Ringo Starr: I only wanted to play drums

The city of Liverpool has decided not to bulldoze Ringo Starr's birthplace and first childhood home as part of a multi-million dollar "regeneration plan" in the Dingle section of the city. After months of debate, city councilors agreed last Friday (September 16th) to have the semi-detached building on Madryn Street dismantled brick-by-brick to be re-erected at a later date. Councilor Flo Clucas, the executive member for housing, told the Liverpool Daily Mail, "The property will be taken down and stored. Its future use will become clear over time."

Ringo Starr told us that while growing up in Liverpool, he was surrounded by music. And although both his grandparents both played instruments -- the only thing he was interested in was the drums:
[ click here to listen if you have a Backstage Pass] "I only ever wanted to play the drums. My grandparents used to play the banjo and mandolin, and they gave me one of each, and I had no interest. We had a piano at home, which I walked on. There was nothing else from when I was 13. I just wanted to play the drums--this burning desire to be a musician and to be a drummer. Just the drums."

Starr returned home to Liverpool for the 1992 Disney Channel special Going Home. In the show he visited his old haunts with his stepfather Harry Graves and his younger son Jason.

His latest CD titled Choose Love was released last June.
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