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Post by stavros on Jun 17, 2011 17:54:28 GMT -5
(plus accompaying parts Just found this on Youtube and listening to it has made me re-evaluate my opinions on John, Yoko and Double Fantasy. It's Andy Peebles interview with John in December of 1980 for the BBC. Although I have a vague memory of this interview from my early youth I don't think I have ever heard this interview in it's entirety. John seems so relaxed, energised and positive. Yoko is also adding to the interview without cramping John in any way at all. I think I am starting to get what this time in his life and Double Fantasy was all about I get the feeling that he was so proud of what he achieved with the Beatles but also knew that time moves on. There was so much more to come from John Lennon and it is so sad that 30+ years of his artistic pursuits may still have lay ahead of him. Aaah what might have been. But one thing that shines through is his brilliant sense of humour. It hadn't faded at all. And it is something that the other Beatles shared in different degrees as well. Their music was brilliant but they also made us laugh as well.
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Post by vectisfabber on Jun 17, 2011 18:20:02 GMT -5
"We come along on Saturday morning..."
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Post by Jason I on Jun 19, 2011 12:50:09 GMT -5
Wow, yes this is a great interview. Always been my favourite one of Johns, if you haven't checked it out yet you should.
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Post by ursamajor on Jun 19, 2011 21:46:45 GMT -5
Just listened to the interview, that was great , thanks for finding it stavros. Ahhh .. what could have been, John sounds like he was in such a great place at the time, I liked his talk of avant-garde too, makes me think Paul not releasing his weird experiments makes him avant-garde
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Post by Joe Karlosi on Jun 20, 2011 8:18:49 GMT -5
Just listened to the interview, that was great , thanks for finding it stavros. Ahhh .. what could have been, John sounds like he was in such a great place at the time, Yes. And yet, incredibly, there are still some fans who actually believe that John was "faking" his happiness and was actually miserable! I'm glad you've re-thunk John, Yoko, and DOUBLE FANTASY, stavros. Actually listening to them does wonders! Forget the established rumors and talk against Yoko, for example. Just listen. It's what I've been saying since Day One.
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Post by Jason I on Jun 20, 2011 10:41:09 GMT -5
Johns 1980 material is phenomenal. It's my favourite era of his solo career by a long way. Easily. I'm always suprised when fans say he's lost it as to me he'd got back to writing full on pop songs again as good as he was in 64/65. The guy who was effortlessly writing all those 'Hard Days Night' era tracks was back. He was on fire again.
Aside from the obviously excellent Double Fantasy songs, he had others in his pocket. Just an utter travesty 'Grow Old With Me' wasn't fully realised as the wedding standard John intended it to (and was destined to be), and meanwhile he also had a few cynical songs he was working on. So despite the casual fan myth that's constantly peddled, ie: Lennon had "lost his edge" in his middle age, he was meanwhile refining the likes of 'Serve Yourself'. Which has a brutal lyric that'd easily fit in with P.O.B, and is a song only Lennon could do.
What he intended to do with these songs remains a mystery. He does allude to this 'losing his edge' myth in the OP's interview I believe. Can't remember the exact quote, but it's along the lines of: "I'm the guy who played guitar on 'Open Your Box' and 'Why'. You don't think I know what's happening with new wave? Double Fantasy is just where I am right now".
It's definitly possible that after the Double Fantasy follow up he intended to do another confessional album a-la P.O.B. He still had it in him, that's for sure.
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Post by Panther on Jun 24, 2011 1:43:36 GMT -5
Jason, I think you're putting too much weight on the lyrics and on 'confessional' being the opposite of light-weight. In my opinion, lyrics are seldom important in how we/the public perceives the mood or feeling of songs. It's much more important to consider the sound / style / production of the music.
The reason why some think John had gone a bit 'lightweight' in 1980 is that he was writing melodic songs again with glossy, radio-friendly production (not unlike the singles on Walls & Bridges). The 1980 music had very little 'edge' to it, being smooth around the sides. And when he did try to rock out a bit, on 'Cleanup Time' for example, it was not that convincing. Kind of mid-tempo sludge. But yes, he excelled in the tuneful radio-friendly songs in 1980 -- and there's nothing wrong with that, but I think the 'lightweight' accusation is not particularly about the lyrics.
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Post by Jason I on Jun 24, 2011 9:51:52 GMT -5
Jason, I think you're putting too much weight on the lyrics and on 'confessional' being the opposite of light-weight. In my opinion, lyrics are seldom important in how we/the public perceives the mood or feeling of songs. It's much more important to consider the sound / style / production of the music. The reason why some think John had gone a bit 'lightweight' in 1980 is that he was writing melodic songs again with glossy, radio-friendly production (not unlike the singles on Walls & Bridges). The 1980 music had very little 'edge' to it, being smooth around the sides. And when he did try to rock out a bit, on 'Cleanup Time' for example, it was not that convincing. Kind of mid-tempo sludge. But yes, he excelled in the tuneful radio-friendly songs in 1980 -- and there's nothing wrong with that, but I think the 'lightweight' accusation is not particularly about the lyrics. Oh, Panther you misunderstand me. The material on Double Fantasy? By the terms you're describing, are indeed lightweight. I agree. Like the quote I posted of Johns in my post. I don't feel he had lost his edge. It is my belief that he wanted to do the style that Double Fantasy is in. Notice he even got a more 'straight' producer in Jack Douglas. It was the slick sound he wanted. No more crazy Spector this time. BUT, I believe material like 'I Don't Wanna Face It' and 'Serve Yourself' are indicative of the Lennon from his early solo era. As John alluded in that 1980 interview, he hadn't gone completely soft in his middle age. I believe he had another edgier album in him.
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Post by anyoneanyhow on Jun 24, 2011 17:27:01 GMT -5
I don't get the feeling that most people realize how ahead of it's time Lennon's 1980 work was. When else did you get a rock star growing up with us, performing as a couple with his wife about their good times and bad, relating the married experience to his married fans. Maybe Shoot Out The Lights, did that come first? Regardless, this is Lennon performing songs for his maturing fans, not for the 13-year old record buyer, and an amazing job he did too.
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Post by Panther on Jun 26, 2011 21:25:23 GMT -5
Oh, I agree with you then, Jason I. Indeed, if John had lived, I expect he would have done something crazy shit in the early 80s. He probably would have come out with some heavy-metal art-noise pop-punk collaboration with the B52's or something. It's just that, in 1980, he was into easy-listening radio song... at that moment.
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Post by Jason I on Jun 27, 2011 15:58:08 GMT -5
Oh, I agree with you then, Jason I. Indeed, if John had lived, I expect he would have done something crazy shit in the early 80s. He probably would have come out with some heavy-metal art-noise pop-punk collaboration with the B52's or something. It's just that, in 1980, he was into easy-listening radio song... at that moment. Yes, and that's exactly what I said.
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