Released on Valentine’s Day 2022 was the new hardcover book of photos compiled by Ringo Starr called LIFTED – Fab Images and Memories In my Life with the Beatles From Across The Universe.
“I am not writing this book as a Beatle historian,” Ringo explained. “I’m writing this book as a Beatle — and there’s only a couple of us who can do that.”
“I didn’t keep all these photos. These fantastic images came back to me in recent years from here, there and everywhere — online and off — and have somehow helped me get back to seeing my life with The Fab Four through fresh eyes. A lot of the photos in this book I spotted on my phone and on my computer and “lifted” them because they brought back so many fabulous memories.
“In recent years, I’d gather these Beatles photos that I sometimes barely remembered. After a while, I thought, how great it would be to “lift” these fantastic photos and some of my other favorites for charity and tell my true tales that they inspire about what the four of us — John, Paul, George and Ringo — went through back in the day. And the best thing is that it’s all for a good cause because the money is going to our Lotus Foundation.”
The limited signature edition at $495 has already sold out. A collector’s edition for $59 is still available.
Here are some samples of photos featured in the book, including comments from Ringo:
Ringo Starr: Who did I think I was? I look pretty cool there, but the truth is that I was a sickly kid who some nice nurse handed a drum. And that drum gave me strength and took me around the world. Ringo Starr: Being behind the drums for the greatest band in rock history gave me a fabulous perspective. Literally and figuratively, as this photograph reminds me. I was there, but with just enough distance to have a good look around the situation. Like I always say, the four of us were luckier than someone like Elvis Presley because we always had three other people who were going through the same exact fantastic madness. Through all the highs and all the lows, we had each other. I love John’s smile here – he had a great one. And our suits are looking pretty sharp here, too. We don’t look too shabby for four ruffians from Liverpool. This was back when we were filming promo videos in 1965 at Twickenham Film Studios. Ringo Starr: What a great shot of Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall. If we were in a crazy kind of Beatles lockdown back in the Sixties, these two guys were always welcome and working alongside us in our Beatle bubble. Now all these years later, Mal and Neil are our co-stars in Get Back and a lot of people are discovering Mal as the loveable character he was. People ask what was Mal like? He was the gentle giant. With Mal, there was no aggressive pushing fans away – Mal would just sweep them away. He was this big guy who had been a bouncer at The Cavern who became our driver. And if you ever told Mal, “It’s a thousand miles,” he would just go, “Another thousand miles – GREAT!.” The man loved to drive. And he always looked out for us. We only really had Neil and Mal Evans. We didn’t have a hundred assistants. We didn’t have cops in the hotel. We were looked after by those two guys, so as we made our way around the world, there were mostly just six of us. And they did a great job. Neil was with them even before I was. Neil was the first driver of the van. Then I joined the band, and we started really going places, and Mal became the driver. And Neil also had to get us all up in the morning – which was not always an easy job.
Greatly looking forward to this wonderful book…just learned of Ringo’ Stars’ great talents in photography……more than a band …a celestial synergy of a phenomenon…….our Beatles…..
Thank you so much…. we collectively celebrate each and every band member with deep love and gratitude.
Daytrippin' Beatles Magazine 
March 15, 2022 at 7:40 am
Thanks for a roundup on this! I definitely want to check this book.
March 30, 2022 at 5:55 am
Greatly looking forward to this wonderful book…just learned of Ringo’ Stars’ great talents in photography……more than a band …a celestial synergy of a phenomenon…….our Beatles…..
Thank you so much…. we collectively celebrate each and every band member with deep love and gratitude.