Sir Ringo Starr has revealed that a key factor in The Beatles' longevity as a band was their willingness to admit to passing gas during long journeys. The 86-year-old drummer explained that confessing to flatulence rather than denying it helped reduce tensions and kept the group close.
Ringo's Advice for Young Bands
Speaking at his annual Peace and Love birthday event in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Ringo shared the strategy as great advice for any young band working in close quarters. He said: "If you're in the van and you fart - own up to it." The Liverpudlian drummer recalled that with four guys on a three-hour car journey, someone would inevitably make a noise. Initially, the response was denial, but they soon realized that owning up worked a treat and took the pressure off.
Ringo added that his bandmates—John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney—were not particularly smelly performers, noting: "It wasn't a thing. We didn't like go, 'I'm going next.'"
Ringo's Touring Plans and Family Reactions
During the event, which marked 60 years since The Beatles last played live together in the USA, Ringo also admitted he has been trying to stop touring for the past five years but cannot because he is too hooked on live music. He has been touring with his All Starr Band since the 1980s and is set to perform on the East Coast of the USA later this year. His children no longer believe he will ever stop, as he has been calling it the last tour since 2021. "I say 'That's it - I am not going out anymore'; and they are like 'oh dad you said that last year,'" he said. "And I am out again this year. It is what I do. I have got a great band and it just works. We used to rehearse for two days, now we rehearse for two hours and we are ready to rock."
Celebrating Peace and Love at 86
Ringo, real name Richard Starkey, was joined by his wife, former James Bond actress Barbara Bach, at the bash, where famous musicians played tribute performances. The star, who turned 86, held a special call for "Peace and Love" at noon, linking with fans worldwide—a tradition that has been running for 18 years. Young fans continue to cheer him, which he finds surprising: "I don't know why I appeal to them, but I have got 10 grandkids. I don't know what it is. It is one of those things."
