Ringo’s new album comes on digital wristband.

OK OK most Beatle fans have gotten the hang of the idea of downloading their music, Ringo, why must you confuse us?  Now, we are getting our albums tied in with direct merchandise.  It’s kind of cool, but I don’t know if I’d want to wear my album as a bracelet. 

I know the White Stripes have released a collector’s camera, and USB thumbrive as an album.  The thumbdrive idea I like, because it is collectable, but it is also useful if you want to actually use it as a storage device.  I’m not so sure how I feel about a wearable album in the form of a bracelet.  

The collector in me will probably go out and but it, but I don’t think I’d even open it.  It’s kitschy, and cute as a one-off thing, but I hope this isn’t the major trend.  I’m still a huge fan of something tangible that you can pop into a player, and read the liner notes to as you listen.  Call me old fashioned.

What’s next, Paul’s next album built into a coffee bean grinder?  How’s that for lo-fidelity.   

Here’s what we’ve read.

The Beatle who earned his famous nickname by covering his fingers with rings is now making news with a bracelet.

“Liverpool 8,” the new Capitol/EMI album from Ringo Starr, is being released Jan. 15 as a CD, a digital download and also as a “pre-loaded USB wristband” – basically a memory stick with enough plastic attached to wrap around a wrist – that includes all 12 tracks and a slew of extras, including “a personal video message, interview and track commentary from Ringo Starr, behind-the-scenes making-of footage from the recording sessions, ring tones, photos and more.”

There are more details at www.ringostarr.com, but this already opens a new world of albums-as-accessories. How soon can we buy “Blackout” by Britney Spears in the ankle-monitor format? And how great would it be to work toward the weekend by wearing Loverboy’s greatest hits in your headband?

Source: Daily Mail

Here’s the official press release from Ringo’s website.

Album Launch Includes Digital Single Release, Concert Event in Liverpool, National TV Appearances and Major Promotions with AARP, Amazon.com, NPR’s “World Café,” Pinger, QuickTime, U.S. Airways, VH1Classic.com and Others

Ringo Starr’s new studio album, Liverpool 8, his first new album with Capitol/EMI since 1974’s Goodnight Vienna, will be released on CD, USB wristband and digitally on January 15 (January 14 internationally). Liverpool 8’s launch is already underway, with a digital single released this month and high-profile events and promotions scheduled through January, including a concert event in Liverpool, national television and radio network interviews and performances, and major promotions with AARP, Amazon.com, Pinger, Quicktime, U.S. Airways, VH1Classic.com and others.

In addition to being released on CD and digitally, Liverpool 8 will be available as a pre-loaded USB wristband including the entire album, a personal video message, interview and track commentary from Ringo Starr, behind-the-scenes making-of footage from the recording sessions, ringtunes, photos and more.

Liverpool 8’s title track is now available as a digital single from all major digital service providers. TIME magazine’s December 24 issue features an interview with Ringo, and Pinger has launched an ongoing Ringo Starr Pingercast(sm) campaign, featuring Ringo’s own personal greetings sent directly to fans’ cell phones. Visit Ringo’s official Website or his MySpace page to register for his free custom Pingercast messages.

In January, Amazon.com will exclusively premiere the “Liverpool 8” music video, and QuickTime will feature an exclusive 12-day “Countdown To Liverpool” series beginning January 4, with Ringo interview clips and a new track from Liverpool 8 each day, leading to the album’s release . U.S. Airways will showcase Ringo and Liverpool 8 with in-flight audio, video and magazine features on all of the airline’s domestic and international flights, AARP will debut its new online video series, “AARP Sessions,” with an exclusive Ringo interview, and VH1Classic.com will premiere Liverpool 8 with “The Leak,” an exclusive full-length stream of the album one week prior to its release.

Ringo Starr will return to Liverpool for a hometown performance on January 12 with his Liverpool 8 co-producer, Dave Stewart, to commence the city’s 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations. Following that week’s international promotion, Ringo will travel to New York and Los Angeles for several national TV and radio performances and interviews, including ABC’s “LIVE with Regis & Kelly,” A&E’s “Private Sessions,” CBS’ “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” National Public Radio’s “World Café,” and VH1 Classic’s new interview series, “Inside Track.” VH1 Classic will also air Ringo’s “VH1 Storytellers” special several times around Liverpool 8’s release. Liverpool 8’s 12 original tracks were all co-written by Ringo and were recorded in England and in California. “The writing of the records is always the same,” Ringo explains. “It’s the same group of guys and we all sit together and write about what’s happening.” That “group of guys” who joined Ringo on the album’s songwriting and recording are (in alphabetical order): Gary Burr, Steve Dudas, Mark Hudson, Sean Hurley, Zac Rae, and Dave Stewart.

Since beginning his career in the 1960s with The Beatles, Ringo Starr has been one of the world’s brightest musical luminaries. He has enjoyed a successful and dynamic solo career as a singer, songwriter and drummer, an active musical collaborator, and as an actor. Drawing inspiration from classic blues, soul, country, honky-tonk and rock ‘n’ roll, Ringo continues to play an important role in modern music with his solo recording and touring. His last studio album, Choose Love, was released in 2005.

Ringo has said that as time goes on there is more and more of his personality in his music, and the songs on Liverpool 8 feel personal. His candor, wit and soul are evident in the lyrics and the heartbeat of every song; I always followed my heart and I never missed a beat. Peace and love are Ringo Starr’s primary life beats, and Liverpool 8 propels this universal message in each of its evocative songs, which are imbued with joy, insight, reflection and wisdom from the music icon the world knows and loves simply as ‘Ringo.’

Ringo Starr: Liverpool 8
(CD, USB Wristband & Digital Album)
1. Liverpool 8
2. Think About You
3. For Love
4. Now That She’s Gone Away
5. Gone Are The Days
6. Give It A Try
7. Tuff Love
8. Harry’s Song
9. Pasodobles
10. If It’s Love That You Want
11. Love Is
12. R U Ready?