Ringo Starr: The Beatles never betrayed Liverpool

Dec 17 2007

RINGO Starr believes Capital of Culture will show Liverpool “in an incredible light” to the rest of the world.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, the legendary drummer says he cannot wait to return to his home city next month.

He also gave a heartfelt defence to the accusations that the Beatles were traitors by leaving Liverpool.

Ringo reveals the accusations the Beatles had abandoned Liverpool did hurt, but they simply did not have the choice of staying in their home city.

He said: “I don’t think I have let Liverpool down.

“When we left they all called us traitors. We only left because we had to go where the jobs were and in those days it was London and everything you did was based out of there.

“That’s how it was.

“Now you can live in Liverpool, Leicester, it doesn’t matter where you live and you can deal with it, but at the time it was a move and people were shouting ‘traitors, you left us’.

“But I think no matter what – and we’re still loved in Liverpool – that even though we left we never let Liverpool down and we’re always still proud of that heritage.”

Thousands of people will see the former Beatle when he takes part in the Capital of Culture opening weekend, including a performance from the top of St George’s Hall.

He will showcase his new single and album, both titled Liverpool 8, in homage to the city.

The 67-year-old said: “I’m coming in January to celebrate the year of culture with everyone in Liverpool.

“And the good thing about it is also, because the city’s the Capital of Culture, they will get into lots of other situations to present Liverpool in an incredible light.”

US TV giant CBS is reported to be in negotiations to broadcast a two-hour breakfast show live from Liverpool to its American viewers on January 11, to tie in with Ringo’s appearance in his home city.

It will be the first time the former Beatle has performed in Liverpool for 15 years. His last public show was at the Empire in 1992.

But he has made a number of unheralded visits over the years.

He said: “I’ve popped up to see the family a couple of times, but I’m not there a lot now.

“I went walking around once, I took my son to see Madryn Street and Admiral Grove, and all the places daddy grew up, and some woman just linked arms with me saying ‘ooh, it hasn’t changed’.

“I said, it’s really changed actually, where’s this, and where’s that gone?”

It is the Toxteth of Ringo’s childhood which is recalled in Liverpool 8, the most autobiographical song he has ever written.

He said: “I had the title for several years actually and then I started to work with Dave Stewart and we were talking about, like a biography.

“I wrote all the words because it’s about my life and he wrote all the chords and we had this track called Liverpool 8.”