Biographer Michael Starr has two things in common with former Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr – the same last name and the passion to tell Ringo Starr’s life story. Ringo recently admitted that he was interested in writing his autobiography, but turned down the offer because the publishers want him to focus on just his 8 years with The Beatles. Ringo insists that his life before and after The Beatles should not be left out.
Michael Starr agrees that Ringo Starr’s entire life will be a fascinating subject for his new biography on the world’s most famous drummer. The author is sending out a request to Beatles fans for “anyone who has a Ringo story, or any info concerning Ringo, they can contact me at michaelsstarr@gmail.com.”
“My book will cover the entire arc of Ringo’s life, from his birth in Liverpool to the present-day,” Starr explains. “I’m very interested in exploring Ringo’s pre-Beatles life in Liverpool (family, friends, schooling, etc.) and how this shaped his life — since I feel this hasn’t ever really been covered with any depth (especially when compared to the early-life coverage of Paul McCartney, John Lennon and, to a lesser extent, George Harrison).”
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The book is scheduled to be published in 2015. Starr has already written six entertainment biographies, on Peter Sellers, Art Carney, Joey Bishop, Bobby Darin, Raymond Burr and Redd Foxx. Michael Starr is also the television columnist for the NY Post.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is an album from a long, long time ago, when the world was different. This is an album that is part of my history – it goes back to the wee hills of Scotland where it was formed. It’s an album called RAM. It reminds me of my hippie days and the free attitude with which was created. I hope you’re going to like it, because I do!”
Paul McCartney, 2012
On May 22, Paul and Linda McCartney’s 1971 album, RAM, will be released across a variety of formats with new and exclusive content including a beautifully packaged Deluxe Edition Box Set.
Following the successful recent reissues of McCartney, McCartney II, and this year’s Grammy winner for Best Historical Album Band on the Run, RAM is the latest album from Paul’s iconic back catalogue to get the deluxe Paul McCartney Archive Collection treatment. As with the previous releases in the series, Paul has personally overseen every aspect of the project.
The standard release tracklisting is as follows:
Standard Edition
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car
In keeping with the reissue campaign to date, the Deluxe Edition Box Set is the ultimate collectable for any fan of this album. Its stunningly presented 112-page book, photo prints, handwritten lyrics and notes, four CDs and a bonus film DVD, tells the full story of a classic album that has gone down in music history as one of the most revered in McCartney’s catalogue.
The deluxe edition tracklisting is revealed as follows:
CD 1 – Remastered Album (as listed above)
CD 2 – Bonus Audio
1. Another Day
2. Oh Woman, Oh Why
3. Little Woman Love
4. A Love For You (Jon Kelly Mix)
5. Hey Diddle (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
6. Great Cock And Seagull Race (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)
7. Rode All Night
8. Sunshine Sometime (Earliest Mix)
CD 3 – Remastered Mono Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car
CD 4 – Thrillington – Remastered Album
1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. The Back Seat Of My Car
DVD – Bonus Film
1. Ramming
2. Heart Of The Country
3. 3 Legs
4. Hey Diddle
5. Eat At Home On Tour
- Menu music features a selection of jingles from the promo disc Brung To Ewe By
Other content:
112-page book with 32 page scrapboook, 5 photo prints, wallet including facsimiles of Paul’s handwritten lyrics and notes, mini-photographic book of outtakes from the album cover photo shoot, plus digital-only premium membership to paulmccartney.com.
RAM, originally released in May of 1971, is the only album to be credited to both Paul and Linda McCartney and was Paul’s second post-Beatles LP. It was overshadowed at the time by the drama of the dissolution of The Beatles, as played out in the world’s media. The album topped the charts hitting #1 in the UK and #2 in the US. While RAM polarized critics upon its release, music fans and critics alike since have overwhelmingly embraced it, with Rolling Stone, for example, revising their original review up to 4 stars. Recently RAM has enjoyed even further re-appraisal and acknowledgement including a number of tribute albums.
RAM was written by Paul and Linda, mostly at their Scottish farm on the Mull of Kintyre. In the autumn of 1970 they flew to New York to start the recording process. Without a band in place they auditioned and drafted musicians, who included future Wings drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarists David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken.
The band completed the album in early 1971 along with non-album tracks ‘Another Day’ and ‘Oh Woman, Oh Why’ which were released together as Paul’s first post-Beatles single ahead of the release of RAM and became a Top 5 global hit. The multi-disc editions of the RAM reissue include both songs as bonus tracks. The album also gave Paul his first post-Beatles US number 1 single with ‘Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey’ and a Grammy win for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists.
RAM was also issued in mono with alternate mixes, which were only made available to radio stations at the time. This version has gone on to become one of the most sought after McCartney collectables. It will now be commercially available for the first time ever on CD as part of the Deluxe Edition as well as a limited run on vinyl.
1977 saw the release of Thrillington, an instrumental interpretation of RAM, which was originally recorded in 1971 at London’s Abbey Road Studios and was arranged by Richard Hewson. It was released under the pseudonym Percy ‘Thrills’ Thrillington, an unknown eccentric socialite who often cropped up in mysterious newspaper classifieds. In reality Percy was a character devised by Paul and Linda. The idea behind it was simply to have some fun and the concept of doing a full orchestral album was an ambition long held by Paul.
The additional film content features previously unreleased and exclusive content including the brand-new documentary, “Ramming” narrated by Paul, as well as the original music videos for “Heart Of The Country” and “3 Legs”.
The remastering work was done at Abbey Road using the same team who recently remastered the complete Beatles’ catalogue.
Paul McCartney plays the role of “crooner” in the style of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett on his new CD, “Kisses on the Bottom“. However, the vocal style he utilizes to sing these classic songs like “It’s Only A Paper Moon” and “Home (When Shadows Fall)” is at a different vocal range than what Beatles/McCartney fans are used to.
It almost sounds like Macca is pretending to perform as if he was another character– Macca the “jazz singer”. Very similar to the higher-pitched, whispery voice that he sang “Honey Pie” with on The Beatles’ White Album, this style works well on the humorous, light-hearted songs “My Very Good Friend the Milkman” and “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”, but not so much on the more serious standards on the first half of the CD.
On the second half of the CD, McCartney’s voice returns more to the deeper singing voice that we are all used to on songs like “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” and “Get Yourself Another Fool” which are quite enjoyable. The jazzy musical arrangements are led by Diana Krall and her band and produced by Tommy LiPuma.
Of course, as one would expect, Paul shines on the songs that he wrote himself, especially “My Valentine”. The included 6-page interview in the CD booklet reveals the interesting story about how “My Valentine” came about. McCartney wrote the song on a piano in the foyer of a hotel while on vacation in Morocco with then-girlfriend, Nancy Shevell. The inspiration came from a simple conversation about the rainy weather to which Shevell urged: “It doesn’t matter, we can still have a good time.”
Watch Paul McCartney sing “My Valentine” on the 2012 GRAMMYS:
The CD booklet is presented in a classy style featuring photographs from the special “Kisses on the Bottom” photo shoot taken by Paul’s daughter, Mary McCartney. Shots of the iconic Capitol Records tower are also included. Half of the album was recorded at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, and the other half at Avatar Studios in New York, with orchestral arrangements recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London.
Kudos to Paul for following his creative heart and exploring the “jazzy” side of himself. We’ve seen McCartney go through different incarnations throughout his 50-year career including roles as the Fireman, the classical composer and now the jazz crooner. If you’re open to hearing another side of Paul, as well as another side of his voice, then give “Kisses on the Bottom” a try. I always have found that learning about The Beatles and solo Beatles’ music has led me to explore many other music genres and artists, and this CD is no exception.
–Trina Yannicos
Note: “Kisses on the Bottom” is available in the standard CD format with 14 tracks; as a digital download; in vinyl format; or the Deluxe CD with two bonus tracks plus access to a download of the Capitol Studios show (available via paulmccartney.com), plus longer liner notes and expanded packaging featuring three postcards. This review was based on the standard CD.
Paul McCartney’s new album of standards, Kisses on the Bottom, will be released on February 7. Paul has apparently had some fun with his choice of album title—the phrase ‘Kisses On The Bottom,’ comes from the album’s opener ‘I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter’.
Originally made a big hit by Fats Waller in 1935, the song opens with the lines ‘I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a letter and make believe it came from you. I’m gonna write words oh so sweet. They’re gonna knock me off of my feet. A lot of kisses on the bottom, I’ll be glad I got ‘em’.
(All photos courtesy MPL)
‘Kisses On The Bottom’ is a collection of standards Paul grew up listening to in his childhood as well as the two new McCartney compositions ‘My Valentine’ and ‘Only Our Hearts’.
(Courtesy MPL; Photo by Mary McCartney)
With the help of Grammy Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma and Diana Krall and her band—as well as guest appearances from Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, McCartney’s new album is a deeply personal journey through classic American compositions that, in some cases, a young Paul first heard his father perform on piano at home.
(Courtesy MPL; Photo by Mary McCartney)
Watch an exclusive interview with McCartney and Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma discussing the new album:
The album was recorded at the legendary Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, New York and London throughout 2011. It also features guest musicians Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, respectively, on the original compositions ‘My Valentine’ and ‘Only Our Hearts’. Eric also appears on the track ‘Get Yourself Another Fool’. Paul was photographed by his daughter Mary McCartney for the album sleeve.
(courtesy MPL)
Full tracklisting: Standard CD – 14 tracks
01. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter 02:36
02. Home (When Shadows Fall) 04:04
03. It’s Only A Paper Moon 02:35
04. More I Cannot Wish You 03:04
05. The Glory Of Love 03:46
06. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow And Me) 03:22
07. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive 02:32
08. My Valentine 03:14
09. Always 03:50
10. My Very Good Friend The Milkman 03:04
11. Bye Bye Blackbird 04:26
12. Get Yourself Another Fool 04:42
13. The Inch Worm 03:43
14. Only Our Hearts 04:21
(courtesy MPL)
Deluxe CD Album will feature two bonus tracks plus access to a download of the Capitol Studios show (available from Tuesday 14th February via paulmccartney.com), plus longer liner notes and expanded packaging featuring three postcards)
15. Baby’s Request 03:30
16. My One And Only Love 03:50
(Courtesy MPL; Photo by Mary McCartney)
The album will also be available digitally.
You can listen to the album in its entirety streaming for free at NPR.org.
On February 7, Paul McCartney will be releasing a brand new album of standards he grew up listening to in his childhood—plus two brand new McCartney compositions. The album is called ‘Kisses on the Bottom‘ and will be released on Hear Music/Concord Records.
Paul McCartney in the studio; courtesy Hear Music/Concord Records
The album was recorded at the legendary Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, New York and London throughout 2011. It also features guest musicians Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, respectively, on the original compositions ‘My Valentine’ and ‘Only Our Hearts’.
[You can listen to Paul's new song, My Valentine, at this link on Soundcloud.com. Paul wrote the song for his new bride, Nancy Shevell, and the song was played for the first dance at their wedding on October 9, 2011].
This is the album McCartney has been thinking about making for more than 20 years – and probably the last thing his fans are expecting. “In the end it was ‘Look, if I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it,” he says.
In short, Paul believes it is about time “the songs me and John based quite a few of our things on” received the recognition they deserve. Moreover, the record also features a couple of new original McCartney compositions in the spirit of those classics.
“When I kind of got into songwriting, I realized how well structured these songs were and I think I took a lot of my lessons from them,” Paul explains. “I always thought artists like Fred Astaire were very cool. Writers like Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, all of those guys – I just thought the songs were magical. And then, as I got to be a songwriter I thought it’s beautiful, the way they made those songs.”
Paul enlisted the help of of Grammy Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma and Diana Krall and her band—who delivered ultra-high quality musicianship and were completely in tune with Paul’s restraint and feel for the music. In the studio, the recording of this album was also a new challenge for Paul who, for the first time ever, performed exclusively in the vocal booth without no instrument – no guitar, no bass, no piano – which led to a vocal performance like no other in his career.
He adds, “It was very spontaneous, kind of organic, which then reminded me of the way we’d work with The Beatles. We’d bring a song in, kick it around, when we found a way to do it we’d say ‘Okay, let’s do a take now’ and by the time everyone kind of had an idea of what they were doing, we’d learnt the song. So that’s what we did, we did the take live in the studio.”
“It was important for me to keep away from the more obvious song choices so, many of the classic standards will be unfamiliar to some people. I hope they are in for a pleasant surprise.”
Biographer Michael Starr has two things in common with former Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr – the same last name and the passion to tell Ringo Starr’s life story. Ringo recently admitted that he was interested in writing his autobiography, but turned down the offer because the publishers want him to focus on just his 8 years with The Beatles. Ringo insists that his life before and after The Beatles should not be left out.
