The Fab Four’s former drummer – not foreseeing the current Beatles onslaught – made plans last fall to take this summer off rather than tour with his All-Starr Band, according to tour producer David Fishof.

“Originally Ringo wasn’t going to tour. He was going to take this year off, but everyone kept calling; everyone wanted him to do it,” Fishof told Pollstar.

“The whole Beatles phenomenon has been tremendous. Now’s the time and the fans want to see them.”

So Fishof went about gathering an eclectic group of available artists and Starr selected a final lineup that is much different from the past seven All-Starr Bands. The entire process took about 10 days from conception to announcement.

“We’ve decided it’s time to move into the ‘80s!” Fishof joked, referring to inclusion of synth wiz Howard Jones and percussionist extraordinaire Sheila E in the lineup.

Stars of the 1970s are still well-represented, including Mott the Hoople’s Ian Hunter; bassist Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake and Palmer; and former Supertramp vocalist/guitarist Roger Hodgson.

Mark Rivera, who has been a mainstay of Billy Joel’s band, will serve as musical director.

Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band will hit some 25 venues in five weeks, according to Fishof. The final itinerary will be announced shortly and is expected to launch in late July.

Each band member will be able to perform hits from their own repertoires and Starr will revive some of his and the Beatles’ classics he hasn’t performed on stage in many years. Envisioning Sheila E’s typically frenetic salsa/jazz performance bumped up against a rendition of ELP’s “Lucky Man” stretches the imagination. But Fishof and Starr are excited by the range and diversity of the 2001 All-Starr Band.

“The bottom line is, Ringo’s a Beatle and he loves all different kinds of music. His own personal music taste ranges from jazz to blues and rock – he loves to play all kinds of music. It was time to move up the era, and time to play with people from different musical eras and styles,” Fishof explained.