Publisher Description

Described by Lennon as 'the best thing I've ever done', and widely regarded by critics as his best solo album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band was released on 11 December 1970. With first-hand commentary by Lennon, Ono and other members of the Plastic Ono Band, and packed with previously unseen photographs by those who documented their lives, this incisive volume offers new insights into the raw emotions and open mindset of Lennon after marriage to Ono and the break-up of the Beatles.

Following their wedding in March 1969, Lennon and Ono decided that their future musical endeavours should be credited to a conceptual vehicle, the Plastic Ono Band. The band featured an ever-changing line-up of musicians, including Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann, Ringo Starr, Alan White, George Harrison, Billy Preston and Jim Keltner, all of whom played live with Lennon and Ono, and contributed to their recordings. This period of intense personal soul-searching and fearless honesty that John & Yoko inspired in one another had a huge impact on Lennon's song writing, resulting in the creation of tracks that are intensely personal and unlike anything previously heard in popular music, including 'Mother', 'Working Class Hero' and 'God'. This book takes those lyrics as a starting point and explores Lennon's life, career and world view.

Author Biography

John Lennon (1940-80) was an English singer, songwriter and peace activist who co-founded the Beatles, the most commercially successful band in the history of popular music. Yoko Ono is a multimedia artist, singer, songwriter and activist. She married John Lennon in 1969 and became his creative partner and muse.

Table of Contents

YOKO ONO / PREFACE
WHO ARE THE PLASTIC ONO BAND?

Singles
Bed Peace / Montreal
GIVE PEACE A CHANCE
Derek Taylor / What Is The Plastic Ono Band?
Live Peace In Toronto
COLD TURKEY
Peace And Love For Christmas
INSTANT KARMA! (WE ALL SHINE ON)
Arthur Janov / Primal Scream Therapy


Back Stories
MOTHER
HOLD ON
I FOUND OUT
WORKING CLASS HERO
ISOLATION
REMEMBER
LOVE
WELL WELL WELL
LOOK AT ME
GOD
MY MUMMY'S DEAD


Recordings
JOHN LENNON / PLASTIC ONO BAND
Ringo Starr / Drums
Klaus Voormann / Bass
Billy Preston / Piano
YOKO ONO / PLASTIC ONO BAND
Album Artworks


Promotions
Jann S. Wenner / Founder and Editor, Rolling Stone
Annie Leibovitz / Photographer

Review

'A comprehensive, fascinating, well-produced, and finely printed publication that captures a moment of contemporary culture with breadth and depth. It brings then into now – and shows how similar and different life is today' - Will Gompertz
'A handsome tome… never less than fascinating… The album was a high point in an astonishing career and the book does it justice' - The Sun
'A fine tribute to this intensely creative time in the couple's joined-at-the-hip lives… A sumptuous and lovingly created example of the bookmakers' art, an encyclopaedic extravaganza of reminiscences and memorabilia' - The Budapest Times
'A hardback compendium of first-hand accounts about the band drawn from interviews over the years… It contains photos, lyrics, drawings and letters, and will be as interesting to Lennon completists as The Beatles Anthology was to general fans 20 years ago' - Daily Telegraph

Promotional

The definitive exploration of John Lennon's first major solo album after the break-up of the Beatles

Promotional "Headline"

The definitive exploration of John Lennon's first major solo album after the break-up of the Beatles

Details