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| TheSavageYoungXyzzy |
Almost two weeks ago last year, George Harrison passed away in Los Angeles. He was 58. His distinctive deliberate lead guitar for The Beatles as well as his solo masterpiece All Things Must Pass established him as one of the great figures in rock history.
When SNL jokingly offered the Beatles THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS to reunite, All four of them in fact showed up and talked about it, but John Lennon and Paul McCartney were so tired that George simply walked on and took the check. This is why George Harrison was the man.
Twenty-two years ago today, while walking home with his wife, John Lennon was shot to death by a crazed fan. He was 40. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern music and his death was regarded as the single most horrifying moment in rock history.
On poor John, who died today, I can't say much. I never knew him alive. My mother told me his death was the single most shocking death of a public figure in her life, as he was a person who had impacted the world tremendously over a span of twenty years.
Now, I never liked John Lennon's solo stuff much. I think it was just as preachy as George Harrison's stuff after All Things Must Pass, only with political messages that didn't seem to realize the sixties died a horrible death at Altamont. Even some of his stuff with The Beatles ain't so hot. But because he had the courage to stand up and boldly proclaim his views (that almost got him deported by Strom "I'm not pro-segrigation I just hate black people" Thurmond), I give him a lot of respect. A lot of peace activists look to him as a source of inspiration. And yeah, that whole 'art' thing he and Yoko Ono did was annoying as all hell. But he was still one of the kindest people you'd meet in New York - he always was seen walking around - my parents saw him on several occsions, though they never struck up the courage to go say hi. There's footage of him walkin' along and some guy coming up to him in typical New York fashion:
"John Lennon, man, I fuckin' love you!"
"Hey, yeah, thanks."
"So hey man, when are the Beatles gettin' back together?"
"Yeah, tomrorrow!"
"You crazy sunovabitch, I love ya. Hey guys, that was John Lennon! You see that?"
You don't even have to like his music. You can hate his music and him, if you like. But he and George Harrison both did have a tremendous impact on the world, and I can't shake that terrible sadness that shows up when I remember his last interview, with him talking about music, saying how much the 70s overall sucked (some great great stuff like Exile getting buried under Disco, Pop Revival, Dying Hippies and so forth) for music and how he had such high hopes for the 80's, and how he was going back into the studio, and how wonderful it would be...
So even I don't like 'em always as artists. But they were both great people, and had an incredible impact on the world of music as we know it.
IN MEMORIAM
JOHN LENNON 1940 - 1980
GEORGE HARRISON 1943 - 2001
-tSYX. |
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| FPM C10 |
Amen, my savage young colleague. You are wise beyond your years. This is one day I will not brook Josh's Beatle bashing. What the records sound like NOW is not the point, it's what they sounded like then. They sounded like the door opening on a brand new world. They sounded like hope and optimism and youth and exuberance. They sounded like YOU could go out and do ANYTHING because THEY had.
George's death was and is sad, and slightly unreal. John's death was a whole 'nother thing. It took the butt end of 60s idealism that was still smoldering in me and ground it out on the blood-soaked pavement. It proved the antithesis to the Beatles' bright promise - it proved, indeed, that anything could happen, no matter how horrifying and senseless and sickening - could happen and WOULD happen. Unfortunately not much has happened in the last 22 years to change my mind about that.
RIP John Lennon |
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| stone jr. |
Today 22 years of jl |
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| sasca |
Excellent post. I agree also about John´s solo work. It is sad that much of his fame rests on his early 70's albums -his 'disappointing' return with 'Double Fantasy' and 'Milk and Honey' is far superior. It sounds as if he's enjoying himself again. (and Yoko's songs are superb, too). |
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