John Lennon

Letter to Todd Rundgren

BlueMeanie — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:46:32

John Lennon and Todd Rundgren had a famous spat in 1974. Here's a series of quotes from an interview that Todd did with Melody Maker, followed by Lennon's letter of response. I really like Todd Rundgren, but he could be such an ar*ehole sometimes!

"John Lennon ain't no revolutionary. He's a fucking idiot, man. Shouting about revolution and acting like an a**. It just makes people feel uncomfortable."

"All he really wants to do is get attention for himself, and if revolution gets him that attention, he'll get attention through revolution. Hitting a waitress in the Troubador. What kind of revolution is that?"

"He's an important figure, sure. But so was Richard Nixon. Nixon was just like another generation's John Lennon. Someone who represented all sorts of ideals, but was out for himself underneath it all."

"Like the Beatles had no style other than being the Beatles. So the Nazz used to do, like heavy rock, and also these light, pretty ballads with complex ballads."

His dissatisfaction with the attitudes adopted by other contemporary figures - Lennon, for example - became obvious with "Rock and Roll girl private" written for Lennon, and a searing indictment of rock's so-called revolutionaries.

Beat it, beat it, beat your guitar
Smash it, smash it, 'til its sees stars
Rip it, rip it, rip it to shreds
Throw down your axe and then jump into bed
Get up, get up, get up and see
Revolution on the TV
Will you, will you, get your nails dirty
Or are you only just a rock and roll girl private

Here's the whole article:
http://www.geocities.com/dr_boogie/interviews/rundgren/rundgreninterview.htm

And here's Lennon's response:

Published in Melody Maker in response Rundgren's February 1974 interview in the same magazine

AN OPENED LETTUCE TO SODD RUNTLESTUNTLE. (from dr. winston o'boogie)

Couldn't resist adding a few "islands of truth" of my own, in answer to Turd Runtgreen's howl of hate (pain.)

Dear Todd,

I like you, and some of your work, including "I Saw The Light", which is not unlike "There's A Place" (Beatles), melody wise.

1) I have never claimed to be a revolutionary. But I am allowed to sing about anything I want! Right?

2) I never hit a waitress in the Troubador, I did act like an a**, I was too drunk. So shoot me!

3) I guess we're all looking for attention Rodd, do you really think I don't know how to get it, without "revolution?" I could dye my hair green and pink for a start!

4) I don't represent anyone but my SELF. It sounds like I represented something to you, or you wouldn't be so violent towards me. (Your dad perhaps?)

5) Yes Dodd, violence comes in mysterious ways it's wonders to perform, including verbal. But you'd know that kind of mind game, wouldn't you? Of course you would.

6) So the Nazz use to do "like heavy rock" then SUDDENLY a "light pretty ballad". How original!

7) Which gets me to the Beatles, "who had no other style than being the Beatles"!! That covers a lot of style man, including your own, TO DATE.....

Yes Godd, the one thing those Beatles did was to affect PEOPLES' MINDS. Maybe you need another fix?

Somebody played me your rock and roll girl private song, but I never noticed anything. i think that the real reason you're mad at me is cause I didn't know who you were at the Rainbow (L.A.) Remember that time you came in with Wolfman Jack? When I found out later, I was cursing cause I wanted to tell you how good you were. (I'd heard you on the radio.)

Anyway, However much you hurt me darling; I'll always love you,

J. L.

30th Sept. 1974

Best Yoko Song on Double Fantasy

DaveRam — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:00:50

I no she's not everbodies cup of tea vocally , but this is the one album i can listen to her sing .
It took quite a while though a good fifteen years
But i do really like a couple of Yoko's songs on Double fantasy inparticular Beautiful Boys and Kiss Kiss Kiss , so which one do you like ?

John Appears In Charity TV Commercial

Geoff — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:20:42

Beatles legend John Lennon makes charity television commercial 28 years after death

By Aislinn Simpson
Last Updated: 10:31PM GMT 26 Dec 2008 / The Telegraph

He is seen urging people across the United States to support a campaign by charity One Laptop per Child to deliver tough, solar-powered laptop computers to the world's poorest children.

Lennon's voice and video image tells viewers: "Imagine every child no matter where in the world they were could access a universe of knowledge.

"They would have a chance to learn, to dream, to achieve anything they want.

"I tried to do it through my music, but now you can do it in a very different way.

"You can give a child a laptop and more than imagine, you can change the world."

Donors can chose to either pay $199 to buy a laptop for a child in the Third World, or $399 to buy one for a child in the Third World and another for their own child.

Lennon was shot and killed as he and his wife, Yoko Ono, arrived at their Manhattan apartment building on December 8, 1980.

Ono approved the One Laptop per Child commercial, which was launched on Christmas Day and screened for free by broadcasters.

The video clip can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/olpc and laptops can be bought from http://www.amazon.com/xo

The One Laptop per Child Foundation, created in 2005, is a spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and started producing the 'XO Laptop' late last year at a manufacturing cost of less than $200 per machine.

The 'Secret' Number One

Spiritinthesky — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:45:22

I didn't know this, its from http://www.thisdayinmusic.com

The 'Secret' Number One  - John & Yoko and The Plastic Ono Band - "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" 

There was a time when no new chart was compiled over the Christmas period; it was a labour-intensive process requiring couriers racing around the country, collecting sales diaries which were then delivered to a data-entry team who would manually key the catalogue numbers into an early computer system. These staff needed a week off for Christmas. Furthermore, the media didn't seem to require a chart update due to lack of publications and special festive programming.

On 8th December of that year John Lennon was assassinated.

On the week ending 27 Dec, St Winifred's School Choir hit the top spot with "There's No-one Quite Like Grandma." But, directly over Christmas week, large numbers of shoppers bought Lennon's classic "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)."

The chart compiled (though not published) for w/e 3rd Jan 1981 had John Lennon at number one. By the time normal service had been resumed (w/e 10th Jan 1981), John Lennon's "Imagine" had climbed to the top in any case.

Many Rivers to Cross - John solo version

aerolls — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:32:37

A few years back, I had this Beatles boot called Sweetest Apples. And on one of those discs there was this version of Many Rivers to Cross that was done by John Lennon. I don't believe this is the same one that Lennon did with Harry Nilsson on girl private Cats.

Does anyone have that version of Many Rivers to Cross by Lennon, alone, without Nilsson?

I'm looking for an mp3...

Thanks