EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Ringo Starr talks to the Daily Post

Jan 12 2008 By Peter Grant Liverpool Daily Post

‘I’M NOT on holiday – I’m here to play the drums and sing. My message to Liverpool is support Capital of Culture – get out there and give it all you’ve got.

“There are so many great events to shout about and people should come and check it out.”

With his usual direct nasal tone, Ringo Starr is clearly a man on a mission.

A heartfelt mission to drum up support both at home and abroad for Capital of Culture year.

But there were things he wanted to do while in the town where he was born, like visit his old school and sign autographs for the pupils.

He was driven around the Dingle area and told the Daily Post it was a “very nostalgic” experience.

“I spent time walking around the old place and it was good to see them.

“I enjoyed it. Just me – taken around by the headmaster.

“It’s changed a lot since my day.

“When I first went there it was called Dingle Secondary Modern. Now it’s Shorefields High School.

“When I first went there, there were about five kids. Now look at it and all these modern buildings and computers.

“Everything’s changed and it made me realise just how much the city, too, has altered since I lived here in the 50s and 60s.

“I was trying to place just what used to be where.

“But I don’t live here now so I can’t comment on just how much has changed.”

Now a teetotaller, he said he wouldn’t be venturing into any old haunts, notably the Empress Pub.

The tavern in High Park Street featured on the cover of his Sentimental Journey album.

It is a landmark highlighted on the twice-daily Magical Mystery Tour coach trips and the album cover is framed on the wall in the L8 venue.

Ringo says he did feel nostalgic too when people were talking to him about places where he played, with and without The Beatles.

“Someone mentioned Litherland Town Hall and those memories came back. And it came back when I saw the Empire.

“I didn’t want to get out of the car in Dingle and walk around because if I did I would have been lost and not been able to find my way home.

“My childhood memory is all these avenues and trees.”

Speaking in an accent that crosses Liverpool with Americana and a touch of Thomas The Tank Engine – the cartoon he once narrated – Ringo was looking relaxed in leather jacket, lilac scarf and peaked bobble hat.

Sparkling earrings are now more prominent than his famous hand jewellery which the 67-year-old gave up two years ago.

Ringo was adamant that during his “working trip” to his home town he would squeeze in as much as he could to promote both his album and single and the work of the Capital of Culture.

He said he was focused on the two important launches: on the St George’s plateau roof in silver stage jacket seen by almost 50,000 last night.

And tonight’s Echo Arena Liverpool gig – Liverpool The Musical.

“Liverpool, c’mon participate! Don’t just sit in a room and watch, but get involved. There’s a lot going on here - that’s my message.”

Ringo indeed was patience personified, signing drum skins and Capital of Culture guide books with the simple words “WOW – Ringo.”

He says with a lot of pride that he did have the seed of an idea about his new song Liverpool 8 some four years ago and it was his collaboration with Dave Stewart that took the concept further.

“It is autobiographical.

“I was thinking about my childhood and the jobs I’d had, some only for a few weeks.

“I was thinking about Rory Storm and all the sailors and seamen who brought us back records from The States and how we heard all this new stuff which inspired us.

“Meeting Paul, George and John and, of course, Shea stadium.

“It wasn’t difficult picking out bits from my happy childhood.”

Ringo says he enjoyed making the video for Liverpool 8, but he won’t be going back in front of the camera again for a feature film.

“I was going to keep it a secret, but Dave has already mentioned it now so it’s out in the open about our joint musical concept.

“It’s an idea we had called Hole In the Fence – a musical and we are both working on it with input from my Liverpool upbringing and Dave’s musical roots in Sunderland.”

Ringo says he was particularly delighted about the last Beatle album, called Love.

The songs were remastered by Beatle producer George Martin and his producer son Giles.

“They did a wonderful job on that. I really mean that. I went to the show in Las Vegas – it was fabulous.

“And when I heard the album soundtrack that both Martins had done, well, when I heard my own drumming all I can say, man, is WOW.”

Ringo says he means every word of his lyrics especially “Liverpool – I never let you down”.

“But you know, that was Dave’s line he said to me ‘Ringo, you never let Liverpool down’ and he was right – I didn’t, I haven’t and I don’t.

“Being from Liverpool is in my soul.”

When asked if there was a firm bond between Paul and himself, he smiled.

“Yeah, we hang out.

“I am a player and he’s a player. He has his tours and I have mine, but it’s cool to meet up and hang out when we can.”

Ringo says that the one thing he misses about his home town – no matter where he is in the world whether in his Monte Carlo home or on tour – is the Liverpool sense of humour.

He laughed: “I was going to stay in the Hard Day’s Night Hotel but it’s not finished yet.”

And he said a fab farewell before culture duties called: “Love and Peace to Liverpool. Time to go to work now...”