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John Lennon

John Lennon was the Beatles' most committed rock & roller, their social conscience, and their slyest verbal wit. After the group's breakup, he and his second wife, Yoko Ono, carried on intertwined solo careers. Ono's early albums presaged the elastic, screechy vocal style of late- '70s new wavers like the B-52's and Lene Lovich. L7 and Babes in Toyland have also been influenced by and benefited from Ono's attitudinal, emotionally trailblazing work. Lennon strove to break taboos and to be ruthlessly, publicly honest. When he was murdered on December 8, 1980, he and Ono seemed on the verge of a new, more optimistic phase. In the years since Lennon's death, many critics and music historians have revised their view of Ono to recognize her contributions as a pioneering woman rock musician and avant-garde artist. Like the other three Beatles, Lennon was born to a working-class family in Liverpool. His parents, Julia and Fred, separated before he was two (Lennon saw his father only twice in the next 20 years), and Lennon went to live with his mother's sister Mimi Smith; when Lennon was 17 his mother was killed by a bus. He attended Liverpool's Dovedale Primary School and later the Quarry Bank High School, which supplied the name for his first band, a skiffle group called the Quarrymen, which he started in 1955. In the summer of 1956 he met Paul McCartney, and they began writing songs together and forming groups, the last of which was the Beatles. In 1994 a tape of John and the Quarrymen performing two songs, made July 6, 1957, the day he met McCartney, came to light. Recorded by Bob Molyneux, then a member of the church's youth club, it was auctioned at Sotheby's in September 1994, fetching $122,900 from EMI. On the tape, Lennon sings "Puttin' on the Style," then a Number One hit for skiffle king Lonnie Donegan, and "Baby Let's Play House," the Arthur "Hard Rock" Gunter song that had been recorded by Elvis Presley and a line of which ("I'd rather see you dead, little girl, than to be with another man") Lennon later used in the Beatles' "Run for Your Life." Just before the Beatles' official breakup in 1970 (Lennon had wanted to quit the band earlier), Lennon began his solo career, more than half of which consisted of collaborations with Ono. During the early '60s Ono's works (many of which were conceptual pieces, some involving audience participation) were exhibited and/or performed at the Village Gate, Carnegie Recital Hall, and numerous New York galleries.

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Extended Analysis

Revolver Super Deluxe Edition (5CD)

Read "Revolver Super Deluxe Edition (5CD)" reviewed by Doug Collette


The five CDs in The Beatles' Revolver Super Deluxe Edition reaffirm a fundamental verity regarding the group's work. The Liverpudlian quartet was never more unified in its creativity than in writing, recording and producing the sixteen tracks that comprise the box in collaboration with producer George Martin, engineer Geoff Emerick and the additional musicians and technicians who participated. The curators of this set in turn have channeled the remarkably pragmatic and disciplined approach of the Beatles and company. ...

5
Extended Analysis

Let It Be - Super Deluxe Special Edition

Read "Let It Be - Super Deluxe Special Edition" reviewed by Doug Collette


It's perfectly reasonable to state that the Beatles' Let It Be Super Deluxe Special Edition is the iconic group's third attempt to release music from their (three weeks of) January 1969 recordings. Originally set to be released as an album titled Get Back Don't Let Me Down and 12 Other Songs (as emblazoned on a contemporary cover photo replicating that shot on their very first long-player from 1963), that collection morphed into Let It Be (Apple, 1970), the initial foray ...

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Multiple Reviews

John Lennon's Imagine: The Ultimate Collection & Imagine/Gimme Some Truth Films

Read "John Lennon's Imagine: The Ultimate Collection & Imagine/Gimme Some Truth Films" reviewed by John Kelman


While hardly a new idea, with so many classic artists and recordings now hitting forty and fifty-year milestones, there's been a proliferation of deluxe and super deluxe editions of major albums from the '60s and '70s in recent years. While some are better (and better value for money) than others, the market for surround sound mixes (and, as a consequence, new stereo mixes) and remasters have become a go-to approach for labels and artists looking to encourage fans to invest ...

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Recording

Taj Mahal, Me'shell Ndegeocello, Others - 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute (2011)

Taj Mahal, Me'shell Ndegeocello, Others - 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute (2011)

Source: Something Else!

Taj Mahal, recording as part of the 30th annual John Lennon Tribute at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, finds the chest-bursting peril, the nakedly emotional plea, inside “Come Together"—giving it such a thunderously heartfelt makeover that you'd swear this old Beatles tune had been a blues shout first. And that's just one of what becomes a stirring series of remakes on this Lennon memorial project, to be issued today. Shelby Lynne ("Mother"), Me'shell Ndegeocello ("God"), Alejandro Escovedo ("Help!) ...

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Video / DVD

Sat Eye Candy: John Lennon

Sat Eye Candy: John Lennon

Source: JamBase

REMEMBERING A TRUE ORIGINAL AND WORLD CHANGER John Lennon would have turned 70-years-old today if he hadn't been violently snatched away in December 1980. There's no way to encapsulate such a complex, fascinating and often entertaining person in a few words, and there's multiple encyclopedias full of Lennon lore already out there. Instead, we offer this tiny celebration of an innovator who not only advanced rock 'n' roll a huge amount but also showed that one could live completely honestly ...

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Recording

One Track Mind: John Lennon "Instant Karma!" (1970)

One Track Mind: John Lennon "Instant Karma!" (1970)

Source: Something Else!

By Pico Note: To commemorate the 70th birthday of John Lennon, we're revisiting this single from early in his post-Beatles career. One of the things I find most fascinating about the man was how he was able to impart blunt, timeless wisdom about our lives while struggling to make sense of his. “Karma" was one of those 'message' songs that he so good at articulating. While we all shine on, Lennon's star still burns much brighter than most thirty years ...

241

Recording

John Lennon - Double Fantasy Stripped Down (2010)

John Lennon - Double Fantasy Stripped Down (2010)

Source: Something Else!

By Nick Deriso “Double Fantasy" never felt dangerous enough to be a great John Lennon record. That started with this too-slick, of-its-moment presentation. No surprise there, really: I've always thought that the best of Lennon's solo stuff after 1970's “Plastic Ono Band" would resonate more completely today if the period-piece production had been stripped away. Early in John's final decade, that meant herds of fiddles, a thudding drum clomp, gaggles of girl singers and these bawdy, burlesque saxophones. (A child ...

231

Recording

The Friday Morning Listen: John Lennon - Imagine (1971)

The Friday Morning Listen: John Lennon - Imagine (1971)

Source: Something Else!

By Mark Saleski I remember exactly where I was when I found out. I was hanging out in a friend's first floor dorm room in Aroostook Hall at the University of Maine. The only things I can remember about him are that his name was Fred and he was from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. I walked into the room and he said, “Hey, did you hear John Lennon died?" End of story. There wasn't a big reaction on my part because neither ...

79

TV / Film

John Lennon: LENNONYC Doc Screening in Central Park

John Lennon: LENNONYC Doc Screening in Central Park

Source: JamBase

FEATURES NEVER BEFORE HEARD STUDIO RECORDINGS; NEVER BEFORE SEEN CONCERT FILM OUTTAKES AND HOME MOVIES LENNONYC is a feature length documentary directed by Michael Epstein about John Lennon and his years living in New York City during the 1970s. It will be screened on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park at 7 PM in honor of Lennon's 70th birthday. The screening is free and open to the public. The documentary will air on PBS as part ...

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Performance / Tour

And then Miles Davis and John Lennon Started Playing Basketball....

And then Miles Davis and John Lennon Started Playing Basketball....

Source: Miles Davis Online

There's this most excellent footage floating around the 'net of a John Lennon / Yoko Ono party from 1972 that features Andy Warhol, Phil Spector and Miles Davis. The 16mm color film was shot by filmmaker Jonas Mekas (the date was specifically October 9, 1972). Great. Party footage. Looks like they had fun. Good for them. But what makes this unearthed party film so extra special is that it features Miles Davis and John Lennon shooting hoops. Miles shows up ...

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Event

Fab Faux Celebration John Lennon's 70th Birthday, 9/25 at Radio City Music Hall

Fab Faux Celebration John Lennon's 70th Birthday, 9/25 at Radio City Music Hall

Source: Seth Cohen PR

John Lennon's 70th Birthday Celebrated at Radio City Music Hall, September 25th, by The Fab Faux “A Night In The Life" to Feature Two Sets of John Lennon's Greatest Music From The Beatles and His Solo Career, Multimedia Show, Guest Players and More! Portion of Evening's Proceeds to Benefit John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 'Spirit Foundation' On September 25th at legendary Radio City Music Hall in New York City, The Fab Faux will present 'A Night In The Life—A John ...

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Recording

EMI to Release Lennon Collectors Set

EMI to Release Lennon Collectors Set

Source: All About Jazz

EMI Music will commemorate the 70th anniversary of John Lennon's birth Oct. 5 with a flight of new releases, including a stripped-down remix of the late ex-Beatle's bestselling album, a hits compilation, a themed four-CD box and a comprehensive 11-CD collectors set.

Overseen by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, so-called “Gimme Some Truth" campaign (named after his 1971 song) kicks off with release of eight remastered solo studio titles. Among these will be the remixed edition of “Double Fantasy," the 1980 ...

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Event

John Lennon's 70th Birthday Concert by Fab Faux at Radio City Music Hall 9/25

John Lennon's 70th Birthday Concert by Fab Faux at Radio City Music Hall 9/25

Source: Seth Cohen PR

John Lennon's 70th Birthday to be Celebrated at Radio City Music Hall by The Fab Faux

“A Night In The Life" is Confirmed for September 25th - Two Sets of John Lennon's Greatest Music From The Beatles and His Solo Career

Portion of Evening's Proceeds to Benefit John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 'Spirit Foundation'

On September 25th at legendary Radio City Music Hall in New York City, The Fab Faux will present 'A Night In The Life - A John ...

John Pietaro
percussion
Ike Moriz
vocals
Alex Sino
producer

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Revolver Super Deluxe...

UME/Apple/Capitol
2022

buy

Imagine (by John &...

Eagle Vision
2018

buy

Imagine: The Ultimate...

Universal Music Group
2018

buy

Imagine

EMI Music
1971

buy

Videos

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