Glass Onion: On John Lennon

And so we bring to an end Glass Onion's 7th year…
John Lennon's 1975 is mostly remembered for being the year that he became a father for the second time and dropped out of the music biz for 5 years, apparently to become the most famous househusband in the world (the jury's still out on that one).
Before he did that though, he front-loaded the year with the usual frenetic activity you'd expect from a year in the life of our hero. There were albums and singles of his own, musical collaborations with others, his final ever live appearance, interviews for TV, radio and print, lots of written letters to friends and family, some Beatle contact, a public appearance here and there, lawsuits and his ongoing fight with America's powers that (probably shouldn't) be.
Oh, and he also found time for a sudden change in his lovelife, his past lover quickly consigned to (Lennon) history.
Best wishes for the season
Enjoy!
 
Feedback to [email protected]
 
Support the show at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno
OR
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno
 
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod
 
Twitter handle
https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon
 
Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com
 
Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media)
https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
 
episode links
John's albums of 1975:
Rock 'n' Roll
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_'n'_Roll_(John_Lennon_album)
Shaved Fish
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaved_Fish
 
Previous Glass Onion episode on the Rock 'n' Roll album and legal shenanigans
https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com/episode-65-rock-and-roll-1975-album-review-paul-or-nothing-swapcast-1
 
The majestic 'Angel Baby'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4kea1yZj0E
 
John's 2 TV interviews of 1975 (Bob Harris/Tom Snyder)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKDpCWO3nes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OQl10ZlfqU
 
John's final live performance (Imagine, April 1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtbzOENU3ec
 
John and *BOMF perform for 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkLXcQTusUw
 
John Paul (not that one) and Art at The Grammy's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUlR8jWUKd8
 
John does a bit of 'Lady Marmalade' on piano
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rs6Px9Cl-cg
 
May Pang's 'The Lost Weekend: A Love Story'
https://www.maypang.com/the-lost-weekend
 
Was John actually hypnotised by Yoko?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOsspa7uEis
 
Recommended books:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29501681-lennon-on-lennon
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21514255
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13528387-the-john-lennon-letters
 
Lennonology website
https://lennonology.com
 
David Bowie's 'Fame' (John on guitar and vocals)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypgq0qdgVZA
 
Operation Paperclip (important history)
https://explorethearchive.com/operation-paperclip

For our final offerings of the year, we present a 2-part look at 1975, the year of Antony's birth. As is traditional, we first cover the year itself in terms of world events, births & deaths, films and (non-Lennon) music, before turning to the John Lennon events of the year.
 
The Vietnam War is finally winding down, and there are numerous other examples of progress and destruction in another memorable 12 months on our blue planet. Ali & Frazier fight the fight to end them all and there are great films, singles and albums galore.
 
We'll look at John Lennon's part in all this fun and games in December
 
Enjoy!
 
Feedback to [email protected]
 
Support the show at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno
OR
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno
 
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod
 
Twitter handle
https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon
 
Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com
 
Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media)
https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
 
episode links
1975 in film and music
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_in_film
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_in_music
 
Jaws 4k clips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzncv0ISaE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOe3n9eO6Lc
Film Gold audio commentary (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1c_E-LuSxs&rco=1
Documentary on the film's legacy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgtJEhEppu4
Mr Jaws! (spoof song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeYCOFblZRg
 
The Thrilla in Manila fight in HD and 2007 documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olp9gsmD_A0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEtCq6X7fUI
 
Paul Simon on the Dick Cavett show (Still Crazy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjtOa8d_BHU
 
Rolling Thunder Revue documentary (Dylan by Scorsese)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9577852/
 
'The Eleventh' podcast series (available everywhere podcasts are found)
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/truecrime/presents-the-eleventh/105982868
 
Eoghan Lyng's book about George Harrison
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61043229-george-harrison-in-the-70s
 
George Carlin on 'The Owners of the Country' (tough love)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dY4WlxO6i0
 
Christopher Hitchens gives the case against Henry Kissinger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNi-rhLGNj8
 
Baby You're A Rich Man 'video' (Beatles in Greece)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nECfL2_rqVk

David 'Ghosty' Wills is back once more to look at another biopic that's not really very good (we'll do something classic next time, I promise!), though our levels of (non-)appreciation of 2010's 'Lennon Naked' differ slightly
Christoper Eccleston gives something of a powerhouse performance as a very brutal and cutting version of John Lennon, starting in 1964 but mostly focusing on the 1967-71 period. All the main events of that time in John's life are covered here, with a soap-opera style reminiscent of the previously reviewed 'John & Yoko: A Love Story'.
Antony and Ghosty also discuss biopics in general, and the difficulty in capturing charismatic figures and writing dialogue worthy of them
There'll be another Glass Onion 2-parter to round off 2025, the first part due to come out in November
Enjoy!
 
Feedback to [email protected]
 
Support the show at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno
OR
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno
 
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod
 
Twitter handle
https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon
 
Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com
 
Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media)
https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
 
Ghosty's Cliff Richard/Shadows podcast and you tube channel
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-p5kf8-10892e3
https://www.youtube.com/@GhostyTMRS/videos
 
episode links
Lennon Naked film pages and full film
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1560164/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lennon_Naked
 
The fictional Magical Mystery Tour press conference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdXLdbJ_xk8
 
Scene comparisons with real events
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mFsahlxZZc
 
Glass Onion's 2020 episode on depictions of John Lennon on film (including Lennon Naked)
https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com/episode-30-john-lennon-on-film-the-good-the-bad-and-the-cameos-with-ed-chen
 
Elliot Roberts watched every Beatles biopic…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eon5X1W8uGc
 
John & Yoko's real encounter with Gloria Emerson (keep smiling)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIM7D_IfCtI
 
Freddie Lennon's 1965 smash-hit Xmas single (not quite)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azAiSG09FBk
 
The World of John & Yoko (BBC 1969)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dqVemtlJvk
 
Pete Shotton's recommended memoir
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1154066.John_Lennon
 
John Lennon at his humorous best (Get Back 1969)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K9zuXRTul0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XdYb-16F7c

We complete our look at 'Birth of the Beatles', the 1979 biopic which holds a unique place as the only one of its kind made while all 4 Beatles were still alive.
The timeline goes somewhat awry but we go from the boys having departed Hamburg in late-1960 to the tragic death of one of their band members and then the arrival in the story of their well-groomed, well-spoken but also fragile guardian angel. From there, destiny takes its course…
Before this, Antony offers a short item on 'The John Lennon Letters' print/audio book, a fine entry in the canon of Lennon/Beatles books that offers us personal and valuable insights into the eternal enigma that was and is John Lennon. The voice of Christopher Eccleston, who portrayed John in the TV film 'Lennon Naked', can be heard reading some of the letters
 
Enjoy!
 
Feedback to [email protected]
 
Support the show at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno
OR
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno
 
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod
 
Twitter handle
https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon
 
Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com
 
Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media)
https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
 
episode links
Birth of the Beatles film page and full film
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078865/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VpIA_87cxM
 
Scene comparisons with real events
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAY0_CGZNRY
 
Backbeat (1994)- Stu's death & John's tribute
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3WmUNvMpKo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T5h_Cr0i7o
 
Pete Best on the Letterman show and TV-Am (1982/1990)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3j7nqx0Pgs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_p_zKrKWFE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQpBXrESRig
 
Mona & Pete Best discuss Pete's dismissal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_p_zKrKWFE
 
'Drummed Out!' book (recommended)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2372130.Drummed_Out_
 
'The John Lennon Letters' (essential Lennon reading)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13528387-the-john-lennon-letters
 
John promotes 'In His Own Wife' with a little help from George
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1SjHkEepuk
 
'A Shot of Rhythm and Blues' BBC version (powerful Beatles rock cover)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VgvJj4EBpc

Following our last exploration of a biopic of dubious quality, Antony flies solo this time to explore another one which, despite having some sense of time and place, is also somewhat lacking and to some extent unintentionally comedic.
'Birth of the Beatles', which came out in 1979, will always hold a unique place as the only Beatles biopic made while John Lennon was still alive. Considering that he'd reacted negatively to Cynthia's apparent rewriting of history in her book 'A Twist of Lennon' in 1978, it's quite something to ponder what he might have thought of this Dick Clark-produced TV film.
Preceding this, Antony offers a guitar lesson for the Bob Dylan song 'Masters of War' and then the song that it inspired (musically at least)- John Lennon's 'Working Class Hero.' There are also pre-outro Easter Eggs to be found in this episode…
 
Enjoy!
 
Feedback to [email protected]
 
Support the show at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno
OR
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno
 
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod
 
Twitter handle
https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon
 
Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com
 
Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media)
https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
 
Antony demonstrates Beatles guitar parts on 'Pop Goes The 60s'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_Y4f1efz6s
 
episode links
Birth of the Beatles film page and full film
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078865/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VpIA_87cxM
 
Scene comparisons with real events
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAY0_CGZNRY
 
Backbeat scenes (Prellies/Astrid photographs the band)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIpUr1wX5Rw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq3l4frmFDo
 
The development of the Scouse accent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcpXePrrCIk
 
Working Class Hero official video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMewtlmkV6c
 
Saturday Night And Sunday Morning (Angry Young Man)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/B_G9niYeB8Q
 
Cry For A Shadow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4WMeOLHp28