Kristina
Before the devastating assassination, John Lennon had written at least once that he was concerned about one of his fellow Beatles members and what his future would be after the breakup of the band. On several occasions, in various interviews, Lennon openly shared his thoughts of what might come of each member when they split off, and he worried the most for one of them to be Ringo Starr.
Ringo Starr, essentially the dependable, talented drummer of the Beatles, often assumed the starring role of maintaining harmony amidst band members. He was more than the backbone of the sound rhythms but also helped stabilize tension periods among band members. Though much was brought to the table, Lennon feared that his friend and bandmate may not meet the same level of success once the group dissolves.
In an interview with Bob Harris for The Old Grey Whistle Test, Lennon said: “I was rather glad about all of us doing all right after all.” But then again he was happy for Starr who was ‘doing great’. “I’m glad everybody is okay. I’m relieved that Ringo is okay and that he found himself a nice little niche because I knew Paul would be all right,” Lennon said. His comments seemed to suggest a kind of defensive leaning towards Starr, whom he thought might have a tough time remaining a successful independent artist than Paul McCartney, whose prospects as a musician Lennon seems to be more optimistic about.
This wasn’t the only interview where this came up. In his last interview with Playboy magazine, in 1980, shortly before Lennon’s assassination, there was still the repeated discussion of Starr’s role in The Beatles and how his low-key, unassuming personality had been to his advantage. Remembering Starr’s song I’m The Greatest, Lennon said, “It’s the Muhammad Ali line, you know. I couldn’t sing it, but it was perfect for Ringo. He could say ‘I’m the greatest’ and people wouldn’t get upset. Whereas if I said ‘I’m the greatest,’ they’d all take it so seriously.” The note from Lennon told how Starr’s unassuming talent made it possible for him to grab the limelight where Lennon or McCartney would not dare to without having people taking it seriously.
However, though Starr had a certain charm, Lennon was certainly concerned about the long-term future of his career. Interviewed by journalist Ray Connolly, he shared his worst concerns when stating, “I don’t want Ringo to end up poor, having to play the northern nightclubs.” The cause of Lennon’s concern was the fear that, after worldwide fame in The Beatles, Starr would be reduced to playing venues no one knew anything about. He explained this further by saying that the worst thing in the world for an ex-pop star in England is to end up playing Bradford or Darlington, the northern nightclubs because they are really awful places … The people eating chips and scampi while you are trying to be heard.
This lovely description speaks to Lennon’s consciousness of how different these world tours and stadium gigs The Beatles were used to and the more modest, often heartbreaking reality some ex-stars might face if their success doesn’t last. He worried for Starr, though he did believe that Starr had career material on his side, fearing in fact a great big drop.
Lennon speaks of Ringo Starr with a patrician love and brotherly interest. While Starr was always an important part of the magic of The Beatles, Lennon sounded concerned that the drummer’s role in the band didn’t put him into the same sort of position to carry over into the solo arena as did McCartney or even George Harrison. So there is a protective instinct here; Lennon wouldn’t want Starr to struggle or experience those downs that many artists see after their rise to fame.
In the final analysis, Starr did have a successful career as a solo artist and is oft saluted for his contributions to music both as a member of The Beatles and as a solo artist. Lennon’s fears at the time, however, demonstrate the more subtle, needy relationships that lay between the members of this band, and even the insecurity of which icon artists may feel when they step out from behind the bright light of an internationally beloved group.
