Aww heck we DO miss him . . . . John Lennon - Oh Yoko (Imagine) | HERBERG DE KELDER

Oh Yoko

John Lennon - Oh Yoko

HERBERG DE KELDER

Artwork of The Day : Yoko Ono, Ceiling Painting, 1966 Indica Gallery

Yoko Ono, Ceiling Painting, 1966

The interactive object known as Ceiling Painting was an important work shown at Ono’s 1966 Indica Gallery show in London. The viewer is invited in his or her mind to climb to the top of a white ladder, where a magnifying glass, attached by a chain, hangs from a frame on the ceiling. The viewer uses the reading glass to discover a block letter “instruction” beneath the framed sheet of glass: 

it says “YES”.

 

John Lennon tells the story so well of his going to the Indica gallery and climbing the step ladder and being overjoyed to see it said “Yes” and that he would have been so disappointed if it had read anything else

So much that he felt he had to meet the artist and the rest is history!

Those pesky kids huh? A Message from John (and Yoko)

 Kids of Today! Huh?

Yoko Ono

Other September birthdays | Remembering Linda (September 24, 1941 – April 17, 1998) Yoko Ono Lennon

The first time I met Linda was at one of the Beatles’ recording sessions. Paul introduced her to us. She was attractive, obviously—she had a sunshine smile—but I thought that there was a certain vulnerability about her. Later I came to understand that that impression was wrong, because when I think of Linda’s life, I think of a very strong woman. One day, around the time of that first meeting, Paul brought in to the studio some photographs of Linda in New York, in front of the building where she grew up. She was wearing a camel coat and a white scarf, just looking casual and glancing around. That is the Linda I remember from that time.

During the Beatles’ sessions, Linda and I quickly learned that our husbands were not all buddy-buddy. John and Paul were both talented but very strong-willed people. There was some tension there. Linda and I left them alone. But we didn’t go chummy-chummy, wink-wink, ‘Aren’t they silly boys?’ either. We both stood by our men. That was how we were. Then came the Beatles’ breakup. The world blamed it on Linda and me. The attack was like a storm. I think the fans needed a scapegoat, and they chose us! We both had the love and protection of our husbands. Linda had that very much from Paul. But still, it could not have been easy for her.

The long years after the breakup were not easy, either. John and Paul were not talking. John and I would play Paul’s latest Wings record in our kitchen. John would say some nice things. He couldn’t say it to Paul, but when Paul was not around, John would say nice things about Paul. When Paul and Linda got a farm in Scotland, John said, ‘That’s Linda. She’s good for him.’ Was the ice finally starting to melt? In the late Seventies, Paul and Linda came to visit us a few times in New York. In a fine old Liverpool tradition, the two guys did most of the talking, and we sat beside them as Paul held Linda’s hand and John held mine. It was nice to see the guys talk after all those years, even if a little stiffness existed between them.

After John’s passing, Sean and I started to receive Linda’s beautiful calendar every year. We felt her warmth; and as a photographer she was getting into her most creative years. We both wanted to show our farms to each other. I was about to go to London with Sean at the time. ‘Mine first, then,’ Linda said. So Sean and I were invited to her farm. I say Linda’s farm, because you really felt Linda’s energy there - you just knew that she was the one who had created this environment for her husband and their children. There was something very real about the way they lived. They weren’t surrounded by servants or anything. And it was wonderful. Linda had horses and sheep - it was a working farm, not a manicured estate. She and her children were doing things together. Seeing them with Sean was great. Hopefully, our children will be wiser than us.

What I noticed with sadness was that Paul and Linda’s children were living with the pain of what their mother went through. Their mother was attacked by the world and for a long time not recognized for her achievements. Everything that was good was considered the work of her husband, and everything the public did not approve of was considered her doing. I didn’t hear any of this from Linda. But when I met her children and saw how protective they were of their mother, I felt the pain of their knowledge that the world was not always kind to her.

When I heard of her illness, my first instinct was to share that with the fans at the concert I was giving in London and to pray together. But, of course, I couldn’t. So I dedicated the concert to ‘a friend in England who has been taken ill.’ 'Names!’ they shouted. 'No names!’ I shouted back.
That’s how it was. We were no-name friends.

The last conversation I had with her was in January this year. She sounded like the usual powerful and energetic Linda. I thought she had beaten the disease. Linda and I did not meet up and have coffee and muffins in a corner cafe or anything like that. But we communicated. We communicated in deeds more than in words. When she was strong, I felt strong. She took a sad song and made it better. Her commitment to vegetarianism and animal rights brought her message to a wider audience than that of rock & roll. But her most important contributions were all made in private. Just like so many women before her, she made a difference in silence. It was nice to know you, Linda.

With love,

Yoko Ono, 1998

By Yoko Ono – Rolling Stone September 24, 1998

Read more:

In Your Mind – The Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono

The true story of the woman John Lennon loved.

https://linktr.ee/conceptualbooks

Yoko Ono, Salvador Dalí, and the Moustache That Never Was | Amanda Lear | VSD

“Throughout his life, Dali could never resist it when someone waved a cheque under his nose,” the singer and actress Amanda Lear told French magazine VSD in an article published this week.

In the vibrant and tumultuous art world of the 1970s, a peculiar incident involving Yoko Ono and Salvador Dalí has continued to capture the imagination of many. The avant-garde artist and widow of John Lennon, Yoko Ono, once expressed a desire to own a strand of hair from the iconic moustache of the surrealist painter Salvador Dalí. This unusual request set the stage for a fascinating tale of deception, fear, and eccentricity, as recounted by Amanda Lear, Dalí's friend and muse at the time.

Yoko Ono, known for her eclectic tastes and interest in the mystical, reportedly approached Dalí with a generous offer. She was willing to pay $10,000 for just a single hair from his famous moustache. The request, while unusual, was not entirely out of character for Ono, who had a history of collecting and creating art that pushed boundaries and challenged conventions.

However, Salvador Dalí, renowned for his eccentricity and flamboyant personality, harbored a deep-seated superstition. According to Amanda Lear, Dalí believed that Ono was a witch and feared that she might use the hair to cast a spell on him. This fear led him to concoct a clever ruse to fulfill her request without jeopardizing his own safety.

Lear recalls how Dalí enlisted her help to deceive Ono. He instructed her to find a dried blade of grass, place it in an elegant box, and present it as a genuine hair from his moustache. Lear executed the plan flawlessly, and Ono, none the wiser, paid the substantial sum for what she believed to be an authentic piece of Dalí's famous facial hair.

The incident highlights Dalí's penchant for trickery and his enjoyment of exploiting people's desires and gullibility. Lear noted, "Dalí liked to cheat people," and this particular deception stands out as a prime example of his mischievous nature. The story underscores the surrealist master's blend of genius and caprice, a man who thrived on the bizarre and the unexpected.

This anecdote not only adds to the mystique surrounding Salvador Dalí but also sheds light on the fascinating intersection of art, superstition, and the lengths to which people will go to acquire a piece of their idol. For Yoko Ono, it was a unique addition to her collection, albeit not quite what she had in mind. For Dalí, it was another moment of surrealist delight, a testament to his enduring legacy as one of art's most enigmatic figures. ( I found this on Kirk Carlson ’s Facebook page) so thanks to him

VSD

Personally I think Yoko would have understood perfectly and enjoyed the ‘joke’ and the surreal master’s paranoia (sic?) and it becomes even more ‘art' than before! the $10,000 is funny! if you have that kind of money . . . . which someone who rented an apartment for their fur coats certainly has!

more here . . . . . 

https://youtu.be/2Y4btzjsb0c?si=ubdoLZXQSHc2eMFw

Dali on Dick Cavett Show

https://www.orwell.ru/library/reviews/dali/english/e_dali

George Orwell on Dali

How Radio Personality Howard Stern Became An Unlikely Hero To Julian And Cynthia Lennon :

Now I am not much of a fan of Howard Stern (long story and we don’t get him in Europe or the UK) but this? Sheesh painful read from an early hero. Come one Yoko what WERE you thinking!?

"Many Beatles fans might not know about this story, but both Julian and Cynthia Lennon considered legendary radio personality Howard Stern as the instrumental figure in helping Julian to finally receive his long overdue inheritance from Yoko Ono. 

When John Lennon was tragically killed he left a will leaving everything to Yoko Ono’s discretion which meant she could dictate the terms of what to leave Julian, Sean, and even her daughter Kyoko with no interference from anyone else. Up until 1993 Julian was now 30 years old and the only things that Yoko had given John Lennon’s firstborn son was two guitars that really didn’t mean anything to John (Julian had requested another one that he knew was one of his father’s favorites, but was told no and given these two instead while Sean would get to use all of John’s musical equipment,) and a weekly allowance for a short time of $100 a week. 

Once Julian got his record deal Yoko stopped the $100 a week payments and had given him nothing else up to that point in the early 1990s. What was truly shocking even before that was that when John was alive both Cynthia and Julian were living pretty much a middle class lifestyle. Cynthia had made the mistake of just asking for a small settlement plus a trust fund for Julian that in the end didn’t reach the potential it should’ve because John didn’t pay the proper attention to it. 

Plus the fact that once Sean was born the trust money balance was broken in half for both sons.  Cynthia had trusted John to do right by Julian, and had he lived he most likely would’ve. That being said it was still irresponsible of John not to set something up for both Julian and much of his family in Liverpool including his Aunt Mimi who learned after John’s death that the house he bought her was now owned by Yoko. 

Unfortunately while Yoko was out preaching about “peace and love” she was doing nothing for Julian. Not even entertaining the idea of giving him a part of his father’s legacy, estate, or any type of inheritance settlement. Julian was basically living off the money he made off his solo career, but it was nowhere near the money Yoko now had with John’s net worth then estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars. Yoko would basically have to be shamed into doing the right thing. 

Listed below in the comments section is a 1993 interview Julian Lennon gave to Howard Stern. It’s a “must listen” as Howard goes nuclear on Yoko and calls out her hypocrisy, asking over and over why Julian hasn’t received his rightful inheritance as John’s son. 

It shouldn’t be surprising that soon after this interview which was heard by millions of people and the beating Yoko took in the press that she finally (almost 15 years after John’s death) gave Julian some money. Julian was vocal at the time that the amount wasn’t anything fair to what John’s net worth was, but it was at least a start. Even to this day Julian has absolutely no say in his father’s estate . 

The fact of the matter is that it should’ve never come to this. Howard Stern should not have had to shame Yoko into giving Julian his “rightful” inheritance, but instead for reasons only known to her she selfishly handled the matter. 

Take a listen to the interview in the comments section below. No matter what you think of Howard Stern he’s a hero when it comes to how he stood up for Julian here. Giving him the biggest platform possible to tell millions of people the truth about how Yoko had shunned him from his rightful birthright inheritance . 

***One more thing. Writing about “proven facts” that show Yoko Ono in a negative light is not Yoko bashing. Had she done right by Julian this story never would exist. She has no one to blame but herself. ***"

Sean, Yoko, Cyn and Julian

 

The Beach Boys And Beatles 101 : The Bands The Music The History

Yoko Ono in 1967

The artist and singer Yoko Ono in 1967 

This is the work that John Lennon first saw with the apple piece and the magnifying glass piece where you climbed the stepladder and peered at a word on the ceiling and it said “YES”

Lennon always said if it had said anything else he would have been disappointed and this positive affirmation intrigued him so much he wanted to meet the artist and the rest is history . . . . 

O My Soul

being in the art world for a while I knew of Yoko’s work before she met Lennon and always enjoyed her Fluxus and performance art aspects, I loved Grapefruit when it came out too

Her singing? Slightly less so but I get it . . . . the last show at MOMA in Oxford was a peach. BRILLIANT!

Missed her at the private view but the show was terrific

Of course the 'bed-in' had a profound affect upon this Beatles fan and my burgeoning hippy principles were bolstered by this pacifist chant!
Don't think I bought it though . . . what's that all about? . . . . . . the video and newsreel footage was John and Yoko as our ambassador to let the straights know we weren't gonna take it any more! "All we are saying . . . . . . "

On this day in music history: June 1, 1969 - “Give Peace A Chance” by The Plastic Ono Band is recorded. Written by John Lennon (though credited to Lennon - McCartney on its original release), the song is written as a message to promote world peace. Inspiration for the song comes during John and Yoko’s “bed-in” honeymoon, after a reporter asks Lennon what they are trying to achieve by laying in bed. Lennon answers “just give peace a chance”. When he gives this answer on more than one occasion during the bed-in, John quickly writes the song and then hires a four track tape machine to brought into their suite to commit it to tape. It is recorded in room 1742 of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with numerous friends and celebrities present including Timothy Leary, Petula Clark, Dick Gregory, Allen Ginsberg, Murray the K, Derek Taylor and Tommy Smothers (also on guitar) singing on the chorus. The song is adapted as an anthem of the American anti-war movement. Released as a single in the UK on July 4, 1969 (US release on July 7, 1969) “Give Peace A Chance” peaks at #2 on the UK singles chart and #14 on the Billboard Hot 100.

thanks to the most excellent Jeff Harris' blog 'Behind The Grooves   

singles bought when they came out . . . . . . . . .an ongoing series and with thanks to the wonderful Jeff Harris 'blog On this day in Music History   


On this day in music history: June 1, 1969 - “Give Peace A Chance” by The Plastic Ono Band is recorded. Written by John Lennon (though credited to Lennon - McCartney on its original release), the song is written as a message to promote world peace. Inspiration for the song comes during John and Yoko’s “bed-in” honeymoon, after a reporter asks Lennon what they are trying to achieve by laying in bed. Lennon answers “just give peace a chance”. When he gives this answer on more than one occasion during the bed-in, John quickly writes the song and then hires a four track tape machine to brought into their suite to commit it to tape. It is recorded in room 1742 of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with numerous friends and celebrities present including Timothy Leary, Petula Clark, Dick Gregory, Allen Ginsberg, Murray the K, Derek Taylor and Tommy Smothers (also on guitar) singing on the chorus. The song is adapted as an anthem of the American anti-war movement. Released as a single in the UK on July 4, 1969 (US release on July 7, 1969) “Give Peace A Chance” peaks at #2 on the UK singles chart

This was a great single if a tad odd sounding but the sooner we saw the video we 'got it' and wished we had been there . . . . . . . 

JOHN & YOKO

more from the most excellent
BEHIND THE GROOVES: a music blog by Jeff Harris

On this day in music history: March 20, 1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono are married in Gibraltar in a quiet civil ceremony. Initially the pair intend to get married on the Southampton Ferry, but when they get there, they’re told that the captain no longer officiates weddings, so they have to go elsewhere. Lennon calls Beatles personal assistant Peter Brown to ask where he and Yoko can be married in a quiet and discreet manner. Brown suggests the island of Gibraltar off the southern coast of Spain (a British colony at the time). The ceremony takes place at The Rock Hotel, with Brown acting as the best man. The groom wears a white suit and tennis shoes, and the bride a short white mini skirt, white hat and sunglasses. The couple honeymoon in Paris and Amsterdam, where they stage the first of two “bed-ins” for peace (the other taking place in Montreal, QC, Canada). When asked about the wedding ceremony, Lennon is quoted in the Daily Mirror as saying “it was all very quick, quiet and British.” Lennon documents the entire episode in The Beatles song “The Ballad Of John And Yoko”, recorded on April 14, 1969. The union produces one son, Sean Taro Ono Lennon (born on October 9, 1975. The Lennons remain married until John’s death in December of 1980.