John Lennon

John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as a founder member of the Beatles, the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed band in the history of popular music. With Paul McCartney, he formed a songwriting partnership that is the most celebrated of the 20th century. When the group disbanded in 1970, Lennon embarked on a solo career that produced critically acclaimed albums. Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to raise his infant son Sean, but re-emerged with Ono in 1980 with the new album "Double Fantasy". He was murdered three weeks after its release.

Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music, writing, drawings, on film and in interviews. Controversial through his political and peace activism, he moved to New York City in 1971, where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon's administration to deport him, while some of his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement.

Links to Peel
The Beatles were all born and brought up in Liverpool and were of the same generation as Peel. Yet their paths did not cross; Peel was born in 1939, was sent to boarding schools, was one of the last intake of National Servicemen, and moved to the USA in 1960. The Beatles were beginning their career at this time and remained little-known beyond Merseyside until their commercial breakthrough in 1963.

Peel's career was transformed by "Beatlemania" in the US, as by emphasising his Liverpool origins he was able to find work in radio as a "Beatles expert" on KLIF in Dallas. He later attended a Beatles press conference while working for KOMA in Oklahoma City.

Throughout the late 1960s Peel retained his high opinion of the Beatles, playing their new records as they appeared, and after the band split up in 1970 their solo records also featured in his playlists. Yet in the course of time his attitude towards them began to change, perhaps because of their position in what was becoming an established canon of rock history - which, after the mid-1970s, began to be challenged.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono appeared with Peel as studio guests on 11 December 1968.

Sessions

 * None

Other Shows Played
(The list below is compiled only from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive and is far from complete. Please add further information if known.)
 * 11 December 1968: Two Virgins (Extract) (LP: Two Virgins) Apple APCOR 2 (John Lennon and Yoko Ono as studio guests)
 * 11 December 1968: Alchemical Wedding (John Peel, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Christopher Logue) (John Lennon and Yoko Ono as studio guests)
 * 11 December 1968: Charles (poem) (John Lennon and Yoko Ono as studio guests)
 * 29 June 1969: Give Peace a Chance (single) Apple APPLE 13
 * 04 October 1969: John/Yoko (LP - Wedding Album) (side 2) Apple SAPCOR 11
 * 25 October 1969: Cold Turkey (single) Apple APPLES 1001
 * 08 November 1969: Blue Suede Shoes / Money / Dizzy Miss Lizzy (LP – Live Peace In Toronto) Apple CORE 2001
 * 22 November 1969: Dizzy Miss Lizzie (LP – Live Peace In Toronto 1969) Apple CORE 2001
 * 20 December 1969: Yer Blues (LP - Live Peace In Toronto) Apple CORE 2001
 * 27 December 1969: Dizzy Miss Lizzie (LP - The Plastic Ono Band - Live Peace In Toronto 1969) Apple CORE 2001
 * 07 February 1970: Instant Karma (single) Apple APPLES 1003
 * 26 December 1970: Love (LP - Plastic Ono Band) Apple PCS 7124
 * 22 September 1972: New York City (LP -Sometime In New York City) Apple
 * 22 September 1972: Well (Baby Please Don’t Go) (LP - Sometime In New York City) Apple
 * Unknown date 1975: Fame (with David Bowie) (D012)
 * Unknown date 1975 (March-May)?: 'Be-Bop-A-Lula (LP-Rock'N'Roll)' (D013)
 * Unknown date 1975: 'Sweet Little Sixteen (LP-Rock'N'Roll)' (D020)
 * Unknown date 1975: Imagine (D023)
 * 20 August 1976: 'Cold Turkey (LP-Shaved Fish)' (Apple) (The Beatles Band retrospective)
 * 20 August 1976: 'Imagine (LP-Shaved Fish)' (Apple) (The Beatles Band retrospective)
 * 21 November 1978: Jealous Guy (LP - Imagine)
 * 03 December 1979: Cold Turkey (7") Apple