Yoko appeared on the "Mensch Meier" program in Germany. The promo for the show said in part: "It could get exciting - a sensation - when Yoko Ono performs in Biolek's show, 'Mensch Meier'. The 52-year-old comes not only the first time to Germany. The widow of John Lennon isknown to have an extraordinarily sharp tongue. The Japanese-born and educated sculptor frightened Beatles fans and the whole world of music by making her man write new songs together with her. But now she has for a long time, real fans of her own. The visit at Biolek's is part of a tour program with the rock musician playing Berlin, Frankfurt, Mannheim and Hamburg."
When I wrote a letter to IK after the release of "Starpeace" asking Yoko please
to come to Germany, I had no idea this was going to happen - ever! I just couldn't
believe my eyes when I read in a local paper that Yoko was going to be a guest in
the German TV show "Mensch Meier". I knew this show was being filmed in Cologne,
only a few miles away from where I live! For a moment, I thought it was all just
a dream, but this dream became reality.
I have never before tried to get tickets so I didn't have much hope. Luck was on my side again! The company told me to come to their office two weeks before the show and I'd get the tickets at a price of $6 each. I bought one for my friend Petty and for me. Then the countdown began!
FEBRUARY 26, 1986: I didn't know when Yoko was going to arrive in Germany. The TV show was on the next day, so I decided to have a look at the biggest hotels in Cologne. It was quiet everywhere and as it was freezing cold, I decided to go home. I was sure Yoko would fly into Cologne the next morning when I was at school. I got more and more excited.
At around 8 o'clock I heard the news on the radio: Yoko had already arrived and a press conference to promote the tour had been held at her hotel! I went mad. She was so near to me and I missed her! On the radio, they played part of the press conference. Yoko was asked about her "Starpeace" show and she said: "Inside, I said I wanted to play my music, the music of Yoko Ono, but I also thought about what John would be doing. I don't feel this show is separate from anything that we've been doing together. And of course, I will end with 'Give Peace a Chance.' All of you know the words and we can sing together."
The DJ announced the tour dates and said some things about Yoko I don't want to repeat. Why doesn't anybody give her a chance? I was so angry about his comments! In another part of the press conference, Yoko talked about peace: "Now even more than before, it's very important to think about peace. I want all people to surrender to peace. We're all brothers and sisters, we can all unite together and create a peaceful globe, I think...I think that it's better that we think about Star Peace than Star Wars and I want to focus all the people's attention to Star Peace."
After the program was over, I started calling the hotels asking if Yoko was staying there. The first try was a very nice experience. I asked the receptionist: "Excuse me, is Mrs. Yoko Ono staying in your hotel?" and she replied: "No sorry..are you sure she is in Cologne? She's great! I really like her!" What a nice surprise! I talked to the receptionist - a young lady - for about five minutes and she was really a big John and Yoko fan. She also gave me the number of the hotel Yoko was most likely staying in. I dialed the reception but was turned down with a rather unfriendly, "No, I'm afraid!" As Yoko wasn't staying in any of the other big hotels, I tried the second one again. This time, the receptionist was more friendly and put me through to Yoko's tour manager. Oh, I didn't know what to say to him. I managed to explain that I'm a big admirer of Yoko and asked if there was any chance to see her at the hotel. He said, "I'm afraid the answer is no. There's absolutely no chance to spend some time with her." I said I just wanted to see her. "The best thing is you go to her show in Mannheim. She really wants to communicate with people.. so see you in Mannheim." He hung up.
The conversation didn't help much. I was just a nervous wreck! I didn't sleep very well. The next morning the daily papers had pictures of Yoko during the press conference and small articles about her. She had asked reporters not to photograph her with a cigarette in her hand as this was a bad example for small children. She told reporters that she wanted to do concerts in the USSR, but didn't have permission to go there yet.
THE SHOW- We managed to get good seats, third row right in front of the stage where Yoko was going to perform. The show began at 9. It was a very entertaining program. At about 10:15, the show master announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, you may have read about it in your newspapers. I'm proud to welcome a very special guest: here is Yoko Ono!" Yoko came onstage! She looked really beautiful and so small! She was wearing her sunglasses, a beige jacket, white trousers and orange gym shoes. She looked even 100 times better in real life than on TV or photos.
She sat down with the show master to answer some questions. The audience interrupted her by applauding after every answer! The interview went very well, I think. I still couldn't believe that Yoko was sitting just a few feet away from me. It was fantastic! I took some pictures of her on stage and then Petty and I held up a banner saying, "Welcome Yoko". The TV camera caught us several times. Yoko talked about her music and the tour. She said "hello" to the German audience and admitted how nervous she was. The show master asked her the "usual" things, like why John was the househusband and all that. She said about it: "..today in Cologne, I saw a big advertisement of a man holding a baby and thought, 'Uh, the world is changing.'"
Then they talked about the song "Hell in Paradise" and she sang a live version of it. The music was very loud and powerful. It sounded great. Later, I found out that on television, the sound was very badly modulated. A girl presented her with a bunch of flowers and I gave her a little present, then she was gone.
I couldn't believe it all happened. I can't remember anything of the show after Yoko had finished. At the end of the program there was a special bonus. The show master thanked the audience in the studio and at home on the TV sets, announced the finale with Yoko Ono and everybody participating! Yoko came onstage with her band and all other artists who performed during the show. She sang "Give Peace A Chance" and for the chorus everybody joined in. She changed the lyrics of the song to "Everybody's talking about East Berlin, West Berlin, Gorbachev, no more war, no more war..and all we are saying is give peace a chance. Everybody's talking about sharing, giving, Mensch Meier! war is over if you want it.." The audience was burning sparklers. I was sitting right in front of the stage on the floor, giving peace signs and singing. It was wonderful.
After the song ended, Yoko was taken out of the studio before anybody else left. I ran to the door with Petty. We saw a big silver Mercedes Pullman waiting outside. I asked one of the men waiting in the car, "Are you with Yoko?" and he said yes. I was so excited. I said to him, "Tell her she was great, GREAT!" He seemed happy to hear that. Then Yoko came out of the building with two roadies or bodyguards. She didn't sign any autographs and went directly to the car. We waved at her and held up our banner once more. Then she drove off.
It was a fantastic experience and I was so glad to know I was going to see her once more. On Friday, 7th March, I went to Frankfurt...