Ringo Starr has a new all-star single and a book about his All Starr Band — with an EP on the way. He told Jill Riley how the music came together in a warm, "loose" spirit.

Jill Riley: It's not every day that I have the opportunity to talk with a former Beatle. So I'm just pretty jazzed right now to introduce you to The Current audience. Now, you've got a new book all about the All Starr Band. You've got a new EP on the way, a brand new song with the video out. So Sir Richard Starkey, Mr. Ringo Starr. Ringo, how are you?

Ringo Starr: I'm very well, thank you. And you know, you mentioned all that stuff. And I think that's what's helping me get through this pandemic, because I have all the things I can do. I'm blessed in that way. I don't have to go anywhere. And the book turned out great. I mean, I love the book myself. And it really...when you're sitting around, you know, thinking about the All Starrs, sort of vague. And then when you get that book, you see all those people I've had in the band, like a thousand people I've had on stage with me. You know, seeing photos, I love photos for that, because they bring back those memories. And you think, Oh, yeah, remember him? And now, what about him? So it's good. So the book turned out great. So my life is going really well.

And I've got this EP. I wanted to make an EP that I didn't want to make, as, you know, a ten-track CD. I just wanted something loose, a couple of months. And I started asking people for songs. I also asked people to do some production. I am drumming and singing on all of them, but a lot of the production was done by the writer. Like the Sam Hollander one, everything on there was done by musicians he hired in New York. But you know, when you're at home when you're just having fun with it, you know, the credits go Ringo Starr: vocals, one drum fill. I just couldn't help myself! There was a fill space and I asked to do a drum fill. But they have another drummer doing everything else. 'Cause it's sort of a loose attitude right now, I thought let's have some fun and so I'm one-drum-fill Ringo.

Well, you know, Ringo, I was looking at the credits for this new EP, for Zoom In, and I watched the video for "Here's to the Nights," and really, I just, you know, I started watching. Okay, great. You know, Paul McCartney is part of this. And, oh, Joe Walsh is part of this. And then I saw Sheryl Crow and Jenny Lewis, and Yola, and all these great artists, and I started to lose track when I was watching the video, and I just wonder if that kind of comes from not being under a ton of pressure, but as a way to, you know, just kind of have that loose time and to get some people together to make a song.

Well, as we progressed with the song, which Diane Warren wrote, it seemed to be a singalong at the end, you know, before we had to sing along, and Diane was very positive about the singalong. And so was I, so we just said, okay, well, you call people and I'll call people. I didn't get all the people; Diane got half of them. They either sang — you know, what's great now, you know, you send the files, and they can do it in their own studio like Paul's doing in his studio. And Joe is doing it at his place. And Sheryl, Sheryl was great. She does it at her place and she's just a blessing. And Jenny came up here because she's in L.A. and did it in my studio.

So everyone participated either in person or over the airwaves. And they did it themselves. So it really worked out really well. And you know, everybody on it. I do thank them for joining in the end of the song. It's so great. It's also great for everybody else's spirits. Just Ringo saying "here's to the nights"...like, Lenny Kravitz is saying it and Paul McCartney's saying it? You know, so it was a treat.

Yeah. And it's also it kind of speaks to the fact that everybody is going through this pandemic together. You know, everybody is.

Yeah, well, you know, what was interesting, the first two people I had were: Dave Grohl came over with Ben Harper. And then Jenny Lewis came over. So you know, we were mingling a little. But everyone, you know, I told you was safe, and has been checked, so we could hang out at this. And so that that was great for me, because they were right there. But some of the others were like Paul, he was in England, so he did you know at his own place. So we got to hang out with some people and we got to just love other people for doing it for me.

Yeah, Ringo, I saw that Steve Lukather from Toto was on the song as well. And I saw that incarnation of the All-Starr Band in October of 2015. I remember it well, because I was about to have my son, but I went to the show anyway. There's so many musicians that you've had this long and storied history with.

Your son must be, what, 20 now?

No, he's only five. So it was back in 2015.

Yeah, Luke is great. He came over and played on that song. But you know, the other story with Luke, and Joe Williams, is that I was doing four tracks, and I was getting the four tracks where we were coming to an end of putting it together. And then Luke comes over. And he says, you've got to hear this song we've written, and they put some instruments on it. And of course, I could not not do it. You know, there's not enough love in the world, and there's not enough peace. So I had to do it. So now it's a five-track EP because of him.

Well, the new EP is called Zoom In, and we're looking forward to it. Nice to hear that you've got some new music coming out. And you've got this new song, "Here's To the Nights." And I want to remind people about the book, over 30 years, over three decades of the All Starr Band, which, you know, congratulations on that. And I bet you're just feeling great about all this right now.

Well, it would have been 31 years but last year, we couldn't go on tour. You know, some days I get down about that, but you get over it. And this year, I'm really not sure whether we'll make it out or not.

Well, I hope so. I can't wait to get on the other side of this because people are are missing that live music experience. And I'm sure that you're missing that touring experience. Well, Ringo Starr here on The Current's Morning Show. I know that I gotta let you go, that you're very busy today. But I just wonder if for The Current audience here in Minnesota, if you've got some parting words or a wish for the new year, for 2021.

It's always the same words: peace and love.

I figured it would be, Ringo. I appreciate your time and you have a great year and thanks for the music.

Thank you.