By 1998, Ringo Starr had learned what all veteran rockers eventually figure out: your career will have ups and downs, but that when the time is right, you'll be embraced in deference to your past achievements. The Beatles’ Anthology project had reminded the world of the band’s achievements and put the surviving members back in the spotlight. In the interim, Ringo had discovered that he was best appreciated as part of something bigger than himself, so his “All Starr” bands became his ticket to ride. As with many of his other albums, Vertical Man is loaded with guests, both old school (Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Joe Walsh, Tom Petty) and younger upstarts (Alanis Morissette, Scott Weiland). The cover of Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away” is the type of track Ringo’s best known for, singing an old favorite like a beloved family member. Ringo also wrote many songs here with producer Mark Hudson, Dean Grakal, and Steve Dudas, including the album highlights “One,” “King of Broken Hearts,” and “I’ll Be Fine Anywhere.” The latter two also feature Harrison on slide guitar.