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Plastic Ono Band On Capitol Broadcasts This Week (Entered October 23, 2000) From Hollywood and Vine : More than just a solo album or a return to raw rock, Plastic Ono Band was John Lennon's most confessional and primal exploration of music. This week, reflect on this crucial turning point in John's life and art. Listen to the entire newly remastered album and its new bonus tracks "Power To The People" and "Do The Oz" without interruption, exclusively at Capitol Broadcasts. http://www.capitolbroadcasts.com Check out the new John Lennon site and keep your eye out for the John Lennon Hour - coming soon to http://hollywoodandvine.com/johnlennon
News From The JOL Rock Hall Exhibit (Entered October 23, 2000)
A reception was held at the Rock Hall, with EnterASYS Network responsible for a great light show, catered food and drinks all night long for the assembled celebrants. Freebish, Sweet, Lauper and Preston performed throughout the evening, and when a live band was not pounding out rock tunes, the Rock Hall was filled with the sound of John Lennon's voice. Backstage at the event, Preston told the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper: "John meant a lot to me. He was a revolutionary, a person who brought about peace through his music. He was definitely trying to make the world a better place. He still lives in my heart. I never think about his being gone." Sweet said: "John really covered all the bases, from edgy rock to beautiful heartfelt ballads. He was so personal and so honest. Those are rarities in music today." Yoko: "My feeling is that one day I'm going to feel lighter. But I haven't felt it yet. I don't really want to go through the exhibition and examine everything. I just want to walk through. It's a very emotionally trying thing to do." The exhibit covers floors four, five and six of the museum and features such items as original manuscripts to songs like "Day Tripper," "We Can Work it Out," "Instant Karma" (a personal favorite!), "God," "Starting Over" and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)." John and Yoko's bed, guitars, drawings and collages are also on display along with the leather jacket that John wore during the Beatles' early Hamburg days, early school reports, editions of John's school days "The Daily Howl" and John and Yoko's bed-in Peace signs.
Yoko told the Associated Press: "The nicest thing about John is the fact that he was a very inspiring energy in all different directions. So that people who are in art school will come here and see John's art work and maybe be inspired by that. Songwriters, with his lyrics." The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is located at One Key Plaza in Cleveland in a beautiful location near the water.
Open seven days a week from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Admission is $15 for adults; children ages 9 through 11 and Seniors 55 and over $11.50; children 8 and under admitted free. For more information call 1-888-764-ROCK.
Related Stories:
John's "Imagine" Piano To Remain in England (Entered October 23, 2000)
Larry McGahey, LOWPOCKETS RADIO
Rhino's Wonderwall Project Features JOL Poem (Entered October 23, 2000) Thanks to Richard Joly at Ono-Web
(Portion of Original LP Cover) 'WONDERWALL' tells the story of a timid but eccentric professor from the local waterworks who finds a spy hole in his living room and becomes involved in a vibrant world of youth and music. He observes through this vortex the lives and loves of a beautiful fashion model and her groovy photographer boyfriend. He enters a world of fantasy and sexual chemistry. Discovering he no longer needs his microscopes, he is drawn towards images that transform him. Most music collectors know of 'WONDERWALL' from the soundtrack album which was recorded by George Harrison and released on Apple Records. Now the motion picture for which Mr Harrison picked up his pen and his guitar is being released on DVD for the first time anywhere by Rhino Home Video. If you just want the DVD all by itself, all you need to do is seek out your local retail video store in December. But if you want more...you'll want to check out 'WONDERWALL: Collector's Edition DVD Box Set'. The 'WONDERWALL' DVD features a pristine transfer of the re-edited director's cut (which is available for the first time on DVD), its George Harrison soundtrack now re-mastered in Surround Sound at Abbey Road Studios, the Eric Clapton guitar track, a John Lennon poem, the psychedelic designs of The Fool and production stills and out-takes. It also contains an additional 13-minute short entitled "Reflections On Love". Made in London in 1966, this Cinemascope featurette depicts the Swinging London romance between a boy and a girl at a time when all they needed was love. And it contains a new musical soundtrack by Kula Shaker. This set is available only from The Archivists at the Rhino Handmade Website at: http://www.rhinohandmade.com
Rolling Stone Launches a Major John Lennon Online Feature (Entered October 22, 2000)
Thanks to Rolling Stone's Jessica Linker for the banner and links...
And to West Coast correspondent, Harry Bluebond, Also included are excerpts from the current piece on John that is available in the issue of RS available on newsstands this week. This includes takes on John and his work from artists like Keith Richards and Billy Corgan to Sting and Peter Fonda as well as tributes from Phil Spector and David Fricke. In a special section called "Come Together" Rolling Stone is asking users to share their memories and feelings about John with everyone. RS will be collecting your memories and remembrances of John, and the night, and posting them up on their site as they are received. The following are links to all of the Rolling Stone features: Lennon Remembered Main Page: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/special/lennon/default.asp?afl=fans An excerpt from the book, "Lennon Remembers": http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/magazine/text/FeatureGeneral.asp?afl=fans&lngFeatureID=79 Exclusive audio (available in Real and Windows) Real: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/special/lennon/lennon_real.asp?afl=fans Windows: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/special/lennon/lennon_winmedia.asp?afl=fans Quicktime http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/special/lennon/lennon_qt.asp?afl=fans The transcripts: Lennon on solo albums and rock & roll: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/magazine/text/FeatureGeneral.asp?afl=fans&lngFeatureID=104 Lennon on introducing Yoko to the Beatles: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/magazine/text/FeatureGeneral.asp?afl=fans&lngFeatureID=83 Lennon on retiring and living in America: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/magazine/text/FeatureGeneral.asp?afl=fans&lngFeatureID=92
More Lennon Remembered: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/magazine/text/FeatureGeneral.asp?afl=fans&lngFeatureID=77 Photos of John and Yoko in NYC a month before his death: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/gallery/text/galleryphotosmain.asp?afl=fans&GalleryID=405&Seq=0 Gimme Some Truth by David Fricke: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/magazine/text/FeatureGeneral.asp?afl=fans&lngFeatureID=101 Phil Spector, legendary producer, revisits his close working relationship with Lennon: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/magazine/text/FeatureGeneral.asp?afl=fans&lngFeatureID=121 Anthony DeCurtis discusses Lennon Remembers and The Beatles Anthology: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/magazine/text/FeatureGeneral.asp?afl=fans&lngFeatureID=103 Come Together - Share your thoughts on Lennon's legacy and where you were when you heard about his death: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/special/lennon/comments.asp?afl=fans
John's "Imagine" Piano Sells To Ex-Wham! Man Artist (Entered October 22, 2000)
Thanks to-Richard Joly,
Ono-Web and
Larry McGahey, LOWPOCKETS RADIO
Reuters reports that George Michael has paid $2.1 million for the upright Steinway piano that John Lennon used to compose "Imagine." A spokeswoman for Michael said, "He decided to do this because the piano was a part of music history and because he wanted it to remain in Britain." Lennon paid £1,000 in 1970 for the piano, which went on the block Tuesday (October 17) in a live transatlantic auction. The piano had been owned by a private collector who loaned it to the Beatles Story Museum in Liverpool before putting it up for sale. "I am delighted that it was a British buyer," said Shelagh Johnston, curator at the museum. "We won't go knocking on George Michael's door at this stage, but we have made our desire to keep the piano clear." Wax Yoko at Madame Tussaud's in NYC (Entered October 22, 2000)
Thanks to: Larry McGahey, LOWPOCKETS RADIO
Entertainment Wire reported that Madame Tussaud's New York, located in the heart of Times Square, opened its doors to the public Wednesday, Oct. 18. A grand opening will be held November 15. Madame Tussaud's New York is a $50 million, 85,000 square foot, five-story interactive wax museum. Developed by London-based The Tussaud's Group, Ltd., it showcases remarkable wax likenesses of numerous celebrities whose names and faces are synonymous with New York, in addition to an impressive collection of the world's most reputed film, television, music, political, social, historical and sports celebrities. Following in the footsteps of the original Madame Tussaud's in London, there are no velvet ropes separating guests from the figures at Madame Tussaud's New York. Visitors enjoy a rare opportunity to interact with the famous as they mingle and pose for photographs with their favorite celebrities. Like other Madame Tussaud's attractions, Madame Tussaud's New York also takes on the ``face of the place,'' presenting personalities who are synonymous with New York, in addition to those of worldwide fame. Notable New Yorkers included in the attraction are Woody Allen, Leonard Bernstein, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, John D. Rockefeller, Yoko Ono, Governor George Pataki, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Donald Trump and Andy Warhol, among others. ``Madame Tussaud's New York is a wonderful addition to this great city,'' said Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. ``This attraction entertains and fascinates New Yorkers and visitors alike, and contributes significantly to the multi-million dollar redevelopment of Times Square.'' For more than 200 years, Madame Tussaud's has been entertaining and educating millions of people with its signature wax portraits. The Tussaud's Group owns and operates leading visitor attractions in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States, welcoming nearly 12 million guests a year. Madame Tussaud's New York is open daily. Admission to the Madame Tussaud's combined experience (including the wax museum and ``It Happened in New York'') is $19.95 for adults and children over 12, $15.95 for children four to 12, and $17.95 for senior citizens 60 years of age and older. Admission to the wax museum only is $15.95 for adults and children over 12, $12.95 for children four to 12, and $14.50 for senior citizens 60 years of age and older. Children three and under are complimentary for both attractions. Madame Tussaud's New York is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. More information may be obtained online at www.madame-tussauds.com. IK! NOTE: Visitors to Madame Tussaud's New York are invited to send a photo of yourself with Yoko's wax likeness to IK! Online and we'll post it here! E-mail a jpg or gif to: IK! Online
Or send real photo to our snail mail address:
John's "Imagine" Piano Sells at Auction (Entered October 16, 2000)
Thanks to-Richard Joly,
Ono-Web and
Larry McGahey, LOWPOCKETS RADIO
The piano on which John Lennon composed "Imagine" was sold for 1.45 million pounds ($2.08 million) Tuesday in a live transatlantic auction. "The buyer, who has wished to remain anonymous, has said the piano is likely to stay in Britain," auctioneers fleetwoodowen.com said in a statement. Steinway has authenticated the upright walnut piano as the one Lennon bought in 1970 for around 1,000 pounds. Bidding was conducted live from Hard Rock Cafe branches in both London and New York, as well as via the telephone and Internet. Also on offer was Lennon's old Ferrari 330GT, which fetched 110,000 pounds. But it was the piano that had aficionados drooling. Film footage from 1971 shows a relaxed Lennon at its keys composing "Imagine" before he turns to his keyboard player to remark: "That's the one I like best." Liverpool Anxious To Keep Piano The piano had been owned by a private collector and had been on show for most of the year at the Beatles Story Museum in their home town of Liverpool. Shelagh Johnston, curator of the museum, called it "a vital cornerstone of Beatles memorabilia, a piece of music heritage." Liverpool is anxious to keep the walnut upright but faces steep competition from Beatles' fans the world over. The museum has offered it a home and full insurance if the new owner will keep it on display there. "It would be very sad if it left the country but I've got this inkling that it will," Johnston told Reuters. "The piano has commanded such reverence here. People have come from all over the world and it has brought them to silence. The music 'Imagine' plays and the people just stand there and look. That's a very touching sight." ($1-.6957 Pound)
Yoko On Art, Life and Her Dragon Lady Image (Entered October 16, 2000) Thanks to West Coast Correspondent, Harry Bluebond
Yoko with
Dragon Shirt - In the Sunday Los Angeles Times..."In Her Life: Yoko's Art" Scarlet Cheng interviewed Yoko at the Dakota recently about her major art retrospective opening this week at the Japan Society in New York City. Here are a few excerpts: "Yoko Ono has always considered herself an artist, despite the often disparaging opinions of others. She admits, however, that art was never a professional goal for her. 'I think we're all artists in some way,' she says, calmly sipping from a coffee mug in the enormous kitchen of her apartment in the Dakota on Central Park West in New York. 'I was just inspired by things and putting out things. If you made a career decision, then you would have to follow up--going to galleries and trying to get your works exhibited. Well, first of all, you have to have art school, maybe, and create the kind of work that's speaking the right language for the art world.' "That was not her intention in the '60s, when she was on the far edge of the avant-garde, selling what she called 'future mornings,' in the form of glass shards, for a quarter. That is not her intention now, even though she is selling works for several thousand times that amount at the Ubu Gallery on the tony East Side and is the subject of a major retrospective, 'Yes Yoko Ono,' which opens at the Japan Society in New York this week. Instead, Ono has always been a loner, rather gleefully bucking--or was it setting?--the trend." "A trim and petite woman wearing oversized, tinted glasses, Ono exudes a brisk sense of self-confidence and composure. Her dark hair is cropped, a hint of blond coloring on top. The punk-chic look goes with the canary yellow, crisply pressed bowling shirt she wears over a black tank top and black stretch slacks. She talks rapidly, in a stream, barely pausing before a question ends to register her response. 'I think dilettante is the most superb position to be in,' Ono says blithely, upon being reminded that some critics have found her a mere dabbler in the arts. 'I think professionalism immediately limits one to a certain form of thinking--it's very dangerous. So I'm proud to say I'm an outsider. There are things that an outsider, a dilettante, can bring in to the world, to the center--to give awareness, so to speak.'" After a brief review of Yoko's life story and her Fluxus history, Cheng writes, "However, she was aware of not having full membership in the club." Yoko: "One, most of them were guys. There were some token female artists--and especially [as] an Asian female artist--they would love to have an ornament around, you know. But then when it came to the point that suddenly she's speaking, she has her own mind! That was kind of annoying to them, I suppose." The meeting with John is discussed, and her notoriety after meeting and falling in love with John Lennon. And ultimately, her "dragon lady" status: "You know who's the first dragon lady?" she asks with relish. The Chinese empress dowager Cixi, she says, who was much vilified by the British for challenging their attempts to carve up bits of China for themselves. "I'm kind of honored to be a dragon lady," she says with a light chuckle. "The dragon is a very powerful mythic animal--well, probably they think I'm powerful, thank you very much!" Alexandra Munroe of the Japan Society says of the YES YOKO ONO retrospective opening this week: "[We want] to emphasize how many media Yoko worked in. One of the reasons she's had a hard time in the art world is that they don't know what to make of her. She is by nature a multidisciplinary, inter-media artist." "The lobby at the Japan Society will greet visitors with one classic piece, "White Chess Set" (1966), and a newer one, "Wish Tree" (1996). The former, also referred to as "Play It by Trust," is a white table and game board set with all white chess pieces and was canonized by its inclusion in the movie version of "Imagine," which starred Lennon and Ono. 'It's like life itself,' the artist explains now. 'The game of life is not black and white--the opposition and you are in the same boat. Basically, you have to start playing by trust, that's the only way you can do it.'" STILL OPTIMISTIC AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.. "... unchanged is Ono's belief in the better world that could be, the world Lennon sang about in 'Imagine.' When reminded that others shaped by the '60s have become disillusioned, Ono replies, 'I'm not disillusioned at all. I really think that the most beautiful future is right there. Most people don't see it, but it's right there.' " YES YOKO ONO opens Wednesday October 18 and runs through January 14 at Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street in New York City.
IK! Editor's Photo Note: Dragon Shirt: When my husband, Tom and I, met with Yoko at Cranbrook Art Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in the mid-90's, we presented Yoko with a shirt embroidered with a dragon. I had read an interview back then in which Yoko expressed the sentiment about the dragon representing power, so thankyou very much. This is pure Yoko - turning what many would consider a negative into a powerful positive.
Lennon Play to Open on Broadway (Entered October 16, 2000) (Press Release from Walrus Partners Company) Written by Emmy-award winning writer Alexander Marshall, "JOHN LENNON: And In The End...", a one character dramatic play based on the life of one of the world's most influential artists will open on Broadway in the Fall of 2001. Produced by Peter Koulouris and Donald C. Farber for Walrus Partners Company LLC (New York), the play begins with Lennon's murder. As the former Beatle lay dying at the gates of the Dakota, he sees his life passing before him. The life he sees is the story he tells. A world wide search for the actor will take place soon, with auditions in New York City and London.
Internet Radio Station To Broadcast 3-Hour JOL Special (Entered October 16, 2000) 24-hour soft rock Internet radio station, DAER.com is broadcasting this week from the grand opening of the John Lennon exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. Tune in for a three-hour live special hosted by DAER personality, Tony Thomas, on Friday night beginning at 9PM Eastern Time. Special guests during the show will include Yoko Ono, Cyndi Lauper Matthew Sweet, Billy Preston, Terry Stewart and Ringo Starr's manager, David Spero. If you can't be near your computer Friday night, don't despair. DAER will have the special archived on their site for one month following the live broadcast.
John's "Imagine" Piano Could Leave Britain Soon (Entered October 15, 2000)
Thanks to Richard Joly,
Ono-Web
The piano, on which John composed "Imagine," has been on display since February and Ms. Johnston is worried that the buyer of the piano at auction on Tuesday will take it from Liverpool. Ms. Johnston said, ``We've already lost unique treasures such as the original Cavern Club and the overhead railway, now we want to keep as much of our history here as possible before it's too late. The Beatles Story would love to be able to bid for the piano, but we are a privately run museum and it is completely out of our league.'' The auctioneers -- Fleetwood Owen -- hope the piano will fetch at least $2.2 million at a sale of pop memorabilia at the Hard Rock Cafe in London. Johnston, who has been seeking a benefactor, will be at the auction and hopes to persuade the buyer to house Lennon's piano in the Beatles museum, which would bear the insurance costs. Bidding is likely to be heavy and high. The auctioneers acknowledge that the piano may leave Britain forever. Steinway has authenticated the upright walnut piano as the one Lennon bought in 1970 for around 1,000 pounds.
City in Russia Names a Street After John (Entered October 15, 2000)
Thanks to Richard Joly,
Ono-Web
Valery Yarushin, a one-time Soviet rock star and lifelong Beatles fan, told Reuters by telephone that deputies on the Chelyabinsk city council had voted overwhelmingly to back his proposal to name a street after John Lennon. ``At the City Duma hearing there were only two opponents of the idea,'' he said. "They said there were plenty of people in Chelyabinsk >who had brought glory to the city, and they deserved the honor. But good sense won out and all the other deputies voted 'Yes'.'' Yarushin said he had initially proposed renaming the city's central Soviet Street after Lennon. In the end the city council had not decided whether to rename an existing street or name a new one, he said. Beatle fans in what used to be the Soviet Union were forced to sneak rock records into the country..and purchase them despite official disapproval.
Quarry Men tapped for All You Need Is.... Entered October 15, 2000 The organizers of "All You Need Is..." a concert tribute to John Lennon...have informed IK! that 'THE QUARRY MEN,' John's original Band, will perform at the this event. The program is being held at the Palace Theatre in London, England on December 10th. Percentages of the proceeds will go to the BBC Children in Need Appeal and Greenpeace. Tickets are limited and are on sale now by phoning 0207 494 5098 or any Ticketmaster outlet. The official launch night will take place at 'Lounging' at Legends, Old Burlington Street, off Regent Street in London, UK. from 10:30 PM until...who knows when?! They will be giving away two FREE VIP Tickets and after party to the Concert and poster signing with GUS MacGREGOR. For more information on the concert please contact Dragon Productions at : DragonsL2K@aol.com Visit their official site - All You Need Is...
A Memorial Gathering In the Works for December 8 (Entered October 12, 2000)
Thanks to IK! West Coast Correspondent, Harry Bluebond.
Everyone is invited to join the ceremony in front of the Capitol Records Tower Building at John's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star at 1750 North Vine Street, Friday, December 8 at 7PM. A large "John Lennon Peace Flame Candle" will be lit at 8:23 PM PST, the time of John's passing. At the same time, (11:23 PM EST), a similar Peace Flame Candle will be lit during a public gathering at Strawberry Fields in New York City. Even if you can't attend either of these ceremonies - please light a candle, wherever you are - at these times. The Los Angeles gathering is sponsored by Los Angeles Alliance for Survival. For information call 310-399-1000
Related Stories:
A Birthday Event at John's Star in Hollywood (Entered October 12, 2000)
Thanks to IK! West Coast Correspondent, Harry Bluebond for Times article.
Thanks to Richard Joly of Ono Web for Yahoo story.
The birthday party was organized by the Alliance for Survival which is headed up by Jerry Rubin. Among the crowd were 15-year-old Caitlin O'Conner and Jennifer Maurice. "When I was in kindergarten my mother insisted that I listen to the Rolling Stones," recalled O'Conner. "But I refused and got into the Beatles. For me, Lennon's the greatest of them all." Then there were Karen Garcia, 46, and her daughter Jennifer, 24, who have not missed a major Lennon commemoration anywhere in the nation since he was assassinated two decades ago. On the night of Feb. 9, 1964, Garcia was 10 years old and pacing the floor of her home in a Santa Ana trailer park in feverish anticipation of watching the Beatles on the "Ed Sullivan Show." She had promised her parents extra household chores for three months in return for permission to watch the program on a school night. When the Beatles finally appeared and kicked into "Love me Do," she recalled, "I thought John Lennon was so absolutely cute I burst into tears." Sixteen years later, on December 8, 1980, she was watching Monday night football when Howard Cosell interrupted the game to announce that John Lennon had been shot. "I just collapsed in tears," she said. "My 4-year-old hugged me and said, 'Don't worry, Mommy, John's in heaven now,' and I completely lost it." The day reminded rock drummer Jim Keltner, who played on some of John's first solo albums, of how much he misses the wit and bite of Lennon's work almost as much as the man. "John could be very forceful and emotional about his music in the studio," he said in a telephone interview. "But, then, all the great guys are picky about their songs." Keltner went on that John "also had an extraordinary sense of rhythm; as a drummer I pay attention to that. For me, playing with John was the easiest thing in the world; his songs practically played themselves. But he told me many times that Ringo Starr was his favorite drummer of all." Martin Lewis, a writer and Beatles historian, said Lennon's lure has little to do with nostalgia. As host of annual Beatles fan festivals in Los Angeles and New York, Lewis said 75% of the crowd is under 25 years old. "Ultimately, Lennon evoked the noblest part of the human spirit: the part that yearns for the world to be a better place," he said. "That's what resonated, especially with young people." A Yahoo news story put the number of birthday celebrants at 200. The gathered crowd sang "Happy Birthday" twice - once for John and once for his son, Sean, who turned 25 on the same day that his father would have turned 60. Jerry Rubin (Alliance for Survival) said, ``It's time for world leaders and everybody to understand what John Lennon was trying to say.''
Related Stories: Memorial Remembrance Planned for December 8 Full Yahoo Story from October 10
A Transcript of The Parole Board Hearing is Released (Entered October 12, 2000)
Thanks to Larry McGahey-Lowpockets Radio and Paul Boyd
A transcript of the parole board hearing which "the subject" attended was released to the Associated Press and other news organizations after they had filed a Freedom of Information Act request. The "subject" also said he nearly skipped the hearing after finally realizing how much pain he caused John's widow, Yoko Ono. "I don't even deserve to be here," -- meaning alive -- while Lennon is dead, the "subject" told the three-member panel on October 3. "What I did was despicable," he said. "I don't feel it's up to me to ask to be let out." The "subject" said he read comments by Yoko over the summer that said she began shaking uncontrollably after he shot John Lennon to death in 1980. "I think for the first time I really realized, you know, the pain that I caused," the subject said. "I mean, here's a person that can't control their body, and that really hit home. ... I felt her pain then, and I can honestly say I didn't even want to feel it up until then. It's a horrible thing to, you know, realize what you've done." He said the killing was motivated by "vanity," "jealousy," "anger," "resentment" and "stupidity." He also said he heard a "small voice" urging him to shoot the ex-Beatle. "I felt like nothing, and I felt if I shot him, I would become something, which is not true at all," he said. "I do wish I was a big nobody again." Don't worry, "subject." You are.
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John Lennon Museum Opens in Japan (Entered October 9, 2000)
Photo By Kimimasa Mayama/Reuters: Thanks to Larry McGahey-Lowpockets Radio TOKYO, Oct 9 (AFP) - In spite of a driving rain, 2,400 fans poured into the John Lennon Museum in Japan on what would have been John's 60th birthday. "We are overwhelmed by the enourmous influence of John Lennon," said Junichi Akutsu, a spokesman for the John Lennon Museum, located in Yono, Saitama, 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Tokyo. "Given we had heavy rains today, we expected some 500 people might come here," Akutsu said. "On the contrary, we were stunned to find already 1,200 people lined up before the opening, including 30 people who stayed overnight here," he said, adding the museum expected 350,000 visitors a year. John's wife, Yoko Ono, joined the opening ceremony, saying her late husband would be delighted to see such a museum in Japan. The museum features some 130 items associated with the life and career of Lennon, including his guitars, handwritten lyrics of "Imagine," a worn-out white T-shirt and his favorite round spectacles. "I am a big fan of the Beatles. I went to Liverpool and New York but there was no place like this museum. I am really happy," said a visitor in her late 40s. During the opening ceremonies last week, Yoko had told the press that she and John "felt we were somehow bridging east and west. And because we were promoting peace, we didn't have any borderline. We felt we were part of the global village." One of the items on exhibit in Japan is a diary John wrote in 1952 that featured poems and drawings. "I want people to know that John's life was full of tension, like a storm," Yoko said. The museum was opened to the press just four days before John Lennon would have turned 60. Yoko on Thursday (October 5) told journalists about the anguish her husband's killing had caused, and how she eventually managed to carry on. "It was a great shock when John left all of a sudden. For the first month or two, my heart was trembling and I didn't know what to do," she said. "But I tried to preserve the work we together aimed to leave in the world and his soul started talking to me."
New Imagine Project in the Works (Entered October 8, 2000) What follows is a press release sent to IK! by Jon Lohman, Imagine Project Director. Contact him at jlohman@rocklibrary.com. Press Release:
Imagine all the people... The Rock &Roll Library, will commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the passing of John Lennon, seminal musician and peace activist, by spearheading a nationwide school curriculum and public arts initiative on the theme of "Imagine." "Imagine crystallized John's dream for the world," Yoko Ono stated in the 1988 documentary of the same name, "it crystallized his idealism. It was something that he really wanted to say to the world." Lennon's dream of a world which transcends political, religious, and racial borders, where people of all races and cultural backgrounds can live together in peace, is as poignant today as it was when Imagine was first composed in 1971. There is perhaps no better way to honor the life of John Lennon than to inspire young people to imagine a better world. The Imagine Public Arts Initiative will provide students with the opportunity to express their visions in an enduring, beautiful way, which will speak not only to the elegance of Lennon's words, but to the universal power of peace. You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one... The Rock & Roll Library Teacher Resource Center will provide curriculum for educators of grades K through 12 on John Lennon's life and work, featuring the Imagine Poetry Lesson. The Imagine Poetry Lesson will guide teachers through the process of inspiring students of all ages to write simple poems where they will imagine an ideal world. Much like Lennon's dream expressed in "Imagine," the lesson will serve not as a methodological prescription, but rather as an invitation for teachers and students to explore their visions for a better world together through writing. The "Imagine" Lesson will culminate in a nationwide public arts initiative, where students of all ages and cultural backgrounds will create lasting testaments to Lennon's creative social vision - the Imagine Murals. Drawing from the students' own creative writings, school groups will work with community leaders and arts organizations to construct public murals of diverse mediums and styles on the theme of "Imagine." The Rock & Roll Library will provide guidance in mural construction, as well as provide a network for teachers to contact participating arts organizations in their area. The Rock & Roll Library will facilitate mural dedications taking place simultaneously across the country on December 8, 2000, the twentieth anniversary of John Lennon's untimely death. Mural dedications will be promoted, publicized, and extensively covered on the Rock & Roll Library's website, http://www.rocklibrary.com. Finished murals and designs will be posted on the Rock & Roll Library's Student Gallery. Students will have the opportunity to present their work online to a global audience, and view the creative endeavors of their peers. In this way, the young participants of the Imagine Project will see their work as a vital link in a creative chain - and understand that their contribution represents a meaningful participation in a larger social movement - a collective call for world peace.
Imagine Piano to be Auctioned (Entered October 8, 2000) http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001003/re/britain_lennon_dc_3.html By Lyndsay Griffiths LONDON (Reuters) - As John Lennon's killer made his bid for freedom from a New York jail, London auctioneers announced plans Tuesday to sell the piano on which the music icon composed ``Imagine.'' It has been 20 years since Mark Chapman shot the former Beatle outside his Manhattan apartment, ending the life of a man who helped set popular music on a new course. It is that magic which auctioneers hope to capitalize on when they sell his upright Steinway Z on October 17 in a combined live and Internet auction of Beatles memorabilia. The auctioneers, www.fleetwoodowen.com, denied there was any link between the auction and Chapman's parole hearing. ``It has no relationship at all to Mark Chapman's parole request, which I hope doesn't get granted,'' auctioneer Ted Owen told Reuters. ``I can't see why it would (boost the price). What's Mark Chapman got to do with John Lennon apart from being his murderer?'' Steinway has authenticated the piano (serial no. 417139) as Lennon's, and Owen believes it will be the most expensive piece of pop memorabilia ever to appear at auction. Auctioneers expect the piano will fetch around $2.2 million. Also on offer will be Lennon's old Ferrari 330GT, which the Hard Rock chain expects to fetch 80,000 to 100,000 pounds. The car was restored by Dodi Al Fayed, who died in a 1997 Paris car crash with Princess Diana, and is currently on display at his father's Harrods department store in central London. Bidding will come live from Hard Rock Cafe branches in both London and New York, as well as via the telephone and Internet. ``The One I Like Best'' Owned by a private collector, the piano is on show at the Beatles Story Museum in Liverpool, birthplace of the Fab Four. Shelagh Johnston, curator of the museum, called it ``a vital cornerstone of Beatles memorabilia, a piece of music heritage.'' Liverpool, home to a vibrant Beatles industry, is anxious to keep the walnut upright -- the museum has offered it a home and full insurance if a new buyer will keep it on display there -- but it will face steep bids from the world over. ``We'd be very sad if it left the country but I've got an inkling that it will,'' Johnston told Reuters. ``It feels as if it belongs here. But by next week it will be taken away.'' Lennon bought the piano in 1970 for around 1,000 pounds and composed ``Imagine'' a year later. Film footage from 1971 shows Lennon at its keys composing ''Imagine.'' The 56-minute film, ``Gimme Some Truth,'' is distilled from hundreds of hours of film shot by Lennon and Yoko Ono when the former Beatle was recording his 1971 solo album, ``Imagine.'' In one clip, a relaxed Lennon runs through ``Imagine'' before remarking to his keyboard player: ``That's the one I like best.'' The rest of the world liked it too.
Yoko Interview in the Guardian, October 6 Edition (Entered October 8, 2000) Thanks to Onoweb According to Onoweb's Richard Joly, there are photos of Yoko taken by Sean in the actual newspaper that are not shown online. Complete story in Guardian Archive In an article title "Life after Lennon," the Guardian, October 6 edition, interviews Yoko Ono in her Dakota apartment in NYC. A few highlights: "I always thought of myself as an outsider," she says. "I still do - for being a woman, an Asian and the wife of a very famous man. I mean, that's a big hurdle. People think of me as a person who just married in or something..." At 67, Ono could pass for 47. Quietly spoken, she is above all modest. Yoko discusses the legacy of John Lennon and her job of keeping track of all the requests for endorsements, interviews and projects. "After John's passing, the whole thing dropped into my lap, and dropped in a very big way. Everybody was calling this office, and there was no time to be wallowing in my pain. But I was very emotional at that time as well, of course. It was very difficult. And I thought that it was just going to simmer down, but it goes on." About the new Beatles book, written by the three ex-B's (John's voice is heard through interviews), Yoko told The Guardian: "With Anthology, four people had to agree - which meant no one could run off and say something totally unreasonable. That's the most interesting thing about the book: it's four separate interviews, with Paul saying this, George saying this and Ringo saying this. I was determined John's part would not be botched up or created by the editors. There are the four sides, which is very good, because then you can make up your own mind." "I always felt that the institutional aspect of the art world was the least interesting," says Ono. "Let's free ourselves from that tradition of institutional limitation. So I was never particularly incensed by the fact that galleries or museums were not interested in taking my work. I'm just surprised that now some are. It's a new experience for me." As Ono's retrospective opens this autumn at the Japan Society in New York, so plans continue to open a John Lennon museum in Japan. Combined, these two forms of tribute can be seen as a recognition of the couple's lasting influence on contemporary culture - synthesising rock celebrity through the uncompromising aesthetic of a politicised avant-garde.
Will there be a new John Lennon street in Liverpool? (Entered October 7, 2000) Thanks to Paul Boyd, Harry Bluebond and Richard Joly, Onoweb ''LENNON STREET'' - BIRTHDAY TREAT? The people of Liverpool are being asked to decide if a city centre street should be re-named in honor of one of it's most famous sons. To commemorate John Lennon's 60th birthday on Monday, October 9, Liverpool City Council is seeking to dedicate a street in his name. Liverpool City Council is asking for the public's views about re-naming a small stretch of North John Street, which could soon be home to a Beatles Hotel. The area is just a few hundred yards from the Cavern Club, in Mathew Street, where the Beatles first rose to fame. The council is currently assessing a report and has decided to launch a public consultation to aid consideration of the proposal. For the next 28 days people will be able to write to the council with their comments, support or objections. Suggestions for the re-naming are also welcomed. These could include; Lennon Walk, John Lennon Way, John Lennon Lane etc. Council Leader Mike Storey said the new name could help generate a mini-tourism boom in the area. Councillor Storey added: ''This is a fantastic opportunity for Liverpool to honour John for his contribution to his hometown and to music. He was without doubt one of the most outstanding individuals of the last century. I personally think that to dedicate a main city centre street in his memory would be a great honour. It will recognise that what he stood for is as relevant in this new millennium as it was in his day. I will be very interested to hear the reaction of the public, local businesses and the wider community to the idea.'' Comments, suggestions and objections should be sent to: Brian Mason, Highways and Environment Services, 2nd floor Millennium House, 60 Victoria Street, Liverpool L1 6JF. The 28-day consultation begins on John Lennon's birthday (Monday, October 9) and will close on Monday, November 6. The re-naming is only a proposal and is something, which has not yet been ratified by the council. Only a stretch of North John Street would be affected. North John Street would remain and with it, all of it's historical connections.
(Entered October 7, 2000)
"Many of the customers were coming in and grabbing two or more copies at a time. We also noticed there were quite a few foreign overseas customers who might have thought it was easier to buy the book here than at home," said Kim Hardie of Waterstone's book shops, who was at a central London shop for the launch. But in the band's home town of Liverpool, Paul Ashcroft, 26, was the only person standing in line at a W.H. Smith store when it opened at midnight to sell the book. "The people of Liverpool have let us down - it's part of our heritage," said Ashcroft. The store sold four copies before closing again. Gennaro Castaldo, a spokesman for music retailer HMV, said many of the company's stores would have to reorder to keep up with demand. Publishers said around 1.5 million copies had been ordered prior to publication.
(Entered October 7, 2000)
(Soulfly's "Primitive" Review by Gary Graff for WALL OF SOUND: Max Cavalera has never met a heavy music convention he didn't like ... to kill. With Sepultura, he led the band back to its Roots, the ambitious 1996 album that fused the Brazilian troupe's guitar assault with rain-forest rhythms and tribal percussion for a more resonant kind of fusillade. Then, after splitting from Sepultura four years ago, Cavalera spent two years creating Soulfly. More a project than a band, the group released a 1998 debut that was an intriguing sonic pastiche with a wealth of fresh ideas but that still had the feel of a work in progress. Primitive, on the other hand, delivers the goods. Across 12 tracks and four bonus cuts (two of which are live), Cavalera and Co. present a cohesive and impressively broad vision of a new kind of aggro-metal, one that has plenty of oomph and drive but isn't content to simply say "arrrrrrrrrgh!" Take, for instance, a song such as "300th," which starts off with a "Tequila"-style riff played on the one-string berimbau, before exploding into fist-thrusting fury whose angry stomp is accented by the sharp tattoo of polyrhythms and a "Boom! Whatchugot? Whatchuwhatchugot?" chorus that any rapper would kill to own. "Back to the Primitive" also rocks with a unique kind of Amazonian fury, while "Mulambo" offers an unrelenting workout with background chants from a 40-person studio "tribe." "Bring It," "The Prophet," and "Terrorist" ensure that there's a proper quotient of more traditional head-banging fare, but the gentle tone-poem instrumental "Soulfly II" and "In Memory of ...," a celebration of lost loved ones performed with the Arizona rap group Cutthroat Logic, show just how far afield Cavalera is willing to go - and how effective he can be with it. Cavalera scores with other guests as well on Primitive: The Deftones' Chino Moreno and Slipknot's Corey Taylor belt their way through "Pain" and "Jumpdaf--kup," respectively, and Sean Lennon provides an Alice in Chains-y counterpoint to Cavalera's throaty roar on "Son Song," a tribute to the two musicians' dead fathers. He also defines his creative goals in "Terrorist," letting Slayer's Tom Araya sing his manifesto of "Spreading terrorism through the music ... Energy in the purest form/ Controlled chaos, bring it on ..." And that's exactly what Primitive is - provocative and progressive, a metal masterstroke that'll make it difficult to sit through any of the other growl-and-grind discs that populate the hard rock landscape these days. -
(Entered October 5, 2000) http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001005/re/japan_lennon_dc_1.html By Elaine Lies (Reuters) - Yoko Ono, at the opening of a museum about her late husband, John Lennon, in Japan on Thursday, admired the tribute to the Beatles songwriter but was reticent when asked about a decision denying parole to his killer. Asked if she felt relieved at the decision Ono said only: ''Their decision is something I respect. I cannot say anything more than that, as I think you can imagine.'' But she was more forthcoming about the museum, the first in the world dedicated solely to Lennon and founded with her blessing. ``John was a multi-faceted person, and I wanted to show this by showing the things he lived with and used,'' she told a news conference. ``As I walked through the museum, I thought it was very expressive.'' WHY JAPAN? The museum's presence in Japan would have been important to her late husband, Ono said. Lennon several times visited Tokyo, as well as the central resort town of Karuizawa. ``John had so much love for this country,'' she said. ``His son Sean is half-Japanese and we somehow felt we were bridging the gap between east and west.'' Written on a wall as visitors enter are lines from a poem by Lennon: ``East is east and west is west/The twain shall meet/East is west and west is east/Let it be complete.'' Ono said she had initially been nervous about the decision. ``I worried that if it was in Japan, people would just say, 'There goes Yoko Ono, doing bad things again','' she said. The museum, along with a store selling Beatles memorabilia, is set to open to the public on what would have been Lennon's 60th birthday on October 9. Entry costs 1,500 yen ($13.74). Asked if she objected to such a commercialized use of Lennon's name, Ono said: ``I think the Beatles were the most commercialized band in history, and I don't think John would deny that. But that wasn't bad -- it allowed him to send his message to the world.'' White Piano, Lyrics, Glasses Beatles music plays as visitors view some 130 items that once belonged to Lennon. Most were donated by Ono, including family photos, an old driver's license and a passport, handwritten lyrics for songs and his trademark wire-rimmed spectacles. In one case rests his first guitar, scratched and battered, purchased via mail order in 1956. He was using this guitar when he and Paul McCartney had their first fateful meeting in 1957 that led to the formation of the Beatles. Hanako Sugawara, a young member of Japan's Beatles Fan Club, seemed pleased with the displays. ``By seeing his things you get a sense of him as a person and realize how broad his interests were,'' she said. ``It was a terrible waste that he had to die so young.'' On the white wall by the exit, in raised white characters, is written the date ``December 8, 1980'' -- the day of Lennon's murder. ``Celebrating his birthday isn't just celebrating his life but allowing his spirit to live on in us,'' Ono said.
YOKO'S READING OF THE LETTER ON NEW YORK 1 SITE An audio version of Yoko reading the letter she wrote to the parole board is on the New York 1 cable news channel web site. To ensure finding it, go to the main page of the site, click the yellow "search" button near the top of the page, type in "Yoko Ono" and the hyperlink to New York 1's story comes up on the screen. With thanks to Marc at NY1. (Entered October 3, 2000) From Yahoo News, AP and ABC The man who murdered John Lennon has been denied parole. A three-member New York state parole board interviewed Mark David Chapman for about 50 minutes this morning at Attica state prison. About four hours later, MDC was given the board's one-page determination beginning with the words "Parole is denied." The board said MDC's killing of John Lennon was "calculated and unprovoked." They made mention of the fact that besides being one of the most famous musicians in the world, John was a husband and father of two young children. The parole board statement went on, "Your most vicious and violent act was apparently fueled by your need to be acknowledged. During your parole hearing, this panel noted your continued interest in maintaining your notoriety." MDC, who is now 45 and has lived five years longer than his victim was able to, is serving 20 years to life in Attica and will be eligible for a second parole hearing in 2002. Because MDC has been held in special protective housing, the board noted that he has been unable to take advantage of any "anti-violence and/or anti-agression programming." The fact that he is separated from other prisoners and has not been forced to co-habitate with the general prison population, could also be a reason for his good behavior throughout the years. It was reported that less than 10-percent of convicted murderers in state prisons are paroled on their first hearing and prison experts said the fact that MDC's victim was such a famous person and hero to so many, his chances of eventual release are remote. Yoko Ono wrote a letter to the parole board which reportedly asked the board to keep MDC behind bars. Yoko was deeply affected by the recent attack on George and Olivia Harrison and it has been reported that she mentioned this incident in her letter to the board. Parole board members were R. Guy Vizzie, W.William Smith Jr. and Daniel J. Doyle. Parole board hearings are closed to the public and the press. The Associated Press filed a Freedom of Information Law request to obtain the board's determination. A transcript of today's interview with MDC by the board will be available later this week. What follows is the text of the decision by the New York State Division of Parole board, as obtained by the Associated Press. PAROLE BOARD TRANSCRIPT:
Parole is denied. You murdered the victim, John Lennon, when you fired
a .38 special caliber Charter Arms revolver, filled with hollow-point
bullets. You discharged all five chambers and hit Mr. Lennon as many as four
times. Mr. Lennon was returning to his residence and was in the company of
his wife when you committed this murder. This act was calculated and
unprovoked. You had planned this crime for a protracted period of time and
it is apparent that you were obsessed in causing fatal harm to John Lennon.
In addition to being an international celebrity, Mr. Lennon was a husband
and a father of two young children.
During your incarceration, you have maintained an exemplary
disciplinary record which this panel has noted and considered. This panel
also recognizes that, because of your continued special housing status, you
have been unable to avail yourself of anti-violence and/or anti-aggression
programming.
Your most vicious and violent act was apparently fueled by your need to
be acknowledged. During your parole hearing, this panel noted your continued
interest in maintaining your notoriety.
When all factors are reviewed, your discretionary release is determined
to be inappropriate. Additionally, this panel strongly believes that your
release to parole supervision at this time would deprecate the seriousness
of the crime and serve to undermine respect for the law.
JOHN LENNON: A 60th Birthday Celebration from MJI
IK!'s home radio station is carrying the MJI radio special, "John Lennon: A 60th Birthday Celebration from MJI" Sunday, October 8, 2000 from 8PM to 11PM. You can listen online with Real Audio by going to our website (click on 101FM logo). The program will feature an exclusive interview with Yoko, as well as comments from John, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Steven Tyler, Mick Jagger, George Martin, Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne, David Crosby, Brian Wilson, Alice Cooper and many others. The world premiere of the previously unreleased John song, "Help Me to Help Myself" will be played during this special broadcast. Plus you'll hear dozens of Lennon songs from his Beatle days and solo, as well as rare tracks and interviews.
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Rhino Records announces the release of their first DVD album,
"Wonderwall: Collector's Edition DVD Box Set."
