playing tambourine on the singles 00:11:57.059 --> 00:12:00.320 A side. And maracas on the B side. P .S. I love 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:02.840 you. It must have been a crushing, humiliating 00:12:02.840 --> 00:12:06.000 blow. It was. Ringo admitted he thought, that's 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:08.470 the end, they're doing a Pete Best on me. He 00:12:08.470 --> 00:12:10.210 believed he was about to be fired just weeks 00:12:10.210 --> 00:12:12.429 after joining. And Martin's explanation later. 00:12:12.570 --> 00:12:14.669 It was a bit defensive, I think. He said he simply 00:12:14.669 --> 00:12:16.690 didn't know what Ringo was like technically and 00:12:16.690 --> 00:12:18.610 wasn't prepared to take any risks on what was 00:12:18.610 --> 00:12:21.330 their crucial debut single. It's a moment of 00:12:21.330 --> 00:12:23.690 profound psychological insecurity for Ringo, 00:12:23.769 --> 00:12:26.610 but that moment of doubt was very quickly drowned 00:12:26.610 --> 00:12:29.179 out by the noise of Beatlemania. Oh, absolutely. 00:12:29.500 --> 00:12:33.259 By late 1963, the fans had done a complete reversal. 00:12:33.580 --> 00:12:36.340 They were calling for Ringo to sing. His popularity 00:12:36.340 --> 00:12:40.139 in 1964 globally was just staggering. You could 00:12:40.139 --> 00:12:42.220 actually measure it by the merchandise. I love 00:12:42.220 --> 00:12:45.600 Ringo. Lapel pins were the single best -selling 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:48.220 Beatles merchandise item. He became a global 00:12:48.220 --> 00:12:51.179 icon, and he had the surprising impact on commercial 00:12:51.179 --> 00:12:53.580 industry, too. You're talking about the Ludwig 00:12:53.580 --> 00:12:55.820 drum logo. Exactly. It's prominent placement 00:12:55.820 --> 00:12:58.679 on Ringo's bass drum in every photo, every television 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:01.860 appearance. It provided such a massive burst 00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:04.840 of unsolicited publicity that the Ludwig company 00:13:04.840 --> 00:13:07.700 became the dominant drum manufacturer in North 00:13:07.700 --> 00:13:09.779 America for the next two decades. Just from that 00:13:09.779 --> 00:13:12.159 one placement, Ringo's presence was a cultural 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:14.759 tidal wave. In live shows, he even maintained 00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:17.659 the old Rory Storm tradition of star time. And 00:13:17.659 --> 00:13:19.399 Lennon would intentionally place a microphone 00:13:19.399 --> 00:13:22.009 near his kit, and the resulting audience and 00:13:22.009 --> 00:13:24.110 screams would rival the reception for the other 00:13:24.110 --> 00:13:26.730 three. It was his unique blend of deadpan humor 00:13:26.730 --> 00:13:28.970 and this sort of amiable shyness that made him 00:13:28.970 --> 00:13:32.190 incredibly relatable. And his personality translated 00:13:32.190 --> 00:13:34.710 perfectly onto film. When they released A Hard 00:13:34.710 --> 00:13:37.330 Day's Night, Ringo garnered the most critical 00:13:37.330 --> 00:13:40.929 praise. For his deadpan humor and, interestingly, 00:13:41.250 --> 00:13:43.809 for his extended non -speaking sequences. And 00:13:43.809 --> 00:13:45.610 that's a great anecdote we have to linger on. 00:13:45.730 --> 00:13:48.289 It is. The director, Richard Lester, actually 00:13:48.289 --> 00:13:51.129 had to arrange those extended non -speaking sequences, 00:13:51.429 --> 00:13:53.970 like the famous scene where Ringo goes off alone 00:13:53.970 --> 00:13:56.509 to take photographs. Because Star had been out 00:13:56.509 --> 00:13:59.250 drinking all night. Exactly. Lester essentially 00:13:59.250 --> 00:14:02.389 wrote around Ringo's exhaustion and slight incapacity 00:14:02.389 --> 00:14:05.370 to deliver lines flawlessly, and in doing so, 00:14:05.389 --> 00:14:08.090 turned a practical necessity into a brilliant, 00:14:08.250 --> 00:14:10.750 poignant, artistic moment. The result was that 00:14:10.750 --> 00:14:13.230 he was the unexpected breakout star of the movie. 00:14:13.350 --> 00:14:16.289 He later won a Melody Maker poll over his bandmates 00:14:16.289 --> 00:14:18.309 for his performance as the central character 00:14:18.309 --> 00:14:21.980 in their second film, Help. in 1965. But we have 00:14:21.980 --> 00:14:23.879 to remember the chaos that was surrounding all 00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:26.460 this fame. The pressure was just enormous. It 00:14:26.460 --> 00:14:29.879 was life -threatening. By 1964, Ringo was receiving 00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:32.240 telephone death threats before shows in Montreal. 00:14:32.620 --> 00:14:34.919 And he had to position his symbols vertically 00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:38.580 in a desperate, last -minute attempt to shield 00:14:38.580 --> 00:14:41.679 himself from any potential attack. It's a visceral 00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:45.059 image of the madness of Beatlemania. And as the 00:14:45.059 --> 00:14:47.259 band moved into the more experimental, intense 00:14:47.259 --> 00:14:50.419 studio years, Ringo's experience shifted from 00:14:50.419 --> 00:14:54.309 that chaotic validation to... Well, to profound 00:14:54.309 --> 00:14:57.450 isolation. Hmm. During a recording of Sweet Pepper's 00:14:57.450 --> 00:15:00.090 Lonely Hurts Club Band, he frequently felt like 00:15:00.090 --> 00:15:02.850 he was just a session musician. He was literally 00:15:02.850 --> 00:15:05.590 spending hours playing cards with the road managers, 00:15:05.830 --> 00:15:08.590 Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans, while the others 00:15:08.590 --> 00:15:11.450 meticulously perfected tracks. Because he wasn't 00:15:11.450 --> 00:15:14.009 a primary composer, his input was often limited 00:15:14.009 --> 00:15:16.990 to adding minor percussion effects, which left 00:15:16.990 --> 00:15:18.950 him feeling disconnected from the central creative 00:15:18.950 --> 00:15:21.769 process. He describes Sheet Pepper as the peak 00:15:21.769 --> 00:15:24.240 for everyone else. but for him. For me, it was 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:26.779 a bit like being a session musician. His words. 00:15:26.940 --> 00:15:29.299 That feeling of being marginalized really reached 00:15:29.299 --> 00:15:32.360 its critical mass in 1968, prompting a pretty 00:15:32.360 --> 00:15:34.799 dramatic moment. He temporarily quit the band. 00:15:35.019 --> 00:15:37.799 The frustration stemmed in part from Paul McCartney's 00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:40.379 intense and pretty harsh criticism of Ringo's 00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:42.460 drumming on a track. So he needed to escape. 00:15:42.860 --> 00:15:46.279 And he did so on a holiday, on a boat, loaned 00:15:46.279 --> 00:15:49.120 to him by the actor Peter Sellers in Sardinia. 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:51.740 And this is where that self -healing and creativity 00:15:51.740 --> 00:15:53.899 just intersect beautifully. It's a great story. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:57.960 While on the boat, the chef served octopus. Ringo, 00:15:58.179 --> 00:16:00.879 who is allergic to shellfish and generally squeamish, 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:03.860 refused to eat it. And that conversation with 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:06.639 the ship's captain about sea life sparked the 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:09.899 idea for his most famous composition. Octopus's 00:16:09.899 --> 00:16:12.500 Garden. He wrote the initial structure on a guitar 00:16:12.500 --> 00:16:14.580 during that trip and later finished it with George 00:16:14.580 --> 00:16:17.059 Harrison's assistance. It's important to remember, 00:16:17.100 --> 00:16:19.659 though, that his very first solo -recorded Beatles 00:16:19.659 --> 00:16:22.519 composition showing his nascent songwriting muscle 00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:25.279 was Don't Pass Me By from the White Album. Right, 00:16:25.299 --> 00:16:27.480 that's right. And when he returned after two 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:30.240 weeks away, Harrison had covered his entire drum 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:33.740 kit in flowers as the symbolic, heartfelt welcome 00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:36.519 back gesture. It's a small detail, but it speaks 00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:39.399 volumes about how essential his presence, both 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:41.960 musically and personally, was to the equilibrium 00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:44.600 of the group. even amid all that friction. Yeah, 00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:47.019 but the band's official end was just around the 00:16:47.019 --> 00:16:50.000 corner. The final time all four Beatles gathered 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:53.019 in a studio for a recording session was for the 00:16:53.019 --> 00:16:56.440 mixing of I Want You, She's So Heavy on August 00:16:56.440 --> 00:17:00.580 20th, 1969. And just a month later, Lennon announced 00:17:00.580 --> 00:17:02.799 his departure, though the public wouldn't hear 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:04.700 about the breakup until McCartney's statement 00:17:04.700 --> 00:17:08.519 in April 1970. So now we arrive at the core paradox 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:11.940 of Ringo Starr. He's the man who was constantly 00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:14.500 dismissed by critics who were obsessed with Flash. 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:17.900 But who, in reality, was a revolutionary compositional 00:17:17.900 --> 00:17:21.460 genius. His drumming philosophy entirely emphasized 00:17:21.460 --> 00:17:24.759 feel and context over sheer technical virtuosity. 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:27.359 He defined his own style quite humbly. He did. 00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:30.019 He said, I'm your basic offbeat drummer with 00:17:30.019 --> 00:17:32.579 funny fills. because I'm really left -handed 00:17:32.579 --> 00:17:34.900 playing a right -handed kit. And that left -handed 00:17:34.900 --> 00:17:37.539 orientation, forced onto a traditional right 00:17:37.539 --> 00:17:41.079 -handed setup, is the absolute key to his unique 00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:43.420 compositional sound. Let's break that down, because 00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:45.200 the mechanics of it are fascinating. Because 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:47.259 he was left -handed but played a right -handed 00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:49.640 kit, he was forced to play the hi -hat with his 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:52.339 dominant left hand, crossing over to strike the 00:17:52.339 --> 00:17:54.619 snare with his right. So this cross -body playing 00:17:54.619 --> 00:17:57.720 creates a slightly awkward but incredibly original 00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:01.619 shift in timing. Exactly. His fills often start 00:18:01.619 --> 00:18:03.960 and end in unexpected places because he's leading 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:06.400 with his dominant hand, creating that slightly 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:09.160 delayed or off -kilter feel that makes the song 00:18:09.160 --> 00:18:12.740 swing so hard. And George Martin, after his initial 00:18:12.740 --> 00:18:15.039 doubts, eventually came to appreciate this immensely. 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:18.500 He gave the definitive insight. He said Ringo 00:18:18.500 --> 00:18:20.640 hit good and hard and used the tom -tom well, 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:23.460 offering that rock -solid backbeat. And this 00:18:23.460 --> 00:18:26.420 solidity was invaluable. The feel he brought 00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:28.319 wasn't just decorative, it was foundational. 00:18:28.579 --> 00:18:30.859 It provided a groove that allowed the others 00:18:30.859 --> 00:18:33.400 the freedom to experiment. He wasn't just supporting 00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:36.529 the song, he was defining it. The drummer Steve 00:18:36.529 --> 00:18:39.309 Smith noted that before Ringo, drumming was judged 00:18:39.309 --> 00:18:42.289 primarily by soloing and flash. Ringo, however, 00:18:42.430 --> 00:18:44.930 brought forth a new paradigm, showing the public 00:18:44.930 --> 00:18:47.369 that the drummer could be an equal participant 00:18:47.369 --> 00:18:49.650 in the compositional aspect. And that's so true. 00:18:49.769 --> 00:18:52.029 You can isolate his drum parts on tracks like 00:18:52.029 --> 00:18:54.529 Ticket to Ride or Come Together, and you instantly 00:18:54.529 --> 00:18:56.930 identify the song. It's not just rhythm. It's 00:18:56.930 --> 00:18:59.680 a melodic anchor. And beyond his technique, he 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:01.920 influenced the actual sound of modern drumming 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:04.700 itself. He was instrumental in popularizing the 00:19:04.700 --> 00:19:07.019 matched grip. Which is holding the sticks in 00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:09.480 a mirrored fashion over the traditional grip. 00:19:09.700 --> 00:19:12.900 Right. He also tuned his drums lower than was 00:19:12.900 --> 00:19:15.900 common, giving them a rounder, fatter tone. And 00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:18.480 he was early to use muffling devices on tonal 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:21.259 rings to control cymbal and drum sustain. So 00:19:21.259 --> 00:19:23.819 his fat tom sounds and delicate cymbal work, 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:26.559 as it's been described, were imitated by thousands. 00:19:27.150 --> 00:19:29.569 And when Ringo himself was asked to single out 00:19:29.569 --> 00:19:32.470 his finest recorded performance, he always pointed 00:19:32.470 --> 00:19:35.390 to the same song. The Beatles' B -side Rain. 00:19:35.569 --> 00:19:38.470 And that choice is fascinating because Rain is 00:19:38.470 --> 00:19:41.369 a masterclass in subtlety and dynamic complexity. 00:19:41.750 --> 00:19:44.490 His drumming is almost moving in counterpoint 00:19:44.490 --> 00:19:47.109 to the primary melody in the verses. It's incredibly 00:19:47.109 --> 00:19:50.130 precise control over timing and texture. It shows 00:19:50.130 --> 00:19:52.009 what he could do when he was fully engaged and 00:19:52.009 --> 00:19:53.789 trusted by the writers. I think it's helpful 00:19:53.789 --> 00:19:56.009 to contrast his philosophy with the technical 00:19:56.009 --> 00:19:58.690 giants of the era. Ringo admitted that watching 00:19:58.690 --> 00:20:00.930 a virtuoso like Buddy Rich... Doesn't turn me 00:20:00.930 --> 00:20:03.170 on. Right. He just didn't connect with drumming 00:20:03.170 --> 00:20:06.170 as acrobatics. And yet, he earned the respect 00:20:06.170 --> 00:20:08.210 from the next generation of technical masters. 00:20:08.529 --> 00:20:10.869 Phil Collins, a highly accomplished drummer himself, 00:20:11.190 --> 00:20:14.309 called Ringo vastly underrated. And he cited 00:20:14.309 --> 00:20:16.609 the complexity and placement of his fills on 00:20:16.609 --> 00:20:19.900 A Day in the Life. as definitive proof of his 00:20:19.900 --> 00:20:22.960 genius. Collins was so influenced that he openly 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:25.799 stated his drumming on the 1983 Genesis track, 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:28.960 That's All, was an intentional attempt at a classic 00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:32.039 Ringo Starr drum part. Now we absolutely must 00:20:32.039 --> 00:20:34.740 formally and finally debunk the infamous elephant 00:20:34.740 --> 00:20:38.140 in the room. The quote about him not being Even 00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:40.119 the best drummer in the Beatles. Yeah, we need 00:20:40.119 --> 00:20:42.240 to put this myth to bed for good. That line was 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:45.119 not spoken by John Lennon, as is so often misattributed. 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:48.640 It originated in a 1981 episode of the BBC Radio 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:52.019 4 comedy show Radioactive. It then gained viral 00:20:52.019 --> 00:20:54.599 traction, so to speak, when the comedian Jasper 00:20:54.599 --> 00:20:57.920 Carrott popularized it in 1983. A full three 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.160 years after Lennon's death. And the historical 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:03.089 record just proves the contrary. John Lennon, 00:21:03.109 --> 00:21:05.730 in a 1980 interview, called Ringo a damn good 00:21:05.730 --> 00:21:08.190 drummer. He asserted that Ringo's talent was 00:21:08.190 --> 00:21:10.690 so undeniable it would have emerged even if he 00:21:10.690 --> 00:21:13.490 hadn't joined the Beatles. And furthermore, the 00:21:13.490 --> 00:21:15.930 recording historian Mark Lewis's detailed analysis 00:21:15.930 --> 00:21:18.829 confirms that over the entire eight -year recording 00:21:18.829 --> 00:21:21.269 career of the Beatles, there were fewer than 00:21:21.269 --> 00:21:23.549 a dozen instances where a session had to break 00:21:23.549 --> 00:21:26.150 down because of a mistake by Ringo. The vast 00:21:26.150 --> 00:21:28.269 majority of recording errors were attributable 00:21:28.269 --> 00:21:31.349 to the other three. This myth truly reflects 00:21:31.349 --> 00:21:34.109 public gossip and critical misunderstanding more 00:21:34.109 --> 00:21:37.650 than actual musical reality. So beyond his percussive 00:21:37.650 --> 00:21:40.069 genius, we have to celebrate his linguistic gifts. 00:21:40.289 --> 00:21:43.130 Yeah. The infamous Ringoisms. Oh, absolutely. 00:21:43.369 --> 00:21:46.210 These idiosyncratic turns of phrase provided 00:21:46.210 --> 00:21:49.349 several indelible song titles for the band. Our 00:21:49.349 --> 00:21:52.539 hard day's night and tomorrow never knows. are 00:21:52.539 --> 00:21:54.660 the two most famous examples they were these 00:21:54.660 --> 00:21:57.740 beautiful accidental malapropisms that paul mccartney 00:21:57.740 --> 00:22:01.059 noted were always wonderful very lyrical possessing 00:22:01.059 --> 00:22:03.500 a certain magic that fit the band's psychedelic 00:22:03.500 --> 00:22:06.119 and often surreal aesthetic perfectly and he 00:22:06.119 --> 00:22:08.640 contributed actual lyrics too the poignant specific 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:11.059 line darning his socks in the night when there's 00:22:11.059 --> 00:22:13.460 nobody there in eleanor rigby that came directly 00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:16.019 from ringo it gave that song a touch of specific 00:22:16.019 --> 00:22:19.519 lived in humanity and finally His distinctive 00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:22.539 baritone voice. It was limited in range, which 00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:25.160 is why he rarely performed backing vocals. But 00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:28.299 Lennon or McCartney wisely tailored one song 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:31.440 per album specifically to his vocal capabilities. 00:22:31.740 --> 00:22:33.799 And that gave us timeless hits designed for his 00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:36.700 persona, like Yellow Submarine and With a Little 00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:39.599 Help from My Friends. That unique compositional 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:42.720 approach, the feel over the flash was key. But 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:44.940 how did that translate once the safety net of 00:22:44.940 --> 00:22:47.359 the Beatles was gone? Right. Let's trace his 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:50.480 journey through this. 70s. His solo career actually 00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:53.240 began amidst immediate tension with Paul McCartney. 00:22:53.339 --> 00:22:56.019 McCartney refused to clear his own solo album 00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:59.680 release date to accommodate Ringo's debut, Sentimental 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:02.059 Journey. And it was a bizarre choice for a debut 00:23:02.059 --> 00:23:04.559 album, wasn't it? Totally. Sentimental Journey 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:07.920 in 1970 was an album composed entirely of pre 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:10.180 -rock standards with arrangements by legendary 00:23:10.180 --> 00:23:12.339 figures like George Martin and Quincy Jones. 00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:14.480 He wasn't trying to beat Lennon or McCartney 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:17.339 at rock. He was carving out a nostalgic niche. 00:23:17.869 --> 00:23:20.089 And he followed that up the same year with the 00:23:20.089 --> 00:23:22.809 commercially unsuccessful country -inspired album 00:23:22.809 --> 00:23:25.549 Boku of Blues. Recorded with Nashville session 00:23:25.549 --> 00:23:28.410 players like Pete Drake. But while those early 00:23:28.410 --> 00:23:31.289 efforts showed him experimenting, his third album, 00:23:31.430 --> 00:23:35.190 Ringo from 1973, became his definitive commercial 00:23:35.190 --> 00:23:37.970 and critical peak. And this album established 00:23:37.970 --> 00:23:41.130 the template for his entire future career, relying 00:23:41.130 --> 00:23:43.960 on... powerful, high -profile collaborations. 00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:46.940 All three former Beatles contributed, and it 00:23:46.940 --> 00:23:49.619 resulted in massive hits. The chart -topping 00:23:49.619 --> 00:23:52.619 U .S. number one single, Year 16. And the beloved 00:23:52.619 --> 00:23:55.079 photograph. This album proved that the Ringo 00:23:55.079 --> 00:23:57.740 charm was bankable, but only when he surrounded 00:23:57.740 --> 00:24:00.240 himself with guaranteed high -quality talent 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:02.940 and songwriting. He also scored massive singles 00:24:02.940 --> 00:24:05.720 outside of his albums during this period. It 00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:07.599 Don't Come Easy, which he co -wrote with George 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:11.640 Harrison. A US -UK top 10 hit. And Back Off Boogaloo, 00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:14.599 which became his most successful UK single, peaking 00:24:14.599 --> 00:24:17.460 at number two. But the mid -1970s brought a sharp 00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:20.079 downturn. And this coincided with Ringo's deepening 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:22.710 struggle with addiction. The excess of that era 00:24:22.710 --> 00:24:25.190 led to some very dark places. He was part of 00:24:25.190 --> 00:24:27.349 the notorious Hollywood Vampires Drinking Club. 00:24:27.509 --> 00:24:30.210 A group that also included Keith Moon and Harry 00:24:30.210 --> 00:24:33.309 Nilsson, which became synonymous with the hedonistic, 00:24:33.369 --> 00:24:36.369 destructive rock and roll lifestyle. He later 00:24:36.369 --> 00:24:38.589 gave a chilling assessment of that period, didn't 00:24:38.589 --> 00:24:41.369 he? He did. He commented that the roles had reversed. 00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:44.240 We weren't musicians dabbling in drugs and alcohol. 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:47.519 Now we were junkies dabbling in music. This was 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:50.180 an era defined by indulgence rather than output. 00:24:50.359 --> 00:24:53.180 And in the midst of that excess, Ringo also branched 00:24:53.180 --> 00:24:56.480 out into incredibly surprising non -musical ventures. 00:24:56.740 --> 00:24:58.880 Like his furniture and interior design company, 00:24:59.059 --> 00:25:02.700 R .R. Ringo, or Robin. He co -ran it with Robin 00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:05.460 Crickshank from the late 60s into the 80s. And 00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:07.940 this wasn't some vanity project. They were serious. 00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:10.359 They designed apartments for people like Harry 00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:12.630 Nelson and Paul. Raymond, and they even secured 00:25:12.630 --> 00:25:15.329 contracts designing interiors for palaces in 00:25:15.329 --> 00:25:18.410 Abu Dhabi and Oman. It shows a surprising acumen 00:25:18.410 --> 00:25:21.329 for design and business outside of music. He 00:25:21.329 --> 00:25:23.690 also made his directorial debut with the T -Rex 00:25:23.690 --> 00:25:27.150 documentary Born to Boogie in 1972. But this 00:25:27.150 --> 00:25:29.490 period of indulgence took a severe toll on his 00:25:29.490 --> 00:25:32.579 health. In 1979, he became seriously ill with 00:25:32.579 --> 00:25:35.160 intestinal problems directly related to his childhood 00:25:35.160 --> 00:25:37.619 peritonitis. Requiring the surgical removal of 00:25:37.619 --> 00:25:39.880 several feet of his intestine, he came close 00:25:39.880 --> 00:25:42.539 to death yet again. Which brings us to the ultimate 00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:45.039 turning point, the crucial moment of redemption. 00:25:45.339 --> 00:25:48.819 In October... In November of 1988, following 00:25:48.819 --> 00:25:51.160 years of what he described as living in a blackout. 00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:53.960 He and his second wife, Barbara Bach, who he 00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:56.900 married in 1981 after meeting on the set of the 00:25:56.900 --> 00:25:59.740 film Caveman. They attended a detox clinic in 00:25:59.740 --> 00:26:02.859 Tucson, Arizona and embraced sobriety. And he 00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:04.980 reflected on the scale of the cost of that addiction, 00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:08.400 stating, years I've lost, absolute years, I lived 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:11.039 in a blackout. Sobriety was a required foundation 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:13.799 for the launch of his most successful, enduring, 00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:16.859 and I would say ingenious concept. Ringo Starr 00:26:16.859 --> 00:26:19.380 and his all -star band. We have to analyze this 00:26:19.380 --> 00:26:21.599 formula because it's a stroke of genius in music 00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:24.789 industry logistics. It is. The model is elegantly 00:26:24.789 --> 00:26:27.869 simple and massively reliable. The band features 00:26:27.869 --> 00:26:30.210 Ringo and a rotating lineup of highly successful 00:26:30.210 --> 00:26:32.769 musicians who perform his songs interspersed 00:26:32.769 --> 00:26:35.170 with their own well -known massive hit material. 00:26:35.470 --> 00:26:37.750 It's a business model built on guaranteed nostalgia 00:26:37.750 --> 00:26:41.589 and shared risk. The first show was July 23, 00:26:42.049 --> 00:26:45.250 1989 in Dallas, Texas. And it immediately clicked. 00:26:45.849 --> 00:26:48.349 It solves several problems for Ringo. He doesn't 00:26:48.349 --> 00:26:50.490 have to carry the entire set list of hits himself. 00:26:50.910 --> 00:26:53.470 He guarantees the audience a massive playlist 00:26:53.470 --> 00:26:56.349 of hits from people like Joe Walsh or Todd Rundgren. 00:26:56.470 --> 00:26:58.549 And most importantly, he gets to be the central 00:26:58.549 --> 00:27:00.869 drummer playing the parts he loves. Exactly. 00:27:00.890 --> 00:27:02.950 But let me offer a critical counterpoint here. 00:27:03.150 --> 00:27:06.390 While it's brilliant logistically and financially, 00:27:06.630 --> 00:27:09.109 I mean, it's a guaranteed success. Isn't the 00:27:09.109 --> 00:27:12.230 all -star band essentially an exercise in highly 00:27:12.230 --> 00:27:15.849 curated nostalgia? Does this format allow him 00:27:15.849 --> 00:27:19.049 to release challenging new music, or is he primarily 00:27:19.049 --> 00:27:21.589 just leveraging the past and curating a hit parade? 00:27:21.829 --> 00:27:23.650 That's a fair challenge. And it is absolutely 00:27:23.650 --> 00:27:26.549 rooted in nostalgia, but its genius lies in the 00:27:26.549 --> 00:27:29.170 adaptation. How so? Ringo recognized that his 00:27:29.170 --> 00:27:31.650 greatest asset post -Beatles wasn't necessarily 00:27:31.650 --> 00:27:34.549 his own individual creative output, but his position 00:27:34.549 --> 00:27:36.569 as the central connector in the rock and roll 00:27:36.569 --> 00:27:39.000 fraternity. So the all -star band allows him 00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:42.240 to monetize that network. Precisely. He maintains 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:44.539 artistic relevance through collaboration while 00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:46.500 guaranteeing a high -quality product for the 00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:49.519 fans, its longevity by association. That makes 00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:52.259 a lot of sense. It's an adaptable, self -sustaining 00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:55.059 ecosystem that has kept him touring successfully 00:27:55.059 --> 00:27:57.920 for over three decades. And his post -recovery 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:00.420 career also includes continued high -profile 00:28:00.420 --> 00:28:03.200 collaborations with Paul McCartney, like on Ringo's 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:06.140 2010 album Why Not? And their joint performance 00:28:06.140 --> 00:28:09.299 of Queenie I. at the 2014 Grammys. He was also 00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:11.539 vital to the Beatles anthology project in the 00:28:11.539 --> 00:28:14.480 mid -90s, recording drums on the new tracks Free 00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:17.859 as a Bird and Real Love. And outside of his music 00:28:17.859 --> 00:28:20.359 and design career, he has this substantial film 00:28:20.359 --> 00:28:22.779 and television presence that often gets overlooked. 00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:25.319 After the Beatles films and roles and bizarre 00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:27.819 features like The Magic Christian Blind Man and 00:28:27.819 --> 00:28:30.019 The Ridiculous Caveman. He even portrayed the 00:28:30.019 --> 00:28:33.559 Pope. in ken russell's over -the -top film listomania 00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:36.940 but for an entire generation of children he is 00:28:36.940 --> 00:28:39.180 most recognizable as a children's television 00:28:39.180 --> 00:28:42.299 figure often through his voice Exactly. He was 00:28:42.299 --> 00:28:44.759 the gentle, soothing narrator for the first two 00:28:44.759 --> 00:28:48.019 series of the original UK children's show, Thomas 00:28:48.019 --> 00:28:51.299 the Tank Engine and Friends, from 1984 to 1986. 00:28:51.900 --> 00:28:53.799 And he then successfully transitioned to the 00:28:53.799 --> 00:28:56.539 American spinoff Shining Time Station, where 00:28:56.539 --> 00:28:59.660 he starred as the beloved, magical Mr. Conductor 00:28:59.660 --> 00:29:01.720 in the first season. It's an interesting pivot, 00:29:01.799 --> 00:29:04.359 maintaining that benevolent, friendly public 00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:06.859 persona. And finally, his recent output shows 00:29:06.859 --> 00:29:10.599 he's not slowing down at all. In the 2020s, Ringo 00:29:10.599 --> 00:29:13.440 demonstrated an incredible adaptability. In 2021, 00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:15.960 he announced that he preferred to release EPs 00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:19.339 like Zoom In, Change the World, and Rewind Forward 00:29:19.339 --> 00:29:21.980 rather than labor over full albums. And this 00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:24.380 approach fits the modern music economy perfectly, 00:29:24.619 --> 00:29:26.819 releasing consistent, smaller bursts of material. 00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:30.039 But despite that focus on EPs, he delighted fans 00:29:30.039 --> 00:29:32.440 by announcing the release of a full country and 00:29:32.440 --> 00:29:35.240 roots album, Look Up, produced by T -Bone Burnett, 00:29:35.400 --> 00:29:38.660 slated for January 2025. This is a man who started 00:29:38.660 --> 00:29:41.839 with Biscuit Tins and TB, and he is still producing 00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:45.019 relevant music in his 80s. Just incredible. Before 00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:46.539 we close, let's bring it back to the personal 00:29:46.539 --> 00:29:48.660 life and the monumental, well -deserved honors 00:29:48.660 --> 00:29:51.119 he has accumulated. He was first married to Maureen 00:29:51.119 --> 00:29:55.299 Cox from 1965 to 1975, and they had three children, 00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:59.390 Zach, Jason, and Lee. And notably, his son, Zach 00:29:59.390 --> 00:30:01.849 Starkey, followed in his footsteps. He became 00:30:01.849 --> 00:30:04.069 a highly respected professional drummer who has 00:30:04.069 --> 00:30:07.009 played with bands like The Who and Oasis. His 00:30:07.009 --> 00:30:08.950 current marriage to the actress Barbara Bach, 00:30:09.130 --> 00:30:12.430 whom he married in 1981, has endured for over 00:30:12.430 --> 00:30:15.509 four decades now. They split their time between 00:30:15.509 --> 00:30:18.150 London and Los Angeles. He also holds the distinction 00:30:18.150 --> 00:30:20.329 of being the first Beatle to become a grandfather 00:30:20.329 --> 00:30:23.029 in 1985. And later, the first Beatle to become 00:30:23.029 --> 00:30:25.549 a great -grandfather in 2016. His professional 00:30:25.549 --> 00:30:28.579 accolades are genuinely staggering, reflecting 00:30:28.579 --> 00:30:31.940 his lifelong contributions. He is a double inductee 00:30:31.940 --> 00:30:33.839 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. First as 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:36.779 a Beatle in 1988 and later as a solo artist in 00:30:36.779 --> 00:30:39.700 2015. And that second induction is so critical 00:30:39.700 --> 00:30:41.940 as it was specifically in the musical excellence 00:30:41.940 --> 00:30:44.460 category. Which differentiates his entry from 00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:47.180 the others who were inducted as performers. This 00:30:47.180 --> 00:30:49.819 recognition finally formalized the long overdue 00:30:49.819 --> 00:30:52.099 appreciation for his technical and compositional 00:30:52.099 --> 00:30:54.339 contributions to the form. And then there are 00:30:54.339 --> 00:30:56.740 the Royal Honors. He and the other Beatles were 00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:58.559 all appointed members of the Order of the British 00:30:58.559 --> 00:31:03.559 Empire, MBE, in 1965. But in 2018, Ringo Starr 00:31:03.559 --> 00:31:05.779 was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the New Year 00:31:05.779 --> 00:31:08.720 Honors for services to music. Officially becoming 00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:11.880 Sir Ringo Starr. He holds numerous other unique 00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:15.000 honors, including an Academy Award for Best Original 00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:18.579 Song Score for the film Let It Be in 1970, and 00:31:18.579 --> 00:31:20.920 an Honorary Doctor of Music degree from Berklee 00:31:20.920 --> 00:31:23.970 College of Music in 2022. There is even a minor 00:31:23.970 --> 00:31:27.829 planet, 4150 star, named in his honor. The cosmos 00:31:27.829 --> 00:31:31.170 recognizes his influence. On a personal note, 00:31:31.309 --> 00:31:33.809 he maintains a distinctive lifestyle focused 00:31:33.809 --> 00:31:36.130 on health and peace. He's a strict vegetarian. 00:31:36.490 --> 00:31:39.069 Avoids garlic and onions due to allergies, and 00:31:39.069 --> 00:31:41.450 he practices daily meditation. And if you ever 00:31:41.450 --> 00:31:44.069 see him or hear him speak, his personal philosophy 00:31:44.069 --> 00:31:46.809 and catchphrase is consistently simple and sincere. 00:31:47.150 --> 00:31:49.650 Peace and love. That phrase, which he champions 00:31:49.650 --> 00:31:52.190 relentlessly, speaks to his role not just as 00:31:52.190 --> 00:31:54.470 an artist, but as a key personal and artistic 00:31:54.470 --> 00:31:56.910 connector. He was the one member who managed 00:31:56.910 --> 00:31:59.150 to stay friendly and collaborative with John, 00:31:59.250 --> 00:32:01.670 Paul, and George, even during their most bitter, 00:32:01.789 --> 00:32:04.950 fractured solo periods. He's often seen as the 00:32:04.950 --> 00:32:07.589 emotional anchor, the most resilient, approachable 00:32:07.589 --> 00:32:10.210 member of that quartet. Which brings us to our 00:32:10.210 --> 00:32:13.009 final provocative thought for you to chew on. 00:32:13.500 --> 00:32:16.940 Ringo Starr was dismissed for decades by critics 00:32:16.940 --> 00:32:19.799 who prioritized technical brilliance. But his 00:32:19.799 --> 00:32:22.720 entire career, from surviving Dickensian poverty 00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:25.579 and illness, to inventing rhythms on a rubbish 00:32:25.579 --> 00:32:28.559 bin lid, to designing the immensely durable all 00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:31.240 -star touring model, proves that he possesses 00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:34.359 an intangible compositional feel that cannot 00:32:34.359 --> 00:32:36.970 be taught. So why is it that this fundamental 00:32:36.970 --> 00:32:39.869 emotional quality in music, the ability to give 00:32:39.869 --> 00:32:42.509 a song an irreplaceable heartbeat, is so much 00:32:42.509 --> 00:32:44.569 harder for critics and the public to recognize 00:32:44.569 --> 00:32:47.390 and reward than mere virtuosity? Yet it is so 00:32:47.390 --> 00:32:50.089 often the key ingredient for genuine, multi -decade 00:32:50.089 --> 00:32:52.509 artistic resilience. It's the ultimate paradox 00:32:52.509 --> 00:32:55.250 of the foundational artist. He made genius sound 00:32:55.250 --> 00:32:57.609 effortless. We leave you to consider that foundational 00:32:57.609 --> 00:32:59.950 rhythm in your own deep dive. Until next time, 00:32:59.990 --> 00:33:00.670 keep digging.