Why Ringo Starr Missed the Start of the Beatles' First World Tour in 1964 (Something ...

Few things are more exciting than getting to go on the road with your band, let alone a world tour, but in early June 1964, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr had to wait a little while longer to join in on the fun. Indeed, as exciting as embarking on a tour can be, it can be equally devastating when you find out that circumstances beyond your control will be keeping you from following through with your plans.

Beatlemania was in full swing as the Beatles set off for what would be their first world tour in early June 1964. The band began in Denmark on June 4, and from there, they traveled to the Netherlands, then-British Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, England, Sweden, and back home again to England. It was a massive trek for the Liverpudlian band, lasting from June 4 to August 16. But for the first six performances, they were notably missing a member of the Fab Four: Ringo Starr.

The morning before the Beatles left for Denmark (it’s always the morning before, right?), the drummer fainted during a photoshoot. After team members rushed him to the hospital, doctors diagnosed Starr with acute tonsillitis and pharyngitis. He had a notable fever, and other likely symptoms included a very sore throat, headache, body aches, and a cough. Not exactly the best shape for going on the road—at least, that’s what the doctors thought when they ordered him to rest. He wouldn’t be leaving with the rest of his band, and that was that.

Producer George Martin suggested the band reach out to Jimmie Nicol, a talented session drummer who had recently played on a Beatles cover album called Beatlemania. “I was having a bit of a lie down after lunch when the phone rang,” Nicol later recalled, via BeatlesBible. “It was EMI asking if I could come down to the studio to rehearse with the Beatles. Two hours after I got there, I was told to pack my bags for Denmark.”

Source: americansongwriter.com/Melanie Davis

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