Ringo Starr's Beer Drinking Habits Explored

Ringo Starr, the former Beatles drummer, has had a well-documented history with alcohol. Starr was a known drinker and partied in Los Angeles with other celebrities in the 1970s and 80s. He was a member of a drinking club called the Hollywood Vampires. Starr's drinking was so severe that he would later admit to having no memory of certain events, such as playing with the Beach Boys in Washington.

Starr's drinking was not without consequences. He and his wife, Barbara Bach, were both alcoholics and cocaine users, and their marriage suffered as a result. They would spend days drinking and doing drugs, and their relationship became marred by violence and blackouts. In 1998, the couple checked into a rehab clinic in Tucson, Arizona, and have been sober ever since.

Starr's road to sobriety was not without its challenges. He initially resisted quitting, fearing that he would lose his spirit. However, he was eventually inspired to give up drinking by comedian Billy Connolly, who proved to Starr that one could quit drinking without losing their life force.

Ringo Starr's drinking problem

Ringo Starr, born Richard Starkey, was known to have a drinking problem. Starr himself admitted that he had a "blackout" when he was nine years old, and he would later become a heavy drinker as an adult. In the 1970s and 80s, Starr was said to be drinking 16 bottles of wine a day, in addition to taking pills and using cocaine.

Starr's drinking problem affected his work, with his records becoming worse as his alcohol and drug consumption increased. He also dragged his wife, Barbara Bach, into his unhealthy lifestyle, and the couple would spend days "sitting in a room and using drugs". In 1989, after a period of blackouts and violence, Starr and Bach attempted to quit their addictions and went to rehab together. They have both been sober ever since.

Starr's drinking problem also affected his first marriage to Maureen Cox, which ended in divorce in 1975 due to his repeated infidelities.

Ringo Starr's recovery from alcoholism

Ringo Starr's journey to recovery from alcoholism began in 1988 when he attended addiction treatment, and he has been sober ever since. Starr's drinking problem began in the mid-1970s, and by the mid-1980s, he was drinking a bottle of champagne before noon and consuming other substances to round off his day. He admitted to drinking 16 bottles of wine a day, and his addiction affected his music, with Starr saying, "I've got photographs of me playing all over the world but I've absolutely no memory of it."

Starr's rock-bottom moment came when he realised he was becoming violent, recalling, "I’m not a violent man, but I was getting violent. And it was just painful, waking up in the morning and starting drinking again." It was at this point that he and his wife, Barbara Bach, checked into a drying-out clinic in Tucson, Arizona. Starr has been teetotal ever since, and his recovery has spurred on other healthy routines, such as morning meditation, exercise, a vegetarian diet, and limited sugar intake.

In the years following his recovery, Starr has been open about his experiences with addiction and has become a public advocate for sobriety. He has spoken about the fear that choosing sobriety would end his artistic life, saying, "I was afraid at the beginning. [I thought] I don't know how you do anything if you're not drunk." However, he has found that his sobriety has enhanced his creativity and energy, and he formed his first All-Starr Band a year after leaving rehab. Starr has also spoken about the pressure to drink and take drugs in the music industry, particularly after performances when getting wasted felt like a "reward".

Starr's recovery has also influenced his outlook on life, and he has developed genuine spiritual beliefs, practising transcendental meditation, which he first learned on a trip to India with the Beatles in 1968. He has also reflected on the importance of friendship and support during recovery, crediting his wife, Barbara, and brother-in-law, Joe Walsh, with helping him stay sober.

Ringo Starr's drinking club, the Hollywood Vampires

Ringo Starr was a member of the Hollywood Vampires, a celebrity drinking club formed by Alice Cooper in the 1970s. The club was originally formed to stop 'groupies' from taking up tables in the alcove of the Rainbow Bar and Grill in LA without buying drinks. The group would meet in a loft space in the bar, known as 'The Lair', with the idea being to drink excessively and be the last one standing. Other principal members included Keith Moon, Micky Dolenz, and Harry Nilsson. John Lennon was also a member, although he would only visit when he was in town.

The club was formed at a time when many rock stars were living in LA, and the Rainbow Bar and Grill became a popular hangout spot for them throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The building had previously been known as the Villa Nova, a popular spot for Hollywood's biggest stars from the 1930s to the 1960s.

The Hollywood Vampires also formed a baseball team, playing against local teams and raising money for charity. They even played against a brilliant lesbian team in the SF Valley.

In 2015, Alice Cooper formed a supergroup named after the club with Johnny Depp and Joe Perry. They released their self-titled debut studio album, 'Hollywood Vampires', in 2015.

Ringo Starr's drug use

Ringo Starr's struggles with alcohol and drugs have been well-documented. The Beatles' story is inextricably linked with drugs, from their early pre-fame days on Benzedrine and Preludin, to the flower-power era of LSD, and onto harder drugs as the 1960s ended.

Ringo Starr himself has spoken about his issues with alcohol and drugs, admitting that he once drank 16 bottles of red wine per day, and that he had "got involved with a lot of different medications". He also said that he and his wife Barbara Bach "were convinced [they] were gonna die unless [they] got help".

In the mid-1980s, Starr was drinking a bottle of Mumm champagne for breakfast and refused to drive anywhere more than 40 minutes away because he couldn't bear to be without a drink for longer than that. He also took cocaine and had a history of freebasing (smoking cocaine).

Starr's issues with alcohol and drugs were so severe that he once attacked his second wife so violently that he feared he had killed her. He also admitted to trashing his house and assaulting Bach so badly that staff thought she was dead.

In 1988, Starr reached a turning point and checked himself into a rehab facility in Tucson, Arizona, along with Bach. They have both been sober ever since.

Ringo Starr's sobriety

Starr's drinking and drug use took a toll on his career and personal life. He admitted that his performances suffered, and he often had no memory of his performances due to intoxication. His first marriage to Maureen Tigrett ended in 1975, and he later acknowledged that his drinking and drug use contributed to the breakdown of their relationship.

The turning point for Starr came when he met his second wife, Barbara Bach, in 1980. Bach, who had her own struggles with alcohol and drugs, inspired Starr to seek help. In 1988, the couple attended a detox clinic in Tucson, Arizona, and received treatment for alcoholism. Starr later reflected on his addiction, saying, "Years I've lost, absolute years... I've no idea what happened. I lived in a blackout."

Starr's sobriety became a priority, and he committed to re-establishing his career. In 1989, he formed Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, marking his return to touring and performing. Since embracing sobriety, Starr has maintained a successful music career and continues to tour and release new music.

In addition to his professional endeavours, Starr prioritised his health and well-being. He adopted a strict vegetarian diet, worked out daily, and practised meditation to manage his emotions.

Starr's sobriety has allowed him to lead a healthier and more fulfilling life. He has been open about his journey, inspiring others struggling with addiction to seek help.

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