Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band: The Anthology So Far [Import, Box set]

David Fishof put together the All Star Band idea over a decade ago now and the concept has been a massive success. This triple set is essentially the 3 Live albums that have been previously released and a few bonus tracks thrown in for good measure. The quality of the recording is first class and the presentation great (especially when you look at the price) with a very nice booklet that actually gives some good details about the band and concept. What ever is said about Ringos musical efforts he has still come up with some of the best Beatle solo efforts (listen to Ringo (1973), Stop & Smell The Roses (1981), Time Takes Time (1992), Vertical Man (1998) and VH1 Storytellers (1998)). When you listen to Ringo Live there is no doubt that of all the Beatles he enjoys the music more than any of them and it shows when you listen to this CD set. Of course this album isn't just Ringo, it's stuffed with classic artists such as Joe Walsh (Eagles), Eric Carmen (All by himself) and Dr. John to name but a few. If you haven't had the chance to see one of these shows in the flesh then treat yourself to this set, you won't find a better value for money album than this anywhere.

I've seen four of the six incarnations of Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band, and every performance has been energetic and memorable. This anthology effectively captures the spirit of those tours with a lot of great classic rock performances. You can tell the bands get really fired up to play the old songs that Ringo used to drum and sing with his pre-All-Starrs, guys named John, Paul, and George, as "Boys" and "I Wanna Be Your Man" really rock. "With A Little Help From My Friends" is the touching, beautifully performed closing number and is the symbol of everything Ringo Starr stands for, from being the Beatle that all the Beatles got along with through even the hard times to the guy that brings rock and roll veterans together to entertain new generations of fans. Other great performances include "The Weight" with Levon Helm, B.T.O. songs by Randy Bachman, great Cream jams with Jack Bruce, excellent work by Peter Frampton who has always been known as a great live player, "Whiter Shade of Pale" with Procul Harum's Gary Brooker, and great vocal performances on "Shooting Star" and "All Right Now" by Free and Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke, plus, of course, Ringo's "It Don't Come Easy," "The No-No Song," and "Photograph." This is an excellent compilation from one of rock's most under-appreciated greats, the one and only Billy Shears.

Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Bands

First All-Starr Band
1989

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Joe Walsh - guitar, piano, talkbox, vocals
Nils Lofgren - guitar, accordion, vocals
Dr. John - keyboards, vocals
Billy Preston - keyboards, vocals
Rick Danko - bass, vocals
Levon Helm - drums, vocals
Jim Keltner - drums
Clarence Clemons - saxophone, tambourine, vocals

Second All-Starr Band
1992

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Joe Walsh - guitar, keyboards, talk box, vocals
Nils Lofgren - guitar, vocals
Todd Rundgren - guitar, drums, vocals
Dave Edmunds - guitar, vocals
Burton Cummings - keyboards, guitar, tambourine, harmonica, vocals
Timothy B. Schmit - bass, guitar, vocals
Zak Starkey - drums
Timmy Cappello - saxophone, percussion, vocals

Third All-Starr Band
1995

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Randy Bachman - guitar, vocals
Mark Farner - guitar, harmonica, vocals
Billy Preston - keyboards, vocals
Felix Cavaliere - keyboards, vocals
John Entwistle - bass, vocals
Zak Starkey - drums
Mark Rivera - saxophone, guitar, vocals

Fourth All-Starr Band
1997 - 1998

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Peter Frampton - guitar, talk box, vocals
Gary Brooker - keyboards, vocals
Jack Bruce - bass, guitar, vocals
Simon Kirke - drums, vocals
Mark Rivera - saxophone, guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocals
Scott Gordon - harmonica (1998)

Fifth All-Starr Band
1999

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Todd Rundgren - guitar, drums, vocals
Gary Brooker - keyboards, vocals
Jack Bruce - bass, keyboards, vocals
Simon Kirke - drums, vocals
Timmy Cappello - saxophone, keyboards, harmonica, guitar, vocals

Sixth All-Starr Band
2000

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Dave Edmunds - guitar, vocals
Eric Carmen - keyboards, guitar, vocals
Jack Bruce - bass, keyboards, vocals
Simon Kirke - drums, vocals
Mark Rivera - saxophone, harmonica, vocals

Seventh All-Starr Band
2001

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Roger Hodgson (Supertramp) - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Ian Hunter - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Howard Jones - keyboards, vocals
Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) - bass, guitar, vocals
Sheila E. - drums, vocals
Mark Rivera - saxophone, guitar, harmonica, vocals

Eighth All-Starr Band
2003

Ringo Starr - drums, keyboards, vocals
Colin Hay - guitar, vocals
Paul Carrack - keyboards, vocals
John Waite - bass, vocals
Sheila E. - drums, vocals
Mark Rivera - saxophone, flute, bass, vocals

Ninth All-Starr Band
2006

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Billy Squier - guitar, vocals
Richard Marx - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Edgar Winter - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
Rod Argent - keyboards, vocals
Sheila E. - drums, vocals
Hamish Stuart - bass, vocals

Tenth All-Starr Band
2008

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Billy Squier - guitar, bass, vocals
Colin Hay - guitar, vocals
Edgar Winter - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
Gary Wright - keyboards, vocals
Hamish Stuart - bass, guitar, vocals
Gregg Bissonette - drums, vocals

Eleventh All-Starr Band
2010-11

Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Wally Palmar - guitar, harmonica, vocals
Rick Derringer - guitar, vocals
Edgar Winter - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
Gary Wright - keyboards, vocals
Richard Page - bass, vocals
Gregg Bissonette - drums, vocals