Music and Vinyl: Ringo Starr

What to do after the break up of one of the most famous bands in pop history? In Ringo Starr's case, it was a case of inviting your former bandmates back (though not all at once!) - along with a smattering of other A-list musos - to help out with a solo album. I don't think it's fanciful to almost think of Ringo as being a Beatles' tribute album made, in part, by the original artists.

This was in fact Starr's third solo album, after the standards outing Sentimental Journey, and a country and western effort Beaucoups of Blues. Ringo (released in 1973) turned out to be Starr's commercial peak, with its involvement of Beatles' members, the Sgt Pepper-esque cover (and a nod to Billy Shears in the opening song), and even the artwork for the songs in the included booklet (built into the gatefold sleeve) by Klaus Voormann - a German musician and artist who the Beatles had met in Hamburg, and who most famously had designed the cover for Revolver. On Ringo Voormann also plays bass guitar.

Ringo is a big budget production, and a lot of fun. Here are the first three tracks . . .