POP/ROCK - July 27, 1989

Drum De-Dum-Dum: Former Beatle Ringo Starr has succeeded in blocking the release of an album he feels is of inferior quality. A Superior Court judge in Atlanta put the album, which was due out this week, on hold for 30 days while Starr’s lawyers and a Memphis producer try to settle the issue. Starr doesn’t like his drum performances and wants to redub them before the album comes out. His lawyers accuse producer Chips Moman of trying to release the album on an “unheard-of label” to take advantage of Starr’s concert tour, which began earlier this month and is his first U.S. tour in more than a decade. Moman acknowledged that the label is new and operates out of his lawyer’s offices, but said he wants to get the album out before Starr puts out a live recording from the new tour.