Ringo Starr talks new EP, ‘groovy’ vaccine and finding Beatles’ humor in Peter Jackson documentary

If there’s one thing Ringo Starr misses most about pre-pandemic life, it’s probably the hugs. 

“There’s not a lot of hugging and I’m a big hugger, but you’ve got to stop all that lately,” says the legendary Beatles drummer, whose new solo EP, “Zoom In,” is out Friday. Starr recorded the five-track effort over Zoom with famous pals including Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl, who feature on the wistful “Here’s to the Nights.” He also invited some musicians into his Los Angeles home studio, which “was a lifesaver for me, to be able to hang out with another musician with a mask on, at least 10 feet or 6 feet away.” 

The jovial Starr, 80, who just released new book “Ringo Rocks: 30 Years of the All Starrs,” recently caught up with USA TODAY for a wide-ranging chat over – what else? – Zoom. 

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Your EP is titled “Zoom In,” which is a very apt title for right now. 

Ringo Starr: I’ve come to love Zooming. When you see the (cover of) the EP, it’s a big camera lens behind me. So there’s “zooming in” in that way, and I think we are all zooming in a little emotionally. And in reality, we’re sort of in a box. I have a beautiful box here (on Zoom), but I’ve been in it a lot. Since last March, I’ve left the house … six times? You’ve got to help protect yourself if you can, but I was really pissed off. I had two tours I had to let go of, and I’ve already canceled the May/June one this year because I don’t think it’ll be safe. And that’s it. Living in the now. 

Ringo Starr, 80, will release new EP "Zoom In" on Friday. (Photo: Scott Robert Ritchie)

How’ve you been spending time indoors? 

Starr: I’ve been doing a lot of painting and doing tracks for this record. And don’t tell anybody, but I’m now in the middle of EP 2. We’ve got some more songs we’re doing, and it just keeps me going. We have my art room, where I can just throw paint anywhere I like, and I go in the gym. So I’m either watching the TV, making a record, painting or I’m working out. 

Well, you look great. Is it really just the broccoli, blueberries and vegetarian diet that keep you so young? 

Starr: Yeah, I’m telling you: blueberries and broccoli. The two B’s, baby! I don’t know if it’s good for everybody, but I set my palate on what I want. Every morning it’s berries, no matter what else is on the plate. It’s always with berries. I have a protein drink (during) the day and a protein bar. I think protein is important. I mix it myself with salad and fruits and put it all in the spinner.

The Beatles’ “Revolver” album turns 55 later this year. Did you ask Paul McCartney to write you a song, or how did you wind up singing “Yellow Submarine?”

Starr: No, they’d always say, “We’ve got a song for you.” When they couldn’t be bothered writing for me, I started by doing Carl Perkins (“Honey Don’t,” which the Beatles covered in 1964) or “Boys” (by The Shirelles, recorded by the Beatles in 1963). They’re records I love, so we did my versions. Then they started writing for me and ruined my whole career. I was a rock star and they made me a balladeer! (Laughs.) 

Do you have a favorite Beatles song you sang lead on? 

Starr: Well, “With A Little Help from My Friends,” that gave me a whole career, really. It was great because they were all joining in. 

“Don’t Pass Me By” is a personal favorite of mine. 

Starr: Yeah, but that’s one I wrote. I thought I was writing a big blues number. It came out of the blue like “Back Off Boogaloo.” (T. Rex frontman) Marc Bolan came over for dinner one night and that’s how he talked: “Hey, back off! Ah, boogaloo!” Then I go to bed at night and I can hear (the chorus), “Back off boogaloo…” I ran downstairs trying to put it on tape but none of my machines worked, so I was stealing batteries from my children’s toys. And that’s how that started. But I never know where they’re coming from. I can’t sit there like, “I’m going to write now.” I write a lot of lines down that I feel could be good songs later. 

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Peter Jackson’s new documentary “The Beatles: Get Back” (in theaters Aug. 27) is a recut of 1970 film “Let It Be,” about the making of the band’s final album. Have you seen any of it yet? 

Starr: Yeah, I’m always moaning that the Michael Lindsay-Hogg (documentary) was miserable and it was. It was based on a couple of seconds of what two guys (McCartney and George Harrison) went through. We had lots of those moments, but we had a lot of loving, too, and that was never shown. I remember lots of humor, lots of laughter. And we found 56 hours of unused film, so we gave (Jackson) that. And every time he came to LA, he’d come over with his iPad and say, “Look at this.” And I’d say, “Yes! There’s laughter and there’s joy,” and (footage) of the band being the band: digging each other, fooling around. That’s how the sessions were. So I love Peter and I love what he’s doing. Everyone will be amazed. It’s beautiful and it’s joyful and we play live on the roof. That (concert) is seven or eight minutes long in the original (film) – it’s now 43 minutes. 

Have you gotten your vaccine yet? 

Starr: I’ve got both jabs and I’m feeling groovy. 

Oh, good! No weird side effects or anything?

Starr: Bad arm for the first one. And then the second one, with the doctor telling you, “You may feel fluish.” Nothing! Nothing! I felt let down.  

Yeah, that arm pain is no joke. 

Starr: It was difficult trying to sleep on that side, but by 5 o’clock (the next day), it had gone. So I got away lightly, thank you, Lord. I think that’s because of the broccoli. 

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