John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon: John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band
The funereal bells that open John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band are an ominous precursor of what Lennon wanted his adoring public to know: that The Beatles were dead and the adoring world would have to cope with it. At the time, amusing as it might now seem, such a statement was tantamount to sacrilege and the world listened on in shock as Lennon catalogued his bitterness, anger and resentment about everything under his sun:
It's hard to recapture the stunning effect that John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band had at the time of its release, late 1970. However, the first half of the year had been full of Beatle news:
Lennon ducked much of that publicity by enrolling in 4 months of psycotherapy with little known psychologist Artur Janov, who had then only recently published his book, The Primal Scream. Essentially, Janov's technique was/is to get "the patient" in touch with his id (his primal psychological self) and instead of analysing it, scream about it.
Arthur Janov: The Primal Scream "...In the age of terror that has enveloped us since 9/11, a certain classic from the past retains the power to heal the hurts...to our nation and to our individual psyches. That book is The Primal Scream by the misunderstood psychologist Arthur Janov..." Amazon reviewer Kevin Killian "...Janov illuminates the inner physical structure of witheld childhood pain fear and anger. Contrary to Freud, Janov seeks to get right to the point where people shut off the agony of their un-loved-ness, giving it full expression by removing the inhibitory structures of unfelt pain in the body..." Amazon reviewer A. Customer
Lennon had always been at his best screaming about something, whether Chuck Berry's Rock'n'Roll Music in the early days or Cold Turkey withdrawal from heroin addiction as on his 1969 single and had always at his best when given direction for his writing e.g. Beatlemania or LSD. The four months in Primal Therapy provided him with the luxury of being sanctioned to scream but as with the Maharishi two years earlier, Lennon had a bitter falling out with his teacher. However, he returned to England brimming with songs, which he immediately began recording with a band of close friends:
The album's first track, Mother, sets the scene with a brutal, piano-led dirge: "...Mother, you had me but I never had you
Mother Lennon Estate modern music video
...and it goes on and on, in a magnificent alternating maelstrom of bitterness counterpointed by Oedipal yearnings, masquerading as romantic love. If you're looking for cute moptop singalongs, this ain't the album for you. Instead, John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band churns out simple, sometimes almost tuneless songs like Working Class Hero. "...When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years Working Class Hero
Working Class Hero Lennon Estate modern music video
Don't get me wrong. While John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band may not have many great tunes, it remains one of my favorite albums, as true and honest as Joni Mitchell's great Blue. However to quote from:
...is to diminish the songs, so much more powerful in their setting than naked and dissected. John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band is his great work, a brilliant, angry self portrait of the time, (in hindsight) fuelled by Lennon's trauma about what life as an ex-Beatle would be. I recommend it to anyone interested in a true understanding of both Lennon and The Beatles phenomenon.
John Lennon: John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band "...Seriously, folks, Plastic Ono Band is maybe the most emotional album I have ever heard..." Amazon reviewer Andrew "pirate ninja" "...I finally bought this album along about 2001. I had never owned the vinyl, never listened to it...Little did I know what powerful, intense, sad and hopeful art I had been missing, for 30 years..." Amazon reviewer Boiz o' The Books "...It's easy to see John Lennon around the time of Plastic Ono Band...as an angry, thirty year old lashing out like an adolescent at those whom he believed had let him down but his creative energy was at such an intense point, that the resulting work transformed that anger into something surprisingly mature..." Amazon reviewer Jason Jruppa "...I don't know how to write a fancy review like so many others. I don't know anything about Phil Spector nor did I even realize that Ringo was the drummer on this CD! All I know is that Mother, God and Working Class Hero are three of the most powerful songs ever written..." Amazon reviewer L. Kleinfeldt
N.B. the remastered version of John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band now contains the songs from 1971 single:
Jann Wenner: Lennon Remembers "...in 1970...Lennon...tried to cut off all ties with the Beatles, badmouthing nearly everyone from his past, in an effort to forge a new public persona: the Yoko-man who wanted Peace and to exorcise his demons. He exorcises them here..." Amazon reviewer psychsound "...A laser-sharp, fly-on-the-wall encounter with John Lennon at 30. He stops being The Beatle, The Genius, The Legend and becomes instead a guy who has seen and lived some very strange stuff. You feel for him and you see him finally as a kind of savant: He was an average guy with huge pockets of talent and pain, who was body-surfing the tidal wave of his own life. BOTTOM LINE: The closest any of us will ever get to talking to the guy. You'll love it..." Amazon reviewer D. Mancino
see also:
Pauline Lennon: Daddy Come Home "...From their first face-to-face meeting in 1964 to their bitter split in 1970, Pauline has written an interesting account of events from her perspective. She portrays Freddie in the best light possible and is critical of John's actions throughout the book...For those who wish to gain greater insight into what (made) John Lennon tick, I highly recommend this book. " Amazon reviewer Possum-Bread
Arthur Janov: The New Primal Scream "...The book is nothing less than a revelation. Janov's methods might not be the path for everyone - but his theories are sound and can be more universally applied than the therapy itself. Just reading this book can open the mind to the possibilities - understanding what makes us sick can help us find the road to wellness. All of us hurt to one degree or another - and this book can be a valuable key to unlock the door to healing..." Amazon reviewer Larry L. Looney Hmmm, interesting name.
Yoko Ono / Plastic Ono Band came out at the same time as Lennon's and makes an interesting counterbalance to his much better known work. Me, I hate it but others think it's great...and it does feature some of Lennon's crude but always interesting guitar.
Yoko Ono / Plastic Ono Band "...I never liked the Beatles much and I (couldn't) care less about John's wife Yoko but once I accidentally listened to this (on) Youtube...it changed my whole perspective not only on Yoko, but also on Lennon... Amazon reviewer ...This album is so ahead of time that it's almost unbelievable. It's got everything I like in an artist: passion, originality and emotion. Simply put, all that Björk is trying to do, Yoko has already done...If you want to see (or hear) what LSD can do, listen to this album but be careful, it might be a frightening experience and cause post- traumatic psychological effects..." Amazon reviewer Montecarlostar
Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band Greenfield Morning
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