Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr, is celebrating his 83rd birthday

Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr, is celebrating his 83rd birthday.

When Ringo Starr was 23, and still drumming with the Beatles, he and his bandmates opened for a young singer named Helen Shapiro. Between sets, he’d strike up conversation with her band — and can still remember a surprising revelation from their chats.

“I was talking to the band and I said, ‘Well, how old are you?’ And the guy says, ‘I’m 40.’ ’40?! And you’re still doing it?'” Starr recalls to PEOPLE. “Little did I know! It’s far out. But that’s always stuck with me.”

“Nothing makes me feel old. In my head, I’m 27,” he says. “Wisdom’s a heavy word. [Getting older] is what happens, and you try and keep yourself busy.”

The Grammy-winning musician will be plenty busy this week as he celebrates his birthday with his annual Peace & Love event, during which Starr encourages all of his fans to send a wave of peace and love across the globe at noon, whether it’s by tossing up his signature peace sign, posting #peaceandlove on social media, or just thinking it.

To say Ringo Starr is at peace with his age is a bit of an understatement.

The former Beatle is not only literally throwing up a couple of peace signs for his 83rd birthday celebration on Friday (as is the tradition every year), he’s embracing his age with youthful exuberance.

“Nothing makes me feel old. In my head, I’m 27,” Starr told People ahead of the celebration. “Wisdom’s a heavy word. [Getting older] is what happens, and you try and keep yourself busy.”