Happy Boxing Day!

Today is Boxing Day in the United Kingdom and Canada. I’m not sure about Australia and New Zealand, though, so I’ll have to look that up real quick. Boxing Day is a confusing concept for most Americans to grasp. That’s why we make silly jokes about the holiday involving the sport of Boxing; as illustrated by the photo above. So, what are the roots of the Boxing Day holiday and how is it observed today? Let’s find out, if only so that next year I can post a more appropriate photo for the occasion.

Boxing Day is observed in Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and quite a few other Commonwealth nations which were former colonies of the UK. Boxing Day also falls on the holiday of St. Stephens Day, which commemorates St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

The more modern roots of the holiday are really just an extension of the Victorian Age and the Edwardian Era, when servants had to work on Christmas Day. They got the following day off and were frequently presented with “boxed” gifts, some of which contained cash, while others held gifts. Often those gifts were used garments which the master had done with, and which the servant could never afford on their own.

There is some controversy about this explanation being overly simplistic, but it is the most reasonable of all the explanations I have come across. It was also verified to me by e-mail from a reader in Canada who is originally from England.

Today, of course, the tradition is merely that; a tradition. It is, however, held up by law in several countries. Portions of Canada, and other countries where the holiday is celebrated, have penalties for not observing the holiday. In all cases the law requires holiday pay for those who do have to work. It is also a bank holiday, with provisions made for when the day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, when the following Monday is set aside; again by law; as a bank holiday.

Call it what you will; in Ireland it is the Day of the Wren; in South Africa it is referred to as the Day of Goodwill (since 1994); the holiday has as much significance as Christmas does for citizens of America. And think how lucky you would be if you came to America from one of those countries, and then continued to celebrate Boxing Day. You could take full advantage of all those after Christmas specials.

So, when you think of Boxing Day remember that there is really no difference between it and Christmas. Here is a photo of shoppers in Canada as they prepare for the Boxing Day holiday. This photo could have been taken anywhere. John Lennon once wrote “I am he as you are me as you are we and we are all together.” I think he had something there. Happy Boxing Day everybody!

Happy Birthday John Lennon -"C'est La Vie"

Today would be John Lennon’s 74^th birthday. Instead of some weepy tribute thing; or even a Beatles clip; I thought I would run something really cool by the man of whom John Lennon once said, “If you were to try and give Rock and Roll another name it might be called Chuck Berry.” He said that the week he was guest hosting the Mike Douglas Show from Philadelphia with Yoko Ono. Besides; having been born on October 18th; he's a fellow Libra, along with me. So, I figured John would enjoy this performance of one of Mr. Berry’s signature hits “C’est La Vie.” It was recorded in Germany at the Beat Club in Bremen during the 1972 tour.

Now, everybody knows this song but most people have never heard this version. The clarity and the relaxed way in which he handles his guitar make it a rare treat. Most of us are used to the faster paced version which became a hit for Mr. Berry and quite a few other artists. The song is even associated with Uma Thurman and John Travolta in the film “Pulp Fiction.” And Emily Lou Harris had a smash hit with it as well.

But this version tops any which I have heard over the years. The guitar weaving; done by Chuck solo; is creative and varied. He hints at his usual riffs but strays from them in a relaxed and less frenetic fashion than usual. Accompanied by Mike Snow on piano; Jimmy Campbell on guitar; Billy Kinsley on bass; and Dave Harrison on drums; this may be the best band he ever toured with during this period of time. He even has fun with the lyrics, describing the Refrigerator as a "Koolerader". (Something you put Kool-Aide in to make it cold.) If you have ever read his autobiography you already know that he loves to play with words.

His usual practice at the time was to pick up a local amateur band to back him in different towns as he toured the United States. Maybe because this was a European tour he took along one American band for the entire duration. The benefits of performing with the same group of musicians on a regular basis cannot be underestimated. And the results really show in this performance.

For a link to the Rooftop Review of Chuck Berry's 1987 memoir "The Autobiography", go here;

http://robertwilliamsofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-autobiography-by-chuck-berry-1987.html

Last Photos of John Lennon and Paul McCartney Together (1974)

Note: This may not be of interest to anyone else but me.

These are the last photos ever taken of John Lennon and Paul McCartney together. They were taken in the spring of 1974. It would be 6 more years before Lennon was killed in New York. The two would meet for the last and final time in New York City in April 1976, but there are no pictures to document that visit. (That was the night when they were watching Saturday Night Live together at the Dakota.)

This first one, above, is of John and Paul at the pool of the home in Santa Monica; which was owned by RCA and loaned to Harry Nilsson as part of a recording contract. It had formerly been owned by Peter Lawford and was the house where JFK had his trysts with Marilyn Monroe.

Nilsson was letting John use the house during his time away from New York with Yoko's  assistant, May Pang. Keith Moon and Ringo Starr, both recently divorced, were also living there at the time of Paul and Linda McCartney’s visit in the spring of 1974.

This next photo is of Harry Nilsson and Paul with John; back of Linda’s head. This was the same month in which John and Nilsson had their famous brawl with the bouncers at the Troubadour. Also, during this meeting, Nilsson offered Paul some PCP which he declined on the basis that when he asked Nilsson if I was any fun the singer said, “No, it’s not.” To which Paul replied, “Well, you know what? I won’t have any.” (page 108 of “Man On the Run” by Tom Doyle - 2014)

And this black and white of John with Keith Moon and Paul and Linda was taken by Peter Butler; the color ones I am not sure of. These 3 photos are the only surviving photos from that day. They were mostly Polaroid’s and time has had its way with them. Note that in this shot John is holding one of the photos.

Just Gimme Some Truth - The Right to Lie?

This is the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. I could show you a different photo and lie to you. Apparently lying has become a component of Free Speech. The recent Court decision which removed the caps on the amount of money donors can give to political candidates and parties; and the anonymity allowed with those donations, in the name of free speech; should give us all pause to think.

The case at hand will now decide whether or not states can make it a crime for political groups to lie about a candidate during an election campaign. And now, with all that new money floating around, you can expect the lies to get even more prevalent. It is hard for me to understand that lies are covered under Free Speech as intended by the Founding Fathers. Those guys fought duels over stuff like this. It was a matter of Honor. Slander and Libel were not readily tolerated in the 18th Century.

Essentially this new case involves an Anti-Abortion group named the Susan B. Anthony List in Ohio. In the 2010 election they attempted to put up a billboard claiming that then-Rep. Steven Driehaus, D-Ohio, supported public funding for abortions under the Affordable Care Act. The ad said, "Shame on Steve Driehaus! Driehaus voted FOR taxpayer-funded abortion." There was a technicality involved in the truth of that statement and so the billboard company refused the ad. They claimed that it violated the law in Ohio which makes such lies a crime. The foundation then sued the billboard owner for violating his right to free speech.

When they lost the case the Susan B. Anthony group then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, on the grounds that the Ohio law is unconstitutional. They contend that under the Constitution the government cannot decide what false speech is in a political campaign. That makes no sense. And even more confusing is that if they claim that government doesn't have the sense to decide what false speech in a campaign is, then how can the Susan B. Anthony group expect it to be adjudicated in a court of law run by that same government? If the decision goes against them, will they even respect it? 

Some of the arguments arising out of this case are going to be specious at best, and ridiculous at their worst. Take these arguments in support of lying put forth by the Cato Institute and satirist P.J. O'Rourke, who take the position in their brief, that lies; which they call falsehoods; "are cornerstones of American democracy." They begin with the following 5 quotes from the recent past; the italics are mine.

"I am not a crook." (Richard Nixon) But he was, and knew it at the time he said it. And he resigned in disgrace for lying so much about so many things.

"Read my lips: No new taxes!" (George H.W. Bush)  He did raise taxes, and knew he was going to do it when he said he wasn't. As a result he became a one term President.

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman." (Bill Clinton) He did; and was impeached for lying to a Grand Jury. Found not guilty of lying on a technicality he cost his party the election in 2000 and became somewhat of a joke.

"Mission accomplished." (George W. Bush) It wasn't, and we are still mired in the events of post 9/11 as they relate to the costly and unnecessary War in Iraq.

"If you like your health care plan, you can keep it." (Barack Obama) What started out as a good and noble program became bogged down in falsities and ineptness; sullying anything good which he might have accomplished in the area of Health Care Reform.

I guess my point is this; if the government is going to sanction lying in political campaigns doesn't that right eventually extend to everybody and everything? Or, is lying only acceptable when it is done by PAC’s with tons of undocumented money to burn? It’s an interesting question, if only for the fact that the High Court would even consider ruling on such a clear cut topic. But nothing surprises me anymore. This is the same court which claims that it is okay to lie; they call it “misrepresent”; about whether or not you earned any medals while in the military. Or,  if you were even in the military to begin with.

I’m a simple man. John Lennon expressed it best when he sang “Just give me some truth!” That doesn't seem like too much to ask for.

Just Gimme Some Truth

(John Lennon)

I'm sick and tired of hearing things

From uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocritics

All I want is the truth

Just gimme some truth

I've had enough of reading things

By neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians

All I want is the truth

Just gimme some truth

No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of tricky dicky

Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me

With just a pocketful of hope

Money for dope

Money for rope

I'm sick to death of seeing things

From tight-lipped, condescending, mama's little chauvinists

All I want is the truth

Just gimme some truth now

I've had enough of watching scenes

Of schizophrenic, ego-centric, paranoiac, prima-donnas

All I want is the truth now

Just gimme some truth

Hank Williams on the Lost Highway - 60 Years On

It was 61 years ago this evening when Hank Williams started out for his last concert. He never made it. This is one of my favorite past New Year’s Eve posts. I've been having fun going back through some of my old holiday posts, but I promise to get back to work on January 2^nd; doing pretty much the same thing as always. And; if you ever figure out just what that is; please let me know; I've been wondering.

Meantime here's my version of the death of Hank Williams on new Years morning 1953. I would not enter the world for another 20 months, yet his music has touched generations; so this one's for Hank...

Did you ever hear about the death of Hank Williams, Sr., on a back highway early on the morning of January 1, 1953? I would not be born for another 20 months, yet this legendary singer/songwriter has left a lasting impression upon the world in which we live.

I don't ever recall a time of my life in which Hank Williams, Sr. has not been somewhere in the background; whether in movie, song, or his considerable influence on the music we call rock and roll. It all goes back to Hank. John Lennon used to carry the complete works with him on cassette. Bob Hope, after trying to follow him on stage during a "package tour" in the late 1940's said that he would never follow him on stage again. His songs were all about the pain of living, and the humor, locked away within that pain.

His recording career ran only 5 years, from 1948 until his death on the first day of January 1953, yet he left a catalog of about 267 songs, many of which are still sung today.

Born September 17th, 1923, in Mt. Olive, Alabama, he would be a superstar by age 25 and dead by age 29. And in between he lived a life of physical and emotional pain. Long considered to be the Father of Country Music, he got his first guitar at age 8.

Named Hiram King Williams at birth, Hank learned to play his guitar under the direction of a local black man whom everyone called Tee Tot. Tee Tot was a street singer of the blues variety and young Hank was fascinated by the sounds he heard the old man coax from his guitar. But even more than the sound of the strings, what caught Hank's ear was the painful lyrics sung in an almost joyful manner. It was like Church; you took your pain and turned it into music. Your despair became your salvation.

Early in his teens, Hank began performing around the Greenville area of Alabama. Shortly after that, the family would move to Montgomery. In 1937 his mother opened a boarding house there, and by 1941 Hank had formed his first band, The Drifting Cowboys. They even got air time on the local radio station, WFSA. Known as "The Singing Kid", he did mostly cover versions of Roy Acuff songs and other popular numbers of the day. He would remain with WFSA for the next 9 years, even after becoming a star.

In 1943 he met his first wife, Audrey, while playing a "medicine show" near Banks, Alabama. Within a year they were married and living in his mother's boarding house. She became his manager as his status and reputation grew. But he couldn't seem to break out of Alabama and onto the national scene. This was about to change.

Traveling to Nashville, he was determined to meet Fred Rose, Roy Acuff's publishing partner. Rose was immediately taken with both Hank's guitar and voice. He arranged for Hank to record two songs for Sterling Records, "Never Again" and "Honky Tonkin'" in February 1947. On the strength of those two recordings he was signed to MGM Records and Fred Rose became his manager, as well as his producer.

"Move It On Over" was the first big hit for Hank with MGM in 1947. By 1948 he was a member of the "Louisiana Hayride", both on radio and on the road. His career was soaring. When he did a cover version of "Lovesick Blues" in 1949, he hit Number One and stayed there for 16 weeks, crossing every demographic line imaginable. When he performed the song live at The Grand Ol' Opry, he did 6 encores. I don't believe that record has ever been topped.

But, with all of the fame and success came trouble. Hank's drinking problem, which had been lurking just beneath the surface, began to rear its head again. The long separations from home while on tour; the fights when he was home; all began to take a toll on his marriage to Audrey. But the final "nail in the coffin" happened in late 1951 on Hank's farm in Tennessee, where he was hunting. He fell, re-igniting an old back injury. There was another tour coming up and so he did what so many performers have done before and since. He turned to painkillers, and finally morphine, to deal with the pain. He became almost instantly addicted to the morphine. He was also drinking heavily again.

In early 1952, Hank and Audrey separated for the last time. Yet, 1952 would be one of his most prolific and successful periods. "Honky Tonk Blues", "Half as Much", "Jambalaya", and even my favorite "I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive" were written and recorded in this final year of his life. They all went to the Top Ten. But he continued drinking and doing morphine. Most of his time awake was spent drinking, drugging and playing with guns. 

By August of 1952 he was fired from the Grand Ol' Opry, mainly due to his drunkenness. He was told that he could return once he was sober. The shame of it all was that no one knew how little time was left.

This infuriated Hank to the point of his becoming even more reckless, finally even losing his band, as well as his friends. Still working "The Louisiana Hayride" provided him with money to live on. His royalties were being handled by an attorney as part of the divorce from Audrey. He began using local pick up bands, which further reduced the fees he could have been earning.

It was in the fall of 1952, just 90 days before his death, that he married 19 year old Billie Jean Eshlimar, a policeman's daughter. At this same time, he was expecting a child with a woman named Bobbie Jett, and signed an agreement to support the baby once it was born. By December of 1952 he was also having heart trouble, mostly due to the morphine, booze, cigarettes and life on the road. His doctor was a man named Toby Marshall.

On December 31st, 1952 Hank was scheduled to fly to Canton, Ohio to perform on New Year’s Day. The weather was bad and the flight was cancelled, leaving no other option than to travel by car. Hiring a chauffeur, he headed for Ohio in his new Cadillac. Just before leaving "Dr." Marshall gave him 2 injections for the ride. One was Vitamin B-12; the other was a large dose of morphine. Hank got in the back seat, toting a bottle of whiskey, and the chauffeur started out for Ohio.

Early on the morning of January 1st, 1953 the chauffeur was pulled over for speeding. The policeman noticed that the passenger looked more dead than alive and escorted the Cadillac to a West Virginia Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7 AM New Year's morning. His last record was "I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive."

His recordings continued to sell after his death, and all of the new songs that had been awaiting release charted in the Top Ten throughout 1953.

For me, Hank Williams has always been there in the background, a place where I can store my pain, face it, or laugh at it. His music is the same as the blues, only the tempo is different.

Tonight is New Year's Eve. I'll go out to dinner, watch an old movie, and stay up a bit later than usual. But sometime, after everyone else has gone off to sleep, I will probably still be awake, imagining that I am out there, somewhere on the Lost Highway. And if I tilt my head just right, and listen really hard, somewhere around dawn, I just might hear that “Lonesome Whistle Blow”.

"Phil Spector" with Helen Mirren and Al Pacino (2013)

You’ve got to admire a movie about a person as famous as Phil Spector which begins by telling you it is not the truth. But then again, with Phil Spector, you just never really know anyway. The movie, written by David Mamet, is narrowly focused on the Mr. Spector’s first trial for the murder of aspiring actress Lana Clarkson. Helen Mirren plays his attorney in this highly imaginative, yet oddly engrossing film.

Shifting between the events of the trial and the personal life of this famous icon as the trial takes place helps the viewer to decipher the oddities of Mr. Spector’s thinking. The beleaguered attorney, who at first despises her client, finally comes to have a begrudging respect for his self-proclaimed genius.

David Mamet both wrote this film and directs it. He may have an agenda in getting Mr. Spector’s sentence reduced; or at least mitigated. He is currently housed at California Health Care Facility (CHCF), which is located in Stockton. He was sentenced to 19 years to life for the murder, which he still denies having committed.

The highly fictionalized film does manage to recall some of the juicier moments of a career gone awry. Al Pacino, who plays the infamous record producer, does a great job in dress and mannerisms, although his dialogue is pure Al Pacino. During the scenes in Mr. Spector’s home I kept expecting him to pull a machine gun from beneath his robes, yelling, “Meet my little friend!” But dialogue aside, the choice of Mr. Pacino to play this part was a very good one. He is built roughly the same as Mr. Spector and they actually do look alike.

You will have to get over the shock of Mr. Pacino changing wigs for almost each scene, but then again, that’s what Mr. Spector did in real life. Just look at his trial photos and you will see a vast array of hairstyles ranging from long ringlets to an outrageous Afro which would be the envy of Angela Davis in 1968.

Mr. Mamet has written some great dialogue in his attempt to explore the bizarre world of Phil Spector, recalling some of his finest moments, as well as his worst. Along the way he reminds the viewer of some of Mr. Spector’s greatest successes. From the Ronnettes and the Righteous Brothers, to his producing the Beatle’s album “Let It Be”, Mr. Mamet has painted a picture of a man who is at once seriously talented, and fatally flawed.

The only assertion which I can actually take issue with in this film is the claim that his production of the Beatles “Let It Be” made it a hit. It should be noted that the Beatles had already moved on to record their real last album, “Abbey Road”, in the summer of 1969; leaving the disastrous and unmixed recordings from the “Let It Be” sessions unfinished.

With the Beatles themselves disinterested in working on the album, their regular producer; George Martin; allowed it to be “farmed” out to Mr. Spector, who proceeded to overdub it with orchestras and tape loops. The only Beatle even involved in that effort was John Lennon, who was not at his best at the time. The album has since been re-released; produced by George Martin; with all of the excessive layering removed. It has been retitled “Let It Be – Naked.” 

And, speaking of naked, here's Phil Spector without his wigs.

John Lennon at 73

Today would have been John Lennon’s 73^rd birthday. Not a landmark one; like 70 or 75; but still an important milestone in life had he lived. It’s about the average age for men in the United States, which is where Mr. Lennon had been living for several years at the time of his all too soon passing. I can’t help but wonder what he would be doing now? Not just in music, but in the hotbed of the political discourse which engulfs us at the present time.

I love You Tube, it is a window into the past; and at the same time that past can often be a glimpse of what the future may have held. Think about President Eisenhower’s vision when he warned us against the “military industrial complex.” It was years before anyone really took him seriously, and by that time it was too late to change course. This got me thinking about many of the things John Lennon had said in his hundreds of interviews in the years before his murder. And that took me back, once again, to You Tube to see what I might find.

Most of the meatier, and lengthier interviews were audio only, so I just picked one from the early 1970’s when John and Yoko had only been in New York for a few years, taking up residence at the Dakota as they fought their battle with immigration, ultimately winning their Alien Registration (green) Cards in time for the Bi-Centennial in 1976. Had he lived, he would have become a Citizen of the United States in 1981.

Life in a fishbowl could not have been easy for Mr. Lennon, and yet I am always proud that he chose my hometown in which to live out his last days. For all of its complexity and seeming vastness, New York is a safe haven for many artists. In a city of 8 million people you rarely expect to see anyone of importance, and so it is easy for the famous ones to walk about with a minimum of fanfare.

John Lennon reveled in that freedom, but also took advantage of the proximity to the media which life in the Big Apple afforded him. During his time there he appeared on every talk show there was, both on television and radio, where he frequently arrived unannounced, but was always welcome by the surprised DJ’s.

Mr. Lennon was larger than the life he led. His willingness to take chances and to seemingly wear his heart on his sleeve, have made us all a bit more free in the long run. I still wonder though, what he would be doing if he were still with us today.

"All You Need Is Love" - 45 Years Later

It was 45 years ago  yesterday that the Beatles broadcast “All You Need Is Love” for the first time on a show called “Our World.” This was the very first worldwide live satellite television broadcast. There were no politicians allowed on the show, which was broadcast from 19 different countries on 5 continents. It took 10,000 technicians to produce the show using a myriad of satellites, including Intelsat II and an array of ATS-1’s. The only country to pull out of the project, at the last minute, was the Soviet Union, which did so as a protest against the recent Israeli victory during the 6 Day War with Egypt.

At approximately 9:30 PM London time, the Beatles; with a live orchestra and some very prominent guests; began their now iconic anthem. The show was live, and that meant that although it was 9:30 PM in London, it was 4:30 PM in Brooklyn. The show was to be broadcast; in black and white; on Channel 13, part of the National Educational Television group, which eventually became todays Public Broadcasting Service.

400 million people watched this 2 hour event, starring such luminaries as the Beatles in England; Maria Callas broadcasting from Greece; Pablo Picasso coming from Spain; and others. In London, seated on the floor as the Beatles performed were Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Graham Nash and Keith Moon.

There was a portion of the backing track which was pre-recorded, but the band was live, as was the 13 piece orchestra and the Beatle’s vocals. I had to hurry home from whatever I was doing that afternoon after school in order to catch the broadcast.  Since I did see it, I can only assume that I beat the clock. I remember watching it on the television, possibly with my Mom. (Originally, I remembered watching this in the middle of the night, but that is geographically impossible. In addition, further examination has shown me that June 25th, 1967 was a Sunday; so  my recollection of coming home from school is also incorrect!)

The record would not be released until July 7th, some 2 weeks away, after some slight alterations of the original master recording. So, along with the rest of the world, I had never heard this recording before, but even the limited scope of a 13" black and white screen  TV set which only received in mono could not mask the majesty of the song, or the message.  That message still rings today.

John Lennon with George Harrison (1971)

I love the process involved in making records. It's "magic", mixed in with a bit of technology, and a ton of emotions. In this clip from You Tube, John Lennon records "Oh, My Love" for his second solo album, "Imagine", with a little help from George Harrison on guitar, and Nicky Hopkins on electric piano. John played the acoustic piano on the recording. Phil Spector is also present, although he seems to contribute nothing of value to the session. This was a few years before he got mad and fired a pistol into the studio ceiling, which caused John Lennon to ban him forever as his producer.

The real meat of this video is in the transformation which the song takes; from a discussion about the meaning of love, to the first; and unorganized, version of the recording; and then through a bit of anger, before emerging, beginning at 2 minutes and 55 seconds into the film, as the wonderfully sensitive ballad which it is. Especially of interest to me is watching George Harrison effortlessly move about the neck of his guitar, totally at peace with himself, as well as his instrument. I'm still trying, on both accounts.

Happy Leap Year! See you tomorrow with an actual review of something....

Happy Birthday John Lennon!

This is one of my favorite videos of "Imagine" by John Lennon. It shows John, with Phil Spector, and Yoko Ono, as they record the iconic song that would become attached to his name. The recording process, for even such a simple ballad as "Imagine", is fascinating to watch, especially when it involves John Lennon and Phil Spector.

There is an earlier version of this song, recorded by John, on a Sony Walkman, in the "white room" of his apartment at the Dakota in New York City, which was apparently where he first wrote it. But this version, a few weeks later, really captures the creative process of this beautiful ballad. Alan White, a session drummer the Beatles used in 1965, when Ringo had his tonsils removed, and Klaus Voorman, an old friend from the Hamburg days, who played bass with Manfred Mann in 1966, and designed the cover for the Beatles album "Revolver", are also both on hand.

"The U.S. vs. John Lennon"

It looks so incongruous, the UNITED STATES versus john lennon. And it was. The largest Government in the world pitting all of it's legal forces against a musician, artist, and poet. John Lennon was a dreamer. He gave us two world anthems for Peace. When the Moratorium against the War was held in New York in November of 1969, the crowd was singing it. The record had only been out for a month, yet the message was clear, and embraced, far and wide.

In 1968 John and Yoko had been arrested in Britain for Possession of Cannabis. This was now the reason that the United States Government, all the way up to President Nixon, would use to bar John and Yoko from America. The real reason, of course, were the anti-war activities in which they participated. And then the bar was raised with John Sinclair.

John Sinclair was the manager of MC-5, the Detroit based rock band that played the free concert at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. He was also an anti war activist and avid pot smoker. In addition to this, he was a supporter of the White Panther Party, a radical group that supported the Black Panthers with rhetoric and cash. In spite of having been arrested on numerous occassions for his drug related activities, he continued to flout his drug use. He even staged rallies to legalize it. He was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in State Prison for possession of 2 joints, which he gave to a female undercover officer. His arrest and conviction prompted Abbie Hoffman to jump up on the stage at Woodstock to tell the crowd about it. Did Mr. Sinclair prod the system? Did he poke it with a stick, expecting not to be bitten? Probably, but 10 years for 2 joints of marijuana was really over the top,clearly an excuse to imprison him for his political views. It provoked an immediate public response. Enter, John and Yoko.

By December of 1971 John Sinclair had been in prison for 2 years. His parole hearing came up and he was, not surprisingly, denied release. A concert was hastily organized at Ann Arbor's Crisler Arena. The performers included John Lennon (who recorded the song, "John Sinclair" on his "Some Time in New York City" album), Yoko Ono, David Peel, Stevie Wonder, Phil Ochs and Bob Seger. The speakers were Allen Ginsberg, Abbie Hoffman, Rennie Davis, David Dellinger, Jerry Rubin, and Bobby Seale. The concert was later moved from the Arena to outside the prison walls. Three days after the rally, Sinclair was released when the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the state's marijuana statutes were unconstitutional.

Earlier, in March of 1971, Congress, finally realized the power of the 18-21 year old age group, and had acted quickly to push through the 26th Amendment, which had given the right to Vote to 18 year olds. This presented an immediate problem; How to get those votes in the 1972 election.

Enter, J. Edgar Hoover and Richard Nixon. They reasoned, that by deporting John and Yoko, they were sending a message to American youth. Drug use would not be tolerated and Immigration Laws would be enforced, regardless of who the person was. Remember, this was at a time when the Rat Pack roamed freely everywhere, as did Elizabeth Taylor and all the other "jet setters", along with with their pills and cocaine. Even the Rolling Stones were freely permitted to come and go as they pleased, in spite of the arrest of Mick Jagger in 1967. President Nixon had given Elvis presley a DEA badge in 1969, which allowed him to cross state and International lines without search. Clearly there was a double standard being applied to the case of John Lennon.

The real reason behind all of this were the purported plans that John and Yoko had to appear outside of the Republican Convention in 1972. The Prsident and J. Edgar Hoover were not going to let this happen. At this point they began Deportation Proceedings against the Lennons, a battle that would last 5 years.

Armed with an Immigration Attorney, who initially informs the Lennons that their case is hopeless, John and Yoko embark on a tactic of procedural delays that will keep their visas extended for 6 months at a time. This arrangement could well go on forever. John and Yoko, at some point, realized that if they simply agreed to not appear at the Convention, the whole problem would be resolved. The funny part is that they had never actually agreed to appear there at all. It was just the speculation that he might do it that drove the Government crazy. The Convention was held, Lennon did not appear, and the extensions kept coming.

Finally, on October 9, 1975, John and Yoko Lennon were granted permanent residency in America. And to top it off, this was John's 35th bithday, as well as the day his son Sean was born.

A very insightful film that speaks to the forces of Government and how they can be aligned against an individual. This film makes you want to sing "Give Peace A Chance."

John Lennon at 70 - Imagine!

This photo was taken by my late friend Michael Held in the spring of 1974. It was the March of Dimes Concert in Central Park. Michael and I had gone to volunteer and help move some sound equipment around. Michael, as always, had his camera with him, and took this great shot of John, along with Harry Nilsson, just as they took to the stage. They did not perform, just spoke to the crowd. They had been watching the crowd enter the Park from Lennon's apartment in the Dakota, on Central Park West, and on a whim, decided to go down and "have a look."

I can't imagine what direction Mr. Lennon's music would have taken had he lived past the age of 40. But his message of Peace, though still unfulfilled, resonates as strongly today as it did 30 years ago. When you go out today, do something nice for someone. Say hello to a stranger, give a buck to the homeless guy you usually pass by. I bet that John would love it if you do.

This is the link to John Lennon rehearsing "Imagine" for the first time;


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7-qVFOc404&feature=related

They Say It's Your Birthday

Today is Ringo Starr's 70th birthday. And he has a message for all his fans. Peace. That's right, he is still carrying the torch for Peace and Love. At noon today he is asking everyone, everywhere to point their fingers skyward as a gesture to Peace. Seems futile and silly to some, but count me in! In a quote from an interview in New York yesterday, Mr. Starr had this to say about today's event, which is a much needed continuation of John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance" campaign of almost 40 years ago!

"Yes, I want to spread the word that at noon, wherever you are — in New York, in L.A., in Paris, in London — I just pray that you’ll put your fingers up and say, “Peace and Love.” I did it two years ago, it was the first time, and I did it out of Chicago because I was on tour. This year, we’re playing Radio City, so we’re doing it in New York. In Japan there were little get-togethers and it went worldwide, so that was great."

Ringo was born Richard Starkey during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. His first 5 years of life were spent living with war. The irony of that is inescapable. Most of his early years were spent in the hospital. These two factors probably helped to make him the gentle soul that he is, and undoubtedly contribute to his wish for World Peace.

He was playing drums with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes when he was asked to join the Beatles in late 1962, just as they were about to record their first record, "Love Me Do", on Parlophone Records. He replaced Pete Best. The rest is history.

Ringo is still out there with his All "Starr" Band and touring. Sue and I saw him several years ago and everyone left that concert smiling, with a little help from their friends.

Here's a little video that Mr. Starr did after the death of his friend and former bandmate George Harrison a few years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PjnOdHq-T8

Hope you enjoy the video and don't forget to raise your fingers at noon today, wherever you are. Give Peace a Chance!