Liverpool 8 is the modern day Goodnight Vienna to Vertical M

[tristanjblythe]

Liverpool 8 is the modern day Goodnight Vienna to Vertical Man's Ringo - discuss

Just listening to Liverpool 8 and I put it second after Ringo's "modern" albums after Vertical Man. I'd put Vertical Man as my second favourite album after Ringo.

There's something about L8 that remins me of Vienna - especially Pasodobles, Give It A Try and Harry's Song.

What are your thoughts (on this rather abstract idea for a thread). Are there any other latter day solo Beatles effort that follow this pattern?

[bonovox66]

I'm so glad someone else thought this too! I love Liverpool 8 and couldn't agree more with your statement. I also thought it was nice to see Ringo stretch out and use a few new sounds or at least get away from the typical sounds of the last few albums (face it the last two albums before were interchangeable if you ask me).

I would definitely rank it after Vertical Man as far as his post 70s stuff goes.

[linclink]

I love this album too!! I think I might choose "Time Takes Time" as my fave after the "Ringo" album. After that "Liverpool 8", "Ringo Rama", "Choose Love", & the great "Vertical Man" all come very close. After that I'd put in "Goodnight Vienna", which along with "Beaucoups Of Blues", would be the last very good Ringo albums. From 1992 onwards Ringo, like Paul, has been undergoing a huge later career renaissance of fairly epic proportions. As I've said on this forum many times before, I think his albums sound like a cross between The Traveling Wilburys & The Rutles, and I mean that in a good way!!
If only he'd get back to the same level of quality with his live shows. I mean I think HE'S still great, but the quality of his recent "All-Starrs" bands are so far below the high standards of his past line-ups that it's pretty jaw dropping.
I am VERY excited to hear what his next album will be like.

[markfeber@yahoo.com]

ya know linc i have never seen a ringo concert. is it really worth it? i have always loved the guy and only recently began getting into his music again. i always liked his first album but kinda lost my desire to listen to him after that. i might like to see him live but dont know about wanting to hear the all stars. i have heard some concerts on wolfgangs vault but usually only listen to the ringo tunes. i imagine the crowds are enthusiastic.

[linclink]

ya know linc i have never seen a ringo concert. is it really worth it? i have always loved the guy and only recently began getting into his music again. i always liked his first album but kinda lost my desire to listen to him after that. i might like to see him live but dont know about wanting to hear the all stars. i have heard some concerts on wolfgangs vault but usually only listen to the ringo tunes. i imagine the crowds are enthusiastic.

Well Mark they certainly used to be worth it. Here are some past performers: Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Todd Rundgren, Dave Edmunds, Ian Hunter, John Entwistle, Joe Walsh, Nils Lofgren, Clarence Clemons...and on & on. The first seven versions had at least one towering giant that I would at least as excited to see as Ringo, & often it had many of those folks, but versions eight through ten have barely had one person that I even cared much at all about, and they've had many folks that I really don't care much for at all. I saw the first tour, and it was actually amazing. I think the first two are the best, but anything with Todd Rundgren, Dave Edmunds, or Ian Hunter (versions 5,6 & 7- with Todd & Dave having been in #2 as well) would be something I'd certainly make it to. Ringo used to tour with the Rock giants of the past, now it looks like some marketing firm threw him together with whoever else couldn't fill halls on their own names. It used to look like a caravan of folks who would be excited to play with each other, & that really honored the whole Beatles experience, while now it just seems like some hollow shell of itself & one that is really ultimately an much of an embarrassment to The Beatles as some of Ringo's old solo albums used to be. Too bad, because he is releasing great albums to this very day, but his live show seems like the polar opposite.


Here's the full list of the ten incarnations...
Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Bands
First All-Starr Band
1989

* Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
* Joe Walsh - guitar, vocals
* Nils Lofgren - guitar, accordion, vocals
* Dr. John - keyboards, vocals
* Billy Preston - keyboards, vocals
* Rick Danko - bass, vocals
* Levon Helm - drums, vocals
* Jim Keltner - drums
* Clarence Clemons - saxophone, vocals
* Garth Hudson - accordion (two concerts)


Second All-Starr Band
1992

* Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
* Joe Walsh - guitar, vocals
* Nils Lofgren - guitar, vocals
* Todd Rundgren - guitar, vocals
* Dave Edmunds - guitar, vocals
* Burton Cummings - keyboards, vocals
* Timothy B. Schmit - bass, vocals
* Zak Starkey - drums
* Timmy Cappello - saxophone


Third All-Starr Band
1995

* Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
* Randy Bachman - guitar, vocals
* Mark Farner - guitar, vocals
* Billy Preston - keyboards, vocals
* Felix Cavaliere - keyboards, vocals
* John Entwistle - bass, vocals
* Zak Starkey - drums
* Mark Rivera - saxophone


Fourth All-Starr Band
1997 - 1998

* Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
* Peter Frampton - guitar, vocals
* Gary Brooker - keyboards, vocals
* Jack Bruce - bass, vocals
* Simon Kirke - drums
* Mark Rivera - saxophone


Fifth All-Starr Band
1999

* Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
* Todd Rundgren - guitar, vocals
* Gary Brooker - keyboards, vocals
* Jack Bruce - bass, vocals
* Simon Kirke - drums
* Timmy Cappello - saxophone


Sixth All-Starr Band
2000

* Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
* Dave Edmunds - guitar, vocals
* Eric Carmen - keyboards, guitar, vocals
* Jack Bruce - bass, vocals
* Simon Kirke - drums
* Mark Rivera - saxophone


Seventh All-Starr Band
2001

* Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
* Roger Hodgson - guitar, keyboards, vocals
* Ian Hunter - guitar, keyboards, vocals
* Howard Jones - keyboards, guitar, vocals
* Greg Lake - bass, vocals
* Sheila E. - drums, vocals
* Mark Rivera - saxophone


Eighth All-Starr Band
2003

* Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
* Colin Hay - guitar, vocals
* Paul Carrack - keyboards, vocals
* John Waite - bass, vocals
* Sheila E. - drums, vocals
* Mark Rivera - saxophone


Ninth All-Starr Band
2006

* Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
* Billy Squier - guitar, vocals
* Richard Marx - guitar, keyboards, vocals
* Edgar Winter - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
* Rod Argent - keyboards, vocals
* Hamish Stuart - bass, vocals
* Sheila E. - drums, vocals


Tenth All-Starr Band
2008

* Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
* Billy Squier - guitar, bass, vocals
* Colin Hay - guitar, vocals
* Edgar Winter - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
* Gary Wright - keyboards, vocals
* Hamish Stuart - bass, guitar, vocals
* Gregg Bissonette - drums, vocals

[markfeber@yahoo.com]

thanks for the list. i was just listening to the 2001 tour and that would have been one i would like to have seen since i was a big elp and supertramp fan back in the day. thanks so much for the in depth info linc.

[linclink]

thanks for the list. i was just listening to the 2001 tour and that would have been one i would like to have seen since i was a big elp and supertramp fan back in the day. thanks so much for the in depth info linc.

Glad to help. Yeah that 7th version was the last great one...so far Greg , Roger & my fave on that tour Ian Hunter , and of course RINGO !!

[Mark Rink]

I think L8 really blows I was really dissapionted in it. I love all of Ringo's solo stuff but not this.Where is Mark Hudson when you need him?

[linclink]

I think L8 really blows I was really dissapionted in it. I love all of Ringo's solo stuff but not this.Where is Mark Hudson when you need him?

I am almost certain that Mark Hudson & The Roundheads were there for most of the album...somewhere along the line the reins got handed to Dave Stewart & Hudson & Starr parted ways, but I do believe that most of this album represents the last ride of Hudson & The Roundheads collective.
I really do love it, & just don't hear it as that much better or worse than the few albums before it...and actually I tend to prefer it to them by a bit.

[bonovox66]

I have to disagree with the sentiment that the recent All-Start tours have been lackluster. I was just as skeptical when he started touring with a bunch of 80s has been but with the exception of Richard Marx, all have impressed me.
When he toured w/ Sheila E, I was very hesitant but she got two standing ovations and on at least one show the crowd cheered her drum solo more than they cheered any Ringo Number.
Colin Hay of Men at Work was another that made me go "oh-gosh, I'm not sure I'm gonna go this time around" but I was very happy I did. He has such an amazing voice and I was introduced to some of his later solo gems.
Hamish Stewart, though not much to talk about on his first All Star tour, definitely brought it on his second go around.
And last but not least..... let us not forget the amazing Edgar Winter! need I say more.
Sure the new tours have been lacking some of the giants, and it would be nice to see him tour with some more of the great artists of the 60s and 70s, but lets face it most of them aren't worth paying to see anymore. Very few are able to perform at a fraction of the level they used to.
The last Ringo concert I saw was in July of last year and I can saw without a doubt that of every concert I have seen (well over a hundred by now) this was the single greatest performance by any artist. Ringo is a master when it comes to his stage presence. Its hard to explain, even the recent Summer Live tour, though more fun and an excellent performance, still did not live up to Ringo's excellent performance. Now I'm not really talking about the rest of the All Stars at this point, only Ringo. Its hard to put in words what Ringo has, I guess you should see it for yourself. Here's hoping he still has a couple more tours in him, and lets not hold our breath but maybe one will be a Ringo only tour.