John Lennon/Beatles Mega Thread

[elle]

Originally Posted by 3rd World Man

Elle, i apologize if my comments made you sad. That certainly was not my intention. I get very defensive when John is involved, and i should have taken that article "with a grain of salt" like you said.

thanks Nico, 3rd World Man and MsLinds for responding to my post, and glad if it at all helped clarify things - and that initial reactions seem to have evolved and/or have been explained since. that article may have used the unfortuately often-used strategy of seeding little pieces of real facts and buidling stories on these facts that sound plausible because of the initial facts, regardless of whether they are true or not.

i don't know nearly as much about john and his sons as you all do, but i'll play anyway
1. What is your favorite JL solo album and why? imagine. it was his first solo album i ever heard; love the idealism expressed in several songs - makes the world nicer place
2. If you could travel back in time and meet John in any year, what would it be? 1970
3. What is your favorite John Lennon documentary? didn't see enough of them.. and what i did was looooong time ago
4. Tell me your true feelings about Yoko Ono. i think she was good for JL, and good influence on him. wasn't she independatly rich before she met him? don't know much about her other art, but i skip her songs on double fantasy and not interested in listening to her singing (sorry yoko!)
5. Whose music do you prefer: Julian's or Sean's? cannot asnwer competently
6. Favorite John Lennon lyrics from a song? many - imagine, power to the people come to mind; i think watching the wheels was a dry, witty comeback song
7. Favorite John Lennon melody? many... with beatles, and solo
8. one thing you loved most about John. this is not what i love the most, but what came to mind after reading the question. i have an impression of him as a somewhat flawed but interesting character, who worked hard on overcoming his flaws. i love that he was ono lennon. you still don't see much of that (even in women) in this country.
9. Best John Lennon hairstyle. 1980, without a doubt, he looked great at 40

[3rd World Man]

Ok, here are some even trickier John-related questions. Anyone care to take a shot?

1) Favorite Yoko Ono song
2) Favorite John appearance in a Beatles movie
3) Favorite Sean Lennon song
4) Favorite Julian Lennon song
5) Favorite John song on Revolver
6) Favorite John vocal on a song
7) Compare: "Nobody loves you when you're down and out" or "Working Class Hero"
8) Favorite John quote
9) Favorite book written by John
10) Favorite John Lennon video from "Lennon Legend" video collection

[Nico]

msLinds: thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I love that you keep the GOASTT love alive. They are amazing and I'm falling more and more for them as a duo/band as well as with Sean (and Charlotte) in general. I'm getting pumped about Saturday. I'm going all the way to Atlanta, Georgia to see them so you know I love me some Sean Lennon.

I'm glad we all resolved the Elvis/Tom stuff. However I did like the fact that we had a pretty civilized discussion, which means if another controversial Lennon article comes around I will post and comment...without berating any particular individuals- for the most part.

Here are my answers to 3rd World Man's questions:


1. What is your favorite JL solo album and why?

Very difficult. My JL solo album love as evolved in the past few years. For the longest time it was always John Lennon Plastic Ono Band, bar none. But now Walls & Bridges and Double Fantasy share the spot at number 1.

POB is primal, cathartic, brave, and gorgeous. I have had shivers down my spine, tears in my eyes, and sat with mouth agape at it's stunning greatness. Masterpiece.

W&B is a stark contrast. Energetic, fun, melodic, youthful-almost "Beatle-esque" in it's delivery and presentation. The songs are all SO amazing and I can sit in my car and play it 12 times beginning to end without tiring. Classic.

DF is exactly what it was meant to be: a heart play. When I was younger I always ignored Yoko's contributions because I guess I felt she was simply mediocre (at best) next to John. Fast forward to now...I can't play the album without listening to every single breath all the way through. It is the most perfect combination of the emotional ups and downs of a powerful love/relationship. John's songs are all so incredible. I have decided my favorite DF is the new "stripped" version, but in terms of appreciating what J&Y were trying to show, I melt for the original. I try to block out the tragedy and enjoy it for exactly what it was: a man coming to terms with himself and trying to make it "better and better" each day. Perfection.

2. If you could travel back in time and meet John in any year, what would it be?

My gosh. I can't even think...there are too many. So suffice to say it'd have to be 1980. I'd tell him his music was beautiful, he should write a play, and hire some very good bodyguards for exiting and entering his house.

3. What is your favorite John Lennon documentary?

Imagine and LennonNYC. I say see them both back to back- starting with the former.

4. Tell me your true feelings about Yoko Ono. A beautifully misunderstood woman. I believe she gave John exactly what he needed; inspiration, love, and courage. I think she understood him better than anyone else, and their love was 100% pure, though not without tumult. I think they BOTH were incredibly possessive of each other and, unfortunately, it hurt them both: Yoko in her independent career, and John in his relationships with other people like his first family, the other Beatles, etc. However, I also believe that John needed Yoko to step off to his new plateau and she became his partner because he absolutely respected her as an artist and as a person. They were, in my opinion, one of the most incredible romances of the 20th century.

5. Whose music do you prefer: Julian's or Sean's? Unfair. I love both. I remember Jules' music when I was 6 or 7 and he was kind of a part of my childhood. His voice is beautiful, and he's a very talented songwriter. Sean's music touched me when I heard Spaceship from Into the Sun. I was mesmerized by his imagination, his melodies, and his voice. I think Sean is more adventurous, intelligent, and imaginative in his music and Julian is more tender, reflective, and emotional. I really can't pick, but Sean's Friendly Fire album is a work of art and wins out over Photograph Smile and Valotte for me.

6. Favorite John Lennon lyrics from a song?

Are you kidding me? That's like choosing a favorite child. ALL of them. Freakin' what!! This is John Lennon after all. But off the top of my head for tonight: Instant Karma, In My Life, Crippled Inside, Jealous Guy, Across the Universe, Watching the Wheels, #9 Dream, You Are Here, Oh My Love, Isolation, Mind Games, Woman, Strawberry Fields Forever, Because, Don't Let Me Down....ok, let me just stop...

7. Favorite John Lennon melody? Uhm, yeah. Refer to first two statements from above post! Let me go with Norwegian Wood, A Day in the Life,Julia, Dear Prudence, Girl, If I Fell, Imagine, Oh Yoko, Beautiful Boy, Real Love, and Grow Old With Me...just some one-off thoughts.

8. one thing you loved most about John. His music.

9. Best John Lennon hairstyle. 1966. Around the time he made the "bigger than Jesus" apology at that press conference. GORGEOUS. And I loved it in 1974 the way it looked on the cover and sleeves of Walls & Bridges. I also adore it when he had it sheared with sideburns around 1973 and then the whole 1980 thing where he tried a different hairstyle each week was FIERCE.

10. Favorite John Lennon Beatles song/solo song? Strawberry Fields Forever is easily my favorite song of all time. Why? It blew me away upon first hearing it as a child. I would always play the part where he sings, "no one I think is in my tree, I mean it must be high or low, that is you can't, you know, tune in but it's alright, that is I think it's not too bad..."

WHO WRITES LYRICS LIKE THAT??!!

After SFF, I could easily say A Day in the Life, Woman, Instant Karma, I Want You (She's So Heavy), ALL his songs on the White Album (except the one...you know). I mean, I made a top 10. But with JL you really can never make a definitive. He was too great, too prolific, too consistent. It's difficult.

[msLinds]

Have a safe trip and great time Nico in Atlanta this weekend watching Sean and the Goastt perform.I am looking forward to your report back later.
I have few more Sean Lennon and Goastt updates.

‪The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger - Shroedinger's Cat‬ Final Episode," Bedroom Sessions
January 13, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqWzs...layer_embedded

dcis.com
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger @ Iota
Photographs and review
January 11, 2011
An impressively large crowd braved the wintry elements on Tuesday night and made the trip to Iota to catch the local debut of The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger. Of course, ticket sales likely were not hindered by the fact that one principal member of the band is the "Beautiful Boy" of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, while the other is a successful and strikingly beautiful fashion model. Seemingly unfazed by the burden of hype and fame that precedes them, Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl met -- or perhaps even exceeded -- expectations with an enjoyable performance that marked their musical partnership as one whose fledgling development seems well worth watching.

http://dcist.com/2011/01/the_ghost_o...h_tiger_io.php


Allston Pudding
January 6,2011
Nothing like a little Lennon
I’ve said many times that the Great Scott is my favorite Thursday night spot, but never have I experienced it the way I did last night. The cozy Comm. Ave. bar was packed wall to wall with husbands, wives, hipsters, and everything in between, all in attendance to witness The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger kick off the American leg of their tour.
Sean Lennon and girlfriend Charlotte Muhl took the stage along with friend and horn player CJ Camerieri. From the first notes, the trio embarked upon an intimate journey that showcased both thought provoking lyrics and angelic harmonies.

http://www.allstonpudding.com/post/2659151271


Southbend Tribune
January 10,2011
Delicate and dark harmonies re-energize Lennon's music
By DAVID MALITZ
The Washington Post
It's hard not to feel a twinge of jealousy when Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl discuss the beginnings of the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, their band.He, the only child of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and she, a globe-trotting magazine and runway model, had been dating for a year and, according to Kemp Muhl, "the only thing we were doing was going to cafés and sketching together and talking about movies and things." It sounds like a scene straight out of a Godard movie, or the fantasies of any would-be bohemian.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/arti...1100355/-1/XML


Metro.us.Boston
Partners in love, music and fashion
January 05, 2011
Aside from being the scion of one of rock’s most legendary couples — John Lennon and Yoko Ono — Sean Lennon has enjoyed the taste of quiet fame and critical acclaim in the last 15 years for his own musical endeavors. But with his new band, Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, he’s been photographed with remarkable frequency. He owes the fact to his bandmate and girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl, since she’s been a model since childhood.

http://www.metro.us/boston/entertain...522--partners-


The Dallas Observor
January 13,2011
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger
January 18, at Dan's Silverleaf in Denton

http://www.dallasobserver.com/2011-0...r-tooth-tiger/


The Washington Examiner
January 10,2010
Sean Lennon gets comparisons to Dad

http://washingtonexaminer.com/entert...omparisons-dad

[3rd World Man]

To Nico, i must say i love all of your detailed comments to the first ten questions! You have such an amazing depth of knowledge about music and musicians, im quite envious
I wanted to respond properly to your post, and also give my answers to the second set of questions, but i am working on a friends iPad. As wonderful as this thing is, it is frustrating to try and type anything more than cursory replies without a physical keyboard! But i promise to give another try tomorrow...

But i hope you have a safe and wonderful trip to see Sean & Charlotte tomorrow! I really wish i was going to that show Please post your concert experience after you return, I'll be looking forward to it. Take care!

[Nico]

OMG!!

I met Sean Lennon!!!! and he was completely amazing. Very unpretentious, charming, handsome, sweet, COOL. I think he tops the list of most approachable/freaking awesome celebs I have ever encountered. I am still trying to take it all in. The show was FANTASTIC!!! I was in awe of each and every song. Sean and Charlotte have the most harmonious voices together. And the music, oh the music... Stunning.

I spoke to Sean several times throughout the evening, but my favorite was when he said, "Darling, your style is fabulous. Can I touch your coat?" Ok. I had a pretty cool outfit on. Very George Harrison on Apple rooftop meets Ali McGraw's 70's look. I was mixing a bunch of different things and they apparently appealed to Sean because he kept touching my coat and then wanted me to show him my Yoko Ono shirt. He tried to stretch it to see what the photo was (and I was so blown away by the awesomeness of Sean analyzing my outfit that I forgot what era Yoko it was, but Sean didn't know either.) Anyway, he was AMAZING in concert, Charlotte was awesome- she played a few songs with her childhood BFF (who had earlier sold me a GOASTT electric sampler album), and Sean played the guitar (beautifully) as the two women channeled Simon & Garfunkel in their songs.

Sean played Dead Meat off the incredible MASTERPIECE Friendly Fire, and Charlotte sang some of the chorus along with CJ the saxophonist giving a new edge to the song. LOVED it.

What I remember I had to tell Sean was that I was a huge fan of his since his first album, Into the Sun. And he was like, "Oh wow, thank you for that." No Sean, thank you!!!

Sean is the best. GO SEE GOASTT!!!!!! The show is amazing, and Sean is so charming, personable, and incredibly sweet and Charlotte is simply darling. They are TOO CUTE together, and I wished it lasted far longer that is how great it was.

I got a ton of pics. Not the best angle, but I'll post a few. I got a pic with both of them of course. And I got some pretty great audio via my little red Lumix (I brought two cameras).

It was fabulous. John would be proud, not only of his son's massive talent but also because he's such a wonderful guy. Love Sean. Indeed, a "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" in every way!!!!

[msLinds]

I am glad to hear Nico you had a great time at your Goastt concert and got to meet and talk to Sean several times.Thats great that Sean liked how you were dressed.So Sean wanted to touch you coat, that cool.Thats nice you had on your Yoko shirt on.I am happy you finally got to meet Sean after being such a loyal fan all these years.I agree with you that " That John would be proud, not only of his son's massive talent but also because he's such a wonderful guy. I agree with you he is a "Beautiful Boy" in every way.They are also releasing a electric album this year.So that gives us fans something to look forward to. Thanks for the great review.I actually have a couple updates.


Examiner.com Charlotte
Review - The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger
January 14th, 2011

Thursday night, January 13th, the Evening Muse hosted a sold out performance by The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger, featuring Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl.* One thing is certain – Sean is his father’s son.* The physical resemblance is striking in person and while not unexpected, it remains a little uncanny for this writer.*

http://www.examiner.com/music-in-cha...bretooth-tiger


Examiner.com Tucson.Arizona
January 9, 2011

Lennon brings a GOASTT to Club Congress Jan. 21,2011
Folk rock newcomers The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger list the following influences on their Myspace page:* volcanoes, seaweed, trilobites, dripping faucets, quantum computers, the end of the world, tomato catsup.* But it’s highly possible that the musical talents of the New York based indie group consisting of Sean Lennon and his model-musician-girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl bear the unmistakable mark of one other thing.Like say the melodic influence of popular music’s most significant icon.

http://www.examiner.com/concerts-in-...ongress-jan-21


‪Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger - Dead Meat (Sean Lennon) Philly 1-7-11‬

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-YsOcIdf_Q

*The GOASTT at The Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC, January 12, 2011
Live @ The Local 506 - Candy Necklace‬

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggDQE...layer_embedded

[msLinds]

Nico I send you a private message.I hope I have my profile options set up right to receive them ok.I have it as enabled to get Pm's.thanks

[Nico]

Originally Posted by msLinds

Nico I send you a private message.I hope I have my profile options set up right to receive them ok.I have it as enabled to get Pm's.thanks

I got it MsLinds! I'm going to reply right now...thanks.

[3rd World Man]

Originally Posted by Nico

OMG!!

I met Sean Lennon!!!! and he was completely amazing. Very unpretentious, charming, handsome, sweet, COOL. I think he tops the list of most approachable/freaking awesome celebs I have ever encountered. I am still trying to take it all in. ...

W.O.W!!! That it is so amazingly cool I Can believe that you can't quite grasp the awesomeness of it all. I had a ticket to that SAME show and I couldn't make it
BUT i am so glad that a huge John/Yoko/Sean/Julian fan such as yourself got to not only see an amazing show, but to hang out with Sean & Charlotte too...like i said before WOW!

Thanks so much for sharing your great concert experience! I hope Sean gets to see it and see how much you enjoyed the show, he seems like a truly nice guy who would love feedback like that from his fans. And that he has fans who travel great distances to see him!

[msLinds]

I have a couple recent Sean Lennon and The Goastt video's to post.From The Melting Point
In Athens,Ga. From January 14, 2011

The GoaSST Live at The Melting Point (Athens, Ga) "Jardin du Luxembourg" 1/14/11‬

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRGpR...layer_embedded

‪
The GoaSST Live at The Melting Point (Athens, Ga) "Dark Matter, White Noise" 1/14/11‬

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V738n...layer_embedded

[LukeA]

John Lennon's lost 1990 hit.

[Nico]

^ I love that Luke. Thanks for sharing. It is so reminiscent of something that very well could have been 1990 John. It has his style on it.

[msLinds]

Thanks Luke for posting that cool lost song of John Lennon's that George Michael did.
I have a couple new Sean Lennon and Goastt updates.One radio interview and new article.

The GOASTT - KUT.org radio Austin Texas 19th Jan 2011, Songs live + interview with Sean and Charlotte.

1. Jardin du Luxembourg
2. Rainbows in Gasoline
3. Dark Matter

http://www.kut.org/items/show/23820


Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger: Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl at Dan's Silver Leaf. January 20, 2011
Okay, let's get the metaphors out of the way: Sean Lennon has big shoes to fill inside of a very large John Lennon Shadow. As the product of the late John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon is tasked with not only carrying on such a publicly adored legacy, but also creating his own. GOASTT, consisting of bf/gf Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl, rather than buckling under such pressure, instead deliver beautiful music that speaks for itself.

http://www.mydentonmusic.com/reviews...-tiger-1.20.11

[msLinds]

Please sign this petition for Julian Lennon to help him get his Lucy in the Sky with diamonds painting back.This petition was started by some fans of Julians to get the guy that owns it right now.To consider returning it to him.I found this petition on Jules Facebook page.I feel Julian should get his painting back.Lets all sign it and pass it on to help.

Julian Lennon's Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds Petition
The Let's Help Julian Lennon Get His Drawing Back Group

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/JulesLucyDrawing/