Ringo Starr interviewed by Bob Roth about the David Lynch Foundation (2014)
Ringo Starr Honored With 'Lifetime of Peace and Love Award'
David Lynch and an all-star band paid tribute to the musician in Los Angeles at the El Rey Theatre on January 20, 2014 in Los Angeles, California
For his 68th birthday last night, director David Lynch threw a party for Ringo Starr. More precisely, the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace gave Starr the not-made-up-at-all "Lifetime of Peace and Love Award." Which meant that Lynch's foundation wanted to honor the peace-loving Starr as a pioneer of Transcendental Meditation and promote the teaching of meditation to school children and military veterans.
Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono sent videos in which they declared their Ringo-love, while Lynch gave a short speech that began "In all the galaxies of peace and love, Ringo is a giant star" and ended with "Hurray for Ringo!" Starr took the stage and discussed his own history with transcendental meditation. "He was so full of joy," Starr said of the Maharishi, "I said, 'I want some of that.'"
Where also present at this ceremony: Ringo's wife Barabara Bach, Joe Walsh, Ben Harper, Ben Folds, Don Was, Peter Frampton, Steve Lukather, Bettye LaVette, Edgar Winter, Christofer Drew, Sheila E and Jim Carrey.
Bob Roth interviews Ringo Starr
In this video Ringo talks about the Beatles experience first meeting Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and learning the Transcendental Meditation technique. He goes on to discuss David Lynch and his support of bringing Transcendental Meditation into schools.
Text of the video:
Bob Roth: The thing that I find interesting in listening to all your interviews is people talking about the impact that your music has had on so many people but the fact is I mean I've been meditating since 1969.
Ringo Starr: This morning? Yeah? Okay good! [Laugh]
Bob Roth: I have been teaching it for almost forty years, head up the foundation, but that thing well the music is had such an impact, the fact is Ringo, you guys going in (and) meeting Maharishi and then talking about it actually now, millions of people are accessing that field of peace and love within.
Actually now, millions of people are accessing that field of peace and love within
Ringo Starr: Yeah!
Bob Roth: And that has transformed lives. I don't know differently than the beautiful music.
Ringo : Sure!
Bob Roth: And I think this a band where you're being honored for lifetime with peace and love is very significant. I mean, just by setting it up, millions for people meditating. It's a schools, it in business, it is everywhere, it's mainstream and you went in 1967 met maharishi and started the whole thing.
Ringo Starr: Yeah! Well the meeting of Maharishi is what started it. And, the other part of the story was John and George going to a seminar of his in the Hilton in London, and coming back and leaving me a message to say: "We met this man". Didn't even say who he was. "We met this man. We're going to Wales, you got to come". Okay, so, and we went.
And when I first met him, it was in a room 'cause it was in a university, so it was like in dorm, you know in a dormitory. We were all living! And ah, it was, it's one of those mind-altering moments of your life, because the man was so full of joy, you know, and happiness and it just blew me away!
You know on my best day I never felt like he looked. It was so far out. He was so... I just thought "I want some of that!" You know what I mean? That was the best thing that could happen.Bob Roth:Where were you before that?
Ringo Starr: Well, I never meditated in my life.
Bob Roth: But even just your head.
Ringo Starr: My head was a bit... In 66, 67, mainly 67 was a bit confused. A lot of things were going on, and anyway, he was one of the people who helped me out of that. Just not that he said "Here, I'm helping you out", he was helping everybody, but he seriously helped me.
Bob Roth: Okay let's fast-forward. So we fast forward to this event for you’re receiving the lifetime of peace and love award.
Ringo Starr: Yeah, how great is that! I mean, you know, I was asked "would you receive?". What do you mean "would I?", "honored to receive!" You know, it's great!
Bob Roth: And what is it, you know, you've come to know David, or your sense of David and his work?
Ringo Starr: Well the sense of David in his work is brilliant. I mean he's doing a lot more than I am, and you and, you know, the Foundation. I mean that's what he's working for. Ah, you know I mean the big one for me of course is to bring in the meditation into schools. And you know he was telling me that they know from the heads of schools that the violence has gone down. How far out is that! You know?
Bob Roth: Particularly when kids are taking guns into school.
Ringo Starr: I know! Well you know it's in, like, hard schools it mainly goes in. That is incredible. You have to support him for that!
The big one for me of course is to bring in meditation into schools. And you know he was telling me that they know from the heads of schools that the violence has gone down. How far out is that!
For more information on the David Lynch Foundation please visit http://davidlynchfoundation.org
For information on the Transcendental Meditation technique or to contact your local teacher please visit http://tm.org
- Ringo Starr,Peter Frampton and Steve Lukather (pictures)
- Jim Carrey and David Lynch (pictures)