In 1963, Beatles manager Brian Epstein sought a publisher for the songs written by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. He decided on Northern Songs, and the band would go on to work with them for much of their career. While Harrison spent years resenting the small stake he held in the company, his bandmates took longer to turn on the publisher. When Northern Songs’ Dick James tried to sell the company, Lennon and McCartney moved to block this. Unfortunately, Lennon’s anger got in the way of their attempt.
John Lennon was so angry that he ruined a deal for The Beatles
In 1969, James informed The Beatles that he planned to sell Northern Songs to Atv Music. This deal would strip the band of control over their catalog. Unsurprisingly, they were not happy with his announcement.
“I met with them several days later at, uh, Paul’s place in St.
John Lennon was so angry that he ruined a deal for The Beatles
In 1969, James informed The Beatles that he planned to sell Northern Songs to Atv Music. This deal would strip the band of control over their catalog. Unsurprisingly, they were not happy with his announcement.
“I met with them several days later at, uh, Paul’s place in St.
- 6/9/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
George Harrison was known as the Quiet Beatle, but he was once tossed out of a meeting for his very harsh words. In 1969, Beatles publisher Dick James sold his company, Northern Songs. This decision lost the band the rights to their music and they were, understandably, upset about it. Harrison and John Lennon were the most aggrieved, but the former got into such a fight with James that he was thrown out of the meeting.
George Harrison got into an angry fight with a Beatles publisher
In 1969, James sold his publishing company, Northern Songs, to Atv without warning The Beatles. Lennon and Paul McCartney were the most affected, but Harrison, who had long resented Northern Songs, was still furious.
“In fact, before [meeting with Lennon and McCartney], I’d had a meeting down at Apple, at which Neil Aspinall was present with, uh, Ringo and George Harrison, and George and I had some very, very strong words,...
George Harrison got into an angry fight with a Beatles publisher
In 1969, James sold his publishing company, Northern Songs, to Atv without warning The Beatles. Lennon and Paul McCartney were the most affected, but Harrison, who had long resented Northern Songs, was still furious.
“In fact, before [meeting with Lennon and McCartney], I’d had a meeting down at Apple, at which Neil Aspinall was present with, uh, Ringo and George Harrison, and George and I had some very, very strong words,...
- 6/8/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When John Lennon met Yoko Ono, he felt a new world had opened up to him. He had been with Cynthia Lennon for years at that point, but he felt more strongly about Ono than he had anyone else. Before long, he had gotten a divorce and married Ono. While the couple felt deeply in love, problems began to surface in their relationship. Lennon said that if they continued down the path they’d been on in their early years together, their marriage would have ended in divorce.
John Lennon said he and Yoko Ono were headed toward ruin as a couple
Lennon and Ono married in 1969 and, by the early 1970s, began to feel significant strain on their relationship. Some of this had to do with external factors: Lennon faced deportation and Ono struggled to gain custody over her daughter from a previous marriage. Their relationship also began to...
John Lennon said he and Yoko Ono were headed toward ruin as a couple
Lennon and Ono married in 1969 and, by the early 1970s, began to feel significant strain on their relationship. Some of this had to do with external factors: Lennon faced deportation and Ono struggled to gain custody over her daughter from a previous marriage. Their relationship also began to...
- 5/25/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Yoko Ono married in 1969 and, four years later, decided they needed a break from one another. They argued with a rising level of intensity and spent all of their time together. As Lennon spoke about how miserable he felt, Ono pitched a temporary separation. She shared how she brought this up to him.
Yoko Ono and John Lennon decided they needed some time apart
In 1973, Lennon and Ono’s situation became unbearable. They fought constantly and spent all of their time together. While they loved each other, they both reached breaking points. Ono said there wasn’t one big, blowout fight before they decided on a separation, though. She quietly suggested a separation when Lennon complained about feeling unhappy.
“One night John and I were lying in bed in the Dakota, and John kept saying how miserable he was, how he needed to get away,” Ono recalled...
Yoko Ono and John Lennon decided they needed some time apart
In 1973, Lennon and Ono’s situation became unbearable. They fought constantly and spent all of their time together. While they loved each other, they both reached breaking points. Ono said there wasn’t one big, blowout fight before they decided on a separation, though. She quietly suggested a separation when Lennon complained about feeling unhappy.
“One night John and I were lying in bed in the Dakota, and John kept saying how miserable he was, how he needed to get away,” Ono recalled...
- 5/23/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While Joni Mitchell was working on her groundbreaking album Court and Spark in 1973, a drunken John Lennon stumbled into the studio. He was working on Rock ‘n’ Roll, an album fueled by drugs, alcohol, and violence. When he visited Mitchell, he tried to give her advice on her album. She shared what she thought of his remarks.
John Lennon tried to give Joni Mitchell advice on how to write a hit
In 1973, Mitchell and Lennon were recording albums next to each other. After a few drinks, Lennon decided to see how Mitchell’s recording session for Court and Spark was going.
“I played him something,” Mitchell told Mojo (via her official website). “[He said] ‘Oh, it’s all a product of over education. You want a hit, don’t you? Put some fiddles on it!'”
Despite Lennon’s belief that the album would not be a hit, it became her most successful album.
John Lennon tried to give Joni Mitchell advice on how to write a hit
In 1973, Mitchell and Lennon were recording albums next to each other. After a few drinks, Lennon decided to see how Mitchell’s recording session for Court and Spark was going.
“I played him something,” Mitchell told Mojo (via her official website). “[He said] ‘Oh, it’s all a product of over education. You want a hit, don’t you? Put some fiddles on it!'”
Despite Lennon’s belief that the album would not be a hit, it became her most successful album.
- 2/3/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While he rarely wrote tunes for other artists in the 1970s, John Lennon co-wrote David Bowie’s “Fame.” The tune’s other writer said that it was inspired by a 1960s doo-wop classic. Today, that doo-wop song is far less famous than “Fame” is. The connection between the two songs is surprising because they don’t sound like each other very much.
David Bowie and John Lennon wrote ‘Fame’ with an artist who worked with James Brown
“Fame” was co-written by John, Bowie, and frequent Bowie collaborator Carlos Alomar. During a 2020 interview with The Intercept, Alomar said the tune was based on a riff from The Flare’s “Foot Stompin’.” “Taking from my past history of working with James Brown, I decided to approach it like that,” he recalled.
“I’d thought of putting some licks down and by that time David had showed up with John Lennon and [his girlfriend] May Pang,...
David Bowie and John Lennon wrote ‘Fame’ with an artist who worked with James Brown
“Fame” was co-written by John, Bowie, and frequent Bowie collaborator Carlos Alomar. During a 2020 interview with The Intercept, Alomar said the tune was based on a riff from The Flare’s “Foot Stompin’.” “Taking from my past history of working with James Brown, I decided to approach it like that,” he recalled.
“I’d thought of putting some licks down and by that time David had showed up with John Lennon and [his girlfriend] May Pang,...
- 1/15/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After The Beatles broke up, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were on decidedly chilly terms. They insulted one another in interviews and songs and rarely saw one another. Several years after the breakup, though, much of their anger had waned. According to Lennon’s girlfriend, May Pang, he considered reuniting with McCartney to write music.
John Lennon considered reuniting with Paul McCartney in the 1970s
After the vitriolic Beatles break up, Lennon and McCartney steered clear of each other. McCartney said that anytime he attempted to reach out to his former bandmate over the phone, he was met with nothing but anger.
By 1973, though, neither felt nearly as angry. According to Lennon’s girlfriend, May Pang, McCartney and his wife Linda visited them often.
“Paul and Linda would visit us whenever we were [in New York],” she told Cultural Sonar. “Well, they said that they were going to New Orleans to record their new album.
John Lennon considered reuniting with Paul McCartney in the 1970s
After the vitriolic Beatles break up, Lennon and McCartney steered clear of each other. McCartney said that anytime he attempted to reach out to his former bandmate over the phone, he was met with nothing but anger.
By 1973, though, neither felt nearly as angry. According to Lennon’s girlfriend, May Pang, McCartney and his wife Linda visited them often.
“Paul and Linda would visit us whenever we were [in New York],” she told Cultural Sonar. “Well, they said that they were going to New Orleans to record their new album.
- 1/11/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When George Harrison met John Lennon, he began to idolize him. Harrison was several years younger than Lennon and wanted to spend as much time as possible with the older boy. As they aged, their relationship changed through their collaboration in The Beatles. While Harrison often felt frustrated with Lennon, he also said that he felt closer to him than his other bandmates. Here’s what contributed to this shift in their relationship.
George Harrison shared what his relationship was like with John Lennon
In the mid-1960s, every member of The Beatles took acid. Paul McCartney was the most cautious about the drug, but Lennon and Harrison took it often. Harrison thought that this improved their relationship.
“After taking acid together, John and I had a very interesting relationship,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “That I was younger or I was smaller was no longer any kind of embarrassment with John.
George Harrison shared what his relationship was like with John Lennon
In the mid-1960s, every member of The Beatles took acid. Paul McCartney was the most cautious about the drug, but Lennon and Harrison took it often. Harrison thought that this improved their relationship.
“After taking acid together, John and I had a very interesting relationship,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “That I was younger or I was smaller was no longer any kind of embarrassment with John.
- 12/1/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The elusive motives behind Mark David Chapman fatally shooting John Lennon are now finally being explained in a boundary-breaking Apple TV+ docuseries.
“John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial” interrogates why Chapman, a photographer from Hawaii, set out to murder Beatle Lennon. Interviews with Chapman’s defense lawyer David Suggs and Dr Naomi Goldstein, the psychiatrist who first assessed Chapman, give new insights into his state of mind at the time of the 1980 killing. A witness to Lennon’s murder, taxi driver Richard Peterson, and Jay Hastings, a doorman at The Dakota who heard Lennon’s last words before he was shot outside of the infamous building, also speculate what compelled Chapman to kill.
Lennon and wife Yoko Ono’s shared confidante Elliot Mintz is further interviewed as the docuseries questions whether Chapman had religious motives or was part of a larger conspiracy to kill celebrities.
Per the series tagline, “Murder Without a Trial...
“John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial” interrogates why Chapman, a photographer from Hawaii, set out to murder Beatle Lennon. Interviews with Chapman’s defense lawyer David Suggs and Dr Naomi Goldstein, the psychiatrist who first assessed Chapman, give new insights into his state of mind at the time of the 1980 killing. A witness to Lennon’s murder, taxi driver Richard Peterson, and Jay Hastings, a doorman at The Dakota who heard Lennon’s last words before he was shot outside of the infamous building, also speculate what compelled Chapman to kill.
Lennon and wife Yoko Ono’s shared confidante Elliot Mintz is further interviewed as the docuseries questions whether Chapman had religious motives or was part of a larger conspiracy to kill celebrities.
Per the series tagline, “Murder Without a Trial...
- 11/28/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
While The Beatles went to Germany, George Harrison spent multiple nights trying to avoid John Lennon’s attention. The band prepared for their performances by drinking beer and taking stimulants. The combination made Lennon aggressive, and he often started looking for a fight. Some nights, Harrison would pretend he was asleep to avoid Lennon’s attention.
George Harrison said John Lennon got aggressive when he took stimulants
In Hamburg, The Beatles played long nights of shows. In order to stay awake and energetic in their performances, they began taking Preludin, a stimulant.
“This was the point of our lives when we found pills, uppers,” Ringo Starr said in The Beatles Anthology. “That’s the only way we could continue playing for so long. They were called Preludin, and you could buy them over the counter. We never thought we were doing anything wrong, but we’d get really wired and go on for days.
George Harrison said John Lennon got aggressive when he took stimulants
In Hamburg, The Beatles played long nights of shows. In order to stay awake and energetic in their performances, they began taking Preludin, a stimulant.
“This was the point of our lives when we found pills, uppers,” Ringo Starr said in The Beatles Anthology. “That’s the only way we could continue playing for so long. They were called Preludin, and you could buy them over the counter. We never thought we were doing anything wrong, but we’d get really wired and go on for days.
- 11/20/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Documentary about May Pang, the woman with whom John Lennon had an affair during his marriage to Yoko Ono, reveals that Ono was pulling the strings
As Yoko Ono enters her 90s, it is perhaps a tactless time to release a documentary about the woman with whom John Lennon had a love affair during a rough patch in his marriage from about 1973 to 1975, what he ungallantly called his “lost weekend”. This is the couple’s then assistant, the extremely smart Chinese-American May Pang, in her early 20s at the time, who emerges with grace and dignity from this engrossing film. The Apple Records A&r man and LA music eminence grise Tony King is quoted here saying of Pang: “She wasn’t just a little scrubber …” That Withnailesque phrase hardly does justice to an intelligent, beautiful and sweet-natured woman who gave unquestioning love to Lennon and appeared to single-handedly...
As Yoko Ono enters her 90s, it is perhaps a tactless time to release a documentary about the woman with whom John Lennon had a love affair during a rough patch in his marriage from about 1973 to 1975, what he ungallantly called his “lost weekend”. This is the couple’s then assistant, the extremely smart Chinese-American May Pang, in her early 20s at the time, who emerges with grace and dignity from this engrossing film. The Apple Records A&r man and LA music eminence grise Tony King is quoted here saying of Pang: “She wasn’t just a little scrubber …” That Withnailesque phrase hardly does justice to an intelligent, beautiful and sweet-natured woman who gave unquestioning love to Lennon and appeared to single-handedly...
- 11/16/2023
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
As key members of two of the biggest bands of the 1960s, it’s hardly surprising that John Lennon and Mick Jagger spent time together. Despite rumors of a rivalry — and a history of trading insults — the two bands got along. Lennon and Jagger were friendly for years, going out together and visiting one another’s homes. During one visit, Jagger and his fiancée witnessed some very unpleasant behavior by Lennon.
Mick Jagger and his fiancée were surprised to see the way John Lennon treated his wife
In 1965, Jagger and his new fiancée, Chrissie Shrimpton, visited the home Lennon and his wife, Cynthia, shared. Problems plagued their marriage for years, and Lennon hardly bothered to hide this in front of guests. After the group watched Citizen Kane in the Lennons’ private theater, the Beatle suggested that they play Risk.
John Lennon and Mick Jagger | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via...
Mick Jagger and his fiancée were surprised to see the way John Lennon treated his wife
In 1965, Jagger and his new fiancée, Chrissie Shrimpton, visited the home Lennon and his wife, Cynthia, shared. Problems plagued their marriage for years, and Lennon hardly bothered to hide this in front of guests. After the group watched Citizen Kane in the Lennons’ private theater, the Beatle suggested that they play Risk.
John Lennon and Mick Jagger | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via...
- 10/31/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While it doesn’t get too much attention today, John Lennon‘s “Instant Karma!” has some of the most interesting lyrics of the “Imagine” singer‘s career. John explained his feelings about karma as a concept. He also related “Instant Karma!” to a rough patch in his marriage to Yoko Ono. “Instant Karma!” became a big hit in the United States and the United Kingdom, and it appeared on an album with a bizarre name.
John Lennon’s ‘Instant Karma!’ was taking a ‘cosmic’ concept and bringing it down to earth
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980. In it, John discussed his feelings on a certain metaphysical concept. “It’s like what they say about karma,” he said. “If you don’t get it right in this lifetime, you have to come back and go through it again.
John Lennon’s ‘Instant Karma!’ was taking a ‘cosmic’ concept and bringing it down to earth
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980. In it, John discussed his feelings on a certain metaphysical concept. “It’s like what they say about karma,” he said. “If you don’t get it right in this lifetime, you have to come back and go through it again.
- 10/11/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While many musicians practice diplomacy when speaking about their peers’ work, John Lennon never hesitated to call out a song he didn’t like. One of these songs was “We Love You” by The Rolling Stones. The band was one of The Beatles’ biggest competitors in the 1960s, and rumors frequently circulated about a rivalry between the two groups. Lennon publicly rolled his eyes at “We Love You” without mentioning that his voice was on the track.
John Lennon didn’t like a song, but he sang vocals on it
After The Beatles broke up, Lennon began airing many of his grievances from the 1960s in the press. One of his major problems was with The Rolling Stones. Lennon felt they knocked off The Beatles’ music, particularly with albums like Their Satanic Majesties Request.
“I was always very respectful about Mick [Jagger] and the Stones, but he said a lot of...
John Lennon didn’t like a song, but he sang vocals on it
After The Beatles broke up, Lennon began airing many of his grievances from the 1960s in the press. One of his major problems was with The Rolling Stones. Lennon felt they knocked off The Beatles’ music, particularly with albums like Their Satanic Majesties Request.
“I was always very respectful about Mick [Jagger] and the Stones, but he said a lot of...
- 10/4/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Brian Wilson were contemporaries, releasing cutting-edge music with their respective bands that influenced the industry for years to come. Wilson saw Lennon and The Beatles as a major influence. Therefore, he was excited to meet him. At a party, Wilson asked Lennon’s friend Bernie Taupin to introduce him to the Beatle. Then, he asked him to introduce him again. And again. While Lennon had a reputation for being prickly, particularly at this time in his life, he was kind to Wilson.
John Lennon was gracious to Brian Wilson at a party
In the early 1970s, Lennon and Taupin attended a party at Jeanne Martin’s house. This was during Lennon’s “lost weekend,” a period of time when he made headlines for heckling comedians and getting into drunken fights. In short, he was not at his most patient or understanding.
As Lennon and Taupin mingled, Wilson...
John Lennon was gracious to Brian Wilson at a party
In the early 1970s, Lennon and Taupin attended a party at Jeanne Martin’s house. This was during Lennon’s “lost weekend,” a period of time when he made headlines for heckling comedians and getting into drunken fights. In short, he was not at his most patient or understanding.
As Lennon and Taupin mingled, Wilson...
- 9/17/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1967, Brian Epstein rushed into the studio to give The Beatles what he saw as thrilling news. He’d booked them a spot on a television program that would reach televisions around the world. Epstein saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; for the first time ever, a satellite would transmit a program worldwide. The Beatles didn’t think this was nearly as monumental as Epstein did. Their lack of interest nearly drove him to tears.
Brian Epstein almost cried at The Beatles’ lack of interest in a career opportunity
While The Beatles were putting the finishing touches on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Epstein rushed into the studio with exciting news. He didn’t often visit them during recording sessions, so everyone in the room eagerly awaited his announcement.
“With a grandiloquent sweep of his hands, he called for silence,” engineer Geoff Emerick wrote in his book Here,...
Brian Epstein almost cried at The Beatles’ lack of interest in a career opportunity
While The Beatles were putting the finishing touches on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Epstein rushed into the studio with exciting news. He didn’t often visit them during recording sessions, so everyone in the room eagerly awaited his announcement.
“With a grandiloquent sweep of his hands, he called for silence,” engineer Geoff Emerick wrote in his book Here,...
- 9/10/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles released their sixth studio album, Rubber Soul, in 1965. It was a more mature album that showcased their improving lyricism. Despite this, few people who worked on the album had high hopes for it. According to Beatles audio engineer Geoff Emerick, there was very little excitement around the studio when they were recording it.
An engineer for The Beatles said no one seemed to like ‘Rubber Soul’ very much
Emerick worked closely with The Beatles for years, but he had little to do with Help! or Rubber Soul. Still, he heard all the studio gossip about both albums. He said people excitedly discussed Help! but didn’t share the same enthusiasm for Rubber Soul.
“I didn’t hear the Help! album in its entirety until after going to see the film, though I do remember Norman [Smith] talking about it enthusiastically in the canteen, especially Paul’s ballad ‘Yesterday,’ which he raved about,...
An engineer for The Beatles said no one seemed to like ‘Rubber Soul’ very much
Emerick worked closely with The Beatles for years, but he had little to do with Help! or Rubber Soul. Still, he heard all the studio gossip about both albums. He said people excitedly discussed Help! but didn’t share the same enthusiasm for Rubber Soul.
“I didn’t hear the Help! album in its entirety until after going to see the film, though I do remember Norman [Smith] talking about it enthusiastically in the canteen, especially Paul’s ballad ‘Yesterday,’ which he raved about,...
- 9/7/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Yoko Ono’s constant presence in the studio began to wear on George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr. Things grew so tense that, eventually, Harrison blew up over a digestive biscuit. The Beatles had always been protective of their food, and when he saw Ono eating his snack, he began screaming about her.
George Harrison began shouting about Yoko Ono in the studio
The Beatles were so protective over their food that they were not allowed to share snacks. Therefore, when Harrison noticed Ono eating his digestive biscuits, it became a problem.
“After a moment or two, [George] began staring bug-eyed out the control room window,” engineer Geoff Emerick wrote in his book Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles. “Curious, I looked over his shoulder. Yoko had gotten out of bed and was slowly padding across the studio floor, finally coming to a stop at Harrison’s Leslie cabinet,...
George Harrison began shouting about Yoko Ono in the studio
The Beatles were so protective over their food that they were not allowed to share snacks. Therefore, when Harrison noticed Ono eating his digestive biscuits, it became a problem.
“After a moment or two, [George] began staring bug-eyed out the control room window,” engineer Geoff Emerick wrote in his book Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles. “Curious, I looked over his shoulder. Yoko had gotten out of bed and was slowly padding across the studio floor, finally coming to a stop at Harrison’s Leslie cabinet,...
- 9/6/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Exclusive: Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired The Lost Weekend: A Love Story, the documentary feature in which May Pang discusses her whirlwind love affair with singer John Lennon, when she was just 23 years old and his assistant. The film, which premiered at Tribeca, is directed by Eve Brandstein, Richard Kaufman, and Stuart Samuels. The tale is told through May’s inside perspective, capturing a love affair that shaped a prolific period for Lennon post-Beatles.
Briarcliff will premiere the docu on digital and Blu-ray on October 13, 2023, the week of John Lennon’s birthday, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
A lesser known chapter in the life of the late Beatles singer Lennon, it took 50 years for Pang to tell her story on film. She recounts her 18-month relationship with John—a relationship orchestrated by Yoko Ono herself. During this period, May helped John reunite with his son Julian Lennon, and participated firsthand in his most productive period post-Beatles.
Briarcliff will premiere the docu on digital and Blu-ray on October 13, 2023, the week of John Lennon’s birthday, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
A lesser known chapter in the life of the late Beatles singer Lennon, it took 50 years for Pang to tell her story on film. She recounts her 18-month relationship with John—a relationship orchestrated by Yoko Ono herself. During this period, May helped John reunite with his son Julian Lennon, and participated firsthand in his most productive period post-Beatles.
- 8/25/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
This year’s David Bowie World Fan Convention took place in New York City. Over several nights in several locations, musicians and other players who worked with David Bowie spoke with fans about the golden years. One creative concept which was reinforced over the weekend is how Bowie chose to work with artists who were as curious, experimental, and funny as himself. No one fits that bill as much as guitarist, composer, arranger, and natural raconteur Carlos Alomar.
Born in Puerto Rico, and raised in the Bronx, Alomar is a New York institution. He made cultural history when he was 17 as the youngest guitarist in the history of Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater, going on to join the house band. The guitarist met Bowie in 1974 and stepped right into the recording of Young Americans. Alomar brought in singers like his wife, Robin Clark, who brought in Luther Vandross, who brought songwriting chops to the sessions.
Born in Puerto Rico, and raised in the Bronx, Alomar is a New York institution. He made cultural history when he was 17 as the youngest guitarist in the history of Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater, going on to join the house band. The guitarist met Bowie in 1974 and stepped right into the recording of Young Americans. Alomar brought in singers like his wife, Robin Clark, who brought in Luther Vandross, who brought songwriting chops to the sessions.
- 8/7/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Ringo Starr has lived in the spotlight for decades. It didn’t take him long to see it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. The Fab Four brought Ringo fame, but he still got bored in the time between recording sessions and other obligations. The Beatles drummer played in the most popular band ever, met and had intimate relationships with other famous entertainers, and enjoyed a rarefied lifestyle few people from a working-class Liverpool neighborhood could dream of. Sometimes, he wished he could go back.
Ringo Starr said his Beatles fame contributed to his boring life
Ringo partied with Charlie Watts and John Bonham. He formed friendships with T. Rex’s Marc Bolan and Harry Nilsson. The drummer and Nilsson lived with John Lennon in Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. Starr partied so hard the bright sun hurt his eyes, so he made his room into a den of darkness,...
Ringo Starr said his Beatles fame contributed to his boring life
Ringo partied with Charlie Watts and John Bonham. He formed friendships with T. Rex’s Marc Bolan and Harry Nilsson. The drummer and Nilsson lived with John Lennon in Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. Starr partied so hard the bright sun hurt his eyes, so he made his room into a den of darkness,...
- 7/27/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Northbrook, Ill. – May Pang is an essential part of John Lennon’s history, having been his lover from 1973 to 1975. While with John, she clicked a number of candid photos, collected in the exhibit “The Lost Weekend – The Photography of May Pang” at the Art Post Gallery in Northbrook (Illinois) from June 16th through the 18th, 2023. Pang will appear at the exhibit for all three days, and all of the photos will be available for purchase. For more information, click May Pang.
One of the closest persons to John Lennon in the decade after the break up of The Beatles … a period in Lennon’s life often called the “Lost Weekend.” Pang also has a new documentary about her life with John, aptly titled “The Lost Weekend A Love Story.” The film will be available for digital download in September.
John Lennon and May Pang
Photo credit: Iconic Events
May Pang...
One of the closest persons to John Lennon in the decade after the break up of The Beatles … a period in Lennon’s life often called the “Lost Weekend.” Pang also has a new documentary about her life with John, aptly titled “The Lost Weekend A Love Story.” The film will be available for digital download in September.
John Lennon and May Pang
Photo credit: Iconic Events
May Pang...
- 6/16/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
In 1973, John Lennon separated from Yoko Ono and began a relationship with the couple’s assistant, May Pang. Ono was aware of this; according to Pang, Ono got them together in the first place. After a whirlwind 18-month affair, Lennon returned to his wife, however. While he wrote off the affair and the events surrounding it as temporary confusion, Pang said she continued to see him in the years after their relationship ended.
May Pang and John Lennon | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images John Lennon and May Pang had an affair that lasted longer than he let on
When Ono first told Pang she wanted her to begin a relationship with Lennon, she resisted. Pang said she didn’t want to disrespect their marriage, even though she recognized they were having problems. Eventually, though, Lennon charmed her, and they moved in together.
“He was just an interesting person.
May Pang and John Lennon | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images John Lennon and May Pang had an affair that lasted longer than he let on
When Ono first told Pang she wanted her to begin a relationship with Lennon, she resisted. Pang said she didn’t want to disrespect their marriage, even though she recognized they were having problems. Eventually, though, Lennon charmed her, and they moved in together.
“He was just an interesting person.
- 5/17/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon famously spoke about becoming a “househusband” to raise his second child, but he had a more distant relationship with his eldest son, Julian. Julian Lennon was born early in The Beatles’ time as a band, and his parents divorced when he was young. From there, his relationship with Lennon grew distant; he admitted to feeling like he hardly knew him. He shared why he felt this made Lennon a hypocrite.
Julian Lennon and John Lennon | David Cairns/Getty Images John Lennon’s son Julian said his father’s behavior was hypocritical
After The Beatles broke up, Lennon began speaking often about the importance of peace and love. He hosted bed-ins for peace with Yoko Ono, integrated the messaging into his music, and spoke out against the Vietnam War. Julian believed this behavior made his father a hypocrite.
Yoko Ono, Julian Lennon, and John Lennon | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty
“I have to say that,...
Julian Lennon and John Lennon | David Cairns/Getty Images John Lennon’s son Julian said his father’s behavior was hypocritical
After The Beatles broke up, Lennon began speaking often about the importance of peace and love. He hosted bed-ins for peace with Yoko Ono, integrated the messaging into his music, and spoke out against the Vietnam War. Julian believed this behavior made his father a hypocrite.
Yoko Ono, Julian Lennon, and John Lennon | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty
“I have to say that,...
- 5/9/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul McCartney and John Lennon bonded over the deaths of their mothers and, according to McCartney, Lennon also spoke candidly about his relationship with his father. He was not a part of Lennon’s life for most of his childhood, but they reunited during Lennon’s time with The Beatles. According to McCartney, Lennon never fully recovered from his father’s absence.
John Lennon | Michael Putland/Getty Images Paul McCartney said John Lennon struggled with his relationship with his father
When Lennon was young, his father, Alfred, and his mother, Julia, separated. Alfred fell out of his life entirely, and Lennon moved in with his aunt and uncle. While he saw Julia sporadically throughout his childhood, he was fully estranged from Alfred. According to McCartney, Lennon’s formidable reputation as a teenager was a result of his upbringing.
“John was the local Ted. You saw him rather than met him,...
John Lennon | Michael Putland/Getty Images Paul McCartney said John Lennon struggled with his relationship with his father
When Lennon was young, his father, Alfred, and his mother, Julia, separated. Alfred fell out of his life entirely, and Lennon moved in with his aunt and uncle. While he saw Julia sporadically throughout his childhood, he was fully estranged from Alfred. According to McCartney, Lennon’s formidable reputation as a teenager was a result of his upbringing.
“John was the local Ted. You saw him rather than met him,...
- 5/8/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Chicago – One of the closest persons to John Lennon in the decade between the break up of The Beatles and his untimely death was May Pang … his lover from 1973 to 1975 … a time in Lennon’s life often called the “Lost Weekend.” Pang narrates a new documentary that sets their record straight, aptly titled “The Lost Weekend A Love Story.”
May Pang is a Manhattan-born daughter of Chinese immigrants and ardent music fan, who became the 19-year-old personal assistant to John Lennon and Yoko Ono beginning in December of 1970, shortly after The Beatles broke up. So when the couple resettled in New York City, she was indispensable to Lennon and Ono’s many wacky projects, In 1973. John began the infamous “Lost Weekend,” which included an intimate relationship with Pang, with Yoko’s blessing, and that level of connection lasted until John and Yoko reconciled in 1975. The film is a comprehensive overview...
May Pang is a Manhattan-born daughter of Chinese immigrants and ardent music fan, who became the 19-year-old personal assistant to John Lennon and Yoko Ono beginning in December of 1970, shortly after The Beatles broke up. So when the couple resettled in New York City, she was indispensable to Lennon and Ono’s many wacky projects, In 1973. John began the infamous “Lost Weekend,” which included an intimate relationship with Pang, with Yoko’s blessing, and that level of connection lasted until John and Yoko reconciled in 1975. The film is a comprehensive overview...
- 4/23/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
John Lennon had a complicated relationship with religion. He often angered religious communities with provocative comments or lyrics that critiqued organized religion. His views also shifted frequently, so where he stood wasn’t obvious. So, it’s surprising that the title for one of John Lennon’s songs came from a famous televangelist.
John Lennon often sparked controversy for his religious views John Lennon | Tom Copi/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
John Lennon was known for making provocative political or social statements. His most controversial statement occurred when he compared The Beatles to Jesus, saying the band was “bigger” than the religious figure.
“Christianity will go,” Lennon said in an interview with the London Evening Standard. “It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I know I’m right, and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which...
John Lennon often sparked controversy for his religious views John Lennon | Tom Copi/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
John Lennon was known for making provocative political or social statements. His most controversial statement occurred when he compared The Beatles to Jesus, saying the band was “bigger” than the religious figure.
“Christianity will go,” Lennon said in an interview with the London Evening Standard. “It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I know I’m right, and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which...
- 4/19/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review for the newly released documentary “The Lost Weekend A Love Story,” which is a chronicle of May Pang and John Lennon’s brief but historically important love affair. Currently in theaters, since April 14th.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
May Pang is a Manhattan-born daughter of Chinese immigrants and ardent music fan, who became the 19-year-old personal assistant to John Lennon and Yoko Ono beginning in December of 1970, shortly after The Beatles broke up. So when the couple resettled in New York City, she was indispensable to Lennon and Ono’s many wacky projects, In 1973. John began the infamous “Lost Weekend” the same year, which included an intimate relationship with Pang, with Yoko’s blessing, and that level of connection lasted until John and Yoko reconciled in 1975.
”The Lost Weekend A Love Story” is currently in theaters, since April 14th. Featuring interviews with May Pang and Julian Lennon,...
Rating: 5.0/5.0
May Pang is a Manhattan-born daughter of Chinese immigrants and ardent music fan, who became the 19-year-old personal assistant to John Lennon and Yoko Ono beginning in December of 1970, shortly after The Beatles broke up. So when the couple resettled in New York City, she was indispensable to Lennon and Ono’s many wacky projects, In 1973. John began the infamous “Lost Weekend” the same year, which included an intimate relationship with Pang, with Yoko’s blessing, and that level of connection lasted until John and Yoko reconciled in 1975.
”The Lost Weekend A Love Story” is currently in theaters, since April 14th. Featuring interviews with May Pang and Julian Lennon,...
- 4/18/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The Beatles wrote their music and won over fans with their charm, but they couldn’t have reached their level of success without the people who worked with them along the way. Producers, assistants, managers, and former bandmates all helped The Beatles become the biggest band in the world. While they didn’t receive as much recognition as the band, some people who helped lift The Beatles to success have become the subjects of both documentaries and fictional movies. Here are five to check out.
The Beatles and Brian Epstein | John Rodgers/Redferns ‘Good Ol’ Freda’ is a movie about The Beatles’ longtime secretary
At 17, Freda Kelly scored the job that thousands of people would have given anything to have. She became the secretary to The Beatles and the head of their fan club. She was also one of the few people to work with them for the entirety of...
The Beatles and Brian Epstein | John Rodgers/Redferns ‘Good Ol’ Freda’ is a movie about The Beatles’ longtime secretary
At 17, Freda Kelly scored the job that thousands of people would have given anything to have. She became the secretary to The Beatles and the head of their fan club. She was also one of the few people to work with them for the entirety of...
- 4/16/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1973, John Lennon and Yoko Ono separated for about 18 months. During that time, Lennon began dating their former assistant, May Pang. While many believed this to be an affair, Ono herself actually orchestrated the relationship. While Lennon and Pang did have a loving relationship, the initial suggestion caught Pang off guard.
Yoko Ono set May Pang up with John Lennon May Pang and John Lennon | Tom Wargacki/WireImage
May Pang was just 19 years old when she started working at Apple Corps., the company founded by The Beatles. While working there, she became the assistant to Lennon and Yoko. One day, Ono walked into her office and told her that the former Beatle was going to start seeing other people, and she suggested she go out with him. In an interview with Variety, Pang said she found the situation “insane,” but still went with Lennon when he invited her to Los Angeles.
Yoko Ono set May Pang up with John Lennon May Pang and John Lennon | Tom Wargacki/WireImage
May Pang was just 19 years old when she started working at Apple Corps., the company founded by The Beatles. While working there, she became the assistant to Lennon and Yoko. One day, Ono walked into her office and told her that the former Beatle was going to start seeing other people, and she suggested she go out with him. In an interview with Variety, Pang said she found the situation “insane,” but still went with Lennon when he invited her to Los Angeles.
- 4/16/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Between 1973 and 1975, John Lennon and Yoko Ono separated for a period he later called his “Lost Weekend.” During this time, he dated his assistant, May Pang, and the pair moved to Los Angeles together. The two had a loving relationship, so Pang was upset when John Lennon referred to it as his “Lost Weekend.” According to Pang, the former Beatle did apologize for calling their relationship this.
John Lennon called his separation from Yoko Ono his ‘Lost Weekend’ John Lennon and May Pang | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Pang started working at Apple Corps., the company founded by The Beatles, at the age of 19, and she shortly became the assistant to Lennon and Ono. The couple started having marital problems in 1973, and Ono approached Pang asking her if she could start a relationship with Lennon. Pang repeatedly said no, but Ono was adamant about orchestrating everything.
Lennon and Pang did start dating,...
John Lennon called his separation from Yoko Ono his ‘Lost Weekend’ John Lennon and May Pang | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Pang started working at Apple Corps., the company founded by The Beatles, at the age of 19, and she shortly became the assistant to Lennon and Ono. The couple started having marital problems in 1973, and Ono approached Pang asking her if she could start a relationship with Lennon. Pang repeatedly said no, but Ono was adamant about orchestrating everything.
Lennon and Pang did start dating,...
- 4/14/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While Yoko Ono and John Lennon were a power couple in the late 1960s and 1970s, the two went through a rough patch between 1973 and 1975. The couple separated briefly, and John Lennon began dating their assistant, May Pang. While John and Yoko never officially separated, Pang recently revealed that Ono did ask the “Imagine” singer for a divorce.
Yoko Ono set John Lennon up with May Pang during his “Lost Weekend” May Pang and John Lennon | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
John Lennon and Yoko Ono separated in 1973. The pair reunited in 1975, but this period became known as Lennon’s “Lost Weekend.” The 18-month era saw a boom in musical production from Lennon and a series of public drunken outbursts. Lennon also started a relationship with Pang, and the two moved to Los Angeles.
Pang is sharing her experience of their relationship in a new documentary, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story.
Yoko Ono set John Lennon up with May Pang during his “Lost Weekend” May Pang and John Lennon | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
John Lennon and Yoko Ono separated in 1973. The pair reunited in 1975, but this period became known as Lennon’s “Lost Weekend.” The 18-month era saw a boom in musical production from Lennon and a series of public drunken outbursts. Lennon also started a relationship with Pang, and the two moved to Los Angeles.
Pang is sharing her experience of their relationship in a new documentary, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story.
- 4/13/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon lived a busy life after The Beatles. We’ll find out more about his mid-1970s relationship with May Pang in the movie Lost Weekend: A Love Story. When he went back to his wife, Yoko Ono, after the Lost Weekend period, John more or less committed himself to raising his son, Sean, for several years. Meanwhile, his older son, Julian, endured a distant relationship with his father, which might have cost him millions of dollars when John’s will excluded him.
(l-r) Julian Lennon; John Lennon | Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage; Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns John Lennon’s relationship with his oldest son, Julian, was complicated and distant
John and his first wife, Cynthia, welcomed their son Julian in 1963. One of the reasons they married in 1962 was because she was pregnant, though it wasn’t planned.
John’s busy Beatles schedule and general unhappiness in his marriage manifested...
(l-r) Julian Lennon; John Lennon | Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage; Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns John Lennon’s relationship with his oldest son, Julian, was complicated and distant
John and his first wife, Cynthia, welcomed their son Julian in 1963. One of the reasons they married in 1962 was because she was pregnant, though it wasn’t planned.
John’s busy Beatles schedule and general unhappiness in his marriage manifested...
- 4/13/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon‘s “Lost Weekend” wasn’t as horrible as we thought, according to May Pang, John’s girlfriend during the period. John exhibited destructive behavior during his 18-month break from his wife, Yoko Ono. However, his “Lost Weekend” was also one of the former Beatle’s most creative and productive periods.
John Lennon and May Pang | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Many view John Lennon’s ‘Lost Weekend’ as one of his darkest periods, but that’s because of the name
One of the biggest misconceptions of John’s “Lost Weekend” is that he was distraught being separated from Yoko and therefore went on a bender of drinking and taking drugs. This couldn’t have been farther from the truth.
His “Lost Weekend” started when he and his wife began having marriage issues. In 2012, Yoko told The Telegraph that she “needed a rest” and “space.” She also mentioned that...
John Lennon and May Pang | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Many view John Lennon’s ‘Lost Weekend’ as one of his darkest periods, but that’s because of the name
One of the biggest misconceptions of John’s “Lost Weekend” is that he was distraught being separated from Yoko and therefore went on a bender of drinking and taking drugs. This couldn’t have been farther from the truth.
His “Lost Weekend” started when he and his wife began having marriage issues. In 2012, Yoko told The Telegraph that she “needed a rest” and “space.” She also mentioned that...
- 4/12/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
May Pang discussed the origin of John Lennon’s “#9 Dream.” She discussed why the tune did not become the lead single for one of John’s albums. “#9 Dream” became a hit anyway. John Lennon and May Pang | Art Zelin / Contributor
May Pang said John Lennon dreamed up “#9 Dream” in their bed. In addition, she revealed the bed was called “Lennon Central.” Notably, “#9 Dream” was passed over as the lead single of one of John’s albums in favor of another famous song.
John Lennon and May Pang lived in the same building as a record executive
Pang was John’s girlfriend while he was taking a break from his marriage to Yoko Ono. In her 2008 book Instamatic Karma, Pang discussed living with John in the same apartment building as Eddie Germano, the general manager of Record Plant Studios. Numerous famous albums were recorded at the Record Plant, including...
May Pang discussed the origin of John Lennon’s “#9 Dream.” She discussed why the tune did not become the lead single for one of John’s albums. “#9 Dream” became a hit anyway. John Lennon and May Pang | Art Zelin / Contributor
May Pang said John Lennon dreamed up “#9 Dream” in their bed. In addition, she revealed the bed was called “Lennon Central.” Notably, “#9 Dream” was passed over as the lead single of one of John’s albums in favor of another famous song.
John Lennon and May Pang lived in the same building as a record executive
Pang was John’s girlfriend while he was taking a break from his marriage to Yoko Ono. In her 2008 book Instamatic Karma, Pang discussed living with John in the same apartment building as Eddie Germano, the general manager of Record Plant Studios. Numerous famous albums were recorded at the Record Plant, including...
- 4/12/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Between 1973 and 1975, John Lennon briefly separated from Yoko Ono, leading to his “Lost Weekend” period. The “Lost Weekend” saw Lennon dealing with issues like alcoholism and depression, but it also was a period of creative acceleration for him. During this time, Lennon produced three albums and collaborated with artists such as Elton John and David Bowie. Here are the three albums from John Lennon’s “Lost Weekend”.
‘Mind Games’ John Lennon and May Pang | Art Zelin/Getty Images
Mind Games was the first album John Lennon recorded during the “Lost Weekend.” It was released in 1973 and was the first self-produced album from Lennon without help from Phil Spector. Mind Games largely saw Lennon abandoning his more political tracks, returning to his more introspective songwriting style. The only political songs are “Only People” and the three-second “Nutopian International Anthem”.
While Mind Games is a textbook example of Lennon’s vulnerable and personal lyrics,...
‘Mind Games’ John Lennon and May Pang | Art Zelin/Getty Images
Mind Games was the first album John Lennon recorded during the “Lost Weekend.” It was released in 1973 and was the first self-produced album from Lennon without help from Phil Spector. Mind Games largely saw Lennon abandoning his more political tracks, returning to his more introspective songwriting style. The only political songs are “Only People” and the three-second “Nutopian International Anthem”.
While Mind Games is a textbook example of Lennon’s vulnerable and personal lyrics,...
- 4/12/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It says something about The Beatles that we’re fascinated by their story decades after they broke up. Fans still want to learn more about the Fab Four, including John Lennon, who founded the band that became The Beatles. He might have hated some of the band’s songs, but music fans love hearing about John’s life. They can learn more with May Pang’s movie The Lost Weekend: A Love Story. Pang was lucky to become John’s assistant before she was his lover, and her documentary film reveals her side of the story of her relationship with the Beatles’ founder.
(l-r) John Lennon and assistant/girlfriend May Pang | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images May Pang had a relationship with John Lennon during his Lost Weekend phase
John married Yoko in March 1969, but the union experienced some friction in 1973. The couple argued. Yoko felt they were growing apart,...
(l-r) John Lennon and assistant/girlfriend May Pang | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images May Pang had a relationship with John Lennon during his Lost Weekend phase
John married Yoko in March 1969, but the union experienced some friction in 1973. The couple argued. Yoko felt they were growing apart,...
- 4/11/2023
- by Jason Rossi
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Yoko Ono were married for years, but they spent a period of their relationship apart during his “lost weekend.” During this time, Lennon created new music, spent long, boozy nights out, and had an affair with the couple’s assistant, May Pang. This notorious period of Lennon’s history is the subject of a new documentary film, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story. In it, Pang shares her side of the story.
May Pang and John Lennon | Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images John Lennon’s ‘lost weekend’ occurred during his separation from Yoko Ono
In 1969, Lennon and Ono married. By the early 1970s, their relationship was struggling. Ono disclosed this to Pang, who was then working as their assistant.
“Listen, May,” Ono told Pang, per her book Loving John. “John and I are not getting along. We’ve been arguing. We’re growing apart.
May Pang and John Lennon | Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images John Lennon’s ‘lost weekend’ occurred during his separation from Yoko Ono
In 1969, Lennon and Ono married. By the early 1970s, their relationship was struggling. Ono disclosed this to Pang, who was then working as their assistant.
“Listen, May,” Ono told Pang, per her book Loving John. “John and I are not getting along. We’ve been arguing. We’re growing apart.
- 4/9/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In a new documentary, the woman who went from assistant to lover of the ex-Beatle talks about her side of a misunderstood story
Smack in the middle of the 1970s, John Lennon experienced what he famously called a “lost weekend”, echoing the title of a classic 1945 movie about an out-of-control alcoholic. Given that description, people naturally viewed that “weekend” – which actually lasted 18 months and which coincided with Lennon’s separation from Yoko Ono – as a period of great excess and deep regret. Yet, according to May Pang, who was Lennon’s 22-year-old live-in lover during that time, that was anything but the case. “He was getting to hang out with his friends and have a lot of fun,” she said. “And, because I was 10 years younger, we were getting to do all the things young couples do.”
Pang insists that the ex-Beatle only used the term “lost weekend” to...
Smack in the middle of the 1970s, John Lennon experienced what he famously called a “lost weekend”, echoing the title of a classic 1945 movie about an out-of-control alcoholic. Given that description, people naturally viewed that “weekend” – which actually lasted 18 months and which coincided with Lennon’s separation from Yoko Ono – as a period of great excess and deep regret. Yet, according to May Pang, who was Lennon’s 22-year-old live-in lover during that time, that was anything but the case. “He was getting to hang out with his friends and have a lot of fun,” she said. “And, because I was 10 years younger, we were getting to do all the things young couples do.”
Pang insists that the ex-Beatle only used the term “lost weekend” to...
- 4/5/2023
- by Jim Farber
- The Guardian - Film News
John Lennon collaborated with many musicians throughout his musical career. He idolized many artists, while others he had friendly relationships with. However, Lennon’s opinions toward certain musicians changed frequently, and it would be hard to tell his true feelings. Here are a few musicians who John Lennon had a love-hate relationship with.
1. Mick Jagger Mick Jagger, John Lennon, and May Pang | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
The Rolling Stones and The Beatles had a competitive rivalry, but their relationship was mostly friendly. Paul McCartney and John Lennon even helped the British musicians out by giving them their first hit, “I Wanna Be Your Man.” However, in a 1970 Rolling Stone interview, Lennon had harsh words toward Jagger and directed a homophobic slur at him.
“I like ‘Honky Tonk Woman’ but I think Mick’s a joke, with all that f** dancing, I always did,” Lennon said. “I enjoy it,...
1. Mick Jagger Mick Jagger, John Lennon, and May Pang | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
The Rolling Stones and The Beatles had a competitive rivalry, but their relationship was mostly friendly. Paul McCartney and John Lennon even helped the British musicians out by giving them their first hit, “I Wanna Be Your Man.” However, in a 1970 Rolling Stone interview, Lennon had harsh words toward Jagger and directed a homophobic slur at him.
“I like ‘Honky Tonk Woman’ but I think Mick’s a joke, with all that f** dancing, I always did,” Lennon said. “I enjoy it,...
- 3/29/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
By the end of the 1960s, John Lennon had grown weary of The Beatles, and he made his feelings abundantly clear once the band broke up. In multiple interviews, Lennon insulted the group’s music, dynamic, and his former bandmates’ solo careers. While he made many comments, particularly ones directed at Paul McCartney, here are seven of his rudest opinions about his former band and bandmates.
John Lennon | Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images John Lennon said The Beatles were all a con
Lennon admitted that while it was nice that others enjoyed The Beatles’ music, it bothered him.
“None of it is important,” he said in The Beatles: The Authorized Biography by Hunter Davies. “It just takes a few people to get going, and they con themselves into thinking it’s important. It all becomes a big con.”
Happy Birthday, John! @johnlennon #happybirthday pic.twitter.com/fwMpHZ5T...
John Lennon | Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images John Lennon said The Beatles were all a con
Lennon admitted that while it was nice that others enjoyed The Beatles’ music, it bothered him.
“None of it is important,” he said in The Beatles: The Authorized Biography by Hunter Davies. “It just takes a few people to get going, and they con themselves into thinking it’s important. It all becomes a big con.”
Happy Birthday, John! @johnlennon #happybirthday pic.twitter.com/fwMpHZ5T...
- 3/26/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
George Harrison had a reputation as a quiet, peaceful musician, but he also showed occasional flashes of anger. While he typically apologized for these outbursts, they were explosive and surprising to the person on the receiving end. Here are five times that Harrison directed his anger at someone.
George Harrison | Michael Putland/Getty Images George Harrison ripped off John Lennon’s glasses in his anger
In the early 1970s, Harrison met with John Lennon and his girlfriend, May Pang. After a period of tense conversation, Harrison exploded at Lennon, demanding to know where he’d been when Harrison needed him. Harrison got increasingly upset and eventually told Lennon he wanted to look him in the eyes.
#HappyBirthday John. @johnlennon Photo: Astrid Kirchherr pic.twitter.com/odc9qv7ziE
— George Harrison (@GeorgeHarrison) October 9, 2016
“Suddenly, he reached over, yanked John’s glasses from his face, and dashed them to the floor,” Pang...
George Harrison | Michael Putland/Getty Images George Harrison ripped off John Lennon’s glasses in his anger
In the early 1970s, Harrison met with John Lennon and his girlfriend, May Pang. After a period of tense conversation, Harrison exploded at Lennon, demanding to know where he’d been when Harrison needed him. Harrison got increasingly upset and eventually told Lennon he wanted to look him in the eyes.
#HappyBirthday John. @johnlennon Photo: Astrid Kirchherr pic.twitter.com/odc9qv7ziE
— George Harrison (@GeorgeHarrison) October 9, 2016
“Suddenly, he reached over, yanked John’s glasses from his face, and dashed them to the floor,” Pang...
- 3/23/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After marrying Yoko Ono in 1969, John Lennon started up a relationship with the couple’s assistant, May Pang. Their relationship lasted until 1975, when Lennon reunited with Ono. In 2023, a new documentary will tell the story of their time together. So, where has Pang been since her relationship with Lennon ended?
John Lennon and May Pang | Art Zelin/Getty Images John Lennon began a relationship with May Pang in the early 1970s
Pang began working at Apple Records when she was 19, and she soon became the personal assistant to Lennon and Ono. While at work in 1973, Ono approached Pang to disclose that she and Lennon were having marital problems.
“Listen, May,” Ono told Pang, per her book Loving John. “John and I are not getting along. We’ve been arguing. We’re growing apart.”
Have you ever seen a more iconic photo? ?
The Lost Weekend follows May Pang, who landed a...
John Lennon and May Pang | Art Zelin/Getty Images John Lennon began a relationship with May Pang in the early 1970s
Pang began working at Apple Records when she was 19, and she soon became the personal assistant to Lennon and Ono. While at work in 1973, Ono approached Pang to disclose that she and Lennon were having marital problems.
“Listen, May,” Ono told Pang, per her book Loving John. “John and I are not getting along. We’ve been arguing. We’re growing apart.”
Have you ever seen a more iconic photo? ?
The Lost Weekend follows May Pang, who landed a...
- 3/12/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Yoko Ono and John Lennon’s marriage may be the stuff of rock ‘n roll history, but new details of an affair are shedding light on the eccentric partnership.
Former employee May Pang exposes her extramarital relationship with late Beatle Lennon, alleging the two dated for 18 months during his marriage to Ono. Documentary “The Lost Weekend: A Love Story” features interviews with Pang, Ono’s son Julian Lennon, and archived footage of Lennon himself calling the idea of his affair with Pang “ridiculous.”
Pang was 19 years old when she began working at Apple Records and soon started an affair with Lennon while employed as his and Ono’s personal assistant. Ono’s rocky marriage to Lennon inspired her to ask Pang to be intimate with her husband. Ono and Lennon were married in 1969, one year before the Beatles disbanded in 1970. Lennon later was shot and killed in 1980.
“Yoko walked into my office and said,...
Former employee May Pang exposes her extramarital relationship with late Beatle Lennon, alleging the two dated for 18 months during his marriage to Ono. Documentary “The Lost Weekend: A Love Story” features interviews with Pang, Ono’s son Julian Lennon, and archived footage of Lennon himself calling the idea of his affair with Pang “ridiculous.”
Pang was 19 years old when she began working at Apple Records and soon started an affair with Lennon while employed as his and Ono’s personal assistant. Ono’s rocky marriage to Lennon inspired her to ask Pang to be intimate with her husband. Ono and Lennon were married in 1969, one year before the Beatles disbanded in 1970. Lennon later was shot and killed in 1980.
“Yoko walked into my office and said,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Beatles ate in restaurants and John Lennon visited Disney World with his son. With such recognizable faces, Lennon commented on the group using disguises to go in public — which didn’t always work.
Did the Beatles ever eat in restaurants? The Beatles, at lunch, London, | Barham/Mirrorpix/Getty Images
Even if they were typically touring, recording, and writing music, these artists found time to eat out at restaurants worldwide. Sometimes, listeners would approach and ask for an autograph.
“Usually it’s only Americans that’ll bother you,” George Harrison said (via Beatles Interviews). “If we go into a restaurant in London, there’s always going to be a couple of them eating there; you just tell the waiter to hold them off if they try to come over. If they come over anyway, you just sign.”
In the same interview, Starr added he wouldn’t frequent his typical restaurants...
Did the Beatles ever eat in restaurants? The Beatles, at lunch, London, | Barham/Mirrorpix/Getty Images
Even if they were typically touring, recording, and writing music, these artists found time to eat out at restaurants worldwide. Sometimes, listeners would approach and ask for an autograph.
“Usually it’s only Americans that’ll bother you,” George Harrison said (via Beatles Interviews). “If we go into a restaurant in London, there’s always going to be a couple of them eating there; you just tell the waiter to hold them off if they try to come over. If they come over anyway, you just sign.”
In the same interview, Starr added he wouldn’t frequent his typical restaurants...
- 2/21/2023
- by Julia Dzurillay
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When The Beatles broke up, George Harrison was furious with Paul McCartney. He felt his bandmate had overlooked his contributions to the band, and McCartney had gone against the rest of the group in their pick of a manager. McCartney said that he felt abandoned by his former bandmates after the split, and he noted Harrison’s anger. He said that while Harrison often spoke about his spirituality, he was a very angry person after the split.
Paul McCartney and George Harrison | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images George Harrison was not happy with Paul McCartney after The Beatles broke up
In the earliest days of The Beatles, McCartney and John Lennon wrote most of the band’s songs together. Harrison grew increasingly invested in songwriting over the years, but his bandmates often overlooked his contributions. After the band broke up, Harrison said he would hire a different bassist if they ever reunited.
Paul McCartney and George Harrison | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images George Harrison was not happy with Paul McCartney after The Beatles broke up
In the earliest days of The Beatles, McCartney and John Lennon wrote most of the band’s songs together. Harrison grew increasingly invested in songwriting over the years, but his bandmates often overlooked his contributions. After the band broke up, Harrison said he would hire a different bassist if they ever reunited.
- 2/19/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Rumors have always flown that The Beatles and The Rolling Stones had a long-running feud, but John Lennon and Mick Jagger got along well. During Lennon’s “lost weekend” phase, Jagger frequently visited him, and Lennon spent time at Jagger’s vacation home. In the 1960s, though, Lennon couldn’t help but feel jealous of Jagger. He thought Jagger had a rebellious image that he wasn’t allowed to have in The Beatles.
Mick Jagger and John Lennon | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images John Lennon thought Mick Jagger had taken over his image
In 1967, Lennon traveled with Jagger, the rest of The Beatles, and their wives to Wales to attend a seminar on Transcendental Meditation. The group spoke to the press about the seminar, and afterward, Lennon found a journalist’s notes.
“John found a reporter’s notes afterward in one of the college’s telephone booths,...
Mick Jagger and John Lennon | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images John Lennon thought Mick Jagger had taken over his image
In 1967, Lennon traveled with Jagger, the rest of The Beatles, and their wives to Wales to attend a seminar on Transcendental Meditation. The group spoke to the press about the seminar, and afterward, Lennon found a journalist’s notes.
“John found a reporter’s notes afterward in one of the college’s telephone booths,...
- 2/17/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were two of the most popular bands of the 1960s, leading to rumors of a feud between the two groups. They’ve traded jabs over the years, but members of both bands have said that there’s little truth to those rumors. Still, John Lennon was reportedly jealous of Mick Jagger. On a trip to Wales, Lennon took note of media coverage and said that Jagger was taking over his reputation.
John Lennon and Mick Jagger | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images The Beatles met The Rolling Stones in 1963
The Beatles met The Rolling Stones in 1963, at an early point in both their careers. Still, Jagger recognized the band in the audience at one of their shows.
“We were playing a little club in Richmond, and I saw right in front of me, there they were — The Fab Four,” Jagger said at...
John Lennon and Mick Jagger | Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images The Beatles met The Rolling Stones in 1963
The Beatles met The Rolling Stones in 1963, at an early point in both their careers. Still, Jagger recognized the band in the audience at one of their shows.
“We were playing a little club in Richmond, and I saw right in front of me, there they were — The Fab Four,” Jagger said at...
- 2/10/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After The Beatles broke up in 1970, many wondered if John Lennon and Paul McCartney would ever team up again. The pair had a few opportunities, including a possible reunion on Saturday Night Live, but they were rarely seen in public together again. The pair almost went on a dinner date in New York, but Lennon’s reunion with Yoko Ono sidetracked that evening.
John Lennon went through his ‘Lost Weekend’ phase after leaving Yoko Ono Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Bettmann / Contributor
Lennon and Ono briefly separated between 1973 and 1975. During this period, Lennon began an affair with their assistant, May Pang. The couple went to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, where Lennon had a few incidents of public drunkenness that included him getting thrown out of several venues.
In an interview with Variety, Pang spoke about the difficult time period in Lennon’s life, saying that she didn’t have...
John Lennon went through his ‘Lost Weekend’ phase after leaving Yoko Ono Paul McCartney and John Lennon | Bettmann / Contributor
Lennon and Ono briefly separated between 1973 and 1975. During this period, Lennon began an affair with their assistant, May Pang. The couple went to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, where Lennon had a few incidents of public drunkenness that included him getting thrown out of several venues.
In an interview with Variety, Pang spoke about the difficult time period in Lennon’s life, saying that she didn’t have...
- 2/3/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul Simon and Bob Dylan are contemporaries who have often been compared. Simon didn’t like Dylan’s personality, but he admired his music, at least in the 1960s. By the early 1970s, though, just over a decade into Dylan’s lengthy career, Simon said he thought Dylan had stopped being great. He shared his opinion on the other artist’s music.
Bob Dylan and Paul Simon | Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Paul Simon liked Bob Dylan’s early music
Like many people, Simon took note of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, the album that lifted Dylan to prominence.
“I thought that second Dylan album, Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, was fantastic,” he told Rolling Stone in 1972. “It was very moving. Very exciting.”
Simon said that even some of his own early songs didn’t hold up for him. Dylan’s did, though.
“Well, you can go back and pick out five...
Bob Dylan and Paul Simon | Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Paul Simon liked Bob Dylan’s early music
Like many people, Simon took note of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, the album that lifted Dylan to prominence.
“I thought that second Dylan album, Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, was fantastic,” he told Rolling Stone in 1972. “It was very moving. Very exciting.”
Simon said that even some of his own early songs didn’t hold up for him. Dylan’s did, though.
“Well, you can go back and pick out five...
- 1/31/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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