John Lennon - I can see us (the beatles) making records - mid 70's interview, wow!

[John Doe]

Well, at least for me this interview changes a lot of what I thought I knew

Very warm relationship
Paul, Ringo and I meet several times, George couldn't come ...
Getting back together

Here is the short interview

Interesting to hear John so warm about the beatles

[calyx]

Great stuff, thanks !

[jefftiger]

Thanks. This interview really surprised me. His mood and the discussion about working with the Beatles was unlike anything that I had previously heard. His lightheartedness was a shock to me. According to Wikipedia, Dark Horse records was started in 1974 and Elton John's version of Lucy in the Sky was also recorded that year. 1974 was also part of Lennon's "lost weekend" period when he separated for awhile from Yoko. Does anyone have other details about this interview, presumably with someone at a New York radio station?

[progholio]

Wow, great interview, it was actually giving me hope of a possible reunion. Thanks for sharing.

[Scott Bails]

it was actually giving me hope of a possible reunion.

I wouldn't hold your breath.

[ronmac]

I haven't listened to this yet, but John's interviews were always something to take with a bit of a grain of salt. I'm not questioning his sincerity here. And, he and Paul had actually played together during this period. So, it certainly wasn't outlandish to think that they could have done something.

[happytheman]

I haven't listened to this yet, but John's interviews were always something to take with a bit of a grain of salt. I'm not questioning his sincerity here. And, he and Paul had actually played together during this period. So, it certainly wasn't outlandish to think that they could have done something.

Yeah Paul always said anytime the topic of the Beatles came up John would have none of it.. So once again you have the Yin Yang of John at work..

[Paulrus]

Yeah Paul always said anytime the topic of the Beatles came up John would have none of it.. So once again you have the Yin Yang of John at work..

Yeah, there's a David Frost (or someone) interview up on YT from around '75 where he talks kindly of the others and doesn't discount working together sometime down the road. But he also acknowledged that he is prone to shooting his mouth off and getting himself into trouble as a result. So yeah -- HUGE grains of salt where this is concerned.

[Progmatic]

it was actually giving me hope of a possible reunion

maybe producing heavenly music again

[JJ88]

I think it was mainly the business bullshit which split them in the first place. Even during this period Lennon and Harrison were squabbling, on and off, over that.

https://thefaustorocksyeah.wordpress...loon-incident/

[ronmac]

I think it was mainly the business bullshit which split them in the first place. Even during this period Lennon and Harrison were squabbling, on and off, over that.

They were no different than most bands and split mainly because it was time to. They had interests outside of The Beatles and were simply getting tired of each other. There was talk of doing solo work and "continuing the Beatle thing," as George put it in 1969. But, it was not meant to be.

[rcarlberg]

This interview really surprised me. His mood and the discussion about working with the Beatles was unlike anything that I had previously heard.

Me too. So much so, in fact, that I wouldn't be surprised if it was totally a fake.

A couple of comments he makes sound suspicious. For instance, he talks about Harrison's Dark Horse label as if it was brand new, while also talking about the "Beatles 1962-1966" and "Beatles 1967-1970" albums that came out "last year".

Dark Horse was founded May 23, 1974. The red and blue albums didn't come out until 1976. He says "We're more likely to play together in 1976" like it's in the future. Something smells fishy.

He also says it was him that pushed for the butcher cover.

According to a 2002 interview published in Mojo, former Capitol president Alan W. Livingston stated that it was Paul McCartney who pushed strongly for the photo's inclusion as the album cover, and that McCartney reportedly described it as "our comment on the [Vietnam] war".

[lovecraft]

With the malign influence of Yoko at arms length during the 73/74 period, Lennon seemed to become a bit more of a rounded and pleasant person, at least for a while. Wasn't to last of course. IMO 'natch.

[Paulrus]

The red and blue albums didn't come out until 1976.

You sure about that? I got the red set as an Xmas gift when I was about 9-10 years old, which was around '73-'74. I know for a fact I had them both well before 1976.

[rcarlberg]

Cripes, you're right. Released April 2nd, 1973. Sorry! I was looking at the Capitol reissues in 1976, not the Apple Records originals.

[JJ88]

With the malign influence of Yoko at arms length during the 73/74 period, Lennon seemed to become a bit more of a rounded and pleasant person, at least for a while. Wasn't to last of course. IMO 'natch.

Was Yoko back in the picture around the time of this interview, not sure of the date? I agree he's very pleasant and likeable in the interviews of this time...like a different man compared with the one we hear on that infamous Jann Wenner interview from 1970, or indeed some of his last interviews (like the one where he complained about Harrison's book).

Dark Horse Records' first Harrison release wasn't until after this interview- the 33 1/3 album (a good one).

As noted, Lennon and McCartney saw a fair bit of each other again in this time- the surviving tape evidence of a jam session (also involving Harry Nilsson and Stevie Wonder), well, let's be kind and call it 'informal'.

[rcarlberg]

Was Yoko back in the picture around the time of this interview, not sure of the date?

She first met Lennon in 1966 at her own art exhibition in London, and they became a couple in 1968.

The interview must have been 1974, if it's real.

[rcarlberg]

Dark Horse Records' first Harrison release wasn't until after this interview- the 33 1/3 album (a good one).

19 November 1976

[JJ88]

^I'm talking about his 'lost weekend' period where they split. Their reconciliation started around the time of John's cameo at an Elton John show at MSG, in 1974.

[Nijinsky Hind]

Wow, great interview, it was actually giving me hope of a possible reunion. Thanks for sharing.

Reminds me of an old joke...

Q: why can't you go to the bathroom at a Beatles concert?
A: Cuz there no John.

[rcarlberg]

^I'm talking about his 'lost weekend' period where they split. Their reconciliation started around the time of John's cameo at an Elton John show at MSG, in 1974.

..

While Lennon was recording Mind Games in 1973, he and Ono decided to separate. The ensuing 18-month period apart, which he later called his "lost weekend",[117] was spent in Los Angeles and New York in the company of May Pang. Mind Games, credited to the "Plastic U.F.Ono Band", was released in November 1973. Lennon also contributed "I'm the Greatest" to Starr's album Ringo (1973), released the same month (an alternate take, from the same 1973 Ringo sessions, with Lennon providing a guide vocal, appears on John Lennon Anthology).

In early 1974, Lennon was drinking heavily and his alcohol-fuelled antics with Harry Nilsson made headlines. In March, two widely publicised incidents occurred at The Troubadour club. In the first incident, Lennon stuck an unused menstrual pad on his forehead and scuffled with a waitress. The second incident occurred two weeks later, when Lennon and Nilsson were ejected from the same club after heckling the Smothers Brothers.[118] Lennon decided to produce Nilsson's album Pussy Cats, and Pang rented a Los Angeles beach house for all the musicians.[119] After a month of further debauchery, the recording sessions were in chaos, and Lennon returned to New York with Pang to finish work on the album. In April, Lennon had produced the Mick Jagger song "Too Many Cooks (Spoil the Soup)" which was, for contractual reasons, to remain unreleased for more than 30 years. Pang supplied the recording for its eventual inclusion on The Very Best of Mick Jagger (2007).[120]

Lennon had settled back in New York when he recorded the album Walls and Bridges. Released in October 1974, it included "Whatever Gets You thru the Night", which featured Elton John on backing vocals and piano, and became Lennon's only single as a solo artist to top the US Billboard Hot 100 chart during his lifetime.[121]b A second single from the album, "#9 Dream", followed before the end of the year. Starr's Goodnight Vienna (1974) again saw assistance from Lennon, who wrote the title track and played piano.[122] On 28 November, Lennon made a surprise guest appearance at Elton John's Thanksgiving concert at Madison Square Garden, in fulfilment of his promise to join the singer in a live show if "Whatever Gets You thru the Night"—a song whose commercial potential Lennon had doubted—reached number one. Lennon performed the song along with "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "I Saw Her Standing There", which he introduced as "a song by an old estranged fiancée of mine called Paul".[123]

Lennon co-wrote "Fame", David Bowie's first US number one, and provided guitar and backing vocals for the January 1975 recording.[124] The same month, Elton John topped the charts with his cover of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", featuring Lennon on guitar and back-up vocals (Lennon is credited on the single under the moniker of "Dr. Winston O'Boogie"). He and Ono were reunited shortly afterwards.

[ronmac]

Dark Horse Records' first Harrison release wasn't until after this interview- the 33 1/3 album (a good one).

Yes, but the Dark Horse album came out in December of '74.

^I'm talking about his 'lost weekend' period where they split. Their reconciliation started around the time of John's cameo at an Elton John show at MSG, in 1974.

Yes, Yoko was back stage during that show. That's when they began their reconciliation.

[happytheman]

At some point during the NY time frame he also got started on the Rock N Roll album sessions.. could be it was during the Walls and Bridges time frame.. as I understand those sessions fell apart before reconvening to finish it off..

[Paulrus]

At some point during the NY time frame he also got started on the Rock N Roll album sessions.. could be it was during the Walls and Bridges time frame.. as I understand those sessions fell apart before reconvening to finish it off..

That's also covered in the '75 interview I saw on YT (here, I'll just link it instead of trying to remember it...)

[ronmac]

At some point during the NY time frame he also got started on the Rock N Roll album sessions.. could be it was during the Walls and Bridges time frame.. as I understand those sessions fell apart before reconvening to finish it off..

I'm actually listening to outtakes from those sessions right now.

Yes, it's a long story involving Phil Spector going off the deep end.