The "LENNON WALL"
In conjunction with our blog on how the Beatles cracked the IRON CURTAIN, your humble correspondent thought it would be appropriate to mention a less well known place that was every bit as symbolic as the BERLIN WALL. Today, we visit Prague's famous "LENNON WALL."
Picture of the LENNON WALL in Prague.
We draw today from "Lennon Revealed," by Larry Kane, Running Press, 2005
*Sidebar: Larry Kane's story is fascinating: he was a 21 year old news reporter for a Miami radio station in 1964. With the Beatles' impending tour, his manager tasked Larry with the job of getting an interview with the Fabs when they came to Jacksonville, the closest venue to Miami on their 1964 U.S. Tour. Larry sent a letter to Brian Epstein in London requesting time for an interview. A business card was enclosed that had all seven affiliate radio stations printed on it. Epstein mistakenly thought Larry Kane was the radio station honcho who actually owned all seven stations. He (Epstein) thought to one up Larry Kane and invited him to be the ONLY authorized US reporter to actually travel with the Beatles for the ENTIRE TOUR. Management was ecstatic at the scoop. Larry Kane less so. As bizarre as it sounds now, Kane didn't want to go. He didn't think a beat group was "serious" news for a serious news reporter that he considered himself to be, and balked at going on the tour. Management made him do it. Needless to say, Larry Kane's feelings towards the Beatles and their magic abruptly changed after he got to know them and appreciated the grand music. The Beatles, Larry Kane, Brian Epstein, Derek Taylor and the rest got along so well that Kane was invited to accompany the Beatles on their 1965 US Tour, which he readily accepted. His recollections of these two tours are wonderfully recalled in his first book, the bestseller "Ticket To Ride." The surviving members of the Beatles' inner circle and Kane remain good friends to this day. Kane is still broadcasting in Philadelphia.
**BeatleTracks' own Vince "Cavern Club" Cavaseno actually visited Prague earlier this year (2009) and got some great pictures of this amazing scene. Please visit our main WEB site to see Vince's great photos.
***Opinion: It is indeed mind boggling when one considers the staggering amount of Beatles books that are still coming out. There are well over 1000 Beatle books in print and I fully expect that number to continue to increase every year at the same pace that we see today. Nevertheless, your humble correspondent heartily recommends both of Kane's books to anyone interested in the Beatles, especially the second book that we are drawing from today. Kane does the unexpected: "Lennon Revealed" gives us a surprisingly deeper look at John Lennon than you will find elsewhere. Yes, despite all the books that are already out there. Trust me on this.
In the shocking hue & cry of John Lennon's assassination, there was a mind boggling display of grief in the places that Lennon (and the Beatles) touched directly such as the U.S., U.K., Germany, Australia, Japan and the rest of Europe. The real surprise in the aftermath of John's death was the spontaneous gatherings of grief stricken fans behind the IRON CURTAIN is places as diverse as Red Square in Moscow and the WALL in Prague. This outpouring of grief and the subsequent gatherings in the Communist States was another way of asking for a prison term back in the day. One just didn't go out in public and shed tears for anyone in the West in the 1980's, let alone a pop musician.
Perhaps the most gutsy, bold challenge to authority took place at a simple wall in the city of Prague, the capital of what would become the future independent Czech Republic. The now famous "Wall" is part of a church yard that dates back to the 1300's. It was there, in the days immediately after John Lennon's murder and under the watchful eyes of agents of the Soviet dominated puppet state that young Beatle fans created what we now call the LENNON WALL.
Close up of a spot on the LENNON WALL.
The WALL first began as a memorial to John Lennon but it quickly evolved into a symbol of protest against the regime. Over a nine year period until the so-called "Velvet Revolution" brought freedom to the Czech people, the WALL was a scene of an ongoing battle of free thinking, peace loving, Beatle music listening kids and activists against the Communist Government. Anti-government slogans were continually painted on the Lennon Wall. They were just as quickly white-washed and covered by government agents only to find the slogans and Beatles' lyrics repainted shortly later.
This cat-and-mouse game continued for years; all under the threat of imprisonment and/or torture if caught. Many fans and activists were. The bulk of the lyrics painted on the WALL were Lennon lyrics speaking of peace and an end to war. Even closed circuit surveillance cameras could not stop the painters, poets, fans and lovers of freedom from expressing themselves through John's music. Despite the white-washing, captures, jail sentences and occasional beatings the spirit of freedom, of an end to oppression and an end to war and most importantly, the spirit of the English musician they all came to love and exalt, would not be suppressed. Even in a closed society, the spirit of love and freedom will always triumph.
Currently, in a free Prague, the "John Lennon Peace Wall" stands proudly at its original location and is visited annually by thousands of people from around the world. Lennon himself never visited Prague but this humble monument stands as physical testimony to the intense power of John's message. It is yet another poignant reminder of John's towering and iconic influence.
John Lennon didn't live to witness the Czech revolution but he would have loved and appreciated its mechanism: it was called the "Velvet Revolution" because it was peaceful without a single shot being fired. John would have been so proud of the youth in the final years of Communism as they risked their lives to keep fighting for freedom while paying homage to the man whose music so inspired their yearnings. In short, John Lennon and his music and lyrics were a aural guide to all young dreams of freedom and liberation.
We All Shine On.
By John Haberstroh (Bassist for BeatleTracks) Find us at www.beatletracksband.com
Picture of the LENNON WALL in Prague.
We draw today from "Lennon Revealed," by Larry Kane, Running Press, 2005
*Sidebar: Larry Kane's story is fascinating: he was a 21 year old news reporter for a Miami radio station in 1964. With the Beatles' impending tour, his manager tasked Larry with the job of getting an interview with the Fabs when they came to Jacksonville, the closest venue to Miami on their 1964 U.S. Tour. Larry sent a letter to Brian Epstein in London requesting time for an interview. A business card was enclosed that had all seven affiliate radio stations printed on it. Epstein mistakenly thought Larry Kane was the radio station honcho who actually owned all seven stations. He (Epstein) thought to one up Larry Kane and invited him to be the ONLY authorized US reporter to actually travel with the Beatles for the ENTIRE TOUR. Management was ecstatic at the scoop. Larry Kane less so. As bizarre as it sounds now, Kane didn't want to go. He didn't think a beat group was "serious" news for a serious news reporter that he considered himself to be, and balked at going on the tour. Management made him do it. Needless to say, Larry Kane's feelings towards the Beatles and their magic abruptly changed after he got to know them and appreciated the grand music. The Beatles, Larry Kane, Brian Epstein, Derek Taylor and the rest got along so well that Kane was invited to accompany the Beatles on their 1965 US Tour, which he readily accepted. His recollections of these two tours are wonderfully recalled in his first book, the bestseller "Ticket To Ride." The surviving members of the Beatles' inner circle and Kane remain good friends to this day. Kane is still broadcasting in Philadelphia.
**BeatleTracks' own Vince "Cavern Club" Cavaseno actually visited Prague earlier this year (2009) and got some great pictures of this amazing scene. Please visit our main WEB site to see Vince's great photos.
***Opinion: It is indeed mind boggling when one considers the staggering amount of Beatles books that are still coming out. There are well over 1000 Beatle books in print and I fully expect that number to continue to increase every year at the same pace that we see today. Nevertheless, your humble correspondent heartily recommends both of Kane's books to anyone interested in the Beatles, especially the second book that we are drawing from today. Kane does the unexpected: "Lennon Revealed" gives us a surprisingly deeper look at John Lennon than you will find elsewhere. Yes, despite all the books that are already out there. Trust me on this.
In the shocking hue & cry of John Lennon's assassination, there was a mind boggling display of grief in the places that Lennon (and the Beatles) touched directly such as the U.S., U.K., Germany, Australia, Japan and the rest of Europe. The real surprise in the aftermath of John's death was the spontaneous gatherings of grief stricken fans behind the IRON CURTAIN is places as diverse as Red Square in Moscow and the WALL in Prague. This outpouring of grief and the subsequent gatherings in the Communist States was another way of asking for a prison term back in the day. One just didn't go out in public and shed tears for anyone in the West in the 1980's, let alone a pop musician.
Perhaps the most gutsy, bold challenge to authority took place at a simple wall in the city of Prague, the capital of what would become the future independent Czech Republic. The now famous "Wall" is part of a church yard that dates back to the 1300's. It was there, in the days immediately after John Lennon's murder and under the watchful eyes of agents of the Soviet dominated puppet state that young Beatle fans created what we now call the LENNON WALL.
Close up of a spot on the LENNON WALL.The WALL first began as a memorial to John Lennon but it quickly evolved into a symbol of protest against the regime. Over a nine year period until the so-called "Velvet Revolution" brought freedom to the Czech people, the WALL was a scene of an ongoing battle of free thinking, peace loving, Beatle music listening kids and activists against the Communist Government. Anti-government slogans were continually painted on the Lennon Wall. They were just as quickly white-washed and covered by government agents only to find the slogans and Beatles' lyrics repainted shortly later.
This cat-and-mouse game continued for years; all under the threat of imprisonment and/or torture if caught. Many fans and activists were. The bulk of the lyrics painted on the WALL were Lennon lyrics speaking of peace and an end to war. Even closed circuit surveillance cameras could not stop the painters, poets, fans and lovers of freedom from expressing themselves through John's music. Despite the white-washing, captures, jail sentences and occasional beatings the spirit of freedom, of an end to oppression and an end to war and most importantly, the spirit of the English musician they all came to love and exalt, would not be suppressed. Even in a closed society, the spirit of love and freedom will always triumph.
Currently, in a free Prague, the "John Lennon Peace Wall" stands proudly at its original location and is visited annually by thousands of people from around the world. Lennon himself never visited Prague but this humble monument stands as physical testimony to the intense power of John's message. It is yet another poignant reminder of John's towering and iconic influence.
John Lennon didn't live to witness the Czech revolution but he would have loved and appreciated its mechanism: it was called the "Velvet Revolution" because it was peaceful without a single shot being fired. John would have been so proud of the youth in the final years of Communism as they risked their lives to keep fighting for freedom while paying homage to the man whose music so inspired their yearnings. In short, John Lennon and his music and lyrics were a aural guide to all young dreams of freedom and liberation.
We All Shine On.
By John Haberstroh (Bassist for BeatleTracks) Find us at www.beatletracksband.com
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