Rock Talk (Ringo Interview 1976)

Ringo at Paul's party, June 24, 1976

 

Rock Talk

By Lisa Robinson

Sun Post News

July 2, 1976

    The speculation ran rampant in Los Angeles last week that Wings' final U.S. concert would feature a Beatles reunion, but there never was a chance. As Paul McCartney got on stage for his last LA Forum show, and the four old Beatles LPs were on the charts, John Lennon summered on Long Island. George Harrison finished recording in London, and Ringo Starr prepared to leave his house in the Hollywood Hills and fly the Concorde to Paris. 

    The day before his departure, Ringo talked about that possible reunion. His casual LA costume, Indian cotton shirt over a bathing suit, was livened up by jewelry, one gold and diamond earring, neck chains, and, of course, his assortment of rings. Ringo's eyes are amazingly blue, and even after all these years, that Liverpool accent is unmistakable. 

    Sipping white wine in his playroom filled with Gene Autry and Beatles Memorabilia, Ringo said, "Despite what anyone said, we have talked about doing a show together, and we've been offered more than $50 million. But then we said, 'What are we bothered for?' People have told me, 'You've got to do it for the money.' Well, if I wanted to do it, I wouldn't do it for the money, I'd do it for a laugh, I'd probably do it for free. 

    "But if we did do something, the audience might still want us to be the mop tops." Ringo smiled. "They'd probably expect me to nod my head.

     "The only way I could see something happening now would be for all of us to go into a studio where we could sit with each other for a while. But to get the four of us in one room is physically very hard. Paul might visit me, or I'll visit John, but we're never all in the same place at the same time.  Even when we were the closest band in the world," Ringo continued, "except for the time when we were on tour, or when we were locked into a recording studio, we weren't together all the time. When we'd go back into the studio, it would take us about a week to be able to relax with each other.

     "I'm not the greatest drummer," Ringo added. "John isn't the greatest guitarist, George isn't the greatest lead guitarist. Paul is a fine bass player, but when we were into each other, we were telepathic because we knew each other so well. That's why the music was so good. 

    "We see each other now, but we have the human right to fight and also to love each other. I can say anything I like about any of them, but don't you put them down. They're family, probably the only family I have ever really had.

     "I'm sure I'll be called ex-Beatle until I die," said Ringo. "The guy who reads my urn when it comes out of the ashes will say 'ex-Beatle Richard Starkey'. Sometimes it's a burden, but I'm proud as well." And Ringo smiles, "It gets me a seat at restaurants."

     Does he think there could ever be anything quite as big as the Beatles again? "An Italian tenor", Ringo replied, straight-faced. "In 1974, I was sure that an Italian tenor would do a nationwide TV broadcast and be bigger than we were."

Japan Threatens to Trim Beatles (1966)

 

Japan Threatens to Trim Beatles

UPI

June 24, 1966

    There may be a plot afoot to shear the Beatles when they come to Japan next week. Japanese ultrarightist groups upset about the Beatles' six day visit starting June 28 have sworn they will shave the singers' heads "at the risk of our lives."

     The right-wingers are angered at the scheduled use of the Tokyo Budokan Hall by the Beatles for their five concerts. The hall was built especially for the Judo competition of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and there has been a great deal of public opposition to the appearance there of the Liverpool Quartet, but the hall, with a seating capacity of 10,000, is the only building the Beatles would agree to perform in, and the public, rather than face the wrath of 50,000 teenagers, gave in. 

    The right-wingers, however, have not given in, and although the police department is not saying so publicly, the extremists are one of the main reasons 3,000 policemen have been assigned to protect the Beatles and keep order during their tour. The anti-Beatle right wing says the group is a sign of the decadence of Western society, and a reason the communists are doing so well in Vietnam. 

    Bin Akao, the leader of the Greater Japan Patriotic Society, which has distributed 300,000 leaflets and over 10,000 Beatles Get Out posters, told UPI, "There is a strong mood among the right-wing parties to shave the Beatles' heads and send them home looking different." He said he personally did not think that any rightist would succeed in getting to the Beatles or in sabotaging their performances, because "The Tokyo police are too well prepared. The right wing has been marked by the police, "he lamented, "and I don't think there is any possibility of approaching the Beatles, even if someone wanted to". However, he would not deny rumors published by Japanese magazines that there is some sort of plot in the works.

A few of the Good Guys

 

Yellow Submarine party

 

The press in Munich

 

June 24, 1966 - Munich, Germany 

Wings Concert Soars -- Surpass Expectations (Los Angeles 1976)

 Wings Concert Soars - Surpass Expectations

By Matt Aragorn Pavin

Ventura County Star

June 26, 1976

    Mix an excited audience with a legendary artist, and the stage is set for a real concert event. Add a performance that surpasses all expectations, and the result is a night to remember. Such was the case Tuesday evening at the Fabulous Forum. It was the middle of a three-day Los Angeles engagement. It was the next-to-last stop on the most publicized tour since the Who's cross-country trek in 1973. It was one of the debut American appearances by the world's most popular group (Sorry, Elton): Wings. It was a legendary bassist, pianist, and guitarist named Paul McCartney, and it was good. 

    The aura of nervous anticipation surrounding the Forum was a sure indication that something special was brewing. 20,000 eager faces, mostly young, many older, shared this feeling as the house lights dimmed. The energy level inside the arena was a palpable buzz. It was exciting and breathtaking. The opening strains of "Venus and Mars/ Rock Show" were greeted by the second most tumultuous response this reporter has ever heard, the loudest occurring two and a half hours later, after Wings' finale, which was "Band on the Run."

     In between were two other displays of aesthetic approval, one following a horn-punctuated version of "Lady Madonna," the first of five Beatles selections, two songs later, a stunning rendition of "Live and Let Die" through even more applause, the dynamic James Bond theme was accentuated by a pair of incredible visual effects. Just as each of the tune's intense segments began, bright smoke bombs were triggered. For the remainder of these passages, an emerald green laser light was fired from the stage towards the far wall, where its computerized patterns danced like flames. A laser was also used during "Hi, Hi, Hi", similar to the one Genesis introduced at the Starlight Amphitheater on May 1.

     Other visual aids were also put to magnificent use. A small square-screen flash slides in a crushed crescent moon atop a candle for "Maybe I'm Amazed", an antique chair for "Picasso's Last Words", and three comic book characters for "Magneto and Titanium Man". A larger rectangular screen showed a short film during "Band on the Run". Additionally, all the platforms supporting Wings' equipment were under cabaret-type lights. The entire lighting system created a striking atmosphere. 

    Then again, the mere presence of Paul McCartney was striking. The ex-Beatle was in firm command from the outset. Although 10 years absent from American Halls, Paul showed no signs of either rustiness or awkwardness. McCartney's singing was beautiful, with the lone exception of "My Love," his voice possessed the same magic that helped launch Beatlemania over 13 years ago. Not surprisingly, Paul's vocal appeal was the strongest on "Yesterday". Note perfect is an inadequate description of his rendition, as the crowd was moved and mesmerized by his emotionally powerful lyrics.

     But McCartney was not alone. A four-piece brass section spiced up approximately half of the set's 29 songs.  Linda McCartney, dressed in black, provided excellent vocal harmonies, although her keyboard playing was rather lame. Jimmy McCulloch Wing's underrated lead guitarist consistently offered tasty solos as steady chord work. Drummer Joe English performed with sturdy dependency. 

    Yet the star of the sidemen was Denny Laine, one of the original Moody Blues. His ample instrumental talents included stints on guitar, bass, and various keyboards. Moreover, he handled the vocal chores on "Spirits of Ancient Egypt", the new "Time to Hide," and the unexpected, delightful "Go Now" with a fluid, slightly bluesy brilliance. Another unexpected number was Simon and Garfunkel's "Richard Cory"; the other three Beatles songs were "The Long and Winding Road," "I've Just Seen a Face," and "Blackbird."

     17 selections, however, were culled from Wing's last three albums. Those not mentioned above were "Jet", "Bluebird", and "Let Me Roll It" from Band on the Run. "You Gave Me the Answer", "Letting Go," "Medicine Jar", " Call Me Back Again ", and " Listen to What the Man Said" from Venus and Mars.  And "Let 'Em In," "Beware My Love," and "Silly Love Songs" from Wings at the Speed of Sound.

    For those of you who are counting, the 29th tune was the second encore, an unreleased rocker with a chorus of something like "Sorry, we've got to go."

     The overall sound production was as polished as the lights. Nevertheless, the horns and McCulloch's guitar improvisations added an element of spontaneity. Correspondingly, most of the songs had a rockier feel in concert than on the albums, yet melodies were never sacrificed, and the lyrics were almost always intelligible. My expectations, however, were surpassed easily. There is nothing so entertaining as a legend at his peak.

Drumming on the Tonight Show

 

June 23, 2006 -- The Tonight Show 

Holiday Meal from a different angle

 

Photo exhibit

 

June 23, 2011 

Ringo and Mal are the Blindmen

 June 1971