Ringo's Rotogravure

Ringo's Rotogravure
Studio album by Ringo Starr
Released	17 September 1976
Recorded	April - July 1976
Genre	Classic rock
Length	34:23
Label	Polydor (UK) Atlantic (US)
Producer	Arif Mardin
Ringo Starr chronology
Blast from Your Past (1975) Ringo's Rotogravure (1976) Ringo the 4th (1977)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
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Ringo's Rotogravure is the fifth album by Ringo Starr, released in 1976. Following the end of his contract with EMI, Starr signed on with Polydor Records (which once signed a pre-Ringo Beatles as the backing band of Tony Sheridan) worldwide (Atlantic Records handling US distribution) and was eager to see his solo success continue on in a new era.

Two years on from 1974's Goodnight Vienna, Starr - armed with new producer Arif Mardin - again stuck to his tried-and-true formula of having friends write songs and play on the recordings. This time, Eric Clapton took part, in addition to his old friend Harry Nilsson, and Peter Frampton, Melissa Manchester, Dr. John, Paul McCartney and John Lennon (his last studio session for four years until Double Fantasy). George Harrison donated a song too, but because of his commitments to get his album Thirty Three & 1/3 done on schedule, he couldn't take part in any recording for Ringo's Rotogravure.

Preceded by "A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll", which reached #26, Ringo's Rotogravure was released in September to a lukewarm response. Starr's winning formula was no longer a fresh one, and despite some fine music, the album performed poorly, only reaching #28 in the US and quickly falling off the charts, while it never even appeared in the UK listings. The follow-up single, his cover of Bruce Channel's Hey Baby, stalled at #74 in the US.

A single of "Las Brisas/Cryin'" was appropriately released in Mexico.

Ringo's Rotogravure was reissued only once on CD, in the US by Atlantic Records in 1992.

Track listing

1. "A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll" (Carl Groszmann) – 3:24
   • featuring Peter Frampton on guitar and Dr. John on keyboards
2. "Hey! Baby" (Margaret Cobb/Bruce Channel) – 3:11
   • a hit for Bruce Channel in 1962
3. "Pure Gold" (Paul McCartney) – 3:14
   • features background vocals by Paul and Linda McCartney
4. "Cryin'" (Vini Poncia/Richard Starkey) – 3:18
5. "You Don't Know Me at All" (Dave Jordan) – 3:16
6. "Cookin' (In the Kitchen of Love)" (John Lennon) – 3:41
   • features John Lennon on piano, Dr. John on guitar and organ and Melissa Manchester on backing vocals
7. "I'll Still Love You" (George Harrison) – 2:57
8. "This Be Called a Song" (Eric Clapton) – 3:14
   • features Eric Clapton on guitar and background vocals by Melissa Manchester
9. "Las Brisas" (Nancy Andrews/Richard Starkey) – 3:33
   • Nancy Andrews was Starr's girlfriend during this period
10. "Lady Gaye" (Vini Poncia/Richard Starkey/Clifford T. Ward) – 2:57
    • features Dr. John on keyboards and Harry Nilsson on backing vocals
11. "Spooky Weirdness" – 1:26
    • an uncredited track featuring bizarre studio sounds

References

1. ^ Ringo's Rotogravure at Allmusic

External links

• JPGR's Ringo's Rotogravure site