View source for Old Wave

{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Old Wave
| type       = Studio [[album]]
| artist     = [[Ringo Starr]]
| cover      = Oldwave.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = {{start date|1983|6|16|df=yes}}
| recorded   = 23 July 1978<br /> February, 6–16 April, May–July 1982
| venue      =
| studio     = [[Sweet Silence Studios]], [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]];

               [[Ascot Sound Studios]], [[Berkshire, England]]   
| genre      = [[Rock music|Rock]]
| length     = {{duration|m=36|s=52}}
| label      = [[Bellaphon Records|Bellaphon]] (Germany)<br />[[RCA Records|RCA]] (Canada)
| producer   = {{flatlist|
* [[Joe Walsh]]
* [[Russ Ballard]]
}}
| prev_title = [[Stop and Smell the Roses (Ringo Starr album)|Stop and Smell the Roses]]
| prev_year  = 1981
| next_title = [[Starr Struck: Best of Ringo Starr, Vol. 2]]
| next_year  = 1989
| misc       = {{Singles
 | name        = Old Wave
 | type        = Studio [[album]]
 | single1     = [[In My Car (Ringo Starr song)|In My Car]]
 | single1date = 16 June 1983 (Germany only)
 | single2     = [[I Keep Forgettin']]
 | single2date = 1984 (Mexico only)
}}
}}
{{Album reviews
| rev1      = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name=AM>{{cite web|last=Ruhlmann |first=William |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/old-wave-mw0000108585 |title=Old Wave – Ringo Starr : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=29 September 2012}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev2Score = {{Rating|1|5}}<ref>{{cite book|first=Colin|last=Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' (5th edn)''|publisher=Omnibus Press|location=London|year=2011|isbn=978-0-85712-595-8|page=1984}}</ref>
| rev3      = ''[[The Essential Rock Discography]]''
| rev3Score = 3/10<ref>{{cite book|author=Strong, Martin C. |year=2006|title=The Essential Rock Discography|publisher=Canongate|location=Edinburgh, UK|page=1028|isbn=978-1-84195-827-9}}</ref>
| rev4      = [[MusicHound]]
| rev4Score = 2/5<ref>Gary Graff & Daniel Durchholz (eds), ''MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide'', Visible Ink Press (Farmington Hills, MI, 1999; {{ISBN|1-57859-061-2}}), p. 1083.</ref>
| rev5      = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev5Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>Brackett, Nathan, with Hoard, Christian (eds) (2004). ''The New Rolling Stone Album Guide'' (4th edn). New York, NY: Fireside. p. 777. {{ISBN|0-7432-0169-8}}.</ref>
}}
'''''Old Wave''''' is the ninth studio album by English rock musician [[Ringo Starr]]. It was originally released in June 1983, on the label [[Bellaphon Records|Bellaphon]], and is the two-year follow-up to his 1981 album ''[[Stop and Smell the Roses (Ringo Starr album)|Stop and Smell the Roses]]''. The title is a play on [[new wave music]].

== Background and recording ==
After [[Murder of John Lennon|John Lennon's murder]] in December 1980, Starr returned home to England to live at [[Tittenhurst Park]], which Starr had purchased from Lennon in 1973.<ref name=Diary /> In early 1982, Starr was eager to move on to his next solo project. Deciding that he needed more consistency this time around, he would work with only one producer, [[Joe Walsh]],<ref name=AM /> a former member of the recently disbanded [[Eagles (band)|Eagles]].<ref name=RSE128>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=128}}</ref> Walsh and Starr had known each other since the mid-1970s, having met and befriended each other in Los Angeles. Walsh immediately agreed to work with Starr and they met at Tittenhurst in February to begin writing material.<ref name=RSE260>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=260}}</ref> Recording began shortly afterwards and instrumental backing tracks for seven songs were recorded at Startling Studios,<ref name=RSE261>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=261}}</ref> after Starr had previously converted Lennon's recording studio.<ref name=RSE128 /> [[Engineering (music)|Engineering]] duties were handled by Jim Nipor.<ref name=RSE260 /> These sessions were mainly done with a team consisting of Starr on drums and percussion, Walsh on guitar and backing vocals, [[Mo Foster]] on bass and both [[Gary Brooker]] and [[Chris Stainton]] on keyboards.<ref name=RSE261 />

Sessions came to a halt when Walsh and Nipor went to California on 19 March.<ref name=RSE261 /> Sessions recommenced on 6 April<ref name=RSE128 /> for a few days until 16 April.<ref name=Diary>{{cite book|editor1=Miles, Barry |editor2=Badman, Keith |title=The Beatles Diary After the Break-Up: 1970–2001 |year=2001 |publisher=Music Sales Group |location=London |isbn=978-0-7119-8307-6 |edition=reprint}}</ref> On 15 April, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' broke the news that Starr was "in London working on a new album with Joe Walsh acting as the producer."<ref name=Diary /> Lead vocals were laid down from 19 to 23 April.<ref name=RSE261 /> Sometime in May, Starr requested permission from the Windsor and Maidenhead District Council to build a new building on his Tittenhurst Park land, which he would use for video and recording purposes.<ref name=Diary /> Sessions resumed from 31 May until 10 June; the next day, taking the masters recorded up to that point with him, Starr and his wife [[Barbara Bach]] flew from London to Los Angeles, and returned on 14 June.<ref name=Diary /> The album was finished with a third batch of sessions from 24 June into early July.<ref name=Diary />

"Everybody's in a Hurry But Me" came about from a jam session between [[the Who]] bassist [[John Entwistle]], drummer and percussionist [[Ray Cooper]] and [[Eric Clapton]].<ref name=RSE196>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=196}}</ref> "As Far as We Can Go" was originally recorded at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 23 July 1978. From that original rendition, only the vocal was used. Walsh re-recorded an entirely new track utilizing one of the latest technology synthesizers.<ref name=RSE124>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=124}}</ref>

== Release and aftermath ==
The album was originally titled ''It Beats Sleep''.<ref name=Diary /><ref name=JPGR>{{cite web|last=Calkin |first=Graham |url=http://www.jpgr.co.uk/t229675.html |title=Old Wave |publisher=Jpgr.co.uk |access-date=29 September 2012}}</ref> The portrait on the album cover was shot in a booth in northern England,<ref name=RSE260 /> taken before Starr had joined the Beatles.<ref>Jeff Lancaster quoted by Graham Calkin : http://www.jpgr.co.uk/t229675.html</ref> As Starr's [[RCA Records|RCA]] contract had been cancelled, he needed to find a new label for ''Old Wave''. Although it was just over a decade after the Beatles' dissolution, no major UK or US record company was interested in signing him. Starr would not accept that and was determined to have ''Old Wave'' released any way he could. The album was due to be released on the Boardwalk label, but never appeared, due to the death of the label's head, [[Neil Bogart]].<ref name=AM /><ref name=RSE90>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=90}}</ref> RCA Canada ended up distributing the album in June 1983 in Canada, Australia, [[New Zealand]], Japan, the [[Netherlands]], [[Mexico]], and [[Brazil]];<ref name=AM /> while in Germany, the album and lone single pulled from it, both released on 16 June,<ref name=RSE130>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=130}}</ref> appeared on [[Bellaphon Records|Bellaphon]] but used leftover Boardwalk labels.{{#tag:ref|Germany Bellaphon 260.16.029<ref name=RSE184>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=184}}</ref>|group="nb"}}<ref name=RSE184 /> The Canadian release of the album occurred on 24 June.{{#tag:ref|Canada RCA DXL 1–3233<ref name=RSE184 />|group="nb"}}<ref name=RSE130 /> However, ''Old Wave'' failed to achieve success in any of these territories, and would be Starr's last studio album until 1992's ''[[Time Takes Time]]''. Two singles were pulled from the album: one in Germany, "In My Car", backed with "As Far as We Can Go",{{#tag:ref|Germany Bellephon 100.16.012<ref name=RSE223 />|group="nb"}}<ref name=RSE223>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=223}}</ref> and the other in Mexico ("I Keep Forgettin'" b/w "She's About a Mover").

Walsh's 1987 album ''[[Got Any Gum?]]'' included a cover of "In My Car", which was released as a single and became a moderate hit. Four tracks from the album appeared on Starr's US compilation ''[[Starr Struck: Best of Ringo Starr, Vol. 2]]'' in 1989.<ref name=Diary /> The album was reissued on CD in the US by [[The Right Stuff Records|The Right Stuff]] on 22 August 1994, the same day as ''[[Stop and Smell the Roses (Ringo Starr album)|Stop and Smell the Roses]]'' (1981).{{#tag:ref|US The Right Stuff T2-29675<ref name=RSE185>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=185}}</ref>|group="nb"}}<ref name=RSE147>{{cite book|last=Harry |first=Bill |title=The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia |year=2004 |publisher=Virgin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-7535-0843-5 |page=147}}</ref> Both CD and cassette deluxe editions, included a bonus track,<ref name=RSE147 /> the original 1978 version of "As Far as We Can Go".<ref name=JPGR /> On 1 November 1994, Right Stuff re-released "In My Car", this time on yellow vinyl, with "She's About a Mover" as the B-side. A [[promotional CD]] was released in 1994 by [[Capitol Records|Capitol]], featuring three songs from both ''Old Wave'' and ''Stop and Smell the Roses''.{{#tag:ref|The ''Old Wave'' tracks were: "Be My Baby", "In My Car" and "She's About a Mover".<ref name=RSE261 />|group="nb"}}<ref name=RSE261 /> The album was rereleased on brown smoke colored vinyl for [[Record Store Day]] in 2022 along with ''[[Ringo the 4th]]''. The rerelease included  "As Far as We Can Go (Original Version)", which was not included on any previous vinyl issues.<ref>{{Citation |title=RSDBF '22 Special Release: Ringo Starr – Old Wave |url=https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/15588|access-date=2022-11-30}}</ref>

== Track listing ==
{{Track listing
| title1   = [[In My Car (Ringo Starr song)|In My Car]]
| length1  = 3:13
| writer1    = {{flatlist|
* [[Richard Starkey]]
* [[Joe Walsh]]
* [[Mo Foster]]
* [[Kim Goody]]
}}
| title2   = Hopeless
| length2  = 3:17
| writer2    = {{flatlist|
* Starkey
* Walsh}}
| title3   = Alibi
| length3  = 4:00
| writer3    = {{flatlist|
* Starkey
* Walsh}}
| title4   = Be My Baby
| length4  = 3:44
| writer4    = Walsh
| title5   = [[She's About a Mover]]
| length5  = 3:52
| writer5    = [[Doug Sahm]]
| total_length = 
}}{{Track listing
| headline = Side two
| title1   = [[I Keep Forgettin'|I Keep Forgettin{{'-}}]]
| length1  = 4:18
| writer1    = {{flatlist|
* [[Jerry Leiber]]
* [[Mike Stoller]]}}
| note1    = 
| title2   = Picture Show Life
| length2  = 4:21
| writer2    = {{flatlist|
* [[John Reid (music manager)|John Reid]]
* John Slate}}
| title3   = As Far as We Can Go
| length3  = 3:52
| writer3    = [[Russ Ballard]]
| title4   = Everybody's in a Hurry But Me
| length4  = 2:35
| writer4    = {{flatlist|
* Starkey
* Walsh
* [[John Entwistle]]
* [[Eric Clapton]]
* [[Chris Stainton]]
}}
| title5  = Going Down
| length5 = 3:34
| writer5 = {{flatlist|
* Starkey
* Walsh}}
}}
;Bonus track on the 1994 re-issue
{{Track listing
| title11   = As Far as We Can Go
| note11 = original version
| length11  = 5:33
| writer11    = Ballard
}}

== Personnel ==

Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
* [[Ringo Starr]] – lead vocals <small>(all tracks)</small>, drums <small>(1–4, 7, 9, 10)</small>, percussion <small>(1–4, 6, 7, 10)</small>, backing vocals <small>(10)</small>
* [[Joe Walsh]] – guitar <small>(all tracks)</small>, backing vocals <small>(1–8, 10)</small>, synthesizer <small>(8)</small>, harmonica <small>(10)</small>
* [[Waddy Wachtel]] – guitar <small>(7, 10)</small>, harmonica <small>(10)</small>
* [[Eric Clapton]] – guitar <small>(9)</small>
* [[Kal David]] – guitar <small>(5)</small>
* Sherwood Ball – guitar <small>(5)</small>
* [[Chris Stainton]] – keyboards <small>(1–4, 6, 7, 9, 10)</small>
* [[Gary Brooker]] – keyboards <small>(1–4, 6, 7, 10)</small>, backing vocals <small>(10)</small>
* [[Joe Vitale (musician)|Joe Vitale]] – piano <small>(8)</small>, backing vocals <small>(8)</small>
* Bruce MacPherson – Hammond organ <small>(5)</small>
* [[Mo Foster]] – bass guitar <small>(1–4, 6–8, 10)</small>, backing vocals <small>(10)</small>
* [[Freebo]] – tuba <small>(5)</small>, bass guitar <small>(5)</small>
* [[John Entwistle]] – bass guitar <small>(9)</small>
{{Col-2}}
* [[Kenny Edwards]] – bass guitar <small>(10)</small>
* [[Peter Bunetta]] – drums <small>(5)</small>
* [[Russ Kunkel]] – drums <small>(6)</small>
* [[Ray Cooper]] – percussion <small>(6, 9)</small>
* [[Sam Clayton]] – percussion <small>(5)</small>
* [[Joe Lala]] – percussion <small>(5)</small>
* Jocko Marcellino – percussion <small>(5)</small>
* David Wooford – saxophone <small>(5)</small>
* Lee Thornburg – trumpet <small>(5)</small>
* Garrett Adkins – trombone <small>(5)</small>
* Mark Easterling – backing vocals <small>(1, 7)</small>
* Steve Hess – backing vocals <small>(1, 7)</small>
* Patrick Maroshek – backing vocals <small>(1, 7)</small>
* [[Barbara Bach]] – backing vocals <small>(10)</small>
{{Col-end}}

== References ==
'''Footnotes'''
{{reflist|group="nb"}}

'''Citations'''
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Discogs master|type=album|389248|name=Old Wave}}

{{Ringo Starr}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1983 albums]]
[[Category:Ringo Starr albums]]
[[Category:RCA Records albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Joe Walsh]]