Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: Ringo's Rotogravure
Company: Atlantic
Catalog: SD-18193
Year: 1978
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG+
Comments: cut out notch in spine; gatefold sleeve; original inner sleeve
Available: 1
Price: $5.00
Um, almost hate to admit this, but we've owned this LP since the late 1970s and only recently actually listened to it.
Ending his longstanding professional relationship with Capitol, 1978's "Ringo's Rotogravure" found Starr signed to Atlantic. With Arif Mardin producing, the initial impression was that the album sounded like "Goodnight Vienna, Part 2" (which in turn sounded like "Ringo, Part 2"). As on those earlier albums, Starr didn't hesitate to call in help from his friends. In addition to songs from George Harrison ("I'll Still Love You"), John Lennon ("Cookin' In the Kitchen of Love") and Paul McCartney ("Pure Gold"), dozens of recognizable names participated in the sessions. Unfortunately, the album served as a prime example of the law of diminishing returns. While Ringo's performances were never less than professional, the all star cast was simply distracting. None of the ex-Beatle contributions were particularly impressive (Lennon's nonchalant "Cookin' In the Kitchen of Love" being the best of the lot) and with the possible exception of Eric Clapton's catchy, Caribbean-flavored "This Be Called a Song" and the throwaway "Spooky Weirdness", nothing here was particularly memorable. At least to our ears, Ringo himself sounded as if he were simply going through the motions. Pulled as singles "A Dose of Rock & Roll" b/w "Crying" (Atlantic catalog number 45-3361 ) and "Hey Baby" b/w "Lady Gaye" (Atlantic catalog number 45-3371) at least generated some airplay, each going top-40. Peaking at # 28 the parent album sold okay, but following the massive sales of the two earlier sets, proved a minor commercial disappointment for Atlantic. We can remember seeing stacks and stacks of these at local stores reduced to 50 cents as part of clearance sales.
"Ringo's Rotogravure" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) A Dose of Rock & Roll (Carl Grossman) -
2.) Hey! Baby (Bruce Channel - J.R. Cobb) -
2.) Pure Gold (Paul McCartney) -
4.) Cryin' (Vini Poncia - Ringo Starr) -
5.) You Don't Know Me At All (Dave Jordan) -
(side 2)
1.) Cookin' In the Kitchen of Love (John Lennon) -
2.) I'll Still Love You (George Harrison) -
3.) This Be Called a Song (Eric Clapton) -
4.) Las Brisas (nancy Andrews - Ringo Starr) -
5.) Lady Gaye (Vinie Poncia - Ringo Starr - Clifford T. Ward) -
6.) Spooky Weirdness