Peace and love, peace and love: Ringo Starr‘s fourth EP, Rewind Forward, is out now on CD, 10″ vinyl, digital, and streaming worldwide!
The four new tracks on the EP include a song written by Paul McCartney. Let’s take a moment to truly savour this. It’s over 60 years since The Beatles’ first single was released and Ringo and Paul are still collaborating on new music!
Facetiming with Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney
That sounds like a podcast we’d definitely like to subscribe, to but it’s actually the genesis of the latest McCartney song, Feeling The Sunlight.
Ringo explained: “We were FaceTiming as we sometimes do, and I asked him if he had a song, or would write one, for this EP I am making. A week later he sent the track over and he’s all over it – which is great – playing everything, including the drums!!!!! So, we had to take them off – I did the drums and the vocals.”
What does Rewind Forward mean?
Ringo clarified that for these EPs, he always likes to write a song with his engineer and co-writer Bruce Sugar. The title track, Rewind Forever, came from “one of those things I say, and it made sense in the moment. Like a Hard Days Night – I thought, why don’t we just rewind forward?
To make sense of it, sometimes it is good to go back and move forward from a place you left off, you don’t ever have to live in the past, but it is good to check it occasionally.”
All Starr, Toto, and Ringo!
The EP’s opening track, Shadows on the Wall, was written by Ringo’s longtime All Starr friend Steve Lukather and his Toto bandmate Joe Williams.
Ringo was thrilled with what Luke and Joe delivered: “they put meat on it – so I wasn’t just getting a basic track I have to add everything to – it has guitar and bass and all I have to do is add my vocals and drums. Of course, I always do the drums and sing – it is my EP!”
Catching up with the Heartbreakers
For the EP’s final track, Miss Jean, Ringo collaborated with Mike Campbell of the Heartbreakers.
Ringo explained their history together: “We had played together on an Ian Hunter track (which was number 1 on the Heritage chart – whatever that chart is!) and I’d played on a Tom Petty track.
But this was the first song Mike has ever written for me, which I loved. I put drums on it and sang it and he put everything else on it – that’s how it works.” Hear that, McCartney?! 😉
Some of that ‘everything else’ was contributed by Ringo and Mike’s mutual friend, and Mike’s fellow Heartbreaker, pianist Benmont Tench.
Ringo Starr – Rewind Forward production credits
In the digital age, it’s great for us to still have credits to pore over. Look out for Joe Walsh, Steve Dudas, and Lance Morrison amongst many others.
Produced by Ringo Starr and Bruce Sugar
Recorded and mixed by Bruce Sugar
Recorded at Ringo’s home studio – Roccabella West, Los Angeles, California (except for Paul McCartney’s parts which were recorded in the UK)
Mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
1. Shadows On the Wall (3:26) – Steve Lukather, Joseph Williams, and Ray Williams
Drums and Vocals & Percussion: Ringo Starr
Guitars: Steve Lukather
Backing Vocals: Joseph Williams
Acoustic Guitar Weston Wilson
Bass: Torrance Klein
Recording Engineers: Bruce Sugar, Joseph Williams, and Steve Maggiora
2. Feeling the Sunlight (3:06) – Paul McCartney
Recorded at Hog Hill Mill
Produced by Paul McCartney
Drums and Vocals & Percussion: Ringo Starr
Bass, Guitars, Keyboards, Zither, Backing Vocals: Paul McCartney
Acoustic Guitar: Steve Dudas
Piano: Bruce Sugar
Engineered by: Steve Orchard and Bruce Sugar
Assisted by: Keith Smith
3. Rewind Forward (3:33) – Richard Starkey and Bruce Sugar
Drums, Vocals & Percussion:Ringo Starr
Guitar: Joe Walsh
Guitar: Steve Dudas
Bass: Matt Bissonette
Keyboards: Bruce Sugar
Backing Vocals: Kip Lennon and Marky Lennon
4. Miss Jean (4:45) – Mike Campbell
Drums and vocals: Ringo Starr
Guitars Backing Vocals: Mike Campbell
Bass: Lance Morrison
Piano: Benmont Tench
Engineered by: Martin Pradler
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