Both Ringo’s sons, Zak and Jason, went on to become rock drummers, both creditably refusing to exploit his celebrity to advance their careers and always working under their real family name of Starkey. Zak in particular turned out to be a brilliant performer, although, ironically, his role model was not his father but the manic Keith Moon of The Who. Far from resenting this, Ringo even arranged for Moon to give Zak lessons. And no one could have been prouder when, long years after Moon’s death from suicidal alcohol and drug abuse in 1978, The Who recruited Jason to be drummer on some of their various comeback tours.
Perhaps the greatest surprise of all was Ringo’s former wife, Maureen, the former mousy little Liverpool hairdresser who, after the divorce, might have been expected to sink into comfortably maintained obscurity. Instead, Maureen went on to marry Isaac Tigrett, the founder of the Hard Rock Café chain, and then to present Tigrett with a baby daughter, Olivia. Ringo remained on good terms with her and close to all three of their children. The original family not only survived but provided each other with crucial love and support in the double ordeal that was soon to come.
In 1995, Ringo and Maureen’s fashion designer daughter, Lee, by then twenty-five, was rushed to a London clinic to have fluid removed from her brain. Diagnosed with a brain tumor, she underwent radiation treatment at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and, after several agonizing weeks for her parents and brothers, was pronounced to be in the clear. Late that same year Maureen herself was found to be suffering from leukemia. Again, the prognosis seemed favorable, especially after an apparently successful bone-marrow transplant from her son Zak. But by Christmas, the illness had shown itself to be incurable. Maureen died in January 1996 with Ringo and her children at her bedside.
In 2000, Ringo bought a property in Cranleigh, Surrey, mainly to be near Jason and his girlfriend Flora, who had by now presented him with two grandsons, Louis and Sonny. Coincidentally, their near neighbor in North London happened to be Paul McCartney’s daughter Mary, herself the mother of a son, Arthur, by her TV producer partner Alistair Donald. The Beatles grandchildren were often to be found playing together, establishing who knows what early links for bands far into the future.
That November 5, the villagers of Cranleigh asked the newly arrived celebrity in their midst to be guest of honor at their Guy Fawkes night fireworks display. It must have seemed small stuff to Ringo, after all the red carpets that had been unrolled for him all around the world, but he turned out good-naturedly enough on the village green to give the signal for the display to start, then stood and watched the Catherine wheels, the Roman candles, the little rockets whooshing only halfway to Heaven. As he advances into his sixties, the only cloud on his horizon seems the health of his daughter Lee who, in late 2001, was reported to be having further hospital treatment in Boston for a second brain tumor called an ependymoma.
He may have been no more than history’s most famous bit-part player, but still, his must be the last word about it all. Look at the Beatles Anthology television documentary, that laughably incomplete and doctored account. Fast-forward through show bizzy Paul and crabby George until you find Ringo, playing his usual cameo role on some sun-soaked L.A. balcony, his close-cropped hair and gray-grizzled beard giving him an almost uncanny resemblance to the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Not only is he the funniest, most honest, and self-knowing of the survivors; he is also the only one willing to show real emotion. Tears glisten in the big mournful eyes as he says that for him, above all, the Beatles will always be “just four guys who loved each other.”
Which perhaps best sums up the whole story.
PHOTO CREDITS
First photo section, pages 1–8: John in garden, Mimi Smith, Julia—Hunter Davies. George and family—Freda Norris. Ringo as a boy, Ringo’s parents, Mary McCartney, Michael and Paul—Hunter Davies. Quarry Men—Colin Hanton. Rory Storm and The Hurricanes—Keystone Press. Rooftop cowboys—Keystone Press. Stuart Sutcliffe, Astrid Kirchherr—Sutcliffe family (photographer: Astrid Kirchherr). John and Stuart on the beach—Sutcliffe family. At the Top Ten Club in Hamburg—Jurgen Vollmer. Mathew Street—Pix Features. Cavern Club—Dick Matthews. The band in suits—Albert Marrion. Recording “Love Me Do”—Rex Features (photographer: Dezo Hoffman).
Second photo section, pages 9–16: Wearing art student’s clothes—Rex Features (photographer: Dezo Hoffman). Beatlemania—Rex Features. With Ed Sullivan in New York—Rex Features (photographer: Suomen Kuvapalvelu). Royal Variety Show—Rex Features (photographer: Dezo Hoffman). Ringo’s wedding—Camera Press (photographer: Robert Freeman). George’s wedding—Keystone Press. Press conference—Keystone Press. John with Julian at Kenwood—Keystone Press. Allen Klein—United Press International. Linda, Paul, Yoko and John—Camera Press (photographer: Bruce McBroom). John and Yoko—Iain Macmillan. John and Yoko—John Hillelson Agency (photographer: Tannenbaum). Yoko outside Lennon’s house—Mercury Press Agency/Rex Features. Paul and Heather Mills—Rex Features. George with Olivia; Ringo performing—Richard Young/Rex Features.
Every effort has been made to acknowledge all those whose photographs have been used in this volume, but if there have been any omissions in this respect, we apologize and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgment in any future editions.
INDEX
Abbey Road, 436–443
album sleeve of, xxii, 442–443
Paul as impetus behind, 432
Abbey Road studios, xix–xx, 168–169, 178–179, 194, 205, 263, 293, 313, 324, 328–329, 335, 377, 432, 436
Aberfan disaster, 319
ABKCO Industries, Inc., 406, 415, 423, 425, 427, 447
Abrams, Michael, 435, 518–519
“Across the Universe,” xi, 409, 459
Aftermath, 305
Agnew, Spiro T., 332
“Alchemical Wedding,” 407
Aldridge, Alan, 371, 395–397
Ali, Tariq, 374
“All My Loving,” 224, 251
“All Shook Up,” 32, 250
All Things Must Pass, xii, 510, 512
“All Those Years Ago,” 514
“All You Need Is Love,” xxvii, 335, 362, 370
Alpert, Herb, 512
Altamont Rolling Stones concert, 444
Anderson, Eric, 341
Anderson, Jim, 119
“And Your Bird Can Sing,” 305
Animals, 291–292, 404
“Another Day,” 482
Anti-Semitism, 130
Apple Boutique, 362, 363, 370–371, 393
Apple Corps Ltd.
artistic freedom and, 367
Beatles, Ltd. renamed as, 364
boss sought for, 399–400
concert on roof of, xxv, 411
expenditures at, 397–398, 401
financial difficulties of, 399, 406, 412
formation of, 363–364, 366
headquarters of, 390–392
Klein’s reorganization of, 425–427
security at, 390, 398
vibes at, 393–395, 430
Apple Electronics, 364
Apple Films, 364–366, 397, 408, 425
Apple Foundation for the Arts, 368, 392, 397, 425
Apple Music, 363
Apple Press, 397
Apple Publicity, 364, 390–393
Apple Publishing, 408, 425
Apple Records, 364, 365, 369, 393, 396, 397, 399, 425, 426
avant-garde experiments on, 395
inaugural releases of, 371
Apple Retail, 363, 370–371, 397, 425
Apple Scruffs, 445, 508
Archer, Jeffrey, 261
Arden, Don, 180, 200
Ardmore and Beechwood, 164, 165, 182–183
Armstrong, Neil, 433
Asher, Jane, 335, 354, 374
breakup with Paul, 383
career pursued by, 216, 269, 308, 382
liked by fans, 381
Paul’s first meeting with, 216
as P
aul’s girlfriend, 217, 238, 269, 272, 293, 308, 309, 366, 381–383
Asher, Mrs. Richard, 216, 217, 383
Asher, Peter, 216, 309, 364, 369, 425, 426
Asher, Sir Richard, 216, 217
Ashton, Billy. See Kramer, Billy J.
“Ask Me Why,” 420
Aspinall, Neil, xxv, 107, 209, 212, 213, 250, 268, 294, 306, 360, 378, 419, 438, 439, 462, 519
in Apple Corps, 364, 366, 369, 399, 426
Beatles first heard by, 106
as Beatles’ road manager, 145–146, 151, 154, 171, 177, 201–202, 218, 229, 245, 312, 328, 357, 426
as Best’s friend, 106, 171, 177
Asprey’s, 270
Associated Press, 241, 242
Asylum label, 467
ATV network, 200, 422–424, 442, 493
Avedon, Richard, 115
B52s, 466
Babbs, Thurmond, 298
“Baby It’s You,” 194
Bach, Barbara. See Starr, Barbara Bach
Backbeat (film), 162
“Back in the U.S.S.R.,” 388, 390
“Back Off Boogaloo,” 522
Badfinger (The Iveys), 369, 393, 439
“Bad to Me,” 204
Baez, Joan, 299, 315
Bagism, 418, 421
Bag Productions, 429, 437
Bailey, David, 276, 321
Baker, Ginger, 298
“Ballad of John and Yoko, The,” 430–431
Ballard, Arthur, 41, 50, 57, 58, 83
Band on the Run, 485
Bangladesh, concerts for, xii, 511
Banks, Jeremy, 395
Barber, Adrian, 163
Bardot, Brigitte, 373
Barratt, Brian, 316
Barrow, Tony, 150, 153, 198, 200, 207, 229, 289, 296
Barry, John, 485
Bart, Lionel, 215, 295, 402
Bassey, Shirley, 513
BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), 22, 24, 107, 166, 182, 190, 192, 230, 264, 332, 334–335, 358, 359, 485
Beach Boys, 225, 292, 299, 325, 365, 388
Beardsley, Aubrey, 329
Beat Brothers, Beatles billed as, 117, 118, 147, 253
Beatlemania, xxvi, 231, 234–235
analyses of, 223
as British national obsession, 222, 261–262
French indifference to, 237–239
official outbreak of, 208
phenomenon named, 221
in U.S., 240, 244, 246–247, 251–257, 267–268
Beatles
album sleeves for, xxii, 224, 277, 292, 300, 312, 329–331, 395–396, 442–443
Apple Corps and. See Apple Corps Ltd.
as Beat Brothers, 117, 118, 147, 253
Best with. See Best, Pete
breakup of, xiii, 439–441, 443, 446–448, 453, 481, 482, 510, 515, 521–522
British press and, xii, 190–192, 206, 208, 211–214, 221–223, 237, 238, 256, 359, 396, 418
burning of records, 299–300
capital investments of, 360–361
cars owned by, 270, 311
Christmas message, 234–235
clothes, 31, 85–86, 100, 110, 157, 252, 306, 311–312
Decca audition of, 150–153, 155, 165
deported from West Germany, 102, 103
drugs used by, 91, 164, 272–274, 333–334, 339
drummer lacked by, 84
as employers, 397–398, 412, 426
Epstein’s death and, 346, 348, 352
Epstein’s management of. See Epstein, Brian
European tours, 219, 295–297
fanmail for, 249–250, 269
films of, 261, 264–267, 269, 273, 277, 312, 356–361, 364, 369–370, 408, 445, 448–449
finances of, 202, 217–218, 218, 234, 270–271, 360–361, 398–399, 412, 429–430, 511–512, 516, 521, 524
first LP, 193–194
first Number One hit, 190, 191, 193
first single, 178–179, 181–184
first TV appearance, 190
first U.S. Top Hundred, 239, 241
girls as fans of, 106, 107, 111, 207, 211, 215–216, 219, 220, 223, 253–255, 257, 268, 353–355, 382–383, 385, 389, 390
grandchildren of, 525
hairstyles of, 99–100, 123, 156, 231, 242, 246, 251, 252, 276, 306
Hamburg clubs played by, 83, 88–103, 113–118, 158, 162–164, 186–188
as Johnny and the Moondogs. See Johnny and the Moondogs
live performances abandoned by, 407
longevity of, xix–xxi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and, 341–343, 346, 352, 365–367, 517
Martin and. See Martin, George
MBE awarded to, xxvi, 275, 279–280, 516
meeting with Presley, 288
merchandising of, xv, 231–234, 242–243, 253–255, 284–285, 321, 338, 347
move to London (1963), 215–217
naming of, 71, 81, 120
Paris tour (1964), 236–239
performance style, 190
photographs of, 98–99, 114, 115, 116–117, 119, 121, 204, 224, 257–258
Polydor recording by, 117–118, 122
press conferences of, 252–253, 279–280, 282, 301, 343, 367–368
publicists for, 200, 229, 230, 282
publishing rights negotiated for, 165, 183, 185–186, 241
as Quarry Men. See Quarry Men
repertoire of, 111, 169
reunions, xvii, 440, 476, 490, 521
Rolling Stones and, 201, 263–264, 278–279, 336, 405
Royal Command Variety Performance and, 214, 219–221
royalties, 419, 430, 441, 442, 462, 502
sexuality of, 213
as Silver Beatles. See Silver Beatles
as smokers, 213
Sutcliffe’s death and, 160–162
TV appearances of, xv, 190, 250–252, 257, 299, 356, 371–372
U.S. press and, 240–242, 246–248, 251–253, 301, 331, 359
U.S. record market sought for, 224–228
U.S. tours of, 244–258, 267, 282, 284, 287–289, 301–303, 319
winter tour (1963), 229–230
winter tour (1965), 294
wit and intelligence of, 213, 214, 242, 247, 252–253
working class epitomized by, 195
world tour (1966), 295–297
See also Harrison, George; Lennon, John Winston; McCartney, Paul; Starr, Ringo; Sutcliffe, Stuart; individual albums, films and songs
Beatles, Ltd., 361, 364
See also Apple Corps, Ltd.
Beatles, The. See White Album
Beatles Anthology, 502, 516, 525
Beatles & Co., 361
Beatles’ Fan Club, 200
Beatles for Sale, 290
Beatles Monthly, 213, 444
Beatles Oldies—but Goldies, 313
Beatles Story, The (exhibition), xxi–xxii
Beatles—Yesterday and Today, 300
Beatmakers, 122
Beat Monthly, 204
Beatty, Warren, 385
Beaucoup of Blues, 522
“Beautiful Boy,” 466–467
“Be Bop a LuLa,” 35, 67, 461
Bedford, Brian, 134–135
Bedford, Carol, 389, 508–509
Bed-ins, 418, 422, 428, 429
Beeching, Lord, 400
Bee Gees, 322, 352
Bennett, Alan, 298
Bennett, Kim, 165, 182–183
Bennett, Pete, 405, 427, 486
Bernstein, Sid, xiii, 226, 237–238, 244, 256, 257, 289
Berry, Chuck, 43, 62, 74, 77, 89, 108, 111, 152, 187, 224, 290, 388, 409, 475
“Besame Mucho,” 169, 181, 188
Best, Johnny, 55
Best, Mona, 85
Beatles promoted by, 105, 107–108, 148
Casbah run by, 55–56, 84, 105
Pete’s ouster from Beatles and, 171, 177
Best, Pete, xv, 56–57, 78
aloofness from Beatles
, 95, 98, 169
appearance of, 55, 95
Beatles joined by, 85
Beatles sack, 170–172, 176–177
deported from West Germany, 103
drugs avoided by, 91
as drummer, 95, 107, 170, 172
fans of, 176, 177
on Hamburg trips, 89, 91, 94, 95, 98–100, 102
joins Lee Curtis and the All Stars, 177–178
Best, Roag, 177
Best, Rory, 55, 106, 177
Beyond the Fringe, 167
Biafra, war in, 418, 443
Big Three, The, 109, 120, 152, 164, 178, 200, 286
Billboard magazine, xxvi, 226, 267
Bill Haley and the Comets, 21
bin Laden, Osama, xi, xxiv
Birgfeld, Detlev, 116
Black, Cilla (Priscilla White), 229
as coat-check girl, 110
Epstein’s management of, 207, 280, 281, 285, 321, 337, 339
as singer, 120
“Blackbird,” 385, 388, 505
Blackbird Singing (McCartney), 504
Blackboard Jungle, The (film), 21
Black Dyke Mills Band, 371, 492
Black Jacks, 85
Black Panthers, 453, 456
Black Power, 454
Black Room, 391–392, 397
Blair, Tony, xxii
Blake, Peter, 277, 329, 331
Blake, William, 336
Blind Faith, 434
Bloom, John, 360
Blue Genes, 108–110
Blue Hawaii, 224
“Blue Jay Way,” 359
“Blue Suède Shoes,” 22, 26, 94
Blur, xxii
Bolan, Marc, 522
Bon Jovi, x
Born to Boogie (film), 522
Bowie, David, 461, 486, 504
Boyd, Jennie, 363, 365, 377
Boyd, Patti. See Harrison, Patti Boyd
“Boys,” 194
Brambell, Wilfred, 265
Bramwell, Tony, 46, 204, 214, 267, 312, 320, 351, 358
Brando, Marlon, 70, 71, 329
Brasenose College, 261
Brautigan, Richard, 397
Bresner, Buddy, 258
Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, 152
British Broadcasting Corporation. See BBC
British Embassy, Washington, D.C., Beatles’ visit to, 255–256
Britten, Buddy, 163