Ringo 2012

Ringo 2012 is the 17th studio album by Ringo Starr, released on 30 January 2012 in the United Kingdom and 31 January 2012 in the United States. It was released on CD, LP and digitally by Hip-O Records and UM^e.

Ringo 2012
Studio album by Ringo Starr
Released	30 January 2012
Recorded	2011, Roccabella West, Los Angeles
Genre	Rock
Length	28:55
Label	Hip-O, UM^e
Producer	Ringo Starr; Bruce Sugar
Ringo Starr chronology
Live at the Greek Theatre 2008 (2010) Ringo 2012 (2012) Icon (2014)
Singles from Ringo 2012
"Wings" Released: 10 January 2012

History

Starr had considered calling the album Motel California, then Another #9, and finally Wings, before settling on Ringo 2012.[1] The album was recorded in Los Angeles, and mixed in England, produced by Starr and Bruce Sugar.[2] The title is a reference to Starr's most successful solo album, Ringo, which was released in 1973.[3] At less than 29 minutes in length, it was his shortest album to date.

Ringo 2012 includes new recordings of two songs that Starr had issued on previous albums: "Step Lightly", from Ringo, and "Wings", from 1977's Ringo the 4th. His cover of Buddy Holly's "Think It Over" was released on the Listen to Me: Buddy Holly tribute album before its appearance on Ringo 2012. The new version of "Wings" was released as a single a few weeks in advance of the album.[4]

The inclusion of the track "In Liverpool" meant that Ringo 2012 was Starr's third consecutive album to include a song about Liverpool, his hometown. Asked why this was, he told Alan Light of Newsweek: "I came to the conclusion a while ago that I do not want to write an autobiography, because all anybody wants is those eight years from 1962 to 1970, and I would have ten volumes before we got there. So I thought I'll do it in song, and do vignettes of certain aspects of my life."[5]

The cover photograph and as well as other photographs within the album's artwork were taken by rock photographer Rob Shanahan, who had worked closely with Starr for seven years.[6]

Reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	59/100[7]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Goldmine	[8]
Los Angeles Times	[9]
New Zealand Herald	1.5/5[10]
The Observer	[11]
PopMatters	[12]
Record Collector	[13]
Rolling Stone	[14]

At Metacritic, Ringo 2012 holds an average Metascore of 59 out of 100, based on five professional reviews, indicating a "mixed or average" reception. The album debuted at numbers 80 and 181 in the US and UK, selling 6,348 and 752 copies respectively, as of February 2012.[15]

Track listing

1. "Anthem" (Richard Starkey, Glen Ballard) – 5:01
2. "Wings" (Starkey, Vini Poncia) – 3:31
3. "Think It Over" (Buddy Holly, Norman Petty) – 1:48
4. "Samba" (Starkey, Van Dyke Parks) – 2:48
5. "Rock Island Line" (traditional; arranged by Starkey) – 2:59
6. "Step Lightly" (Starkey) – 2:44
7. "Wonderful" (Starkey, Gary Nicholson) – 3:47
8. "In Liverpool" (Starkey, Dave Stewart) – 3:19
9. "Slow Down" (Starkey, Joe Walsh) – 2:57

DVD edition

Amazon.com Exclusive DVD Version

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Introduction" (Inspiration for the Album)	0:37
2.	"Anthem" ("... The First Words That Came to Me ...")	2:02
3.	"Wings" ("Doing It My Way")	1:41
4.	"Think It Over" (Peter Asher's Suggestion ... The Steel Drum Button ... "It's Like a Shuffle ...")	1:48
5.	"Samba" (The Crazy Record Track with Van Dyke Parks ... And Hanging Out with Really Good People)	0:58
6.	"Rock Island Line" (Skiffle, Rock and "Where I Came In ...")	1:15
7.	"Step Lightly" ("... I Can Do This Different Now ...")	0:41
8.	"Wonderful" ("When It Gets to the Gong ..." Directing the Sentiment)	1:56
9.	"In Liverpool" ("... It's As Easy As Peaches and Cream ..." The Mini-Biography)	2:13
10.	"Slow Down" ("’Cause It Rhymed" ... And "... We Can Rock")	1:10
11.	"Peace Dream" (From "Y Not" / "The Dream Keeps Unfolding")	1:00
12.	"End Credits"	0:30

Chart performance

Billboard Album Charts

• Week 1 – number 80
• Week 2 – number 192

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.[16]

Musicians Ringo Starr – drums, percussion, vocals, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar Steve Dudas – guitar, bass Bruce Sugar – keyboards, piano, horn, arrangement, organ, synth horns Amy Keys – backing vocals Kelly Moneymaker – backing vocals Joe Walsh – guitar Benmont Tench – organ Charlie Haden – bass Richard Page – backing vocals Van Dyke Parks – keyboards, accordion, string arrangement Matt Cartsonis – mandolin Don Was – bass Kenny Wayne Shepherd – guitar Edgar Winter – sax, organ David A. Stewart – guitar, keyboards Michael Bradford – bass Ann Marie Calhoun – violin

Production Ringo Starr – producer Bruce Sugar – recording Ned Douglas – recording assistant Ringo Starr, Bruce Sugar – mixing Chris Bellman – mastering Barry Korkin – UM^e A&R coordination Christine Telleck – production manager David Tashman – legal Adam Starr – product manager Vartan – art direction Rob Shanahan – photos Mike Fink, Philip Manning, Meire Murakami – design

References

1. "Ringo Starr – Wings". Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
2. "The Official Ringo Starr Site". Ringostarr.com. 6 December 2011. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
3. "New Ringo Starr Album, 'Ringo 2012,' to Feature Joe Walsh and Kenny Wayne Shepherd". 7 December 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
4. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ringo Star Ringo 2012". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
5. Light, Alan (Spring 2012). "Ringo Starr". Newsweek. Available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
6. C.J. (7 January 2012). "He has eye on Starr and other stars". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
7. "Reviews for Ringo 2012 by Ringo Starr". Metacritic. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
8. Gaar, Gillian G. (15 April 2013). "Album review of Ringo Starr's '2012'". Goldmine. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
9. Lewis, Randy (30 January 2012). "Album review: Ringo Starr's 'Ringo 2012'". Los Angeles Times/Pop & Hiss. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
10. Reid, Graham (21 February 2012). "Album reviews: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
11. Mongredien, Phil (29 January 2012). "Ringo Starr: Ringo 2012 – review". The Observer. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
12. Horowitz, Steve (16 February 2012). "Ringo Starr: Ringo 2012 / Roberta Flack: Let It Be: Roberta Flack Sings the Beatles". PopMatters. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
13. Staunton, Terry (April 2012). "Ringo Starr – Ringo 2012". Record Collector. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
14. Dolan, Jon (31 January 2012). "Ringo 2012 | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
15. Jones, Alan (13 February 2012). "Official Chart Analysis: Lana Del Rey scores biggest-selling album of 2012, Gotye shifts another 83k". Music Week. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
16. Ringo 2012 (Booklet). Ringo Starr. Hip-O Records, Universal Music Group. 2012. 602527918020.CS1 maint: others (link)