John Lennon

John Lennon

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Biography

John Lennon (born 09.10.1940 - died 08.12.1980) John Lennon was an English musician, singer and songwriter who gained international fame during the 1960s as a member of Liverpudlian pop and rock group The Beatles. Lennon played guitar in The Beatles and formed a prolific song writing partnership with Sir Paul McCartney, producing hits such as 'A Hard Day's Night', 'Ticket to Ride', and 'Nowhere Man'. Lennon, along with his wife Yoko Ono, became a high-profile peace activist and sustained a successful solo career throughout the 1970s, with songs such as 'Imagine' and 'Give Peace a Chance', up until his murder in New York City in 1980. John Lennon: Net Worth According to Celebrity Net Worth, at the time of his death in 1980, John Lennon had a net worth of 800 million USD.

Childhood: John Winston Lennon was born in the Liverpool Maternity Hospital on 9th October 1940, to Julia Lennon (née Stanley) and Alfred Lennon. John's father was a merchant seaman, meaning he was often away from home for long periods of time. Julia's sister Mary Smith, or Mimi as she was known, stepped in to look after John. A pivotal moment occurred in John's life when, at the age of five, Alfred made John choose between his parents. John subsequently lost contact with his father for almost two decades, and spent the rest of his childhood living with his Aunt Mimi and her husband George Smith in their house 'Mendips' on Menlove Avenue, Liverpool. John attended Dovedale County Primary School before moving up to Quarry Bank High in 1952 after passing his eleven-plus. Julia visited her son daily and taught John to play the banjo, as well as introducing him to the work of Elvis Presley. In 1957 she bought John his first guitar. However, tragedy struck in 1958 when Julia was knocked down and killed.

Musical career: John Lennon formed his first band, the Quarrymen, in 1957. Paul McCartney and George Harrison were soon recruited to the band, followed by Stuart Sutcliffe who John had met at the Liverpool College of Art. John began writing songs with Paul and the band eventually changed its name to The Beatles. Sadly, John lost his friend Stuart, who died in 1962, just as The Beatles were about to play in Hamburg, Germany. That same year, George Martin signed The Beatles to Parlophone Records with Ringo Starr replacing Pete Best on drums. Brian Epstein was appointed as The Beatles' manager. Later, when Lennon and Epstein holidayed together, rumours would circulate regarding their relationship. Throughout The Beatles' success during the 1960s, John was often perceived as the leader of the group, and was noted for his sharp wit. John had various books published including 'In His Own Write', 'A Spaniard In The Works' and, later, 'Skywriting By Word of Mouth', all of which featured his surreal brand of writing and artwork. The Beatles' second single, 'Please Please Me', reached number two in the UK singles chart and from then on the band enjoyed an almost unbroken stream of number one singles, from 'From Me To You' in 1963, through to 'The Ballad of John and Yoko' in 1969. Along the way the group attracted a huge army of fans, and would often play concerts in which they were unable to hear themselves over the screaming crowds. This level of 'Beatlemania' prompted John to comment that "The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ". This caused a backlash in some parts of America. Despite this, The Beatles were still extremely popular and in 1965 John Lennon was awarded an MBE, which he returned four years later. John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote the vast majority of The Beatles' songs and were credited on tracks as 'Lennon-McCartney'. The band released forty-six Top 40 singles and twenty-six charting albums. Lennon also found time to appear in The Beatles' films 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Help', as well as Richard Lester's 1967 comedy, 'How I Won the War'. After playing their last concert in 1966, The Beatles concentrated on recording and also spent time in India, studying transcendental meditation. Whilst there, Lennon composed many of the songs featured on 'The Beatles (White Album)' and 'Abbey Road'. Lennon met artist Yoko Ono at a London gallery in 1966 who he later married. The pair released the album 'Two Virgins' in 1969. John Lennon left The Beatles in September 1969. Before The Beatles officially split in 1970, Lennon recorded three solo singles: 'Give Peace a Chance', 'Cold Turkey', and 'Instant Karma!' The 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band' album was released in 1970, followed by 'Imagine' in 1971 which went double platinum and topped the charts in the US and the UK. The title track became an anthem for the anti-war movement. Later that year, Lennon moved to New York, and released 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)'. Lennon and Ono were heavily involved in left-wing politics, reflected in Lennon's song writing at the time. John and Yoko also took part in primal therapy which is claimed to release childhood pain. Lennon penned the song 'Mother' in response to this. In 1973, on Ono's suggestion, Lennon moved to Los Angeles with Ono's assistant, May Pang. Lennon later referred to this period as his 'lost weekend'. During this time, John also became reacquainted with his son, Julian. Lennon returned to New York and released 'Walls and Bridges' in 1974, which featured a number one duet with Elton John. John and Yoko were reunited and in October 1975 their son, Sean Ono Lennon, was born. At this point, Lennon made the announcement that he was to retire from the music business and become a househusband. After a long battle with the US government, involving the FBI and the Richard Nixon Administration, Lennon finally received his green card and permission to stay in the US in 1976. However, on 8th December 1980, John Lennon was shot dead outside his home, the Dakota building in New York, by Mark David Chapman. Lennon continues to be mourned throughout the world and is the subject of numerous memorials and tributes, notably Strawberry Fields in New York's Central Park and Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland. Several Lennon records have been released posthumously, including the singles 'Woman' and 'Jealous Guy', as well as several albums of unfinished songs, out-takes, and live performances.

Personal Life: In July, 1962, Lennon discovered that his girlfriend, Cynthia Powell, was pregnant. The couple were then married in August, although it was kept secret in order to maintain the illusion of the Beatles not being married. Their son, Julian, was born while Lennon was on tour in 1963, and he did not see the child until three days later. Lennon met Yoko Ono between 1965 and 1966. They began their relationship in May, 1968 while Cynthia was away. Lennon and Ono slept together before Cynthia returned. She arrived to find Ono wearing her bathrobe - Lennon's only acknowledgment was 'Oh, Hi'. Lennon and Ono were married in 1969, and lived together until his death in 1980. The couple spent their honeymoon performing a 'bed-in' for peace in the Amsterdam Hilton hotel. Lennon's relationship with Ono is often cited as a factor in The Beatles' demise. On the 8th December, 1980, John Lennon was shot in the back four times by Mark David Chapman. This came in response to Lennon making comments about how The Beatles were more famous than Jesus, leading the heavily religious Chapman to murder Lennon for his blasphemy. John Lennon was pronounced dead upon arrival at Roosevelt Hospital at 11:07 pm.



Biography by Contactmusic.com

Emily Loizeau - Working Class Hero single review


Taking on a song that is so deeply cherished by an artist that is so fondly remembered and revered is not an easy ask. Fans of the original will often be dismissive and derogatory about any attempt to cover a song that is so beloved in it's original format. Working Class Hero by John Lennon, from his 1970 album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, is just such a song. The politically charged, "revolutionary" song is not so much a song of protest but more a song of solidarity and strength. The power of the lyrics are delivered in the song's manifesto that sets out to not necessarily undermine aspiration but to embrace and appreciate what it is to be working class. 

Emily Loizeau - Working Class Hero single review

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Many artists have covered Working Class Hero in the four decades since it was originally released. Elbow did a sympathetic, downbeat cover in 2005. David Bowie's Tin Machine gave the song an energised and electrified makeover on their eponymous 1989 album. Disgraced shock-rocker Marilyn Manson brought nothing new to the party when he gave an unusually restrained performance on the B-Side to his Disposable Teens single of 2000. Manic Street Preachers tried, and failed, to make it an arena anthem on the '10 Year Collectors Edition' of 'Send Away The Tigers' and Marianne Faithful delivered a theatrical take on her highly regarded 'Broken English' album from 1979.

Continue reading: Emily Loizeau - Working Class Hero single review

Be Kind: Songs To Inspire Compassion In A World Of Conflict [Playlist]


Black Eyed Peas Randy Newman The Hollies Bob Marley Sir Paul McCartney John Lennon Bob Dylan

It's amazing that we can live in a world that produces trending hashtags like #BeKind and #AllLivesMatter one minute, and then expresses outrage at an "invasion" of desperate migrants in dinghies the next. It's astounding that we are still fighting for equal rights for black people in 2020. And it's frankly incredible that everyday people are at each others throats about wearing face masks when people are still dying everyday from Covid-19. 

It's time that we all took a look at ourselves and made the decision to be the best, most compassionate version of ourselves that we can be. Let our Be Kind playlist inspire you to be a friend to everyone.

1. You've Got A Friend In Me - Randy Newman

Continue reading: Be Kind: Songs To Inspire Compassion In A World Of Conflict [Playlist]

Yoko Ono Remembers John Lennon With 'Imagine' Re-imagining


Yoko Ono John Lennon

In honour of her late husband and a universal music legend, Yoko Ono has unveiled a stripped down cover of John Lennon's 'Imagine' ahead of the release of her new covers album 'Warzone', and to celebrate what would have been the singer's 78th birthday this week.

Yoko Ono at the NYC Women's MarchYoko Ono at the NYC Women's March

The 85-year-old artist remembered the late Beatles star on his birthday yesterday (October 9th) 38 years after he was killed in New York, and acknowledged the special day with a new version of an iconic song which they co-wrote together and first released back in 1971.

Continue reading: Yoko Ono Remembers John Lennon With 'Imagine' Re-imagining

How John Lennon Keeps Liam Gallagher's 'Dark Clouds' Away


Liam Gallagher John Lennon

Music as therapy is not a novel idea. Indeed, for some people it is the only thing that can help them cope with day to day mental struggles. For Liam Gallagher, there is one musician in particular who is better than medication when it comes to pulling him out of a depressive state.

Liam Gallagher performs at Latitude 2018Liam Gallagher performs at Latitude 2018

Life hasn't been easy on the Oasis frontman, what with the band that he loved going downhill, a long and bitter feud with his brother Noel Gallagher and a number of relationship breakdowns. But when things really start to get to him, he listens to his favourite artist and everything is miraculously OK again.

Continue reading: How John Lennon Keeps Liam Gallagher's 'Dark Clouds' Away

Sir Paul McCartney's One On One Tour 'grossed $132 Million'


Sir Paul McCartney John Lennon

Sir Paul McCartney's One on One tour reportedly grossed as much as $132 million.

The music icon played 37 concerts from April through December, selling 907,610 in the process, and the ticket sales were worth an eye-watering amount to Sir Paul.

The former Beatles star played at some of the world's most iconic venues during his tour, such his three appearances at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, which earned him $22.8 million, according to Billbaord.

Continue reading: Sir Paul McCartney's One On One Tour 'grossed $132 Million'

Yoko Ono To Receive Songwriting Credit For John Lennon's 'Imagine'


Yoko Ono John Lennon

46 years after it first became a hit, Yoko Ono is set to be given a songwriting credit on her late husband John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’.

The move was apparently announced at an event for the National Publishers Association in New York City on Wednesday (June 14th), according to Variety. The association’s CEO, David Israelite, played an audio recording of Lennon arguing that Yoko should receive such a credit because of her influence in writing the 1971 track. The process to make the credit official is under way but has not yet been completed.

Yoko OnoYoko Ono is to get a songwriting credit for John Lennon's 'Imagine'

Continue reading: Yoko Ono To Receive Songwriting Credit For John Lennon's 'Imagine'

John Lennon Lambasts Paul McCartney In Auction Letter Worth $20,000


John Lennon Sir Paul McCartney

A scolding letter written by John Lennon to Linda and Paul McCartney is expected to fetch upwards of $20,000 at auction in Boston, Massachusetts, though it's not clear who the seller is. The closing bid will take place on Thursday (November 17th 2016).

Paul McCartneyPaul McCartney gets scolded by John Lennon in historic letter

The letter consists of two pages written both by hand and on a typewriter with a Bag Productions Inc. letterhead, and is an intimate reflection of the acrimony between the two Beatles and McCartney's wife in the wake of the bands split. It's estimated to have been written around 1971; two years after his marriage to Yoko Ono and a year after the Beatles disbanded.

Continue reading: John Lennon Lambasts Paul McCartney In Auction Letter Worth $20,000

The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years - Trailer and Clips


In 1962 The Beatles were signed to a management deal with a local record shop owner called Brian Epstein after he heard the band playing at their local venue, The Cavern Club, this was the first step in a series of events that soon saw the four lads from Merseyside become the biggest phenomenon the world had ever seen. 

Once George Martin signed the band to Parlophone Records, it didn't take long for them to make their first visit to Abbey Road Studios and once they found themselves a permanent drummer in the form of Ringo Starr, the band had a number of possible singles recorded with the likes of 'Love Me Do' and 'Please Please Me', as good as the songs were, their reputation was still unknown and their first single peaked on the singles chart at #17. Their first number one came about after re-recording 'Please Please Me' at a faster tempo and the band began to make TV appearances. The clean shaven boys had style and an edgy quality that attracted young girls and their music was good enough that boys liked them too. 

Thousands of fans followed them wherever they went and it lead to the band touring and promoting themselves and their music continually.

Continue: The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years - Trailer and Clips

John Lennon's Stolen Guitar Fetches $2.4m At Auction


John Lennon Beatles Sir Paul McCartney

A guitar stolen from John Lennon in 1963 has sold for $2.4m at an auction in Beverley Hills. The Gibson acoustic was used on the recordings of ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘PS I Love You’ and auctioned alongside other items of Beatles memorabilia, including a drum head which went for $2.1m.

John LennonA guitar stolen from John Lennon has sold for $2.4m at auction.

The guitar and the drum head fetched two of the highest prices ever paid for items of rock and roll memorabilia. Lennon’s guitar had been in the possession of novice musician John McCaw for decades, who bought it in the late 1960s without knowing it had been stolen from the Beatle.

Continue reading: John Lennon's Stolen Guitar Fetches $2.4m At Auction

The Beatles' Management Contract With Brian Epstein Fetches £365,000 At Auction


Beatles Sir Paul McCartney John Lennon George Harrison Ringo Starr Brian Epstein

The original contract signed by The Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein sold at auction for £365,000 on Tuesday (September 29th).

The document, dated October 1st 1962, was signed at Epstein’s office in Whitechapel a matter of days before the group released their first single ‘Love Me Do’. It confirmed Epstein, often referred to as the ‘Fifth Beatle’, as the group’s permanent manager and also brought in Richard Starkey (known obviously as Ringo Starr) in place of their former drummer Pete Best.

The BeatlesThe Beatles' management contract went under the hammer this week

Continue reading: The Beatles' Management Contract With Brian Epstein Fetches £365,000 At Auction

George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and Sir Paul McCartney - George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon Thursday 14th June 2012 Wax figures of The Beatles are unveiled at Madame Tussauds. The unveiling comes days before Paul McCartney celebrates his 70th birthday on June 18, 2012.

George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and Sir Paul Mccartney

John Lennon and Mick Rock - Mae Pang (former girlfriend of John Lennon ) Wednesday 11th April 2012 Limited Edition Book Signing (The Faces 69-75)

John Lennon and Mick Rock

John Lennon Wednesday 8th December 2010 Mourners gather to sing and pay tribute at Strawberry Fields' 'Imagine' mosaic to mark the 30th Anniversary of John Lennon's death. New York City, USA

John Lennon

George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and Sir Paul McCartney The Beatles (1964)

Chris Carter and John Lennon - Chris Carter and Nikky Carter Studio City, California - 'Just Imagine' - a tribute to John Lennon performed by Tim Piper at the Platinum Live Theatre Thursday 28th January 2010

John Lennon

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John Lennon

Date of birth

9th October, 1940

Occupation

Musician

Sex

Male

Height

1.8






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John Lennon Movies

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years Movie Review

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years Movie Review

A-list director Ron Howard worked with the surviving Beatles to assemble this engaging documentary, which...

The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years - Trailer and Clips Trailer

The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years - Trailer and Clips Trailer

In 1962 The Beatles were signed to a management deal with a local record shop...

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A Hard Days Night [Remastered] Trailer

A Hard Days Night [Remastered] Trailer

In 1964, black and white music comedy 'A Hard Day's Night' was released, starring the...

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