Ringo Rama (Интервью с Ринго )

Ringo Starr
Ex-Beatle drums up a homegrown CD

If all you want out of your favorite Beatle is a few grating tunes that sound like nursery rhymes and some quasi-psychedelic yoga nonsense, then John, Paul and George are passable choices. But everyone knows that Ringo Starr, 62, was the group's true visionary.

He's the guy who claimed he was too stoned to remember whether he smoked weed at Buckingham Palace, appeared in high-profile ads for Sun Country Classic Wine Coolers at the height of his alcohol dependency and starred in classic films such as "Caveman" and "Son of Dracula." Starr's latest album, "Ringo Rama," is a mostly homemade effort featuring rudimentary cover art by producer Mark Hudson and guest appearances by Eric Clapton and David Gilmour.

Q: You don't always do what's best for your career, but you always do what's fun.

A: I get a kick out of being alive. And I get a kick out of playing. I love to play music and hang out with musicians. That's always been the way with me, really. It's too late. I'm not doing it to be tortured, you know.

Q: Nobody gives you the credit you deserve.

A: You know, I'm not really in it for the recognition. I'm in it for the joy. I don't lose any sleep anymore. What is recognition? I've done what I've done. I know what I did. And the people I love know what I did. Musicians who I admire know what I did. That's enough for me. I've had the keys to many cities.

Q: People always make books and movies about your life.

A: You know, I really don't read a lot of what people are saying, but you can't miss it all. Sometimes you read something and think, "Why does this person need to say these things? A person who doesn't know me made all this stuff up and has no idea what's going on." People will read it and believe it. But, you know, I read the newspaper every day and have no idea what was in it yesterday. That's how it goes. Sometimes it affects you because it's just not true. It can also sometimes get the family involved.

Q: There's no room for exaggeration.

A: Exactly.

Q: This record is all about the rhythm. Are you a better drummer now that you don't wear so many rings on your fingers?

A: Don't make me put the phone down.

Q: That's a legitimate technical question for dumb drummers.

A: Well, I do take them off to play, but I've been doing that for the past 15 years, so it's not new. You go through stages. I used to play with all those rings, then I used to play with gloves on. Now I just take the rings off when I play.

Q: This might make you put the phone down; there's a song called "English Garden" where you name check both your wife, Barbara Bach, and your dog Buster.

A: Well, it's our dog. Buster is our dog and Monte is her dog. So he's on the CD, too. There's also her horse clip-clopping all over it.

Q: You could have dedicated the song just to her.

A: Well, it started out just Barbara and me, then Buster came in the room and Monte came in yapping. When you record in your house, anything can happen. She doesn't mind.

Q: That rules.

A: Yeah, I'm really proud of the lyrics.

Q: Did you draw the cover yourself?

A: No, the producer, Mark Hudson, drew the picture, I wrote my name, and we have a friend who is very good with computers who put the wallpaper behind it.

Q: I'm going to assume he didn't go to art school for that.

A: He went to art school in his mind.

Q: What about on the back? There's a statue of your hand making the peace sign. Do you think this album will bring world peace?

A: I'm a product of the '60s. Peace and love is the only way. It may not happen today, but one day it's going to have to happen. This way has been going on for so long that it has to change.

Well,it's cool!