Luckily, I still had some money left from my job for transportation. I figured I might end up spending it all on plane and train tickets, but it was worth it. My only other option would have been stealing money from Paul, and I would never do that!
My next step was a plane ride followed by a train ride out into a secluded place back in England, where I found a nice big house with a statue of a rhinoceros out front. This was the place, according to Paul's address book, where Ringo lived. If he was still here, this was where I would convince him to rejoin the Beatles.
I knocked on the door, and a pretty blonde woman with a bright smile and dark makeup all around her eyes answered. Three small children surrounded her, clinging to their mother and staring at me. "Yes?" said the woman, in that same accent that Paul had, giving me a puzzled look.
"Hi," I replied, a little nervously. "I - can I see Ringo?"
The woman looked at me for another moment as though she were deciding whether to trust me, and then sighed. "You could if he was here. He's been staying here less and less recently, I don't know what to do about it - but how far have you come from?" she added with sudden authority. "You can't leave without eating, anyway. Come inside and I'll fix you something."
I followed the woman, who told me as we made our way to the kitchen that her name was Maureen Starkey. By now I knew enough about the Beatles to know that Starkey was Ringo's real last name. In the kitchen, Maureen started to prepare food, while the children both played noisily with each other or continued staring at me, and I was left asking myself the question: Why were the women who married Beatles, taking them away from the rest of us, always so nice?? It was impossible to stay mad at them!
Eventually, Maureen came to the table with what could have been a full three-course dinner, which she served to me. While I ate, she told me how things were going between her and Ringo. I was surprised she would tell this to someone she didn't even know, but I guess she needed someone to talk to.
"I don't know what's gotten into Ritchie," Maureen said (for a moment I couldn't figure out who "Ritchie" was, but then I realized she must mean Ringo.) "He never has liked staying in one place, doing the same things, for too long, and I know he liked touring, but when he did come back he was always so sweet. But for a few years now, he's been quite - unhappy. Restless, I think. He wants something more." Maureen paused here, blinking hard. "He wants something I can't give him."
I could see that she was worried that it was another woman he needed, and I really couldn't help her with that, but something she said had jumped out at me. "He's been like this for a few years? You mean ever since the Beatles broke up?"
Maureen thought. "It might be. D'you think that's what's doing it? I know he was upset about it, but it always seemed like he was happy all the fighting was over. That was what he told me, anyway," she added, "but do you know, it might have been since then that he started acting this way."
I then decided to tell someone else about my plan. "Maureen," I said, "I'm going to try and find all the Beatles and get them to reunite again."
Maureen smiled at me. "Is that what you want Ritchie for? Well, if you bring them back together and it helps him settle down at all, I'll be happy about that." She stood up. "I think I can find out where Ritchie is staying right now for you. That will help. And let me know if he seems any happier once you're told him, all right?"
Maureen left the room to look for Ringo's address, and I was left thinking about what she'd told me. Paul wasn't happy since the breakup, and now it seemed that Ringo wasn't happy either. I wondered if George and John were just as unhappy now that their as-good-as-brothers weren't with them anymore. Part of me felt so sad for them all, apart and unhappy. But another part of me felt that, if none of the Beatles could find happiness on their own, it might not be very difficult to bring them back together.
My next step was a plane ride followed by a train ride out into a secluded place back in England, where I found a nice big house with a statue of a rhinoceros out front. This was the place, according to Paul's address book, where Ringo lived. If he was still here, this was where I would convince him to rejoin the Beatles.
I knocked on the door, and a pretty blonde woman with a bright smile and dark makeup all around her eyes answered. Three small children surrounded her, clinging to their mother and staring at me. "Yes?" said the woman, in that same accent that Paul had, giving me a puzzled look.
"Hi," I replied, a little nervously. "I - can I see Ringo?"
The woman looked at me for another moment as though she were deciding whether to trust me, and then sighed. "You could if he was here. He's been staying here less and less recently, I don't know what to do about it - but how far have you come from?" she added with sudden authority. "You can't leave without eating, anyway. Come inside and I'll fix you something."
I followed the woman, who told me as we made our way to the kitchen that her name was Maureen Starkey. By now I knew enough about the Beatles to know that Starkey was Ringo's real last name. In the kitchen, Maureen started to prepare food, while the children both played noisily with each other or continued staring at me, and I was left asking myself the question: Why were the women who married Beatles, taking them away from the rest of us, always so nice?? It was impossible to stay mad at them!
Eventually, Maureen came to the table with what could have been a full three-course dinner, which she served to me. While I ate, she told me how things were going between her and Ringo. I was surprised she would tell this to someone she didn't even know, but I guess she needed someone to talk to.
"I don't know what's gotten into Ritchie," Maureen said (for a moment I couldn't figure out who "Ritchie" was, but then I realized she must mean Ringo.) "He never has liked staying in one place, doing the same things, for too long, and I know he liked touring, but when he did come back he was always so sweet. But for a few years now, he's been quite - unhappy. Restless, I think. He wants something more." Maureen paused here, blinking hard. "He wants something I can't give him."
I could see that she was worried that it was another woman he needed, and I really couldn't help her with that, but something she said had jumped out at me. "He's been like this for a few years? You mean ever since the Beatles broke up?"
Maureen thought. "It might be. D'you think that's what's doing it? I know he was upset about it, but it always seemed like he was happy all the fighting was over. That was what he told me, anyway," she added, "but do you know, it might have been since then that he started acting this way."
I then decided to tell someone else about my plan. "Maureen," I said, "I'm going to try and find all the Beatles and get them to reunite again."
Maureen smiled at me. "Is that what you want Ritchie for? Well, if you bring them back together and it helps him settle down at all, I'll be happy about that." She stood up. "I think I can find out where Ritchie is staying right now for you. That will help. And let me know if he seems any happier once you're told him, all right?"
Maureen left the room to look for Ringo's address, and I was left thinking about what she'd told me. Paul wasn't happy since the breakup, and now it seemed that Ringo wasn't happy either. I wondered if George and John were just as unhappy now that their as-good-as-brothers weren't with them anymore. Part of me felt so sad for them all, apart and unhappy. But another part of me felt that, if none of the Beatles could find happiness on their own, it might not be very difficult to bring them back together.
Paul - And I love her. It reminded him how much he loves you, how much he treasures you and wants you around. Whenever he sings it, he thinks of you and how much he loves being with you and making you happy.
John - I feel fine. He finally knew you loved him, because you finally told him and he was so proud he wanted to shout it from the rooftops. You didn’t care about what he gave you, but he wanted to spoil you anyway, making sure you stay his.
George - Something. Everything you did just mesmerised him, making him be in awe of you. The way you moved, smiled, your disposition just made him so happy and he knew that you were the one for him, and when he’d play it, he just knew that you were there for him.
Ringo - I wanna be your man. It reminded him of the time he was pining to be with you. He wanted to be yours forever, wanted to make you happy and feel worth something. When he finally became yours this became the anthem of you memories.
John - I feel fine. He finally knew you loved him, because you finally told him and he was so proud he wanted to shout it from the rooftops. You didn’t care about what he gave you, but he wanted to spoil you anyway, making sure you stay his.
George - Something. Everything you did just mesmerised him, making him be in awe of you. The way you moved, smiled, your disposition just made him so happy and he knew that you were the one for him, and when he’d play it, he just knew that you were there for him.
Ringo - I wanna be your man. It reminded him of the time he was pining to be with you. He wanted to be yours forever, wanted to make you happy and feel worth something. When he finally became yours this became the anthem of you memories.
The English beat group The Tremeloes is primarily remembered for playing a great part in the 1960s British Invasion alongside The Beatles, The Animals, The Zombies, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Merseybeats and the like.
Founded in Dagenham, near London, in 1958, the band is still alive and kicking to this very day; the current formation includes original member Rick Westwood who acts as a guitarist and vocalist, alongside bassist and singer Len 'Chip' Hawkes who joined in 1966.
Read the full interview here:
link
Founded in Dagenham, near London, in 1958, the band is still alive and kicking to this very day; the current formation includes original member Rick Westwood who acts as a guitarist and vocalist, alongside bassist and singer Len 'Chip' Hawkes who joined in 1966.
Read the full interview here:
link