Ringo Starr's 1968 Departure from The Beatles: The Tension Behind His Exit
Ringo Starr quit The Beatles on August 22, 1968, during the tense recording of the White Album.
Starr recalled telling John Lennon, “I’m leaving the group because I’m not playing well and I feel unloved and out of it.” That account comes from Anthology. Lennon replied, “I thought it was you three!”
Starr reportedly spent two weeks on Peter Sellers’ yacht in the Mediterranean before returning.
Lennon sent him a telegram that read, “You’re the best rock’n’roll drummer in the world. Come on home, we love you.”
Despite the brief split, Billboard has since ranked The Beatles the best rock band of all time.
Arrival and Press Conference of the British Rock and Roll Band The Beatles.Universal History Archive / Getty Images
Inside Ringo Starr’s Brief Departure From The Beatles
Tensions had been building for weeks during the White Album sessions. Starr’s departure came as the band was working on “Back in the USSR.”
The remaining three Beatles recorded the song without him. Paul McCartney played drums on the track, with George Harrison on guitar and Lennon on bass. Starr’s departure was kept quiet at the time.
“I think they were all feeling a little paranoid,” producer George Martin said, describing the tension within the group.
Source: aol.com/Paolo Songco
