Those annoying fans...

[phee]

http://www.comcast.net/articles/music/2008...?cvqh=ITN_ringo

[Homicidalheathen]

what an ass. He was never talented enough to NOT appreciate his fans.

[freydis]

idiot.

[Destroit]

In a way I don't blame him, but he could have gone about it differently. Maybe saying "If you send fan mail or autograph requests, please know that it may take quite awhile for me to get back to you, as I am busy". It is in bad form a little bit to just refuse all fan mail, but who here could imagine being a celebrity like that and having to spend hours upon hours of your day reading all that stuff and signing it? I'm sorry, he's a person not a God, it's a bit much to ask someone to just spend their entire existance sitting around reading letters from people he doesn't know. He's probably swamped with fan mail on a constant, and being 68 years old, maybe he may want to actually enjoy his old age and his money?

Like I said, I don't blame him, but he could have gone about it differently and said that he would still handle fan mail, yet would not do it as often as before.

[freydis]

In a way I don't blame him, but he could have gone about it differently. Maybe saying "If you send fan mail or autograph requests, please know that it may take quite awhile for me to get back to you, as I am busy". It is in bad form a little bit to just refuse all fan mail, but who here could imagine being a celebrity like that and having to spend hours upon hours of your day reading all that stuff and signing it? I'm sorry, he's a person not a God, it's a bit much to ask someone to just spend their entire existance sitting around reading letters from people he doesn't know. He's probably swamped with fan mail on a constant, and being 68 years old, maybe he may want to actually enjoy his old age and his money?

Like I said, I don't blame him, but he could have gone about it differently and said that he would still handle fan mail, yet would not do it as often as before.

Most celebs have people who handle their mail. Often, they have pre-made form letters and stuff, and have only had to sign *one* copy.

Sometimes, most fan-mail will go unanswered.

Most of them arent dickish enough to actually make a huge announcement that theyre not going to sign anything. They just dont, and let the people with common sense realise that its going to be nearly impossible to get a signature on something unless youre at a convention or whatnot.

[Homicidalheathen]

yah i mean if he is so great why isnt his club president answering his mail with one of those phony one size fits all letters?

[Simon Bar Sinister]

How many of these "fans" turn around and $ell these autographed items on eBay?

Fuck them - he's a Beatle, he can do whatever he wants.

[savageminstrel]

Q: What do you call a guy who hangs out with musicians???

A: A drummer

*disclaimer* apologizing to my drummer friends in advance....lol

[phee]

Q: What do you call a guy who hangs out with musicians???

A: A drummer

*disclaimer* apologizing to my drummer friends in advance....lol

Meh... drummers... good for sampling but I prefer my MACHINES

[Davo]

Q: What do you call a guy who hangs out with musicians???

A: A drummer

*disclaimer* apologizing to my drummer friends in advance....lol

heheheh...funny joke :-)

Meh... drummers... good for sampling but I prefer my MACHINES

well, Imperative Reaction had a live drummer, and it was great. Adds a whole new dimension to the show (and you HAVE TO be good to play to a click track like that) ..not to mention KMFDM, et al...

personally, i'm getting a little tired of shows with a singer and 1 keyboard player who isn't even playing the melody or even the bass lines. gets old watching a guy play a noise sample every 30 seconds...

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

oh the days of musicians. I miss them.

[Rev.Reverence]

Meh... drummers... good for sampling but I prefer my MACHINES

.....'cause they never chang it up "for fun"...& never skip a beat...& ALWAYS..ALWAYS..ALWAYS IN TIME..

[Rev.Reverence]

..you know, I understand it...he has been answering mail PERSONALLY for longer than MOST musicians have even been asked for their autographs...

..& while I see that he COULD have went about it a different way...he chose not to..it was probably very hard to do..but I appreciate the personal touch.

...& I bet his REALLY HARDCORE fans do as well...

[sinmantyx]

I think of it this way: Most musicians/artist/what-have-you would simply start throwing shit away. Ringo warned everyone and set a very specific date. So - he gave all of his fans a last chance to send him stuff before he called it quits.

The man has the right to retire. The man is almost 70 for fucks sake. He's being a lot nicer - by being straight forward - than he would if he just began to ignore his fans with no explanation or warning.

[pheramoans]

Ringo Starr is like the Peter Kriss of the Beatles. Yeah, we know you're in a great band and all..but you are STILL the douche nozzle of the group.

[Rev.Reverence]

Ringo Starr is like the Peter Kriss of the Beatles. Yeah, we know you're in a great band and all..but you are STILL the douche nozzle of the group.

???

The Beatles would not have been the same without him...don't you know DRUMS LEAD THE BAND...

..he got the job because he FUCKIN' ROX!

...& he can sing & play...look into it kiddz...it is the rare combo in a band...

...(I know it is a Goth bord)...but damn...did you never hear of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band?

Starr was accompanied by Dr. John, Joe Walsh, Billy Preston, The Band's Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and Rick Danko, Nils Lofgren, Clarence Clemons and renowned session drummer Jim Keltner.

...& that was the first tour.

[Der Nister]

Starr was accompanied by Dr. John, Joe Walsh, Billy Preston, The Band's Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and Rick Danko, Nils Lofgren, Clarence Clemons and renowned session drummer Jim Keltner.

It seems the least talented members of a band have to surround themselves with someone more famous to sell concert tickets/records. I'm not impressed with who joins him onstage or the studio.

I also think he's being a total prick about it, have you heard McCartney bitch about fan mail? And IMO - Paul's the only one left that has talent - he (along with Lennon) made Ringo famous, not the other way around. He should be happy that anyone still thinks of him these days.

Show some appreciation Mr. Ringo.

Shit, look at Dave Grohl - if any drummer has talent it would be a guy like Dave and from what I've seen over the years, Mr. Grohl isn't acting like a jerk off to his fans.

[pomba gira]

How many of these "fans" turn around and $ell these autographed items on eBay?

Fuck them - he's a Beatle, he can do whatever he wants.

As I read the story, that is exactly what his beef is. He was trying to provide a service for his fans, only to have it taken advantage of by people out to make a quick buck. Can't really say I blame him. And I agree with Rev. & sinmantyx- he didn't have to give a warning and cut-off date. He could've just started pitching stuff with no reply or anything. Credit where credit's due.