Meet, greet and chat with the Beatles

Ringo Down Under

This article is from the March/April 1983 issue of The Write Thing

Ringo and Barbara flew into Sydney (Australia) on September 28 (1982).  They had come specifically to record a TV interview with Michael Parkinson for the "Parkinson in Australia" talk show.

All three commercial TV networks featured the arrival on their 6 pm news and I saw Ringo signing quite a few autographs and posing for photos for fans. 

The Parkinson Show aired on October 9th.  There were three guests on the one hour show -- Ringo, Barbara and Glen Sharrock (former lead singer with Little River Band).  Ringo and Barbara were on the set for the entire show.  Sharrock came on about 2/3 way through.

Parkinson introduced the show with a montage of Beatles film clips set to "Love Me Do" in celebration of that song's 20th anniversary of UK release.

Ringo was n fine form coming out with great one-liners and not taking a minute of the interview seriously.  Parkinson asked, "When did you (Beatles) first realize that you were something special?  Ringo: At birth!

When Barbara answered that she hadn't seen any of the Beatles films.  Ringo chipped in, "No matter how many times I put them on."

A little known fact emerged when Barbara was asked about her children.  Her son Johnny is normal mentally but has deformed legs.  Barbara explained that he is soon to have an operation which they hope will straighten his leg bones.

Parkinson mentioned that both he and Ringo had been asked by the Variety Club to donate items to be auctioned for charity.  Parkinson said he was donating one of his books and asked Ringo what his contribution would be.  On the spur of the moment, Ringo whipped off one of his socks, paused to sniff it -- "Ah, roses...!" --and offered it to Parkinson.  When asked about the other sock, Ringo replied, "only if you donate another book."   The deal was made and off came the other sock.  Parkinson suggested the money gained from the auction should go to spastic children welfare groups, much to Barbara's approval.

The show ended with Ringo being coaxed into performing with Sharrock and his band.  They launched into "Honey Don't"  but Ringo's nervousness got the better of him.  He refused to sing and dropped a drumstick twice.  As the song finished, Parkinson led Barbara over to the band to do the thank-yous and close.  The band then went into an encore of "Honey Don't."  This time forming a medley with "Blue Suede Shoes."  Ringo had relaxed by now and settled down to his drumming, enjoying himself, even singing along here and there, as Barbara danced around his drum kit.

It was originally reported that Ringo and Barbara were to stay in Sydney only for four days before leaving for the U.S.  But I recently heard they had a brief holiday on Heron Island in the Great Barrier Reef the following week.  They must have been talking with George!

In an article in an Australia newspaper, Ringo's current home life and future plans were discussed:

"Last October Ringo and Barbara moved back to Britain where they live in a 26-room Berkshire country house.  His return to England marked the end of a six-year tax exile for Ringo.  And he admits that the move from California is costing him a fortune in taxes.  But he says, it is worth it.

"I feel safe and comfortable in England, and Barbara loves Europe.  I've spent six years traveling around the world, and never stopping for more than five weeks in any one place.  After a while, it's no fun.  I bought the house in 1970, while I was in exile.  I didn't own it, but I have it back now.  Barbara and I have changed it and it's a warm, loving place to live. 

Now there are rumors that Ringo may play the lead role in a film turned down by Adam Ant.  The movie is "Yellow Beard" and scripted by the former Monty Python writer Graham Chapman and is a comedy about a pirate.

Australia in the 80s

Taking flight in Australia

Best wishes Denny!

George and the kangaroo

More from the "animals get to meet the Beatles more than I do...." file. 

Koala Kisses

The Macs and the snakes

Mull player gets drum signed!

What an exciting day for this 16 year old young man in Australia!   Not only did he get to go on stage with Paul McCartney and play "Mull of Kintyre,"  but Paul also signed his drum!   Here is what he said about it: 

“We were sort of hoping he might sign the bass drum but heard he doesn’t do it often because people end up selling it on Ebay.
“It’s going to go straight up on the wall and we’ll keep it there forever.”

It truely warms my heart when people that appreciate Paul get to meet him and get his autograph.   

He is coming back!

As the dates get closer to Paul McCartney's belated return to Australia, more and more Australian fans are posting photos from the last time Paul was there (1993) such as this great shot of Paul and Linda.  (Not sure ab out Paul's fashion choices in the 1990's)

Koala Klub

He is coming back!

Paul is starting his tour back up again this week and my first reaction was disappointment that I am not able to see him at all during this leg of the tour.

Then I remember that there are fans in Australia that have never seen Paul because the last time he was there on tour was in 1993.    They finally are getting their chance at the end of this year, but if I told any of the fans around the world that have never been able to see him that I just saw Paul in July and I feel disappointed that I won't be seeing him again, they would scoff at me and justly so.

For everyone that is seeing Paul on this next leg of the tour, I know that you are going to have a great time.   Please keep us up dated on any Paul sighting!

Somewhere in Australia

Somewhere in Australia
By Graham Moyle
Beatles Unlimited
1982


George paid a short visit to Australia recently.  The visit was purely informal.   It was the first time George was in Australia since 1964.

As some of you may be sorry to hear, it was not for any sensational reason that George flew over.  The truth is that he was looking towards buying land, or maybe a farm, either in Queensland or New South Wales.   His visit was very hushed-up, and not too many people knew about his arrival.   George had hired some bodyguards (Bob Jones Co.) who usually look after rock stars.  However, at the last moment abandoned his plan, because they would, after all, only bring more attention to his visit.

George first landed at the Queensland airport in early March (1982), believed to be with his wife and son.    After the plane had landed, George and company were away in a helicopter in a flash.   He stayed with Bobby Jones (no, another one), a racing driver on the Gold Coast, in his penthouse, and that same week moved to the farm of another friend of his, tourist entrepreneur Keith Williams, whom he met through their mutual friend, racing-driver Jackie Stewart.

The second week George was spotted in New South Wales, where he invited the WEA staff out to lunch.  (If only George knew how THAT record company treated his releases:   with no promotion at all, his latest LP hardly made the charts, although it was still the peak of all his WEA releases).  But then, I suppose WEA sucked up to George all the way while he was in Australia.

After this, he travelled down to Melbourne, Victoria, where he stayed with yet another one with that surname, Alan Jones, world champion racing driver, on his farm for a few days, and then landed back in Queensland from where he flew off in the last week of March.

Now, if you ask me the question whether George did acquire land or not, I have to admit I don't' know.  If so, it would be probably mean that he would live in Australia at least a few weeks every year, which would put Australia a bit more into the picture, Beatlewise.

The reason why George wants to buy a farm in Australia, at least "somewhere in the South Pacific" is that he's taken up gardening since he bought his Friar Park estate at Henley.  He's specifically interested in growing tropical plants, and British weather being what it is these days, this would mean buying another garden somewhere else.

The trip seems to have been pretty tight and well-planned, as newspapers didn't pay too much attention to this visit.  One magazine that did manage to get an interview was the Australian Women's Weekly, who published it in their April 28th issue, and although none of the information lay very far outside of the sphere of George's private life (which, unfortunately, still seems to be all that women's magazine care about) I;ll  mention one or two facts form the article for those interested:

George and Olivia are both semi-vegetarian, which means they do eat chicken and seafood.  Son Dhani, now 3 1/2 years old, is a total vegetarian.  His name, by the way, does not mean "wealth" as was first reported, but "dha" and "ni" are two notes of the Indian music scale.  Sort of "do-re" one might say.   He speaks upper-class English contrary to his parents.

George is still financially involved in the Hare Krishna movement.   He donated a mansion to them in Hertfordshire worth about $500,000.  The interview also says that he often does anonymous donations to people and institutions, such as the Monty Python team (which is not exactly a secret) and to Barry Sheene, to whom he once is said to have offered $280,000 NOT to take up Formula One racing because George thought it too dangerous for his old friend.

Also, Ravi Shankar and he are still trying to get the proceeds of the Bangladesh concert (now 11 years ago) to the people who are still so desperately in need of it.

The Koala Klub

Wings Downunder

Someone isn't looking

Wearing his Paul hat

Paul perform with Wings in Australia in 1975.  

In the land downunder with Paul

Paul in Australia in 1975.

Koalas down under

Who are the two extra kids?

Paul Mccartney 1993 meeting