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John Lennon: Solo career
Of the four former Beatles, Lennon had perhaps the most varied recording career, often reflecting the vicissitudes of his personality. While he was still a Beatle, Lennon and Ono recorded three albums of experimental and difficult electronic music, Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins
, Unfinished Music No. 2: Life With The Lions, and Wedding Album. His first 'solo' album of popular music was
Live Peace In Toronto, recorded in 1969 (prior to the breakup of the Beatles) at the Rock 'n' Roll Festival in Toronto with a Plastic Ono Band including
Eric Clapton and Klaus Voormann. He also recorded three singles in his initial solo phase, the anti-war anthem "Give Peace a Chance", "Cold Turkey" (about his struggles with heroin) and "Instant Karma!".
Following the Beatles' split in 1970, he released the Plastic Ono Band album, a raw, honest record, heavily influenced by Arthur Janov's Primal therapy, which Lennon had undergone previously. It remains to this day one of the most brutally personal musical works ever made by anybody. The centerpiece is "God", in which he lists all the things he does not believe in, ending with "Beatles". Lennon continued this effort to demythologise the Beatles with a long, confrontational interview published in Rolling Stone magazine.
This was followed in 1971 by Imagine, his most successful solo album, which alternates in tone between dreaminess and anger. The title track is a lovely song which has become an anthem for world harmony, and was matched in image by Lennon's "white period" (white clothes, white piano, white room ...).
Perhaps in reaction, his next album, Sometime In New York City, was loud, raucous, and explicitly political, with songs about prison riots, racial and sexual relations, the British role in the sectarian troubles in Northern Ireland, and his own problems in obtaining a United States Green Card. This record is generally seen as the nadir of Lennon's career, full of heavy-handed and simplistic messaging unredeemed by much artistic value. On 30 August 1972 Lennon and his backing Elephant's Memory Band staged two benefit concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York; it was to be his last full-length concert appearance. Lennon and Ono also did a week-long guest co-host stint on the Mike Douglas Show, in an appearance that showed that Lennon's wit and humour were still intact.
Lennon rebounded somewhat in 1973 with Mind Games, which featured a strong title tune and some vague mumblings about a concept called "Nutopia". His most striking song of that year was the wry "I'm the Greatest", which he wrote for
Ringo Starr's very successful Ringo album.
During 1974 Lennon's personal life fell into disrepair — a temporary move to Los Angeles, some drunken public escapades, and a fourteen-month split from Ono during which he had an extramarital affair with Ono's former secretary May Pang. Nevertheless he managed to put together a reasonably well-received album, Walls And Bridges, which featured a collaboration with
Elton John on the up-tempo number one hit "Whatever Gets You Through the Night". Another top ten hit from the album was the Beatlesque reverie "#9 Dream". Lennon capped the year by making a surprise guest appearance at an
Elton John concert in Madison Square Garden where they performed "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", "Whatever Gets You Through the Night", and "I Saw Her Standing There" together. It was to be his last ever concert appearance.
The following year Lennon released the Rock 'n' Roll album of cover versions of old rock and roll songs of his youth. This project was complicated by Phil Spector's involvement as producer and several legal battles; the result received generally negative reviews, though it yielded a lauded cover of "Stand By Me". At this point Lennon retired to concentrate on his family life. This was made easier in 1976 when his U.S. immigration status was finally resolved favourably, after a years-long battle started by the Nixon administration that included a politically-motivated FBI investigation.
Lennon's retirement lasted until 1980, when he and Ono produced Double Fantasy
, a concept album dealing with their relationship. "(Just Like) Starting Over" began climbing the singles charts.... He also commenced work on Milk and Honey which he left unfinished. It was some time before Ono could bring herself to complete it.
Lennon's son with Cynthia, Julian Lennon, enjoys a notable recording career of his own, as does his son with Yoko, Sean Lennon.
Throughout his solo career, Lennon appeared on his own albums (as well as those of other artists like
Elton John) under such pseudonyms as
Dr. Winston O'Boogie, Mel Torrment, and The Reverend Fred Gherkin.
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LiteratureYoko Ono: Celebrate John Lennon's Birthday Today with Peace.
Happy birthday, Mr. Lennon. Yoko Ono sends the Boing Boing community a video (link updated), embedded above, and explains a project launching this week in honor of John Lennon's birthday, the "Imagine Peace Tower" in Iceland -- a country that could use a little extra compassion this week, for sure, given the harsh effects of the economic collapse there. More on the project: On 9 Oct 2008, John Lennon?s birthday, Yoko Ono asks the people of Iceland to join her and many others across the rest of the world in praying for peace and stability. At 8pm, as IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is illuminated on the island of Viğey, she asks everyone to join together and let the power of light and prayer become a collective expression of the desire for peace and harmony on our planet. And Ms. Ono herself says, to all Boingdom: Dear Friends Please join me not only in remembering John on October 9th but also in spreading the message of peace. This is something that was so important to John - the fact that we could all work together for the positive good of our planet. He would have loved how we are all mobilizing ourselves in thought and in action. It's time for action and the action is peace! with love, yoko Yoko Ono 9 Oct 2008 More info, and how to participate: IMAGINEPEACE.COM. Below: Ms. Ono also reminds us today of John's belief that War Is Over If You Want It. UPDATE 12pm PT: Simon, who works with Ms. Ono, says: "We'll have a webcam up shortly to show the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER lighting up live at 8pm Reykjavik time (1pm LA, 4pm NY, 9pm Liverpool, 5am Tokyo)."...
Published: Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:20:19 GMT - Source: Boingboing.Net - Read the articleEuropeMick Jagger and John Lennon 'were just capitalists who wanted to get rich'
Rock and roll legends cashed in on the Swinging Sixties says historian.
Published: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:51:52 GMT - Source: Telegraph.Co.Uk - Read the articleEntertainmentTaylor-Wood 'to make Lennon film'
Photographer and video artist Sam Taylor-Wood signs up to direct a movie about the life of former Beatle John Lennon.
Published: Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:02:50 GMT - Source: News.Bbc.Co.Uk - Read the article
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