Lennon interview - Game magazine 1975
edgy
in the 70s. I think it was a Paul Raymond publication. I only bought it
for the articles, of course, which is amply proved by the fact that this
cutting is all I have of the original mag. Undated, but probably 1975. I
don't know if it was ever published anywhere else.
JOHN LENNON-
ENJOYINGTHE BIG APPLE
talks to Penny Grant about the Beatles, Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Salvador
Dali
and many others
JOHN LENNON is, without a doubt, one of the most charismatic and interesting
people one could wish to meet. He's had more success than even today's pop
stars can imagine, enough publicity to gratify the most go-getting
publicist, and by no means least has more than a decade of beautiful music
to his credit.
Lennon is currently a voluntary prisoner in the U.S.A. still fighting an
interminable legal battle with the authorities over his presence. And until
he gets a 'green card' or the final thumbs down that's where he'll stay. At
present the legal climate seems to be becoming less harsh with a general
feeling that a drugs bust shouldn't automatically make you a second class
citizen; and at least one influential American columnist has gone on record
as saying that he thinks Lennon's struggle will be successful.
John himself can only watch and wait, and keep making music. 'It's still
very much in the melting pot. I'm at some stage of appeal I believe. I have
a lawyer who's doing it all and keeps me in touch. He tells me from time to
time that this happened or that happened, then we talk about it. It seems to
be going on and on. I wish they'd make up their minds.
'I miss England, but I'm not going to walk away from it all now! I've spent
so much effort on it... I keep telling myself "When I get the green card"
I'll do all sorts of things.'
A happy and relaxed Lennon is talking to me in his office, which looks down
on the New York he's made his home. Looking at him, it's hard to believe
that this is the so-called rebel with the awe-inspiring reputation for
being 'difficult'. He's disarmingly friendly, intelligent and
articulate, and above all sometimes painfully honest. He also seems
delighted to see someone from 'home' - it would be an exaggeration to
say he's homesick but one can detect a certain wistfulness when he talks of
his native land.
'I just want to go back to Britain and see it, and have a cup of tea -
not to perform or anything, just to be there. I know the English love me,
and I love them. I'm one of them, no matter where I'm living.
'I know it's a bit hard if you've never left England and someone's living
abroad, you can't really understand it. You think "why are they abroad, why
have they left us? Why is so and so living in the South of France?" and
wonder why John Osborne got furious at England, left and said such nasty
things, and then came back and loved it ?
An Englishman is an Englishman wherever he lives. There are great colonies
of English people in Spain and they have their ''real English pubs" and all
it. Even if I took out American citizenship it would make no difference.
I'd still be English, there ain't nothing going to change that.
Even if I became Swahili, I'd be an English Swahili!'
It's been a long time since Lennon has been back to his native land, and
thus since his friends and fans here have seen him 'live'. But they've not
forgotten him: 'I get letters from England - I don't answer them too much
because I'm lazy - saying "Don't forget get us". There's no way I could
forget them, even if I tried or wanted to.'
But, of course, John now has many friends in the States too. 'People are so
kind : they come up to me and say "Hi, John, how's your immigration ?" If it
was up to them, I'm sure I'd be allowed to stay here. They don't really
understand what all the fuss is about. There are still some places where
they've got this crazy idea that the Beatles are all junkies, but mostly
people know what's going on and they seem to be on side. If it was down to
them I'd be given a passport if I wanted it.'
In the rock 'n' roll business many people commute between the States and
England. This does provide Lennon with an opportunity to see many
ex-colleagues and contemporaries. One in particular epitomises the sort of
life John would like to lead if he was free to do so : 'Mick (Jagger) lives
officially in France, but I see him every couple of months-he's always
laughing about me being stuck here! He says "I've just come from Nicaragua,
or from Paris, Munich or even London". That's how I'd be living if I was
living anywhere: I'd have my base here because that's where all my stuff is
now, but I wouldn't live permanently anywhere, I'd be moving around. I'd
like a place in London too, if you're allowed to without actually "living"
there, that is. There are so many regulations.'
Lennon's home in New York is a beautiful flat off Central Park in which he's
lived for some time.
'I guess it's pretty good . . . it's in an old building that's really very
European, on the park, and most of the rooms face the park. It's large
enough to get a little lost in. Apartments are good: you don't haw the
responsibility of the roof and gardens. My garden's Central Park and New
York owns and looks after it for me!'
Unlike many of his fellow musicians, Lennon has chosen to make New York his
home rather than Los Angeles. And it seems likely that if the US immigration
authorities finally decide in his favour he'll retain a home there. Why live
in New York rather than on the much warmer West coast where a flourishing
colony of musicians already exists?
"It suits me here, and I'm more of a city person anyway. I always think it's
easier to go from the city to the country than the other way round. If I
went back to England I'd live in the heart of London. The only reason I left
the centre of London where I once lived was because of the "Hard Day's
Night"-that's what I call the Beatles' days. It got so bad I couldn't step
outside the door. So I moved out to Ascot and Weybridge and all those
places. I know I could live in town again now'
He tells some stories of events he's attended which confirmed his view that
the less public functions he attended the better he liked it. The preview of
the 'Sergeant Pepper' film was one.
'I thought to myself "I'm in town so I might as well go". You can get away
with some of those things if they don't know you're going. But with that one
it was deja vu-they'd built up this idea that I was gonna be there and
that's when it happened.
'It was pretty wild. You've got to get out of the car and get clawed-like I
said, a "Hard Day's Night". You know, at the Pepper thing most of the
audience were watching me. They were even popping off with flashbulbs at me.
'At something like the Grammy Awards it's not quite so bad. There, anyone
who's famous will do. It doesn't matter who you are, if you arrive in a big
black car you must be somebody.'
'After the Pepper thing I didn't go to the "Tommy" thing although I was
invited. I just couldn't face another one.'
This fear, or what one might almost call shyness has stopped Lennon doing
many other things, including one he'd dearly like to do. To go and see Elvis
Presley.
'I'm too embarrassed to go and see him. I'm scared it might be in Vegas or
somewhere and they'd say "and sitting in the audience is ..." I wouldn't
know where to put myself.'
The topic of Mr Presley had come up in conversation while we were discussing
other musicians that he might like to work with, at times when he's not
involved in his own personal musical project - on a production basis for
example.
'I have occasionally got involved with other people-mostly Ringo on his
albums. I'd love to do Elvis but I'd be too shy, I'd fall apart. I'd just be
quivering. "Could you do it again Elvis?*' Can you imagine it? I just
couldn't do it.' John laughs loudly at the very thought.
'I wouldn't mind doing Dylan -I wouldn't be scared of him. I think he needs
a producer ... if you're reading this, Bob!'
One artist John did produce an album for was Harry Nilsson-a friend.
'I get offers, oh boy do I get offers-but I either have to respect an artist
or he has to be a friend. I tend to go for friends. I did Harry because we
were both getting drunk, and in the papers- only I was getting in the papers
more than he was. So I said "hey, this won't do, let's do something
creative. This is no sort of life here, lying on the floor of the Beverley
Wilshire with headaches and glasses all around."
'So we did it. But unfortunately the guy had lost his voice. So I had the
great Harry Nilsson talking (or more to the point singing) like Frogman
Henry or Wolfman Jack!'
Of course, the artists most people would like to see him get involved with
are the other ex-Beatles-preferably all at once and on a permanent basis!
John has been asked so many times about the possibilities and probabilities
of this happening that a smile of resignation comes on to his face at the
mention of the others.
'It's strange the way people talk about them, as if we were enemies. You
know, they were good blokes-I liked them, and I still do. You have to get
on I with the people in your group if you choose to stay with them for all
that time!
'When they come to the States I usually see them. Ringo and George are here
a lot of the time and Paul sometimes comes via New York on his way to L.A.
I've worked with Ringo and George both together and separately, and played
with Paul- there were a lot of other people there too but everybody seemed
to be watching us!
'I was going down to New Orleans to help out on Paul's last album
"Venus and Mars", but I was too busy being happy at the time. If you're
reading this Paul, I'm sorry I couldn't make it ...
'Anyway, George has got his own label-Dark Horse, or whatever it's
called-and Ringo's got his label. Do I want a label of my own? Not me. I
don't want no more record companies. It's the label idea I like best. I like
the idea of having a special little label on my records, but that's just
artistic. I don't care who puts them out as long as they do it, sell them,
and put their best efforts behind it. I'm just not interested, I wasn't
really interested at the beginning, I just went along.
'You see what this business is here?' he queried, waving an expansive arm at
the small office. "Just a phone in an office to look after the sheet music.
I will not be a corporation -I'm Lennon music and that's it. But I'm pleased
for the other two because that's what they wanted.
'As for our getting together again, I doubt it. For one thing we're hardly
ever in the same place at the same time, and even if we were I doubt if we'd
be in the same state of mind about it. I wouldn't mind though, I'll do
anything for the money. Seriously though, folks. I just can't see it
happening on any sort of permanent basis: we all lead such different lives
now.'
Although each of that once legendary band is still very much on his musical
feet, and the musicians themselves seem to have got over any personal
animosities, it took a long time to sort out the legal position.
However, early "75 saw a settlement which finally sorted out some of the
legal tangle. To musicians like Lennon no business matter is something they
relish, so the interminable legal wrangling must have become a source of
both inconvenience and frustration. Now much of it's over John has no
reservations about discussing it:
'All it did actually was to get us paid directly-the main thing about the
settlement was to release the monies to ourselves. It did not break all our
ties with each other, because it's a bit more complicated than that and
we're pretty well tied up in many ways.
'It was nice having the money come to me at last that I'd actually
earned-although a lot of it's locked in England by laws until '77. We'll
just have to hope the pound is still around in '77, or the dollar for that
matter.
'Apple is now just a bank. It won't take artists-it can't function that way:
it was hard enough to make it work while we were together. We certainly
can't make it work the way we are now, so far apart. None of us could be in
charge of looking after the artists.
'Have you seen the Apple building in Savile Row? I understand it's only a
shell now, and they're doing all sorts of things to it. I don't want to see
it-it was such a lovely old building. I don't even want to hear about I it,
it's so sad. Queen Anne, or whoever it was who "slept" there must be turning
in her grave.'
Unlike many musicians, Lennon doesn't mind talking about money. He admits
that 'as long as I've got enough to let me do what I want to do' it's not
his prime concern, and wants to make it quite clear that money wasn't the
reason he decided to live in the States.
'I didn't leave for tax reasons. In fact I was an idiot, I just came over
here, and after I'd been here about six months decided to stay. If I'd done
it properly I should have informed all the right authorities and I would
have got one year's drop-out tax-some vast amount of money. I think I got
some kind of a bargain later on but I missed the big bargain that everyone
else leaves for. I just never thought about it ... goofy here missed it.
'You know, I recently heard a great malapropism 'Time wounds all heels"-very
funny.
Anyway, I missed a million pounds or something. What I'm saying is, it'll
come some other way, I'm not going to sweat about it.'
The Beatles' legal settlement was just one of the things to happen around
that period which confirmed that a lot of the bad times were at an end-for
John at least. 1974 had not been a good year.
To me '74 was hell, and I'm glad to be out of it and still alive. Personally
speaking it certainly was rough, and a lot of my friends thought it was
pretty bad too.'
Much of that year was spent by John in Los Angeles, waiting for Phil Spector
to 'recover' and give him back the tapes of eight tracks they'd recorded
together for Lennon's 'Rock 'N' Roll' album.
'We did the first part in '73, then it sort of fell apart. Phil and I ...
well, you could say we went barmy. Then Phil had a car accident . . .'
Which left Lennon at a loose end in L.A., getting drunk and hanging out with
the rock fraternity-not wanting to leave in the belief that he stood a
better chance of getting the tapes back by staying there.
So John waited and waited for the somewhat eccentric genius to emerge from
what Lennon calls 'his castle-if you've ever seen his house you'll know what
I mean'. It was a musically sterile period, and Lennon's personal life was
also in a bad state. For he'd split up with his wife Yoko- a circumstance
hardly calculated to enhance his good mental state.
'If I'm having a bad period then I just can't do anything right!'
Happily for all concerned, especially John, everything turned out well in
the end. He got the tapes back and the 'Rock 'N' Roll" album was eventually
finished-to be released not long after an album of his own work which many
consider to be his finest ever. "Walls And Bridges'.
And then, of course, there's Yoko.
'We are back together now. and happier than over before. It's the old, old
story-when you get someone back that you've lost if s better than ever.'
It was the reconciliation which so involved John that he couldn't tear
himself away to work with McCartney in New Orleans. And without wishing to
sound starry eyed, Lennon looked like a man in love and at peace with the
world when he spoke about Yoko. In fact it's rather like a fairy tale with a
happy ending for the couple because Yoko was expecting their first baby
(although they both have one child by a previous marriage) when I spoke to
John. Although she has had miscarriages before, and 42 isn't the ideal age
to have a child, they hope that this time will be the lucky one.
As if to prove that there are no hard feelings on any side, when I last saw
her the beautiful May Pang (with whom Lennon was 'seen" during the marital
rift) was still working for John as his secretary, although I understand
she's not still doing so.
The way Yoko has been treated by many people has been a cause of
considerable anger and un-happiness to John.
There was all this "John leaving his nice English wife and taking up with a
mad Jap stuff"... the press especially were vicious. Linda had a lot of
trouble with them too. but at least she looks a bit more like your
traditional English wife, blonde hair, blue eyes and all that. There's
definitely a lot of racism in it. Let's face it.
They said things about her in the press that were unbelievable. For one
thing they called her an "ugly Jap"-she's not ugly, I don't marry ugly
people. I, and as it happens a lot of my friends, think she's a beautiful
woman. Secondly, even if she was ugly and I'd decided to marry a very ugly
woman the press wouldn't normally say so. The most garbage looking person is
usually written up as attractive, so why not Yoko even if she was ugly?
'Naturally 1 feel bitter about it. And I don't forget it just because
they've forgotten it.'
John himself has come in for an awful lot of criticism over the years, so I
asked what his attitude is to personal criticism and whether that upsets him
as much.
'Let's take Salvador Dali for an example-I take him because he's a big
exposed artist too (we won't discuss his work). So he puts his work on
display or has an opening, and the reviewer reviews what he's wearing! Or
the fact that he fell over drunk, or hit a fellow with a stick. That to me
is irrelevant.
'One music paper reviewer whose name I don't know, gets hysterical about me
whatever 1 do. Obviously he loves me-loves me so much he hates me. So
whatever he reviews that's anything to do with me he just goes on and on,
rambling about anything but the music. Because of that, what he says is
invalid. I am a musician.
It's funny, you know, people think I can't take criticism because I
sometimes write letters. I might write and say "hey, what do you mean, you
dummy" because I like writing letters if I'm in the mood. 1 do dig
criticism, especially if it's to do with my work. It's helpful to know
someone's watching. And if the praise is just praise for being John Lennon
then it's just as invalid as non praise just because I'm John Lennon.
'Although it's easier to accept praise than hatred . . .'
In his time John has had to accept a lot of both of those, as well as
adulation and bureaucratic victimisation. Recently there's been a spate of a
strange type of flattery-the desire to immortalise John and the other
Beatles before any of them are even dead. Take for example the stage play
'John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert':
'Obviously I haven't had a chance to see it, although I sent them a happy
opening message on tape. I don't know what it is or how the hell it is, or
why it is, I just know it is. It makes me feel dead if you wanna know.
People writing things like that about us gives me the feeling that I've died
already, but I haven't.'
Despite his personal trepidation about going, John didn't mind the 'Sergeant
Pepper' film:
'1 enjoyed it, because I'd never seen the guy's work before. I think they
reproduced the music well, very well in fact. And while we're talking about
films, what about "Stardust"? It was written by Ray Connolly-white house
indeed, with white bedrooms. Guess where he got that from? Ascot, where he
always visited me and Yoko!'
Many artists try to immortalise themselves or their lives in their songs.
Lennon may not be striving for any particular niche in posterity (although
there's little doubt that he'll have one) but most of his music is personal.
'Yes, all my stuff's personal. It always has been, even "Help" was
personal-a cry from the heart you might say. Maybe the lyrics got more
refined as I became older, and got to the point more quickly, but they're
still just as personal.'
Thus beautiful if melancholy songs like 'Nobody Loves You When You're Down
and Out" speak volumes about Lennon"s state of mind at the time-in this
instance in 1974. that dreadful year. But, perhaps surprisingly, none of the
Beatles have tried to follow in the footsteps of contemporary Pete Townshend
with 'Tommy'.
'We did "Sergeant Pepper" and that'll do! Impressing people with the name
"opera" doesn't interest me. To me it is, and probably always will be, the
song I find interesting'
So there'll be no Lennon magnum opus, but a great many more brilliant and
poignant songs if 'Walls And Bridges' is anything to go by.
1975 was a good year in contrast to its predecessor. Perhaps one of the best
yet. Shortly after 1 saw John he and Yoko retired from public life to stay
in a friend's house and await their baby.
By now you should know whether the happy event was indeed just that. A
million and more fans hope that it will be, as a confirmation of their happy
reunion. And ironically if there is another little Lennon it may do a lot to
help John's immigration problems, for the child will be a U.S. citizen . . .
For the New Year John has a message for all, 'I said stay alive in '75-and
that goes for '76 too.'
As we go to press we hear that John Lennon has won his appeal and has got
his green card. This means he can now stay in America, or more to the point,
he can leave America and return. Nice one John.
what , me worry??
> I've worked with Ringo and George both together and separately, and played
> with Paul- there were a lot of other people there too but everybody seemed
> to be watching us!
> 'I was going down to New Orleans to help out on Paul's last album
> "Venus and Mars", but I was too busy being happy at the time. If you're
> reading this Paul, I'm sorry I couldn't make it ...
What a pity......
paramucho
<maint...@federal.com.au> wrote:
>"Game" was a magazine concerned with "men's interests" which was published
>in the 70s. I think it was a Paul Raymond publication. I only bought it
>for the articles, of course, which is amply proved by the fact that this
>cutting is all I have of the original mag. Undated, but probably 1975. I
>don't know if it was ever published anywhere else.
Many thanks -- not many interviews available from this period of this
length, and it confirms the intention to work on VENUS AND MARS.
Martin Hofner
> "Game" was a magazine concerned with "men's interests" which was published
> in the 70s. I think it was a Paul Raymond publication. I only bought it
> for the articles, of course, which is amply proved by the fact that this
> cutting is all I have of the original mag. Undated, but probably 1975. I
> don't know if it was ever published anywhere else.
>
Among the interesting quotes:
'I was going down to New Orleans to help out on Paul's last
album
"Venus and Mars", but I was too busy being happy at the time. If
you're
reading this Paul, I'm sorry I couldn't make it ...
There are more revealing things that seem to make John a lot more open
to the Beatles....if these are correct quotes.
>
Rich Forman
> "edgy" <maint...@federal.com.au> wrote in message news:<2rib3fF...@uni-berlin.de>...
> > "Game" was a magazine concerned with "men's interests" which was published
> > in the 70s. I think it was a Paul Raymond publication. I only bought it
> > for the articles, of course, which is amply proved by the fact that this
> > cutting is all I have of the original mag. Undated, but probably 1975. I
> > don't know if it was ever published anywhere else.
> >
>
>
> Among the interesting quotes:
>
> 'I was going down to New Orleans to help out on Paul's last
> album "Venus and Mars", but I was too busy being happy at the time. If
> you're reading this Paul, I'm sorry I couldn't make it ...
>
That was an amazing and kind of frustrating revelation! (Leads to an
enormous what-if? scenario...what if he came down to participate and
help and the album ended up as a Lennon/McCartney project instead!)
Anyway, one thing that freaked me out as I read the review was the
references to the Sgt. Pepper movie. Are they talking about the one
with the Bee Gees, Peter Frampton, and Steve Martin? I could have
SWORN that this movie came out in about '78, maybe 77 at the earliest,
but obviously the interview is taking place around the turn of
'75/'76. What gives? Am I way off in remembering when this movie
came out, or are they talking about a different film?
richforman
Don Cooper
Rich Forman wrote:
> Anyway, one thing that freaked me out as I read the review was the
> references to the Sgt. Pepper movie. Are they talking about the one
> with the Bee Gees, Peter Frampton, and Steve Martin? I could have
> SWORN that this movie came out in about '78, maybe 77 at the earliest,
> but obviously the interview is taking place around the turn of
> '75/'76. What gives? Am I way off in remembering when this movie
> came out, or are they talking about a different film?
I know there was a Sgt. Pepper play at the Beacon in 1974. There are
photos of John in front of the theatre.
You're right about the film.
UsurperTom
> one thing that freaked me out as I read the review was the references to the
Sgt. Pepper movie.
Also, if John went to the Tommy premiere, he would have seen Paul there.
Tom
aeros...@yahoo.com
> I know there was a Sgt. Pepper play at the Beacon in 1974. There are
> photos of John in front of the theatre.
Yes, but the article mentions the Sergeant Pepper FILM. The film didnt
come
out until '78.
Something is fishy about this post.
edgy
<aeros...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1096404888.6...@k26g2000oda.googlegroups.com...
For Christ's Sake, I thought I was doing the world a favour by taking the
trouble of scanning, OCRing and posting a rare interview with John Lennon.
There's nothing "fishy" about it, and it now exists in cyberspace perpetuity
for those who are interested.
I've scanned it again and posted it in jpg form at alt.binaries.beatles for
those who want "evidence".
Ognarr Ratts
mentioned he was gonna help out on 'Venus and Mars' seemed too
good to be true.
Sorry for insenuating anything, and thanks for taking the trouble
to post this important interview.
edgy
> in the 70s. I think it was a Paul Raymond publication. I only bought it
> for the articles, of course, which is amply proved by the fact that this
> cutting is all I have of the original mag. Undated, but probably 1975. I
> don't know if it was ever published anywhere else.
Google is your friend! I have found this scan of the magazine cover which
actually carries the date April 1976, although it's hard to read it on a
scan of this quality. The previous page on the website, though, lists the
date clearly.
Warning: while very tame by Internet standards, be aware that this picture
does feature a topless woman and you are being taken past the website's
Adult Content warnings.
http://usedmagazines.com/cgi-bin/rarejpg.cgi?full/GAME7604.JPG
Mister Charlie
<ahem> Nice. In the interest of history, of course. :)
>
>
paramucho
Purely for medicinal purposes, of course.
MacBeatle
Hey you old child molesting antisemite pseudo intellectual? How ya
doing?
Oh, and so sorry about your meds. Your insurance (National Health in
case you forgot, you parkinsonian idiot) just decided not to cover
those all important meds. Guess you'll have to skin a few of the
rodents that keep falling on your head and try and sell the pelts on
eBay. Maybe you can get Paul McCartney to release a statement in
support of US withdrawal from Iraq. Or maybe you can find the elusive
Jade on your next transatlantic flight, Ian.
I hope your next plane is hijacked and I hope you get blown to
smithereens next time your masturbatory thought pattern kicks in.
Maybe a midget agent will pose as a prepubescent teen and sit next to
you on the plane. And you will be incinerated just at the moment you
imagine getting your filthy mitts into her panties.
Fuck off. (Spoken like a lady with class, Lady Linda McCartney)