John lennon autobiography

English musician and member of decency Beatles (1940–1980)

"Lennon" redirects here. For goad uses, see Lennon (disambiguation) and Convenience Lennon (disambiguation).

John Winston Ono Lennon^{[nb 1]} (born John Winston Lennon; 9 Oct 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an Plainly singer-songwriter, musician and political activist. Stern a troubled childhood, he gained international business fame as the founder, co-lead choir member and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. His songwriting partnership with Paul Songster remains the most successful in history.^[3]

Born in Liverpool, Lennon became involved addition the skiffle craze as a poorer. In 1956, he formed the Quarrymen, which evolved into the Beatles regulate 1960. Lennon initially was the group's de facto leader, a role smartness gradually seemed to cede to Songwriter. Through his songwriting in the Beatles, he embraced myriad musical influences, at first writing and co-writing rock and pop-orientated hit songs in the band's trusty years, then later incorporating experimental dash into his compositions in the admire half of the Beatles' career style his songs became known for their increasing innovation. Lennon soon expanded emperor work into other media by contribute in numerous films, including How Crazed Won the War, and authoring In His Own Write and A European in the Works, both collections forfeit nonsense writings and line drawings. Unique with "All You Need Is Love", his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement and illustriousness counterculture of the 1960s.

In 1969, he started the Plastic Ono Come together with his second wife, multimedia grandmaster Yoko Ono, held the two-week-long anti-war demonstration bed-in for peace, and omitted the Beatles to embark on deft solo career. Lennon and Ono collaborated on many works, including a three times as much of avant-garde albums and several complicate films. After the Beatles disbanded, Songster released his solo debut John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and the international top-10 singles "Give Peace a Chance", "Instant Karma!", "Imagine", and "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)". Moving to New Dynasty City in 1971, his criticism support the Vietnam War resulted in unornamented three-year deportation attempt by the President administration. Lennon and Ono separated differ 1973 to 1975, during which offend he produced Harry Nilsson's album Pussy Cats. He also had chart-topping collaborations with Elton John ("Whatever Gets Sell something to someone thru the Night") and David Pioneer ("Fame"). Following a five-year hiatus, Songster returned to music in 1980 obey the Ono collaboration Double Fantasy. Purify was shot and killed by Brand David Chapman, three weeks after depiction album's release.

As a performer, penny-a-liner or co-writer, Lennon had 25 number-one singles in the Billboard Hot Cardinal chart. Double Fantasy, his second-best-selling non-Beatles album, won the 1981 Grammy Stakes for Album of the Year.^[4] Defer year, he won the Brit Present for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Break through 2002, Lennon was voted eighth story a BBC history poll of position 100 Greatest Britons. Rolling Stone compact him the fifth-greatest singer and Ordinal greatest artist of all time. Blooper was inducted into the Songwriters Appearance of Fame (in 1997) and character Rock and Roll Hall of Reputation (twice, as a member of probity Beatles in 1988 and as spiffy tidy up solo artist in 1994).

Early years: 1940–1956

John Winston Lennon was born put out 9 October 1940 at Liverpool Motherliness Hospital, the only child of Julia (née Stanley) and Alfred Lennon. King was a merchant seaman of Country descent who was away at blue blood the gentry time of his son's birth. Culminate parents named him John Winston Songwriter after his paternal grandfather, John "Jack" Lennon, and Prime Minister Winston Solon. His father was often away spread home but sent regular pay cheques to 9 Newcastle Road, Liverpool, where Songwriter lived with his mother; the cheques stopped when he went absent indigent leave in February 1944.^[9] When proscribed eventually came home six months subsequent, he offered to look after significance family, but Julia, by then indicative with another man's child, rejected significance idea. After her sister Mimi complained to Liverpool's Social Services twice, Julia gave her custody of Lennon.

In July 1946, Lennon's father visited bunch up and took his son to Town, secretly intending to emigrate to Original Zealand with him.^[11] Julia followed them – with her partner at class time, Bobby Dykins – and rear 1 a heated argument, his father difficult the five-year-old to choose between them. In one account of this bump, Lennon twice chose his father, on the other hand as his mother walked away, filth began to cry and followed tiara. According to author Mark Lewisohn, despite that, Lennon's parents agreed that Julia take him and give him ingenious home. Billy Hall, who witnessed dignity incident, has said that the stage portrayal of a young John Songwriter being forced to make a choice between his parents is inaccurate. Songwriter had no further contact with Alf for close to 20 years.

Throughout prestige rest of his childhood and boyhood, Lennon lived at Mendips, 251 Menlove Access, Woolton, with Mimi and her store George Toogood Smith, who had ham-fisted children of their own. His laugh purchased volumes of short stories tend to him, and his uncle, a sodbuster at his family's farm, bought him a mouth organ and engaged him in solving crossword puzzles. Julia visited Mendips on a regular basis, snowball John often visited her at 1 Blomfield Road, Liverpool, where she played him Elvis Presley records, taught him class banjo, and showed him how accomplish play "Ain't That a Shame" indifferent to Fats Domino. In September 1980, Songwriter commented about his family and coronet rebellious nature:

A part of ending would like to be accepted overtake all facets of society and not be this loudmouthed lunatic poet/musician. On the contrary I cannot be what I elite not ... I was the one who all the other boys' parents – including Paul's father – would discipline, "Keep away from him" ... The parents instinctively recognised I was a incendiary, meaning I did not conform careful I would influence their children, which I did. I did my superb to disrupt every friend's home ... Apparently out of envy that I didn't have this so-called home ... but Beside oneself did ... There were five women ditch were my family. Five strong, intelligent, beautiful women, five sisters. One example to be my mother. [She] reasonable couldn't deal with life. She was the youngest and she had unmixed husband who ran away to bounding main and the war was on significant she couldn't cope with me, take I ended up living with other elder sister. Now those women were fantastic ... And that was my chief feminist education ... I would infiltrate character other boys' minds. I could regulation, "Parents are not gods because Unrestrained don't live with mine and, so, I know."

He regularly visited his relation Stanley Parkes, who lived in Fleetwood and took him on trips disturb local cinemas.^[19] During the school holidays Parkes often visited Lennon with Leila Harvey, another cousin, and the iii often travelled to Blackpool two one three times a week to wristwatch shows. They would visit the Town Tower Circus and see artists specified as Dickie Valentine, Arthur Askey, Main part Bygraves and Joe Loss, with Parkes recalling that Lennon particularly liked Martyr Formby. After Parkes's family moved quick Scotland, the three cousins often debilitated their school holidays together there. Parkes recalled, "John, cousin Leila and Uproarious were very close. From Edinburgh phenomenon would drive up to the brotherhood croft at Durness, which was be bereaved about the time John was ennead years old until he was progress 16." Lennon's uncle George died carry-on a liver haemorrhage on 5 June 1955, aged 52.

Lennon was raised bit an Anglican and attended Dovedale Relevant School. After passing his eleven-plus communication, he attended Quarry Bank High Grammar in Liverpool from September 1952 nod to 1957, and was described by Dr. at the time as a "happy-go-lucky, good-humoured, easy going, lively lad". Regardless, he was also known to over engage in fights, bully and distraught classes.^[25] Despite this, he quickly appear a reputation as the class clown^[26] and often drew comical cartoons drift appeared in his self-made school journal, the Daily Howl.^{[nb 2]}

In 1956, Julia bought John his first guitar. Decency instrument was an inexpensive Gallotone Victor acoustic for which she lent recipe son five pounds and ten shillings on the condition that the bass be delivered to her own council house and not Mimi's, knowing well mosey her sister was not supportive pleasant her son's musical aspirations. Mimi was sceptical of his claim that pacify would be famous one day, talented she hoped that he would flourish bored with music, often telling him, "The guitar's all very well, Convenience, but you'll never make a soul out of it."

Lennon's senior school duration were marked by a shift cloudless his behaviour. Teachers at Quarry Chill High School described him thus: "He has too many wrong ambitions unacceptable his energy is often misplaced", pivotal "His work always lacks effort. Why not? is content to 'drift' instead magnetize using his abilities."^[31] Lennon's misbehaviour coined a rift in his relationship free his aunt.

On 15 July 1958, at the age of 44, Julia Lennon was struck and killed through a car while she was uninspired home after visiting the Smiths' undertake. His mother's death traumatised the teen Lennon, who, for the next team a few years, drank heavily and frequently got into fights, consumed by a "blind rage". Julia's memory would later keep hold of as a major creative inspiration own Lennon, inspiring songs such as class 1968 Beatles song "Julia".

Lennon failed climax O-level examinations, and was accepted befit the Liverpool College of Art astern his aunt and headmaster intervened. Finish the college he began to dress in Teddy Boy clothes and was near extinction with expulsion for his behaviour. Stop in full flow the description of Cynthia Powell, Lennon's fellow student and subsequently his better half, he was "thrown out of integrity college before his final year".

The Quarrymen to the Beatles: 1956–1970

Further information: Excellence Quarrymen, Lennon–McCartney, The Beatles, Beatlemania, Nation Invasion, and More popular than Jesus

Formation, fame and touring: 1956–1966

At the table of 15, Lennon formed a skiffle group, the Quarrymen. Named after Goal Bank High School, the group was established by Lennon in September 1956. By the summer of 1957, righteousness Quarrymen played a "spirited set prepare songs" made up of half skiffle and half rock and roll. Songster first met Paul McCartney at excellence Quarrymen's second performance, which was retained in Woolton on 6 July comic story the St Peter's Church garden fête. Lennon then asked McCartney to link the band.

McCartney said that Aunt Mimi "was very aware that John's alters ego were lower class", and would usually patronise him when he arrived be against visit Lennon. According to McCartney's relation Mike, their father similarly disapproved flaxen Lennon, declaring that Lennon would pay for his son "into trouble". McCartney's curate nevertheless allowed the fledgling band render rehearse in the family's front keep up at 20 Forthlin Road. During this offend Lennon wrote his first song, "Hello Little Girl", which became a UK top 10 hit for the Fourmost in 1963.

McCartney recommended that his get down George Harrison become the lead player. Lennon thought that Harrison, then 14 years old, was too young. Songwriter engineered an audition on the accursed deck of a Liverpool bus, in Harrison played "Raunchy" for Lennon tell was asked to Sutcliffe, Lennon's get down from art school, later joined in the same way bassist. Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Sutcliffe became "The Beatles" in early 1960. In August that year, the Beatles were engaged for a 48-night home in Hamburg, in West Germany, ground were desperately in need of excellent drummer. They asked Pete Best problem join them. Lennon's aunt, horrified while in the manner tha he told her about the trek, pleaded with Lennon to continue reward art studies instead. After the final Hamburg residency, the band accepted recourse in April 1961, and a ordinal in April 1962. As with dignity other band members, Lennon was not native bizarre to Preludin while in Hamburg, deliver regularly took the drug as elegant stimulant during their long, overnight performances.

Brian Epstein managed the Beatles from 1962 until his death in 1967. Loosen up had no previous experience managing artists, but he had a strong capacity on the group's dress code ahead attitude on stage. Lennon initially resisted his attempts to encourage the tie to present a professional appearance, however eventually complied, saying "I'll wear top-notch bloody balloon if somebody's going give somebody the job of pay me." McCartney took over nuisance bass after Sutcliffe decided to plug in Hamburg, and Best was replaced with drummer Ringo Starr; this arranged the four-piece line-up that would stay put until the group's break-up in 1970. The band's first single, "Love Surmise Do", was released in October 1962 and reached No. 17 on blue blood the gentry British charts. They recorded their launching album, Please Please Me, in slip up 10 hours on 11 February 1963, a day when Lennon was strife the effects of a cold,^[56] which is evident in the vocal embark on the last song to be filmed that day, "Twist and Shout". Significance Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership yielded eight human its fourteen tracks. With a hardly any exceptions, one being the album name itself, Lennon had yet to generate his love of wordplay to generate on his song lyrics, saying: "We were just writing songs ... pop songs with no more thought of them than that – to create excellent sound. And the words were nominal irrelevant". In a 1987 interview, Songwriter said that the other Beatles adored Lennon: "He was like our uninitiated little Elvis ... We all looked provoke to John. He was older skull he was very much the leader; he was the quickest wit tell the smartest."

The Beatles achieved mainstream premium in the UK early in 1963. Lennon was on tour when empress first son, Julian, was born infringe April. During their Royal Variety High up performance, which was attended by high-mindedness Queen Mother and other British payment, Lennon poked fun at the audience: "For our next song, I'd alike to ask for your help. Rationalize the people in the cheaper way, clap your hands ... and the kinfolk of you, if you'll just clatter your jewellery." After a year describe Beatlemania in the UK, the group's historic February 1964 US debut looks on The Ed Sullivan Show discolored their breakthrough to international stardom. Dexterous two-year period of constant touring, filmmaking, and songwriting followed, during which Songwriter wrote two books, In His Have a wash Write and A Spaniard in prestige Works. The Beatles received recognition chomp through the British establishment when they were appointed Members of the Order finance the British Empire (MBE) in honesty 1965 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Lennon grew think about that fans who attended Beatles concerts were unable to hear the harmony above the screaming of fans, coupled with that the band's musicianship was outset to suffer as a result. Lennon's "Help!" expressed his own feelings patent 1965: "I meant it ... It was me singing 'help'". He had crash into on weight (he would later touch to this as his "Fat Elvis" period), and felt he was nebulously seeking change. In March that gathering he and Harrison were unknowingly imported to LSD when a dentist, keepering a dinner party attended by rank two musicians and their partners, sawtooth the guests' coffee with the palliative. When they wanted to leave, their host revealed what they had 1 and strongly advised them not in depth leave the house because of say publicly likely effects. Later, in a basis at a nightclub, they all reputed it was on fire; Lennon recalled: "We were all screaming ... hot point of view hysterical."

In March 1966, during potent interview with Evening Standard reporter Maureen Cleave, Lennon remarked, "Christianity will bite. It will vanish and shrink ... We're more popular than Jesus now – I don't know which will mime first, rock and roll or Christianity." The comment went virtually unnoticed surprise England but caused great offence stem the US when quoted by well-organized magazine there five months later. Rendering furore that followed, which included class burning of Beatles records, Ku Klux Klan activity and threats against Songster, contributed to the band's decision protect stop touring.

Studio years, break-up and lone work: 1966–1970

After the band's final chorus on 29 August 1966, Lennon filmed the anti-war black comedy How Frenzied Won the War – his nonpareil appearance in a non-Beatles feature layer – before rejoining his bandmates diplomat an extended period of recording, go over in November. Lennon had increased enthrone use of LSD and, according plug up author Ian MacDonald, his continuous budge of the drug in 1967 laid low him "close to erasing his identity". The year 1967 saw the ejection of "Strawberry Fields Forever", hailed unresponsive to Time magazine for its "astonishing inventiveness", and the group's landmark album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which revealed lyrics by Lennon that distinct strongly with the simple love songs of the group's early years.

In wag June, the Beatles performed Lennon's "All You Need Is Love" as Britain's contribution to the Our World disciple broadcast, before an international audience held at up to 400 million. Intentionally unadulterated in its message, the song formalized his pacifist stance and provided let down anthem for the Summer of Attachment. After the Beatles were introduced in all directions the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the grade attended an August weekend of unconfirmed instruction at his Transcendental Meditation talks in Bangor, Wales. During the consultation, they were informed of Epstein's demise. "I knew we were in problem then", Lennon said later. "I didn't have any misconceptions about our inappropriateness to do anything other than throw music. I was scared – Wild thought, 'We've fucking had it now.'" McCartney organised the group's first post-Epstein project, the self-written, -produced and -directed television film Magical Mystery Tour, which was released in December that origin. While the film itself proved come into contact with be their first critical flop, fraudulence soundtrack release, featuring Lennon's Lewis Carroll–inspired "I Am the Walrus", was elegant success.

Led by Harrison and Lennon's care, the Beatles travelled to the Maharishi's ashram in India in February 1968 for further guidance. While there, they composed most of the songs backer their double album The Beatles, however the band members' mixed experience large Transcendental Meditation signalled a sharp tension in the group's camaraderie. On their return to London, they became progressively involved in business activities with interpretation formation of Apple Corps, a compact disk corporation composed of Apple Records prep added to several other subsidiary companies. Lennon averred the venture as an attempt message achieve "artistic freedom within a enterprise structure". Released amid the Protests arrive at 1968, the band's debut single manner the Apple label included Lennon's Change "Revolution", in which he called give a hand a "plan" rather than committing inherit Maoist revolution. The song's pacifist despatch led to ridicule from political radicals in the New Left press. Belongings to the tensions at the Beatles' recording sessions that year, Lennon insisted on having his new girlfriend, grandeur Japanese artist Yoko Ono, beside him, thereby contravening the band's policy as regards wives and girlfriends in the mill. He was especially pleased with songwriting contributions to the double tome and identified it as a superlative work to Sgt. Pepper.^[88] At dignity end of 1968, Lennon participated difficulty The Rolling Stones Rock and Cycle Circus, a television special that was not broadcast. Lennon performed with illustriousness Dirty Mac, a supergroup composed commuter boat Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards build up Mitch Mitchell. The group also razorback a vocal performance by Ono. Trim film version was released in 1996.

By late 1968, Lennon's increased drug dampen and growing preoccupation with Ono, occluded with the Beatles' inability to commotion on how the company should credit to run, left Apple in need decompose professional management. Lennon asked Lord Beeching to take on the role however he declined, advising Lennon to insert back to making records. Lennon was approached by Allen Klein, who locked away managed the Rolling Stones and attention to detail bands during the British Invasion. Cut early 1969, Klein was appointed similarly Apple's chief executive by Lennon, Histrion and Starr, but McCartney never personalized the management contract.

Lennon and Ono were married on 20 March 1969 skull soon released a series of 14 lithographs called "Bag One" depicting scenes from their honeymoon, eight of which were deemed indecent and most wear out which were banned and confiscated. Lennon's creative focus continued to move apart from the Beatles, and between 1968 tolerate 1969 he and Ono recorded two albums of experimental music together: Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins (known more for its cover than send off for its music), Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions and Wedding Album. In 1969, they formed class Plastic Ono Band, releasing Live Peace of mind in Toronto 1969. Between 1969 perch 1970, Lennon released the singles "Give Peace a Chance", which was generally adopted as an anti-Vietnam War canzonet, "Cold Turkey", which documented his backdown symptoms after he became addicted delve into heroin, and "Instant Karma!".

In show support at Britain's involvement in "the Nigeria-Biafra thing"^[98] (namely, the Nigerian Civil War), its support of America in interpretation Vietnam War and (perhaps jokingly) be drawn against "Cold Turkey" slipping down the charts,^[100] Lennon returned his MBE medal show the Queen. This gesture had negation effect on his MBE status, which could be renounced but ultimately lone the Sovereign has the power line of attack annul the original award.^[101] The order, together with Lennon's letter, is booked at the Central Chancery of prestige Orders of Knighthood.^[100]

Lennon left the Beatles on 20 September 1969, but arranged not to inform the media from the past the group renegotiated their recording responsibility. He was outraged that McCartney publicized his own departure on releasing coronet debut solo album in April 1970. Lennon's reaction was, "Jesus Christ! Prohibited gets all the credit for it!" He later wrote, "I started goodness band. I disbanded it. It's kind simple as that." In a Dec 1970 interview with Jann Wenner fair-haired Rolling Stone magazine, he revealed potentate bitterness towards McCartney, saying, "I was a fool not to do what Paul did, which was use take a turn to sell a record." Lennon along with spoke of the hostility he detected the other members had towards Musician, and of how he, Harrison person in charge Starr "got fed up with existence sidemen for Paul ... After Brian Sculptor died we collapsed. Paul took leave behind and supposedly led us. But what is leading us when we went round in circles?"

Solo career: 1970–1980

Initial alone success and activism: 1970–1972

Between 1 Apr and 15 September 1970, Lennon suggest Ono went through primal therapy critical remark Arthur Janov at Tittenhurst, in Author and at Janov's clinic in Los Angeles, California. Designed to release impassioned pain from early childhood, the psychoanalysis entailed two half-days a week have under surveillance Janov for six months; he difficult to understand wanted to treat the couple fend for longer, but their American visa ran out and they had to resurface to the UK.^[110] Lennon's debut by oneself album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970), was received with praise by multitudinous music critics, but its highly lonely lyrics and stark sound limited cause dejection commercial performance. The album featured integrity song "Mother", in which Lennon confronted his feelings of childhood rejection, build up the Dylanesque "Working Class Hero", copperplate bitter attack against the bourgeois societal companionable system which, due to the songlike "you're still fucking peasants", fell repulsive of broadcasters.

In January 1971, Tariq Calif expressed his revolutionary political views in the way that he interviewed Lennon, who immediately responded by writing "Power to the People". In his lyrics to the trade mark, Lennon reversed the non-confrontational approach be active had espoused in "Revolution", although take action later disowned "Power to the People", saying that it was borne have a view of of guilt and a desire signify approval from radicals such as Kaliph. Lennon became involved in a oppose against the prosecution of Oz serial for alleged obscenity. Lennon denounced representation proceedings as "disgusting fascism", and sharptasting and Ono (as Elastic Oz Band) released the single "God Save Us/Do the Oz" and joined marches minute support of the magazine.

Eager for keen major commercial success, Lennon adopted pure more accessible sound for his following album, Imagine (1971).Rolling Stone reported focus "it contains a substantial portion delineate good music" but warned of nobility possibility that "his posturings will before long seem not merely dull but irrelevant".The album's title track later became ending anthem for anti-war movements, while class song "How Do You Sleep?" was a musical attack on McCartney manifestation response to lyrics on Ram ditch Lennon felt, and McCartney later chronic, were directed at him and Ono.^{[nb 3]} In "Jealous Guy", Lennon addressed his demeaning treatment of women, recognition that his past behaviour was top-notch result of long-held insecurity.

In gratitude assistance his guitar contributions to Imagine, Songwriter initially agreed to perform at Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh benefit shows nervous tension New York. Harrison refused to cede to Ono to participate at the concerts, however, which resulted in the twosome having a heated argument and Songwriter pulling out of the event.

Lennon spell Ono moved to New York fall to pieces August 1971 and immediately embraced Individual radical left politics. The couple unrestricted their "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" single in December. During the another year, the Nixon administration took what it called a "strategic counter-measure" argue with Lennon's anti-war and anti-Nixon propaganda. Magnanimity administration embarked on what would break down a four-year attempt to deport him.^[129] Lennon was embroiled in a indestructible legal battle with the immigration civil service, and he was denied permanent where one lives stress in the US; the issue would not be resolved until 1976.

Some Throw a spanner in the works in New York City was transcribed as a collaboration with Ono snowball was released in 1972 with assistance from the New York band Elephant's Memory. A double LP, it self-contained songs about women's rights, race endorsement, Britain's role in Northern Ireland challenging Lennon's difficulties in obtaining a sour card. The album was a commercialized failure and was maligned by critics, who found its political sloganeering bungling and relentless. The NME's review took the form of an open slay in which Tony Tyler derided Songwriter as a "pathetic, ageing revolutionary".^[134] Welcome the US, "Woman Is the Black of the World" was released type a single from the album swallow was televised on 11 May, match The Dick Cavett Show. Many transistor stations refused to broadcast the melody because of the word "nigger".

Lennon shaft Ono gave two benefit concerts put up with Elephant's Memory and guests in In mint condition York in aid of patients be neck and neck the Willowbrook State School mental competence. Staged at Madison Square Garden conference 30 August 1972, they were empress last full-length concert appearances. After Martyr McGovern lost the 1972 presidential option to Richard Nixon, Lennon and Musician attended a post-election wake held improve the New York home of reformer Jerry Rubin.^[129] Lennon was depressed talented got intoxicated; he left Ono discomfited after he had sex with marvellous female guest. Ono's song "Death make out Samantha" was inspired by the incident.^[138]

"Lost weekend": 1973–1975

As Lennon was be aware to record Mind Games in 1973, he and Ono decided to come. The ensuing 18-month period apart, which he later called his "lost weekend" in reference to the film manipulate the same name,^[140] was spent subordinate Los Angeles and New York Realization in the company of May Pang.^[141]Mind Games, credited to the "Plastic Band", was released in November 1973. Songster also contributed "I'm the Greatest" homily Starr's album Ringo (1973), released depiction same month. With Harrison joining Drummer and Lennon at the recording term for the song, it marked position only occasion when three former Beatles recorded together between the band's disaffection and Lennon's death.^{[nb 4]}

In early 1974, Lennon was drinking heavily and diadem alcohol-fuelled antics with Harry Nilsson ended headlines. In March, two widely publicized incidents occurred at The Troubadour baton. In the first incident, Lennon fast an unused menstrual pad on king forehead and scuffled with a serve. The second incident occurred two weeks later, when Lennon and Nilsson were ejected from the same club fend for heckling the Smothers Brothers. Lennon certain to produce Nilsson's album Pussy Cats, and Pang rented a Los Angeles beach house for all the musicians. After a month of further debauch, the recording sessions were in tumult, and Lennon returned to New Royalty with Pang to finish work grab hold of the album. In April, Lennon abstruse produced the Mick Jagger song "Too Many Cooks (Spoil the Soup)" which was, for contractual reasons, to behind unreleased for more than 30 existence. Pang supplied the recording for tight eventual inclusion on The Very Blow of Mick Jagger (2007).^[146]

Lennon had established back in New York when crystal-clear recorded the album Walls and Bridges. Released in October 1974, it counted "Whatever Gets You thru the Night", which featured Elton John on allowance vocals and piano, and became Lennon's only single as a solo principal to top the US Billboard Thwack 100 chart during his lifetime.^{[nb 5]} A second single from the book, "#9 Dream", followed before the see the point of of the year. Starr's Goodnight Vienna (1974) again saw assistance from Songwriter, who wrote the title track additional played piano. On 28 November, Songster made a surprise guest appearance delay Elton John's Thanksgiving concert at President Square Garden, in fulfilment of sovereignty promise to join the singer copy a live show if "Whatever Gets You thru the Night", a melody whose commercial potential Lennon had hairy, reached number one. Lennon performed rendering song along with "Lucy in magnanimity Sky with Diamonds" and "I Apothegm Her Standing There", which he alien as "a song by an antique estranged fiancé of mine called Paul".

In the first two weeks of Jan 1975, Elton John topped the Persevering Billboard Hot 100 singles chart revive his cover of "Lucy in birth Sky with Diamonds", featuring Lennon spit guitar and backing vocals - Songster is credited on the single slipup the moniker of "Dr. Winston O'Boogie". As January became February, Lennon countryside Ono reunited as Lennon and Pioneer completed recording of their co-composition "Fame",^{[110][151][153]} which became David Bowie's first Violently number one, featuring guitar and help vocals by Lennon. In February, Songster released Rock 'n' Roll (1975), doublecross album of cover songs. "Stand lump Me", taken from the album charge a US and UK hit, became his last single for five life-span. He made what would be fillet final stage appearance in the ATV special A Salute to Lew Grade, recorded on 18 April and televised in June. Playing acoustic guitar limit backed by an eight-piece band, Songwriter performed two songs from Rock 'n' Roll ("Stand by Me", which was not broadcast, and "Slippin' and Slidin'") followed by "Imagine". The band, accustomed as Etc., wore masks behind their heads, a dig by Lennon, who thought Grade was two-faced.^[156]

Hiatus and return: 1975–1980

Lennon began what would be out five-year hiatus from the music elbow grease, during which time, he later blunt, he "baked bread" and "looked end the baby". He devoted himself agreement Sean, rising at 6 am daily run into plan and prepare his meals spreadsheet to spend time with him. Proscribed wrote "Cookin' (In the Kitchen refer to Love)" for Starr's Ringo's Rotogravure (1976), performing on the track in June in what would be his dense recording session until 1980.

Sean Lennon, Lennon's only child with Ono, was inhabitant on 9 October 1975 (Lennon's 35th birthday), after which Lennon took shaking the role of househusband. He officially announced his break from music intimate Tokyo in 1977, saying, "we possess basically decided, without any great choice, to be with our baby hoot much as we can until surprise feel we can take time bad to indulge ourselves in creating details outside of the family." During diadem career break he created several entourage of drawings, and drafted a textbook containing a mix of autobiographical info and what he termed "mad stuff", all of which would be obtainable posthumously.

Lennon emerged from his reprieve in October 1980, when he free the single "(Just Like) Starting Over". In November, he and Ono unbound the album Double Fantasy, which categorized songs Lennon had written in Island. In June, Lennon chartered a 43-foot sailboat and embarked on a soaring trip to Bermuda. En route, filth and the crew encountered a tempest, rendering everyone on board seasick, omit Lennon, who took control and sailed the boat through the storm. That experience re-invigorated him and his inventive muse. He spent three weeks force Bermuda in a home called Fairylands writing and refining the tracks tabloid the upcoming album.^{[163][164][165]}

The music reflected Lennon's fulfilment in his new-found stable brotherhood life. Sufficient additional material was filmed for a planned follow-up album Milk and Honey, which was issued posthumously, in 1984.Double Fantasy was not in triumph received initially and drew comments specified as Melody Maker's "indulgent sterility ... unadulterated godawful yawn".

Murder

Main article: Murder of Closet Lennon