John Lennon's Four Loves: 3 Women and a Man, Part III
We start our new decade and new year with Part III of our four part mini series on the true loves of John Lennon. Today, we say a few words on the most provacative of John's women and perhaps the most provacative of all the Beatles' wives, Yoko Ono.
John and Yoko, Spring, 1969.
We draw again from Larry Kane's "Lennon Revealed," Running Press, 2005.
The third of John Lennon's true loves was the Japanese avant garde artist he met on November 9, 1966. Interesting how the #9 continued to follow John around his whole life. Little wonder it was his favorite number. *Brian Epstein "discovered" the Beatles in the basement Cavern Club exactly five years earlier on November 9, 1961. John was restless one evening and decided to visit the Indica Art Gallery run by his friend Robert Frasier. The entire facility was exhibiting the work of unknown artist Yoko Ono. One exhibit was a ladder that a patron had to climb up. John did so. Attached to the ceiling was a magnifying glass. There was a small piece of artwork also attached to the ceiling and one had to view it through the magnifying glass. It was a simple word, "YES." John was enthralled with the positive message, the cookiness of the art and the intensity of the artist. There began the first flick of one of the 20th Century's most famous and intense love affairs.
According to Lennon and Ono, they would not actually consumate their growing passion until about May 18, 1968 at John's Kenwood home in Weybridge. This would have placed their full consumation just before the White Album Sessions began on May 30, 1968 at George Harrison's Esher home. Long time insider and helper Tony Bramwell vigorously disputes this in his book "Magical Mystery Tour" and goes on to say not only did John and Yoko begin their affair very shortly after meeting each other in November of 1966, but he (Bramwell) was often enlisted to drive John to the then secretive trysts. No matter; in any form it took, John Lennon was at some point, hopelessly smitten with Yoko and by the time of the White Album, they were inseperable.
As a traveling reporter with the Beatles during their unprecedented 1964 and 1965 USA tours, Larry Kane learned not to underestimate John's ability to get women, any time, anywhere, any place. John could not walk away from temptation. Add to that, his experimental sensibilities and what you had was a true searcher of new stimulation and new things. As Press Officer Tony Barrow has stated, Cynthia Lennon may not have been the #1 love of John's life but she did represent stability. Despite his contant daliances, Lennon still remained faithful to the marriage; that is to say, he always came home to Cynthia. That is, until he met Yoko. The marriage to Cynthia began to die when Yoko came into the picture.
When the Beatles, including Lennon, took off to India to study TM with the Maharishi, it was then that John knew for sure his marriage to Cynthia was over. Cynthia knew it too. Paul Saltzman was a Canadian who was also visiting the Ashram of the Maharishi at the time and became friendly with the Beatles at the time. Says Saltzman, "The only tension that existed (was) between John and Cynthia. There was a real vacuum there. She looked unhappy. He did too." Saltzman would, years later, publish a book of his photographs called "The Beatles at Rishikesh." The photos, according to Larry Kane, of John and Cynthia are the most intense in the entire book.
Says Saltzman, "I've shown these photographs in so many locations. The same thing happens everywhere. There is a shot of John looking rather passive, sort of a thousand yard stare. And it NEVER fails. At every show, a few people walk in, look at the photograph, and break into tears. There's something about him that makes people cry."
L-R: George, Paul, John, Donovan, Patti Harrison in India, Feb. 1968.
Yoko swears to this day she had no idea who John Lennon was when she met him and she claims she was hardly aware of the Beatles either. Nevertheless, she was intrigued by him as she was of her. As stated, by 1968 they were inseperable. John found in her, a true soulmate. He found an artist that, as far as he was concerned, was as talented as he and Paul McCartney. John always claimed that Yoko educated him on women and taught him how to treat women respectfully, a thing he had seldom done previously.
As time went by, after the initial meeting, love and understanding were joined in the rhythm of their initial friendship. Yoko says that she was scared of him at first and his powerful presence. She stated further that she ran off to Paris around Dec. 1966 to get away from John and her increasing feelings toward him. Yoko adds that she was invited back for an exhibit of one of her shows at the Royal Albert Hall and upon arriving at her apartment, there were piles of letters from John awaiting her on the floor.
It is said that life comes down to a few crucial moments. Some call it fate. Whatever you may call it; it is the decision or the indecision at a given moment in time that can change one's life forever. So it was for Yoko in 1967 with John Lennon. By the Winter of '67, Yoko realized that she had crossed the threshold into the full blume of love. *Interestingly, Larry Kane confirms Tony Bramwell's accout of the fact that John and Yoko began dating as early as November, 1966.
By the summer of 1968, John was bringing Yoko to the Abbey Road studios and that didn't sit well with anyone, especially his bandmates. The custom had been that no girlfriends or casual friends were allowed into the studio. Now there was Yoko sitting there and even worse, she was commenting on the Beatles' musical material. To the Beatles, John had just brought a fifth member into the band without asking anyone. It was a very strange time indeed for all. John always argued that the two were in the blume of love so why couldn't he have her there? The other Fabs argued that it upset the magical chemistry in the studio. Who's right? Who's wrong? Who knows?
As time went by, Yoko urged John to reassert himself within the band. As Yoko stated once, if anything, John began a new and prolific writing stage during 1968 because of her, that friends and fans hadn't seen since the A Hard Day's Night days. John indeed became more prolific with his music and more outspoken within the band. It was Yoko that got him tuned into the anti-war movement and the eventual protests, in and out of bed, against the Vietnam war. John Married Yoko in Gilbralter in March, 1969 and she remained his wife, his lover, his muse and his biggest post-Beatle inspiration until the day he died.
It was her book "Grapefruit" that had a story line in it with the recurring theme of "Imagine" that ultimately led to John's most famous solo tune and one of the most beloved songs in rock history. *Placing at #3 on the Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the all time greatest songs in rock history. The Beatles as a group scored highest at #8 with Hey Jude. Yesterday came in at #13.
John would walk away from the Beatles on August 20, 1969. With the pundits, fans and media alike at the time, the argument raged: Did Yoko break up the Beatles by influencing John to do so? That argument raged literally for two decades as far as your humble correspondant is concerned. As this blog has posited on several occasions before, John was ready to quit the Beatles anyway by 1968. It was only a matter of time. But due to his inherent insecurities, he stayed with the band for lack of anything else to do with himself. He was sick of pop stardom, sick of iconic worship, sick of Paul's bossiness and sick of what he saw as the boring, predictable, sterile life of a Beatle. (*Your humble correspondant, as well as millions of other musicians would have been quite happy with that position!) John needed something new. He always needed something new and he needed a partner to do it with. John, we recall, was a highly artistic man who never relied on formula. None of the Beatles did for that matter but John was the searcher of the group. Yoko was the push, the artist and the partner that John Lennon needed.
John Lennon became an iconic musical figure for the ages as a Beatle and as a solo musical artist. By 1970 he became an icnonical figure for world peace. He and Yoko actually did something about it with their protests, their song craft including "Give Peace A Chance" that already has become the peace anthem for all time. When polls are taken of the greatest men of the 20th Century, Lennon always ranks high on that list. Much of this can be attributed to the influence of Yoko Ono. With no other woman could John Lennon have reached such heights.
Your humble correspondant admits he has had his selfish moments over the years- wishing that the Beatles had kept going and not broken up until much later. But in the final analysis, the events of the late 1960's and early 1970's shook out exactly as they were supposed to. John Lennon was destined to move on. Frankly, it is amazing that we fans got Abbey Road and Let It Be from the boys, all things considered.
Recent Picture of Yoko.
By the Fall of 1973, the intensity of John and Yoko's union had begun to wear on the couple. A separation was agreed upon until they could figure out what to do. It was during this interlude that another woman would enter John's life. This woman would arrive at the suggestion of Yoko herself, of all people. More on this next time.
By John Haberstroh (Bassist for BeatleTracks) www.beatletracksband.com
John and Yoko, Spring, 1969. We draw again from Larry Kane's "Lennon Revealed," Running Press, 2005.
The third of John Lennon's true loves was the Japanese avant garde artist he met on November 9, 1966. Interesting how the #9 continued to follow John around his whole life. Little wonder it was his favorite number. *Brian Epstein "discovered" the Beatles in the basement Cavern Club exactly five years earlier on November 9, 1961. John was restless one evening and decided to visit the Indica Art Gallery run by his friend Robert Frasier. The entire facility was exhibiting the work of unknown artist Yoko Ono. One exhibit was a ladder that a patron had to climb up. John did so. Attached to the ceiling was a magnifying glass. There was a small piece of artwork also attached to the ceiling and one had to view it through the magnifying glass. It was a simple word, "YES." John was enthralled with the positive message, the cookiness of the art and the intensity of the artist. There began the first flick of one of the 20th Century's most famous and intense love affairs.
According to Lennon and Ono, they would not actually consumate their growing passion until about May 18, 1968 at John's Kenwood home in Weybridge. This would have placed their full consumation just before the White Album Sessions began on May 30, 1968 at George Harrison's Esher home. Long time insider and helper Tony Bramwell vigorously disputes this in his book "Magical Mystery Tour" and goes on to say not only did John and Yoko begin their affair very shortly after meeting each other in November of 1966, but he (Bramwell) was often enlisted to drive John to the then secretive trysts. No matter; in any form it took, John Lennon was at some point, hopelessly smitten with Yoko and by the time of the White Album, they were inseperable.
As a traveling reporter with the Beatles during their unprecedented 1964 and 1965 USA tours, Larry Kane learned not to underestimate John's ability to get women, any time, anywhere, any place. John could not walk away from temptation. Add to that, his experimental sensibilities and what you had was a true searcher of new stimulation and new things. As Press Officer Tony Barrow has stated, Cynthia Lennon may not have been the #1 love of John's life but she did represent stability. Despite his contant daliances, Lennon still remained faithful to the marriage; that is to say, he always came home to Cynthia. That is, until he met Yoko. The marriage to Cynthia began to die when Yoko came into the picture.
When the Beatles, including Lennon, took off to India to study TM with the Maharishi, it was then that John knew for sure his marriage to Cynthia was over. Cynthia knew it too. Paul Saltzman was a Canadian who was also visiting the Ashram of the Maharishi at the time and became friendly with the Beatles at the time. Says Saltzman, "The only tension that existed (was) between John and Cynthia. There was a real vacuum there. She looked unhappy. He did too." Saltzman would, years later, publish a book of his photographs called "The Beatles at Rishikesh." The photos, according to Larry Kane, of John and Cynthia are the most intense in the entire book.
Says Saltzman, "I've shown these photographs in so many locations. The same thing happens everywhere. There is a shot of John looking rather passive, sort of a thousand yard stare. And it NEVER fails. At every show, a few people walk in, look at the photograph, and break into tears. There's something about him that makes people cry."
L-R: George, Paul, John, Donovan, Patti Harrison in India, Feb. 1968. Yoko swears to this day she had no idea who John Lennon was when she met him and she claims she was hardly aware of the Beatles either. Nevertheless, she was intrigued by him as she was of her. As stated, by 1968 they were inseperable. John found in her, a true soulmate. He found an artist that, as far as he was concerned, was as talented as he and Paul McCartney. John always claimed that Yoko educated him on women and taught him how to treat women respectfully, a thing he had seldom done previously.
As time went by, after the initial meeting, love and understanding were joined in the rhythm of their initial friendship. Yoko says that she was scared of him at first and his powerful presence. She stated further that she ran off to Paris around Dec. 1966 to get away from John and her increasing feelings toward him. Yoko adds that she was invited back for an exhibit of one of her shows at the Royal Albert Hall and upon arriving at her apartment, there were piles of letters from John awaiting her on the floor.
It is said that life comes down to a few crucial moments. Some call it fate. Whatever you may call it; it is the decision or the indecision at a given moment in time that can change one's life forever. So it was for Yoko in 1967 with John Lennon. By the Winter of '67, Yoko realized that she had crossed the threshold into the full blume of love. *Interestingly, Larry Kane confirms Tony Bramwell's accout of the fact that John and Yoko began dating as early as November, 1966.
By the summer of 1968, John was bringing Yoko to the Abbey Road studios and that didn't sit well with anyone, especially his bandmates. The custom had been that no girlfriends or casual friends were allowed into the studio. Now there was Yoko sitting there and even worse, she was commenting on the Beatles' musical material. To the Beatles, John had just brought a fifth member into the band without asking anyone. It was a very strange time indeed for all. John always argued that the two were in the blume of love so why couldn't he have her there? The other Fabs argued that it upset the magical chemistry in the studio. Who's right? Who's wrong? Who knows?
As time went by, Yoko urged John to reassert himself within the band. As Yoko stated once, if anything, John began a new and prolific writing stage during 1968 because of her, that friends and fans hadn't seen since the A Hard Day's Night days. John indeed became more prolific with his music and more outspoken within the band. It was Yoko that got him tuned into the anti-war movement and the eventual protests, in and out of bed, against the Vietnam war. John Married Yoko in Gilbralter in March, 1969 and she remained his wife, his lover, his muse and his biggest post-Beatle inspiration until the day he died.
It was her book "Grapefruit" that had a story line in it with the recurring theme of "Imagine" that ultimately led to John's most famous solo tune and one of the most beloved songs in rock history. *Placing at #3 on the Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the all time greatest songs in rock history. The Beatles as a group scored highest at #8 with Hey Jude. Yesterday came in at #13.
John would walk away from the Beatles on August 20, 1969. With the pundits, fans and media alike at the time, the argument raged: Did Yoko break up the Beatles by influencing John to do so? That argument raged literally for two decades as far as your humble correspondant is concerned. As this blog has posited on several occasions before, John was ready to quit the Beatles anyway by 1968. It was only a matter of time. But due to his inherent insecurities, he stayed with the band for lack of anything else to do with himself. He was sick of pop stardom, sick of iconic worship, sick of Paul's bossiness and sick of what he saw as the boring, predictable, sterile life of a Beatle. (*Your humble correspondant, as well as millions of other musicians would have been quite happy with that position!) John needed something new. He always needed something new and he needed a partner to do it with. John, we recall, was a highly artistic man who never relied on formula. None of the Beatles did for that matter but John was the searcher of the group. Yoko was the push, the artist and the partner that John Lennon needed.
John Lennon became an iconic musical figure for the ages as a Beatle and as a solo musical artist. By 1970 he became an icnonical figure for world peace. He and Yoko actually did something about it with their protests, their song craft including "Give Peace A Chance" that already has become the peace anthem for all time. When polls are taken of the greatest men of the 20th Century, Lennon always ranks high on that list. Much of this can be attributed to the influence of Yoko Ono. With no other woman could John Lennon have reached such heights.
Your humble correspondant admits he has had his selfish moments over the years- wishing that the Beatles had kept going and not broken up until much later. But in the final analysis, the events of the late 1960's and early 1970's shook out exactly as they were supposed to. John Lennon was destined to move on. Frankly, it is amazing that we fans got Abbey Road and Let It Be from the boys, all things considered.
Recent Picture of Yoko. By the Fall of 1973, the intensity of John and Yoko's union had begun to wear on the couple. A separation was agreed upon until they could figure out what to do. It was during this interlude that another woman would enter John's life. This woman would arrive at the suggestion of Yoko herself, of all people. More on this next time.
By John Haberstroh (Bassist for BeatleTracks) www.beatletracksband.com
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