Ringo Starr recalls life in The Beatles with new photo book, Lifted
Or to give it its full title, Ringo Starr: Lifted - Fab Images and Memories In My Life with The Beatles From Across The Universe
Ringo Starr has announced the release of a brand new book, titled Ringo Starr: Lifted - Fab Images and Memories In My Life with The Beatles From Across The Universe.
Featuring a huge collection of Beatles photos curated by the drummer - many of which haven't been seen before - Ringo also shares untold stories from the band’s career.
The coffee table book is being sold exclusively via Julien’s Auctions, with two versions available. First is the Signature Edition, which is limited to just 500 copies, personally signed by Ringo and priced at $495 each. Proceeds from the Signature edition will be donated to The Lotus Foundation, Ringo’s charity which provides aid to a wide range of causes including substance abuse, cancer, victims of domestic abuse and homelessness.
Next is the Collector’s Edition, which costs $59, and while still badged as a ‘limited’ edition, is likely to be much more available.
Speaking about the book with Julien’s, Ringo says, “I am not writing this book as a Beatle historian, 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.
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“After a while, I thought, how great it would be to ‘lift’ these fantastic photos and some of my other favourites 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.
Ringo continues, “When people ask me about the Beatles, I often tell them, `You better ask Paul,’ because somehow he seems to remember everything.
“But along with great projects like Get Back, seeing so many of these amazing Beatles images has really brought back those days to me and all the love and friendship that we four shared back then.
“So this a book full of Beatle images that many people haven’t seen and stories that I’m sharing with a little help from my longtime writer friend David Wild. We’ve all been through a pretty tough time for a lot of people who’ve been locked down, and this book has really lifted my spirits and took me back to where I once belonged in a whole new way.
“And in the end, that’s why this new book is called Lifted. The Beatles changed my life forever. So it’s about getting back and giving back.”
Ringo Starr: Lifted is available now from Julien’s. The Signature Edition is shipping now, with the Collectors Edition available to order (shipping begins towards mid-end March 2022).
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I'm a freelance member of the MusicRadar team, specialising in drum news, interviews and reviews. I formerly edited Rhythm and Total Guitar here in the UK and have been playing drums for more than 25 years (my arms are very tired). When I'm not working on the site, I can be found on my electronic kit at home, or gigging and depping in function bands and the odd original project.
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