Vinyl plays nicely (play-graded). Gate-fold cover looks great; a few creases near edges, very-light scuffing (front/back/inner-gate), surface impressions on front. Inner-sleeve is original (lyrics/credits/photos), with seams split near center. Spine is easy-to-read, with mild wear. Minor shelf-wear along top/bottom-edges, especially near center along bottom-edge. Wear to corners. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. (Not a cut-out.)
Ringo's Rotogravure, by Ringo Starr, was Starr's last album to feature active involvement from all four former Beatles before John Lennon's death in 1980. Following the end of his contract with EMI, Starr signed on with Polydor Records worldwide (Atlantic Records handling US distribution). Starr again stuck to his proven formula of having friends write songs and perform on the recordings. This time, Eric Clapton took part, in addition to his old friend Harry Nilsson, and Peter Frampton, Melissa Manchester, Dr. John, and former Beatles John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Sessions began in April at Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, and eventually moved on June 12 to Cherokee Recording Studios. Starr was joined at this session by Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono, recording the Lennon-penned Cookin' (In the Kitchen of Love). Lennon played the piano lines that are heard at the beginning of the song, in what was his only known studio recording during his five years of musical retreat that he kept until 1980. McCartney, while on break from his Wings Over America tour with Wings, made the backing track to Pure Gold along with his wife Linda McCartney, which McCartney got Starr to sing over, on June 19. Harrison donated a song too, but because of his commitments to get his album Thirty Three & 1/3 (1976) done on schedule, he was unable to partake in any recording for Ringo's Rotogravure. Harrison's contribution was a song previously known as When Every Song Is Sung, which he had attempted to record first with Ronnie Spector in 1971, then with Cilla Black (on which Starr also played), and later still with Leon Russell's wife Mary. Eric Clapton played guitar on the track This Be Called a Song. Several unreleased tracks were recorded during the sessions: Where Are You Going, All Right, It's Hard to Be Lovers and a track Starr co-wrote with Nilsson, Party.