 <unk> Starr identified his initial inspiration for " Back Off <unk> " as having come from Marc <unk> , the singer and guitarist with English <unk> rock band T. Rex . In a 2001 interview with <unk> editor Paul Du <unk> , Starr described <unk> as " a dear friend who used to come into the office when I was running Apple Movies , a big office in town , and the hang @-@ out for myself , Harry Nilsson and Keith Moon " . Over dinner one evening at Starr 's home outside London , <unk> had used the word " <unk> " so often that it stuck in Starr 's mind , after which the beat and melody for the song came to him overnight . When discussing the composition on VH1 <unk> in May 1998 , Starr explained : " [ <unk> ] was an <unk> guy . He used to speak : ' Back off <unk> ... <unk> you , <unk> . ' ' Do you want some potatoes ? ' ' <unk> you , <unk> ! ' " Starr also recalled having to take the batteries out of his children 's toys that night , in order to power a tape recorder and make a recording of the new song . 
