Peotuvave Ringo

With Ringo, Ringo Starr finally put his solo career in gear in 1973, after serving notice with back-to-back Top Ten singles in 1971 and 1972 that he had more to offer than his eccentric first two solo albums. Ringo was a big-budget pop album produced by Richard Perry and featuring Ringo's former Beatles bandmates as songwriters, singers, and instrumentalists…

On his previous three albums, Ringo Starr had depended on superstar friends, a few oldies, and a lighthearted attitude to get him through. The commercial disappointment of Ringo's Rotogravure seemed to dictate a change of approach, and Ringo the 4th attempted to be a slick '70s soul-pop effort with hints of disco…

Ringo lets loose with his superstar friends in this eagerly awaited video of worldwide concert highlights from four different All Starr Bands…

The formula that had worked for Ringo and Goodnight Vienna was followed again on Ringo Starr's Atlantic Records debut. Arif Mardin replaced Richard Perry in the producer's chair, but he hewed to the bouncy, eclectic pop style Perry had pioneered for Ringo, and the drummer called in such name help as Peter Frampton, Dr. John, Melissa Manchester, the Brecker Brothers, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and Eric Clapton…

Ringo Starr went back to work in the summer of 1989 fronting a tour of rock stars who, like him, had become golden oldies. Ringo sang hits like "It Don't Come Easy" and "Photograph," Dr. John sang "Iko Iko," Levon Helm of the Band sang "The Weight," his bandmate Rick Danko sang "Raining in My Heart," an old Buddy Holly tune, Billy Preston sang "Will It Go Round Iin Circles," and Joe Walsh sang the Eagles' "Life in the Fast Lane."…

It's hard to judge Ringorama, Ringo Starr's 12th proper studio album, by most standard critical criteria. Even comparing the record to his previous solo work doesn't quite work, since so many of his albums are so driven by his persona – a combination of his actual personality and what his team of collaborators (always including a bevy of guest stars, of course) perceive his persona to be. Apart from 1973's towering Ringo, and its good follow-up, Goodnight Vienna, Starr was never consistent, partially because of his decadence in the '70s, but also because he never relaxed – he was always shooting for the charts and shifting his collaborators seemingly haphazardly…

A follow-up compilation to Blast From Your Past, Starr Struck gathered together the better tracks from Ringo Starr's less successful albums originally released between 1976 and 1983. "A Dose of Rock 'N' Roll" and "Wrack My Brain" were Top 40 singles, and the album contained specially written songs by Ringo's Beatle colleagues…

Ringo Starr, continuing to recognize a good thing when he sees it as he did back in 1962, is still organizing all-star (or "All-Starr") bands and touring regularly with them. This disc melds a concert performance at the Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada with a good deal of backstage documentary-style footage…