DBWI: John Lennon killed
- Thread starter JoeMulk
- Start date
It helped that it was one out of 5 times he was lucid in public. While I am glad that he wasn't murdered, it may have lent much more credibility to his now widely-mocked "martyr" image. It also would have prevented the massive preachiness and musical mediocrity that hounded him in 80s.
At least it kept Yoko out of the spotlight; her retirement made his music much, much better.
At least it kept Yoko out of the spotlight; her retirement made his music much, much better.
I dunno, I never liked John after he left The Beatles. Naturally, I do not wish him an AH or near-future death, since I have nothing personal against the man. But, as a musician and would-be-activist... I just can't stand him all that much.
Ever since the 90s, he's been in steady decline. Yes, he's still quite an awesome singer and musician, but his ideas, personal philosophy and hilariously ill-informed opinions on the world at large... Oy ! The load of bull he said about the Yugoslav Wars in that British talkshow (I forget the name) back in 1994 really angered me. And after all that nonsense around the publicity stunt of him being crowned King of Kristiania and declaring "war on the fascist-marxists of Denmark and the decadent imperialist West", I've had it with him. He's a burned out shadow of what he once used to be. And like a lot of older artists who've flirted with the idea of politics and activism, he really threw subtlety out the window during the past 20 or so years. He's pretty much decided to be John Lennon, insted of John the artist. And I can't stand that. He really should stop it with those crazy, insulting antics.
Ever since the 90s, he's been in steady decline. Yes, he's still quite an awesome singer and musician, but his ideas, personal philosophy and hilariously ill-informed opinions on the world at large... Oy ! The load of bull he said about the Yugoslav Wars in that British talkshow (I forget the name) back in 1994 really angered me. And after all that nonsense around the publicity stunt of him being crowned King of Kristiania and declaring "war on the fascist-marxists of Denmark and the decadent imperialist West", I've had it with him. He's a burned out shadow of what he once used to be. And like a lot of older artists who've flirted with the idea of politics and activism, he really threw subtlety out the window during the past 20 or so years. He's pretty much decided to be John Lennon, insted of John the artist. And I can't stand that. He really should stop it with those crazy, insulting antics.
It would've had repercussions for the other Beatles:
1. We'd have had no 'Long and Winding Road' documentary or concert in '83 and then no 'Return to Pepperland' tour and album in '87
2. Maybe Double Fantasy wouldn't have flopped so badly in 1980?
3. I bet Paul would never have gone on his Wings tour in 1984, probably would've been spooked by the danger.
1. We'd have had no 'Long and Winding Road' documentary or concert in '83 and then no 'Return to Pepperland' tour and album in '87
2. Maybe Double Fantasy wouldn't have flopped so badly in 1980?
3. I bet Paul would never have gone on his Wings tour in 1984, probably would've been spooked by the danger.
His and George's public feud is getting tiresome too, I mean, can't they let bygones be bygones since he didn't include him in I, Me, Mine and then that nonsense over the Plastic Ono Band reunion documentary. They're acting like children, and since George's double cancer scares, they should wake up, they won't live forever.
The man nowadays is a semi-lucid, acid-addicted and coked-up hippie who can't get out of the 60s. To be honest, Paul was the better Beatle anyway, and he has smartly stayed away from politics. I don't have any particular malice towards Lennon as a person, necessarily, but I despise his public persona.
Why couldn't he stay on the straight and narrow, like Michael Jackson?
Why couldn't he stay on the straight and narrow, like Michael Jackson?
He was a has-been already by 1980. However, he didn't tarnish his own image by his freaky behavior yet. Hell, he was pretty much unknown by anyone under 30 by then.
Lennon's image changed a lot after he sang "Power to the People" for Ronald Reagan at the White House party after the 1984 Republican election landslide.
I must admit I was shocked when he was given a knighthood in 1987 on the recommendation of Margaret Thatcher. I'm sure it was his powerful political connections that prevented an investigation into the Child labour allegations made against Lennon and Ono's T shirt and other merchandizing factories in Panama and Haiti.
Interesting..
While we probably wouldn't have the 'Long & Winding Road' documentary - I'm sure we might have had a shorter one made without the full involvement of the Beatles, cobbled out of whatever bits of footage the film-makers could get rights to. Wouldn't be as good though.
To be blunt, I suppose with John dead that would've put an end to the "Are you going to get back together?" questions - I mean, how can you seriously ask that to 3 surviving Beatles and not sound heartless?
It was awkward watching the interviews John did promoting his 1981-2 world tour, every damn question was "Are you going to get back together?". I did like his knowing wink at Michael Parkinson after talking about working on the documentary though..
Anyway, on 'Double Fantasy'.. Yeah the sympathy thing could have driven it higher.. but John's songs on that album were a little too 1-dimensional, he was stuck in that 'domestic bliss' mode without a thought for anything else. I liked Yoko's contributions though - with New Wave music, she finally found the right commercial setting for her kookiness.
Another thing to ponder was John's early enthusiasm for the Internet - he had a webpage in 1996(!)
Sure it was pretty basic to begin with, but he was really big on interaction with his fans early on. Wonder who would have lead this trend without him around?
As for Paul, I honestly think John's death could've done him in - I can imagine him not touring for quite some time and recording some pretty dark albums.
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Oh, come on!
Click on the video of him and George Harrison on youtube dueting "My Sweet Lord" and tell me he isn't a gem.
Click on the video of him and George Harrison on youtube dueting "My Sweet Lord" and tell me he isn't a gem.
He's kind of an overblown 60's phenomenon. Had he died in 1980, maybe he would have gotton the post death post given to Bob Marley and Jim Morrison and thier ilk? Die an icon or live long enough to become a joke.
That said, with Lennon dead, would another of the Beatles have taken his place as the fourth rung, and if so, who? George Harrison and Paul McCartney have had rich and very talented careers, and Ringo, while not the best musician, has proven to have quite a hand in buisness and politics. If not for Lennon being the aged hippie joke of the group, who might be the bottom Beatle?
That said, with Lennon dead, would another of the Beatles have taken his place as the fourth rung, and if so, who? George Harrison and Paul McCartney have had rich and very talented careers, and Ringo, while not the best musician, has proven to have quite a hand in buisness and politics. If not for Lennon being the aged hippie joke of the group, who might be the bottom Beatle?
That's very true, I can't picture Paul releasing a song like 'Ballroom Dancing' so soon after John's death.