(CNN) -- Ringo Starr walks into the hotel suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel carrying a brown paper bag. 

It's his sack lunch, and he's packed it himself. He's also driven himself to the hotel and arrived alone -- no entourage, no bodyguard, no assistant, no fuss. 

It's fitting that CNN's interview with the iconic music star is taking place at an iconic hotel, which is like a second home to the former Beatle. This is where the Fab Four stayed when they first came to Hollywood in 1964, no doubt trailed by dozens of screaming girls and photographers as they ushered in the British Invasion. 

Looking at least a decade younger than his 71 years, Starr settles into the corner of a couch and talks about celebrity then vs. celebrity now -- this from the perspective of a man who has been famous for nearly 50 years. 

"I feel like it's harder now for the celebrities," he tells CNN Entertainment Correspondent Kareen Wynter. "There was no one bigger than us, and we were put upon. Then, Paul and I would go on holiday, or John and I would go on holidays, and we'd be fine. Now you can't go anywhere. The celebrity of today is so documented that I think it's a lot harder now. We had it easy. We thought it was hard, but not compared to today." 

In 2012, his star hasn't waned. It has just taken on a comfortable glow. As one of two surviving Beatles, people are treating him like a living treasure -- and these days, he and Paul McCartney seem to be treasuring each other. Starr remains touched that Macca showed up at his 70th birthday party at Radio City Music Hall. 
Where is he going?
CNN's interview