Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr recounts unfortunate Manila experience

Romar Fernando

July 6, 2020

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  Photo Credit: Louder

  Sir Richard Starkey MBE or commonly known as “Ringo Starr” celebrates his 80th birthday on July 7 and recounts the journey of the Beatles including the incident happened here in the Philippines.

  The Philippine Daily Inquirer has traced back the incident happened in a piece dated November 3, 2018. “Claiming to be incensed at the way the Fab Four had ‘offended’ the sensibilities of the First Family, particularly Imelda Marcos and her children, when they allegedly snubbed an invitation to join the Marcoses and their friends at a get-together in Malacañang, ‘concerned citizens’ lined up all along the exit route of the world-famous band and inflicted physical punishment on them. The Beatles were kicked, pummeled, pushed, abused and cursed, chased to their plane seats and given indelible memories of Filipino hospitality.”

  Starr described it as hell. “We didn’t understand it. We came with 25 outriders getting us to the hotel. I was sharing a room with John (Lennon). We put the TV on in the morning and it was like, what the hell’s going on? They didn’t like us. They showed pictures of all the children. Someone with the TV camera going past these kids being miserable because we didn’t turn up.”

  “And we’ve told them. We are not turning up. Anyway, we left back to the airport with one motorbike and we did get pushed around. But we got on the plane and were off to the next round. We were young lads. We came, we played. That’s all we’re there for. There was a hassle. Though it didn’t mean we didn’t still love the people in the Philippines. It was just a couple of them we didn’t love (laughs). So that’s my story.” He added.

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