Liverpool 8

For the song of the same name, see Liverpool 8 (song).

For the Liverpool postal district, see Toxteth.

"Pasodobles" redirects here. For traditional dance from Spain, see Pasodoble.

Liverpool 8
File:Ringo Starr - Liverpool 8.jpg
Studio album by Ringo Starr
Released	14 January 2008
Recorded	2006–07
Studio	Roccabella, UK; Whatinthewhatthe?, Los Angeles
Genre	Rock
Length	45:28
Label	Capitol
Producer	Ringo Starr, Mark Hudson, Dave Stewart
Ringo Starr chronology
Ringo Starr: Live at Soundstage (2007)Ringo Starr: Live at Soundstage2007 Liverpool 8 (2008) Ringo 5.1: The Surround Sound Collection (2008)Ringo 5.1: The Surround Sound Collection2008
Singles from Liverpool 8
"Liverpool 8" Released: 4 December 2007

Liverpool 8 is the fifteenth studio album by Ringo Starr, released worldwide on 14 January 2008. Received with mixed reviews, it marks Starr's return to EMI for the first time since leaving the label in 1975, following the end of The Beatles' recording contract with the company.

Background

The album was originally planned for release in June 2007, and began as another production by the collaborative team of Mark Hudson and Starr (the two had previously co-produced Vertical Man, I Wanna Be Santa Claus, VH1 Storytellers, Ringo Rama, and Choose Love). However, the release date was pushed back to the beginning of 2008 when Hudson was replaced by Dave Stewart after a falling out with Starr. The album's production credits read, "Produced by Ringo Starr and Mark Hudson; Re-Produced by Ringo Starr and David Stewart."

All of the songs but one were written with the Roundheads, although Stewart also has several co-writing credits. Starr's attorney Bruce Grakal told journalist Peter Palmiere that the partnership between Hudson and Starr was over and they would never work together again. This happened after Hudson dropped out of Starr's 2006 tour as musical director to do the TV show The One: Making a Music Star. According to Palmiere, Hudson claimed that the split was over Starr's insistence on using synthesized sounds, for which Stewart is known, whereas Hudson wanted real guitars, pianos, strings etc. However, concerning the parting of ways with Hudson, Starr commented, "The separation between Mark Hudson and myself was a question of trust and friendship and had nothing to do with synthesizers."

Release

Liverpool 8 was released worldwide by Capitol Records. The title refers to the postal district of the Toxteth area of Liverpool in which Starr was born. The album was released on CD, MP3, and USB Wristband. It was available as a free audio stream at www.vh1classic.com before its release date. "Liverpool 8" was released on CD and digital download as the first single from the album on 7 January 2008. Liverpool 8 entered the UK Album Chart at number 91, and reached a peak of number 94 in the US. The album sold 7,000 copies within the first week of release and as of January 2010, 31,000 copies have been sold.

A few weeks later after the album release, readers of the New York Daily News were offered a non-album track called "It's Love".

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	59/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
about.com
AllMusic
Billboard	(favourable)
The Music Box
The Phoenix
PopMatters
Record Collector
Rolling Stone
The Times
Uncut

Liverpool 8 has a 59 percent "mixed or average" rating from Metacritic. Billboard gave the album a positive review, calling it "full of nostalgia for the good ol' days". Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic writes that "it's nothing too flashy and it has not one tune that calls attention to itself". In a particularly unfavourable review for The Times, Pete Paphides wrote that "it’s hard not to boggle at Liverpool’s susceptibility to flattery", and "Just because [the album] was fun to make, it doesn’t follow that you might enjoy listening to it."

Track listing

All songs written by Richard Starkey, Mark Hudson, Gary Burr and Steve Dudas, except where noted

1. "Liverpool 8" (Starkey, Dave Stewart) – 4:49
2. "Think About You" – 3:40
3. "For Love" (Starkey, Hudson) – 3:49
4. "Now That She's Gone Away" (Starkey, Hudson, Burr) – 3:02
5. "Gone Are the Days" (Starkey, Hudson, Stewart) – 2:49
6. "Give It a Try" (Starkey, Hudson, Dudas) – 3:26
7. "Tuff Love" – 4:33
8. "Harry's Song" – 4:00
9. "Pasodobles" (Starkey, Hudson, Burr, Dudas, Grakal) – 4:17
10. "If It's Love That You Want" – 3:06
11. "Love Is" – 3:52
12. "R U Ready?" – 3:59

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.

Musicians

• Ringo Starr – drums, vocals, percussion, background vocals, claps, organ
• Sean Hurley – bass
• David A. Stewart – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, orchestra arrangement, backwards fabulousness, slide Guitar
• Gary Burr – background vocals, claps, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, whistle, keyboards, mandolin
• Steve Dudas – background vocals, claps, electric guitar, classical guitar
• Brent Carpenter – background vocals, claps
• Mark Hudson – background vocals, claps, bass, electric guitar, piano, keyboards, acoustic guitar, bongos, harmonica, mellotron
• Bruce Sugar – background vocals, claps
• Keith Allison – background vocals, claps
• Suzie Katayama – orchestra arrangement, conductor
• Zac Rae – keyboards
• Dave Way – bass
• Jesse Davey – electric guitar

Production

• Ringo Starr, Mark Hudson – producers, except on "Liverpool 8"
• Ringo Starr, David A. Stewart – producers on "Liverpool 8"
• Mark Hudson – additional production
• Ringo Starr, David A. Stewart – re-producers
• Bruce Sugar – engineer
• Steve Dudas, Gary Burr, Ned Douglas – additional engineers
• Bill Malina – mixing
• Ted Jensen – mastering
• Tom Recchion – art direction
• Paul Moore – design
• Brian Griffin – photography

External links

• The Official Ringo Starr Site