Ring O' Records
| Company type | Record label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Founder | Ringo Starr |
| Defunct | 1978 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom , United Kingdom |
Area served | Europe, North America (select markets) |
Key people | Barry Anthony (management) |
| Products | Music recordings, singles, albums |
| Parent | None |
Ring O' Records was a UK-based record label launched by ex-Beatle Ringo Starr in 1975. Created as Apple Records was winding down, the label provided Starr with a platform to nurture other musicians while continuing his solo endeavors. The imprint discontinued operations in 1978 after failing to generate commercial hits with artists such as David Hentschel, Bobby Keys, Graham Bonnet, and Rab Noakes. Although Starr founded the label, he never released his own music through it; following the conclusion of his Apple contract in January 1976, he signed with Polydor Records, which handled Ring O' Records' distribution across Europe. From 1977 onward, distribution extended to select markets via Mercury Records.
History
Inspired by George Harrison’s establishment of Dark Horse Records in 1974, Starr created Ring O' Records after discussions about jointly acquiring Apple Records fell through. The name for the label was proposed by John Lennon. In 1973, Starr acquired Lennon's Berkshire estate, Tittenhurst Park, which included a recording facility that he renamed Starling Studios and leased to various artists. The label’s emblem displayed a chrome telephone, echoing the style of products sold by Starr’s furniture enterprise, Ringo Or Robin Limited. Distribution duties were initially split between Polydor Records internationally and Capitol Records in North America. This arrangement was publicized in Billboard magazine in December 1974 alongside news of the Beatles’ business partnership dissolution.
The first releases under Ring O' Records arrived in February 1975: keyboardist David Hentschel’s album Sta*rtling Music along with its lead single "Oh My My". The album offered an instrumental reinterpretation of Starr's 1973 Ringo, utilizing the ARP synthesizer. In April 1975, Starr actively promoted the label through interviews in print and on radio, outlining his ambition for a musician-led enterprise modeled after United Artists. Unlike Harrison’s direct involvement with Dark Horse, Starr maintained a more hands-off role; management was handled by Barry Anthony.
Ring O' secured a long-term contract with saxophonist Bobby Keys, whose debut single "Gimmie the Key" was released in August 1975. Starr sought to bring on board his friend Harry Nilsson, but Nilsson opted to renew his contract with RCA Records. Subsequent singles included works by Australian singer-songwriter Carl Groszmann and a reggae-infused rendition of "Away in a Manger" by "Colonel" Doug Bogie. Despite efforts, other acts such as Graham Bonnet, Stormer, Johnny Warman, and Suzanne did not achieve commercial traction on the label.
From 1975 through 1978, Ring O' signed eleven different artists and issued fifteen singles along with five albums. By the late 1970s, as Starr’s solo success waned, frustrations mounted over Polydor’s perceived lack of promotional effort. A Polydor executive allegedly criticized Starr for treating the label "like a toy." Following the expiration of Starr’s Polydor contract in August 1978, Ring O' briefly operated under the name Able Label Productions before shutting down that December. Among its final releases were Rab Noakes’ single "Restless" and a novelty track by Dirk & Stig of the Rutles, titled "Ging Gang Goolie." Former NME journalist Bob Woffinden later described Ring O' Records as aptly named but poorly managed, acknowledging its well-meaning intentions yet risky business approach.
Sources
- Badman, Keith. The Beatles Diary Volume 2: Post Break-Up 1970–2001. Omnibus Press, London, 2001. ISBN 978-0-7119-8307-6
- Castleman, Harry; Podrazik, Walter J. All Together Now: The Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975. Ballantine Books, New York, NY, 1976. ISBN 0-345-25680-8
- Clayson, Alan. Ringo Starr. Sanctuary, London, 2003. ISBN 1-86074-488-5
- Doggett, Peter. You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles Following the Breakup. It Books, New York, NY, 2011. ISBN 978-0-06-177418-8
- Harry, Bill. The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia. Virgin Books, London, 2004. ISBN 978-0-7535-0843-5
- Madinger, Chip; Easter, Mark. Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium. 44.1 Productions, Chesterfield, MO, 2000. ISBN 0-615-11724-4
- Rodriguez, Robert. Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980. Backbeat Books, Milwaukee, WI, 2010. ISBN 978-1-4165-9093-4
- Schaffner, Nicholas. The Beatles Forever. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 1978. ISBN 0-07-055087-5
- Woffinden, Bob. The Beatles Apart. Proteus, London, 1981. ISBN 0-906071-89-5