Ringo Starr has announced the upcoming release of the four-track EP Change The World. Now available to pre-order, it will be released by UMe on September 24.
The quartet of songs were recorded at Ringo’s Roccabella West studio, where he also cut his Zoom In EP, released in March. The new EP embraces a wide range of styles including pop, country, reggae, and rock’n’roll, and sees him working with both frequent and new collaborators.
The former Beatle delivered the news of the new release today on talkshoplive, appearing on their Rock ’N’ Roll Channel to give fans the earliest chance to pre-order the new EP. Watch the appearance here. Change The World will be available digitally and on CD and cassette on September 24, with a 10” vinyl edition following on November 19.
“I’ve been saying I only want to release EPs at this point and this is the next one,” says the indefatigable Starr, who turned 81 in July. “What a blessing it’s been during this year to have a studio here at home and be able to collaborate with so many great musicians, some I’ve worked with before and some new friends.”
The lead single from the EP is the characteristically optimistic “Let’s Change The World,” written by Joseph Williams and Steve Lukather. Both musicians play on the track with backing vocals by Amy Keys, Zelma Davis, Billy Valentine, and Darryl Phinnessee.
“Just That Way,” written and performed by Ringo with longtime engineer Bruce Sugar, echoes the reggae vibe of “Waiting for the Tides to Turn” from Zoom In. Tony Chen again plays guitar, with Fully Fullwood on bass and Ed Roth on Hammond B3, and Zelma and Zho Davis on backing vocals.
“Coming Undone” is Ringo’s first collaboration with esteemed and hugely successful songwriter Linda Perry. She wrote and plays on the country-tinged track along with Trombone Shorty. The EP concludes with a spirited version of Bill Haley and his Comets’ rock’n’roll cornerstone “Rock Around The Clock,” which features his good friend Joe Walsh on guitar. Nathan East plays upright bass, Bruce Sugar is on piano, and backing vocals are by Amy Keys and Windy Wagner.
Pre-order the Change The World EP, which is released on September 24.