| Ringo's Rotogravure | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 17 September 1976 (1976-09-17) | |||
| Recorded | April–July 1976 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Rock,soul | |||
| Length | 34:23 | |||
| Label | Polydor (UK) Atlantic (US) | |||
| Producer | Arif Mardin | |||
| Ringo Starr chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Ringo's Rotogravure | ||||
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Ringo's Rotogravure is the fifth studio album byRingo Starr, released in 1976. It was the last project to feature active involvement from all four formerBeatles beforeJohn Lennon'smurder in 1980, and the second of two projects following the band's1970 breakup to hold the distinction (alongsideRingo from 1973). Following the end of his contract withEMI, Starr signed on withPolydor Records worldwide (Atlantic Records handling US distribution).
It was reported in December 1975 thatABC Records in the US was to sign formerBeatleRingo Starr for a 5-year recording contract, worth $5 million.[1] However, on 26 January 1976, when Starr's recording contract withEMI ended, he signed withAtlantic for the US andPolydor for the UK, on 10 March.[2] As stated in the deal, Starr was expected to release 7 albums within 5 years, with the first album planned for release in June.[1] Starr's original intention was to haveRichard Perry produce the album, before he had switched labels.[3] Starr thought "since we were trying another label, we'd try another producer."[3] It had been suggested by Atlantic to Starr that he work withArif Mardin, who was the in-house producer for the label at the time.[3] Mardin met up with Starr in London to see what they were like together and, pleased with the encounter, Mardin told Starr he would be happy to work with him.[3] Starr's intention was to work in Los Angeles as his friends were there.[3]
Well, Paul asked to write a song. I asked John and ... eventually he came up with ["Cookin'"] ... I also asked George to write one, but there was an old one of his that was never released by anybody, that I always loved ... It's called "I Still Love You", a big balladything.[1]
Starr again stuck to his proven formula of having friends write songs and perform on the recordings. This time,Eric Clapton took part, in addition to his old friendHarry Nilsson, andPeter Frampton,Jesse Ed Davis,Melissa Manchester,Dr. John, and former BeatlesJohn Lennon,Paul McCartney andGeorge Harrison.[4] Sessions began in April atSunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles,[1] and eventually moved on 12 June toCherokee Recording Studios.[2] Starr was joined at this session by Lennon and his wifeYoko Ono, recording the Lennon-penned "Cookin' (In the Kitchen of Love)".[1][4] Lennon played the piano lines that are heard at the beginning of the song, in what was his only known studio recording during his five years of musical retreat that he kept until 1980, when he recorded his albumDouble Fantasy.[1]
McCartney, while on break from hisWings Over America tour withWings, made the backing track to "Pure Gold" along with his wifeLinda McCartney, which McCartney got Starr to sing over,[4] on 19 June.[2] Harrison donated a song too, but because of his commitments to get his albumThirty Three & 1/3 (1976) done on schedule, he was unable to partake in any recording forRingo's Rotogravure.[5][6] Harrison's contribution was a song previously known as "When Every Song Is Sung",[6] which he had attempted to record first withRonnie Spectorin 1971, then withCilla Black (on which Starr also played), and later still withLeon Russell's wife Mary.[5] Eric Clapton played guitar on the track "This Be Called a Song".[7] Several unreleased tracks were recorded during the sessions: "Where Are You Going",[nb 1] "All Right", "It's Hard to Be Lovers"[1] and a track Starr co-wrote with Nilsson, "Party".[9]
"Pure Gold", composed by Paul McCartney, had been influenced by Starr's then-girlfriendNancy Andrews.[4] "Cookin' (In the Kitchen of Love)" was written specifically for Starr by John Lennon.[10] "Las Brisas", a track co-written between Starr and Andrews[11] in Mexico,[3] features Mariachi Los Galleros de Pedro Rey[12] with Starr on maracas.[3] Starr claimed that he had "looked around all these Mexican restaurants and found this band who were sensational."[3] "Lady Gaye" was based onClifford T. Ward's "Birmingham" (from Ward's 1975 albumNo More Rock 'N' Roll), which in turn gave him co-credit on the Starkey–Poncia composition. "Spooky Weirdness" is anad-libbed piece that closes the album.[13]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [14] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C[15] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [16] |
| The Essential Rock Discography | 5/10[17] |
| MusicHound | 2/5[18] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [19] |
Ringo's Rotogravure was released on 17 September 1976 in the UK,[nb 2][2] to a lukewarm response. Despite letting him record the song, Harrison was not pleased with Starr's version of "I'll Still Love You", and proceeded to take legal action against Starr, which was soon settled out of court.[1] The album's title came from the filmEaster Parade (1948).[21] At the time living as a UKtax exile, Starr promoted the album with interviews in Denmark, France and Italy.[2] The album was packaged with a free magnifying glass so that those who bought the album could read the graffiti that was featured on the album's back cover.[1] The "A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll" single, backed with "Cryin'", was released on 20 September in the US,[2] reaching number 26.[nb 3][22]
Released in the US on 27 September,[nb 4][23] the album performed poorly, only reaching number 28 in America and quickly falling off the charts, while it never even appeared in the UK charts. The promotional film for "You Don't Know Me at All" aired on Dutch TV, in the Netherlands, on the showVoor De Vuist Weg.[1] On 15 October the "A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll" single was released in the UK.[nb 5][24] In between this and the next single, Starr recorded the track "I Can Hear You Calling" atAtlantic Studios on 15 October.[24] The follow-up single, his cover ofBruce Channel's "Hey! Baby", backed with "Lady Gaye", was released on 22 November in the US and stalled at number 74.[nb 6][24] The single was released in the UK on 26 November.[nb 7][24] A single comprising "Las Brisas" and "Cryin'" was released in Mexico.Ringo's Rotogravure was issued on CD, on the same day asRingo the 4th, on 16 August 1992, in the US[26] by Atlantic.[nb 8][23]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll" | Carl Groszmann | 3:24 |
| 2. | "Hey! Baby" | Margaret Cobb,Bruce Channel | 3:11 |
| 3. | "Pure Gold" | Paul McCartney | 3:14 |
| 4. | "Cryin'" | 3:18 | |
| 5. | "You Don't Know Me at All" | Dave Jordan | 3:16 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cookin' (In the Kitchen of Love)" | John Lennon | 3:41 |
| 2. | "I'll Still Love You" | George Harrison | 2:57 |
| 3. | "This Be Called a Song" | Eric Clapton | 3:14 |
| 4. | "Las Brisas" |
| 3:33 |
| 5. | "Lady Gaye" |
| 2:57 |
| 6. | "Spooky Weirdness" | uncredited | 1:26 |
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[27] | 19 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[28] | 10 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[29] | 35 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[30] | 16 |
| Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)[31] | 11 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[32] | 18 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[33] | 21 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[34] | 14 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[35] | 19 |
| USBillboard 200[36] | 28 |
Footnotes
Citations
Sources
