A restored version of the 1970 Beatles documentary Let It Be is scheduled to premiere May 8 on Disney+. As previously reported, the film, which was directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, features footage of the band recording what became the Let It Be album at sessions that took place in London in January 1969.
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The movie has long been considered a somewhat negative look at the Fab Four at a time when tensions between the band members were starting to build during a period that led up to the group’s split. On the positive side, Let It Be does feature footage of The Beatles’ famous final concert on the roof of the headquarters of the band’s Apple Corps on Savile Row in London.
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In a new Associated Press interview, ex-Beatles drummer Ringo Starr was asked about his thoughts regarding the release of the restored flick and he expressed mixed feelings about it.
“[F]or me, [there was] not a lot of joy in it,” he admitted. “It was a point-of-view that the director [Lindsay-Hogg] had, and that was up to him.”
Having said that, Starr added, “But it’s great, because you’ll get another chance to see us on the roof. I mean, we hadn’t played live [in] a couple of years, and we went up and just did it, ’cause that’s what we do.”
Starr Prefers The Beatles: Get Back Docuseries
The 83-year-old music legend has a warmer opinion about The Beatles: Get Back, the 2021 docuseries created by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson with hours of unused footage shot by Lindsay-Hogg for the Let It Be film.
“Well, I think Peter Jackson has done an incredible job,” Starr enthused. “You know, we found 56 hours of unused tape … and Peter Jackson put his heart and soul into it, and it works really well.”
Incidentally, Let It Be was restored by Park Road Post Production, which is owned by Jackson’s Wing Nut Films production company.
On Playing Shows with the All Starr Band
Starr also chatted with the Associated Press about his concerts with his All Starr Band, and about splitting his time between singing and playing drums.
“In the All Starrs, I do 12 numbers and the rest of the band do 12 numbers,” he noted. “So [each member does] two or three, depending which way we’re going.”
He added, “It’s so great because I get moments to be, ‘Hey, here I am out front. How are you doing!’ And then, I’m playing with all these great guys. So it covers all the bases for me.”
The current All Starr Band lineup includes Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, Edgar Winter, Men at Work’s Colin Hay, and Average White Band bassist Hamish Stuart.
About Ringo and His All Starr Band’s 2024 Tour Plans
As previously reported, Ringo and the All Starr Band kick off a 12-date spring tour leg on May 22 at The Venetian theater in Las Vegas. The trek runs through a June 9 concert in Austin, Texas. The Las Vegas gig is part of a six-show residency at The Venetian. The group also will be playing a couple of shows in California and June 5-6 stand in Mexico City during the outing.
In addition, Starr and the group have a run of nine fall 2024 concerts lined up. Those shows are mapped out from a September 12 performance in Omaha, Nebraska, through a September 25 concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Tickets for the shows are available now via various outlets, including StubHub.
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