Ringo Starr And Paul McCartney Upset Over The Decline In Live Music Venues

    "I don't understand it, OK, don't get me started," Ringo Starr told BuzzFeed while promoting the new Beatles documentary.

    Kimberley Dadds
    by Kimberley Dadds

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Last week it was announced that iconic London club Fabric is to become the latest music venue in the capital to be shut down permanently.

    Carl Court / Getty Images

    In fact, over the last few years, London has seen a huge decline in venues across the city.

    London mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement following the announcement of Fabric having its licence revoked: "Over the past eight years, London has lost 50% of its nightclubs and 40% of its live music venues. This decline must stop if London is to retain its status as a 24-hour city with a world-class nightlife."

    Fabric's licence was revoked after the drug-related deaths of two men this summer. But it's not the only venue to shut its doors over recent times, for example Madame Jojo's, the Astoria and the Buffalo Bar have all shut their doors. And it's also not something just affecting London. Music venues across the whole of the UK have closed or are under threat.

    And music icons Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are pretty sad about it.

    MPL Communications/Charlie Gray

    The Beatles legends spoke to BuzzFeed at the iconic Abbey Road Studios while promoting their new documentary The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years this week. When they were asked about the demise in venues, they expressed their sadness at it continuing to happen and branded it "a pity".

    Starr, who started touring with the Beatles in small venues like the Cavern Club in Liverpool back in the 1960s, told BuzzFeed: "There's a lot less places to play, it's just how it is. It's a pity, because new bands need new places, they need a venue to play, and they're getting closed down."

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    He added: "And the other side of that coin is that well-known bands are giving new bands a break, but they have to pay them to go on stage... I don't understand it, OK, don't get me started! I mean, yeah, give us a break."

    McCartney added: "Can you believe that? You have to pay to support some of the big bands."

    Starr concluded: "Anyway, about the venues, what can we do? You know, they're closing down."

    BuzzFeed

    The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years is out on 15 September.