Last night William and I went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex to see the John Lennon exhibit. I was a major Beatles fan in my youth, got to my first Beatles press conference in Kansas City at 14, my second in Toronto at 15, and when I was 16 befriended a road manager and got an inside glimpse into their behind-the-scenes world. That spring (I’d just turned 17), my manager friend, Mal Evans, introduced me to Paul McCartney at a little club in London called Bag o’ Nails. Paul bought us all drinks, chatted a bit, and in between sang a little song: “I wish I was not a Beatle, ‘cos maybe then I could have some fun.”
The next night, I was at the same club but without Mal. John Lennon sat at the same table where Paul had been the night before. I considered myself far too sophisticated to bother him like a fan or something (which, of course, I was), but figuring that I knew Mal and all, I spoke to John and he was infinitely kind and characteristically funny. I’m glad I did it because that was my one chance, and John is gone now. So is Mal Evans, who evidently snapped after the Beatles’ break-up and John’s death; he was killed in a hostage situation by the LA police sometime in the early 80s. I’d lost track of him and only learned about his death when I read a biography of John Lennon.
The exhibition is called “The New York Years” and was curated by Yoko Ono. It touched on guns and gun violence, and there’s a poster people can sign that
will be sent to President Obama at the end of the run, reminding him of the people who believe there are too many guns in this country. It all got me thinking — about life and death and people who go too soon, about embracing every day and grasping for every opportunity. And about how amazing life can be. I was a nerdy kid from Kansas City. What was I doing hanging out with Beatles at the height of their popularity? Learning, I guess, that as long as we’re on this planet, anything is indeed possible. And it still is. (Shown right: a plaque for John in Liverpool, photographed by ‘Sparks 68.’ )
posted May 25, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Hi Victoria,
I do feel we are very much on the same wave length… I literally just got home from the exhibit!
I was very moved by much of it…the anti-war protests, the support for women, John the Househusband taking such joy in his son, the pleas for less guns and finally the bag Yoko got of his clothing after his death.
A very satisfying afternoon…
Linda
posted May 26, 2009 at 7:35 am
It must have been an honor for you to sit and have a chat with John. There is something I could never quite understand and that is why is it that so many people listen to the song “Imagine” and do not understand the purpose John had for that song. It was written to make people aware that just by imagining and changing their way of thinking and obviously believing this whole world could change.When he wrote “You may say that I’m a dreamer;but I’m not the only one. Someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one” people are afraid to use their minds to produce change.
posted May 26, 2009 at 10:46 am
No offense, but I’m not sure whether your summary of Mal Evans’ untimely passing is an entirely accurate characterization:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal_Evans
posted May 26, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Amazing story – thanks for sharing!
posted May 28, 2009 at 6:46 pm
It is a wonderful exhibit. And if it does not make you at least think about gun violence…you were not paying attention!
posted November 17, 2009 at 1:39 pm
If you liked the exhibit, you will also enjoy the new John Lennon bio, “The Cynical Idealist: A Spiritual Biography of John Lennon,” by Gary Tillery from Quest Books.
In the book, Tillery credits Lennon with making significant contributions to many modern spiritual movements, including men’s liberation, guided meditation (“Imagine”), and global peace.
An excerpt from the book is available on the author’s page at Amazon. If you want to review it for Your Charmed Life, send me an email. Thanks!
posted November 19, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Steve – I’d love to review the Tillery book. I used to work at Quest Books. — Victoria
posted December 15, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Victoria,
Small world! I would love to get a review copy of the John Lennon book into your hands. Can you email you shipping address to me and I’ll get it sent out? I’m steve.okeefe [at] authorviews [dot] com. Thanks again!
posted December 15, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Victoria,
Small world! I would love to get a review copy of the John Lennon book into your hands. Can you email you shipping address to me and I’ll get it sent out? I’m steve.okeefe [at] authorviews [dot] com. Thanks again!