Because I critise Paul McCartney it does not mean that I hate him. I had always liked (and have got) the music of each and every one of them even a soft spot for Ringo, but it seems to me sometimes that he wasn't as working class as he made out to be, John too to a certain extent. They certainly would have not have started out on the instruments they had in the early days especially in 50/60's working class Liverpool unless they had a bob or two. Both attended the same art school with Mick Jagger, Keith Richard etc. so all pretty affluent compared to a lot of working class. Ringo was the closest to being genuinely working class.

Of course I want him to go on for a long long time yet as I would Eric Clapton, Stevie Winwood, even the peacock Jagger. Perhaps his agreeing to appear on the tacky X Factor might have been to get closer to younger people starting out but his influence or support might be better at an event where young diverse talents are trying to be successful in their own right without the involvement of Simon Cowell (don't get me started on that one).