The problem with an event involving one of the Beatles, is that all the fans are retired and so totally available! In consequence, even though the event is in the middle of the day, people show up in mass… And of course some may have even skipped work to attend Ringo Starr’s birthday party at the Capitol Records building.
I arrived almost two hours before the time — and that’s dedication — but the front of the building was already full of people, mostly ‘old’ people, but it is insane to qualify Beatles’ fans of old, these people have kept the fire in their belly, they are still excited to see one of the two Beatles left on earth, and they still believe that peace and love can change the world… it is so refreshing. Call them naïve, call them childish, I don’t care because I am one of them!
Ringo Starr is 75 today and it is hard to believe for so many reasons: first of all he doesn’t look like 75 at all, he looks thin and athletic, and secondly, 75 is three quarters of a century and the Beatles can’t possibly that old, never!
Around 11 am, a guy (I didn’t get his name) played two Ringo Starr songs on guitar, ‘Walk With You’ and ‘Photograph’ and he was followed by a sort of bluegrass band with banjo and washboard, which playfully performed ‘It don’t Come Easy’, Boys’ and of course ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’.. and Ringo was surrounded by many of his friends when he arrived on the small stage set up in front of the Capitol Records building a little bit before noon. Funny comedian Richard Lewis, ‘the only talking Jew’ around introduced Ringo, and I recognized Eagles guitarist-songwriter Joe Walsh with his wife (Barbara Bach’s sister), filmmaker David Lynch (the meditation believer), musician Edgar Winter, drummer Matt Sorum, among others. There were celebrities in the VIP section (Ed Begley Jr. was just in front of me) and the crowd began to push and scream as if they were seeing the Beatles in the 60’s…
There was a lot of talk about peace and love, the subject of the day: ‘This is great that you’re participating in this,’ said Ringo, ‘I’m so glad you all came out. This is great support. All this support for `Peace and Love.’ How great is that?’ After the countdown till noon, he encouraged everyone to make the peace sign.
I thought I would never be able to take a decent pic, I got into a fight with the cheering crowd to see something, but it was a lot of fun, as I am always impressed by the Beatles fans’ true love and passion! Ringo got to cut the giant cake in front of us, and people gave us white ‘peace and love’ wristbands and even commemorative cookies, but I am not sure I will ever eat them.
75 years is a landmark in life, but Ringo looked as young as ever. I even got to catch his limo exiting the Capitol Records parking lot, and he rolled down his window and gave us another peace sign… Love and Peace, certainly the meme of the day, which should be the meme of every day.
