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| Shaved Fish, anyone? |
When the guy reined himself in (and fought off the New York scag monkeys, gutter drunks and crack whores he was so comfortable with) he was capable of fine craft. Paul McCartney's solo work sounds like stylistic affectation in comparison, glib and coy. It all came too easy for Macca, but Lennon worked at it, worked it out, and crucially - had something to say. Macca's message? Ever? Beats me.
If Lennon's foot was often in his mouth, his heart was on his sleeve and his finger on his aberrant pulse. Unlike the Pretty One, he wasn't getting up on his hind legs to be liked. Here's a re-imagined Shaved Fish (going out of his way to hurt sales with title and cover), Walls & Bridges (featuring his side twist May Pang, Bizarro Yoko), Mind Games and Single Fantasy, my Yoko-Free assemblage. Yes, I know I should respect Yoko as artiste and pioneering activist and strong role model, and I should feel guilty about thinking she's a fucking nuisance. Incidentally, when I showed Kwai Chang the Mind Games cover, he immediately spotted the (unconscious, unintentional) placing of O.D. centered on his eyes.
You probably have all this, but if you'd like Single Fantasy, let me know.
ReplyDeleteThank you Farquhar! You're a fine fellow.
DeleteMy wife's dad played on Imagine - he was a violinist. She still gets royalty checks. You're stealing $ from us, ya bum. ;-) She still has a framed autograph from Lennon, in which he also drew a caricature of his face.
ReplyDeleteWow! That must be worth more than their house!
DeleteOur house? Probably.
Deletewell just to be contrary, I really like Yoko's early stuff with John ''live peace in Toronto'' is my most listened to John Lennon lp, like the found sounds lps alot also, different strokes I reckon
ReplyDeleteMy vinyl copy has the sleeve note: "Being born in Scotland carries with it certain responsibilities" - Derek Taylor
Deletekewl
DeleteRick, I would defend to the death your right to enjoy the caterwauling black hole of bitterness that is Yoko Ono. Well, not actually to the death. Maybe to the point of mild dyspepsia. But your opinion is welcomed here.
DeleteGreat stuff.....Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhere....Where is it ? 8-[
ReplyDeleteSee Stealth Link below.
DeleteI just wanted to write "who in their right mind doesn't think of Yoko as a fuckin' nuisance?" but it seems Rick does. There's one in every crowd. Three awful Yoko shrieks for Rick!
ReplyDeleteYoko gets a surprising amount of love, and it's always baffled me. She's a talentless spoiled rich kid, looks horrible, sounds awful, and was a terrible influence on the easily-womanipulated Lennon. He loved her, though, no doubting that. When asked "which Beatle would you like to be?", regardless of being dead or not, the only answer is Ringo.
DeleteBy the way, since I don't know much about Lennon's solo stuff (apart from a comp I heve nothing), I would be in for a rodeo with your stuff, Farq...err, wait a minute...erm, let me rephrase that...
ReplyDeleteWho wouldn't be in for a rodeo with Farq's stuff?! Only Kreme gets that honor alas (and it's quite the rodeo from the sounds coming out of those trailer vents).
DeleteMacca had nothing to say, you say? Check out these crumpled drafts that I rescued from his wastebasket while he was in the loo. Hard to believe he tossed them away! I knew I would one day find the proper place to share them.
ReplyDeleteWell, the Spaniard sported an unsightly 'stache
As he sweltered in the slum
With a thirst unspoken to the sickened and scared,
But the suds were salving, son.
Abandon the bum -- Slander the scum!
In a country pub, Beelzebub
Was slurping every s'more
He can't stand how it stung
As he crammed down a crumb
It tastes bland, but it's fun
When it lands on the tongue
Every purse was loaded with almighty cash
As Ranaldo softly strummed,
And then Thurston bit into a blackened old pear
But he'd rather have a plum!
Fandom is fun, but it can cost a ton.
And we gently nudged the unsightly smudge
Until the stain was gone
From the pants that we won
In an online auction.
Jonder wins the interwebs!
ReplyDeleteHe is I.O.F. Poet Laureate, and pens his verse with a quill plucked from one of the Queen Of England's swans. He uses 100 year-old port wine as ink, and wears a comely wig on his noggin.
Delete"If you must wear a wig.....
DeleteMake it a Comely............"
Cheers
Prithee, Lord Farq, are you implying that these lyrical artifacts are counterfeit? And that I am a petty forger? Sheer pettifoggery!
DeleteI challenge you to fisticuffs at twenty paces, at low tide on the Bay of Foam. Wear your walrus gumboots, and a wighat on your head.
Nay, nay, and thrice nay! where did you get that impression? *makes courtly leg, flourishes kerchief*
DeleteStealth Link O.D.
ReplyDeleteOh-No, you say...?
ReplyDeleteOr, in an rare attempt to try to avoid too much Yoko-bashing...
And without going down the "Macca's message?: Junk." road...
(Guilt??? All of the above and/or below MAY elicit a PANG or two...???)
I will say this...:
I wondered how long it would take for Winston O'Boogster to surface here. Especially since the recent 80th thing (Oct. 9th)
LennOno has been getting major air time on our loco Pee Bee Ess Tee Vee station lately.
They've run a talking heads/clip show all about the making his first album. And the "Lennon in NYC" film ("American Masters" doc from like 20 years ago).
Best part of the latter (to me anyhow...)? The daft, drunken shouting matches & craziness of the L.A. "R 'n' R" album sessions... Y'all know who was "at the controls" of course.... Phil (no -"les")... Outtakes were played with wild animation added. No gun-play, I trust.... WHAT does this say about ME......?)(That I was laffin.....)
I got a kick out of the Troggs Tapes, too, so......
The new obligitory 2-disc (+ or -) set of Remixes is getting rave reviews.
"Gimme Some Truth" (not to be confused with a set using that SAME title issued ten years ago...)
Friend just alerted me that on ABC tonight they are airing a special 20/20 devoted to Johnny boy ...
Back to you, Ringo. (By George)
Oh, and, thanks for all (nice covers)
... and thanks for being a come-with guy, UncleB. Always a deckchair in the shade here for you.
DeleteNow I've got "Pretty Woman" stuck in me noggin. Thanks a lot.
Delete("Come WITH me baby..." vs. "Come TO me baby..." Which is the one the censors squashed Dept. ...?!)
I know I'm not taking a bold stance by saying I like the Plastic Ono Band album (I'm supposed to after all) but I certainly agree with your take on Sir Paul vs. the working class hero and Yoko Oh-No's lack of artistic merit. One complaint with what has been offered here though -- you left too much Yolk on the Walls and Bridges album cover!
ReplyDelete