Computer Age

Following the separation of the Beatles in 1969, and after some experimental work with his wife Yoko Ono, John Lennon embarked on a recording of the themes that would be his first solo album, this "John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band" which is already part of history as one of the most shocking ever recorded.
John Lennon dragged his entire life the trauma of the death of his mother Julia, hit by a drunk when the police had 17 years, and this time, encouraged in part by Yoko began a psychological therapy with Dr. Arthur Janov. A therapy called "Primal Therapy" consisting of reaching the "reality" of the individual through all externalize their trauma, "stripping" of this subject.

"Mother" is the shocking result of this therapy, where a John Lennon song exorciza the worst of his demons: the death of his mother. The beginning of the song, with this litany of bells, a symbol of death and dissolution of his previous band and also symbolizes the will to break definitively with the past. Lennon came to say that his time with Dr Janov was more important than all the years spent with the Beatles.
"Mother" was recorded at the Abbey Road studios in London with Ringo Star on drums and Klauss Voorman andalusia low, given the fact that Voorman recognized illustrator, was the one who designed the cover of "Revolver" by the Beatles. The subject was recorded on a minimalist, with an austere instrumentation in which a spotlight highlights the voice of John Lennon desgranando disarming these confessions on the loss of his parents: "Mother, you got me, but I never give myself to you you needed but you never need me, so I have to say goodbye. " The song ends with the shocking "Mama Do not Go" to be transformed into a desperate cry towards the end of the song.

Knowing the psychological background and the circumstances surrounding this recording, "Mother" is even more impressive as a man shows, devoid of any disguise or artifice, to face their monsters.
This "John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band" apart from that contained "Mother" another good collection of songs in the same tone as stark and confessional "Isolation," "Working Class Hero," "Well Well Well" or "God."
In short, a subject that is a true masterpiece in an exemplary record, the highlight of the solo career of John Lennon, a career full of ups and downs.

Mother

(chiming clock)
Mother, you had me but I never had you,
I wanted you but you did not want me,
So I got to tell you,
Goodbye, goodbye.
Farther, you left me but I never left you,
I need you but you did not need me,
So I got to tell you,
Goodbye, goodbye.
Children, do not do what I have done,
I could not walk and I tried to run,
So I got to tell you,
Goodbye, goodbye.
Mama do not go,
Daddy come home.
Mama do not go,
Daddy come home.
Mama do not go,
Daddy come home.
Mama do not go,
Daddy come home.
Mama do not go,
Daddy come home.
Mama do not go,
Daddy come home.
Mama do not go,
Daddy come home ...

Continued from Part Two
Original author: Agustin Sanchez Vidal
Published Very Interesting, number 77. October 1987
www.muyinteresante.es

Comments on the text (bold) by Leo.

In the heyday of hippismo, the Beatles were involuntarily converted into public oracles. Their attitude and the lyrics of their songs were examined closely by supporters and detractors. BELOW: "All you need is love."

Respectability of an alarming increase in 1965 to give his Gracious Majesty Members of the Order of British Empire, usually reserved for the deeds of war. Old ex-combatants that were in the trunk of memories returned outraged. John later comment that it was more logical to be imposed on them which helped to entertain the staff, those who were dedicated to killing people. And it is true that British exports have soared thanks to an England that had become fashionable in the hands of the Beatles: they just crown their necks with velvet jackets to be shot the sale of this fabric. Over time, Lennon rejected his own award as a sign of their protest in a peaceful campaign. But in its day was accepted more or less pleased, but just before the ceremony was locked in the toilet of a palace to smoke a joint to relax the protocol.

Also in 1965 tested the drug immediately be fashionable, LSD, and with it increased the level of intellectualization of his work, especially when combined with Indian mysticism and transcendental meditation. The Beatles eventually publicly denying his relationship with the controversial Maharishi. Even with this, we can not deny the positive aspect in the music was everything. Her letters became acechadas as if they were the gospel, they were required from all sides conduct consistent with their responsibilities, and all that this dynamic oracles would become public ended up being very dangerous.

The first warning came in August 1966 in San Francisco shortly before leaving the stage, where John Lennon said: "We are most famous Jesus Christ." Never had to say. The reaction among some sectors of the public was so hysterical that he was about to end the career of the group. Then came warnings for drug use. With the Beatles did not dare to their separation, but the Rolling Stones before the overdose of genuine police not to put them youth.

By 1969 it was usual scrupulously examine the folders of letters and microgroove Beatles for hidden messages. It was absolutely paranoid mental constructions, which was published on the palm October 29 for a student magazine American Rat Magazine. According to his theory, Paul McCartney had died in a car accident, being replaced by a double feature and voice very similar to the original. The Beatles had hidden, but leaving tracks on his records for which I would understand.

For example? Well, on the cover of Sgt Pepper's, where a tomb, a hedge of flowers with a four-string guitar (ie, Paul's bass) on the cover of Abbey Road, McCartney is the only one to walk barefoot over and changed, while it sees a Volkswagen parked IF whose enrollment is 28, ie 28 if ... (Paul had served 28 years if he had not died in a car accident, as implied in this theory by analyzing the lyrics of A Day in The Life). Also, if you went backwards Revolution No. 9, I could hear John saying grimly "I buried Paul" ( "I buried Paul"), and so on. Even thoughtful magazines such as Triumph echoed in Spain of such fantasies. When the press conference asked him for his death, McCartney responded with humor that had not been aware of it, but you do not miss anything, because it was always the last to know what was happening in the Beatles. On this subject fun , on the Internet can find all kinds of pages. Quite a few are worth thinking oligofrénicas, but nevertheless does not stop being curious. Anyway, in this as in everything, "there are people PA to" hear.

There was no place for jokes, however, when the Manson case in the year 1969. A psychopath California, Charles Manson, who had created their own family (sort of common mystical hippie and neo-Nazi), also believed to perceive hidden messages in the songs of the Beatles, and particularly in Skeleter Helter Piggies. And with them as a motto committed heinous series of murders that included the actress Sharon Tate, pregnant with her husband, film director Roman Polanski. Alongside corpses, written with his blood, the titles of the songs of the Beatles, and its authors, John and George, were called to testify.

In the book Curiosidades, bugs and Hollywood anecdotes Eduardo Llorente and David Eraskin, indicated that the main motivation of the Manson Family to carry out the killing was loaded with Steve McQueen, who apparently admired Manson. Manson was also a terrible singer, a writer even worse, and sent a script to the actor's production company owned, Solar Pictures, in the hope that his idol starring accept. However, the text was so bad that rematadamente him not the slightest attention. Spite, Manson began to stir in their brains the idea of revenge, and later learned that it was going to hold a party at the home of the Roman Polansky that McQueen had been invited. Because he saved the life decided to spend the night alone with a ligue. What is there is no doubt that Manson and his family were intended to commit a slaughter sooner or later, going against anyone who fell ill and was within reach (Manson also had tirria Liz Taylor or Tom Jones , for example). The saddest part is that Manson (who continues to shut in a prison for mentally ill) has become a millionaire to run for years, thanks to thousands of donkeys committed admired (!) Or see something interesting in the figure of this moron .

That was becoming a nightmare, with the Beatles in a claustrophobic cage of gold, especially since his immersion in the business world with the stamp Apple (after the death of Brian Epstein in August 1967) and the TV film Magical Mystery Tour (an absurd caprichito McCartney) had ended in a resounding failure. The Beatles were not infallible after all. With maturity came also the diaspora. John had met a Japanese avant-garde artist, Yoko Ono, in November 1966 and his relationship with her would lead to divorce his first wife, Cynthia, and the Beatles. If the first divorce seemed good to almost everyone, the latter will not forgive anyone: neither the group nor other members of their own fans.

Summer 1967. At the height of the psychedelic fever, the appearance Album - suite Sgt Pepper's "dazzled critics. But the Beatles were not infallible: his first immersion in the business world was a failure. UP: The boutique Apple, located in the heart of London.

GO TO THE FOURTH AND LAST PART.

Continued from Part One
Original author: Agustin Sanchez Vidal
Published Very Interesting, number 77. October 1987
www.muyinteresante.es

Comments on the text (bold) by Leo.

BELOW: Four neglected rockers turned into good guys. Brian Epstein was responsible for the first image of the group.

Epstein who will get them a meeting with George Martin, producer of a specialized subsidiary of EMI record comedians like Peter Sellers, with a reputation for risk with new people. Thus, the September 11, 1962 is the recording of Love me do. In a session before Martin had not played like Pete Best, and was replaced by Ringo (who, to avoid risks, hired to turn the battery to a professional Love me do). The single is placed between the twentieth blockbusters. The Beatles were already a local celebrity.

All this makes us think again about the short-sightedness of many hours of total commitment to "uncover genius", especially in the cultural field and, more specifically, in the musical. Consider that the Beatles managed to record their first single almost rebound, having to resort to it to a smaller label and a producer of the second row. Hardly anyone was able to see the diamond in the rough that could have at hand, such as those responsible for other record of a higher grade than they rejected, as Decca. Those could include a rate surpassed the most idiotic ever stepped on this world and several adjacent.

We are in 1963. Please, please, I accomplished the miracle of bringing the national number one, recorded his first LP and become the refrain of She loves you in the war cry of a generation, a yeah-yeah giving tentative name for this Rock revival: music ye-ye. John, who has been married the previous year penalty with his girlfriend, Cynthia (who was married to temporarily silenced no "disappointing" to the fans and keep intact the pull of popular musician and his band) has a child who Julian puts its name in memory of his mother. A nationwide tour and galas with the best of British society put an end to its national recognition. The next step will be the United States.

The single I want to hold your hand and paved the way in February 1964 thousands of fans at the airport aullaban Kennedy Beatles brought before a warm, fresh from the oven, her second album. The yankis did not know, but the Liverpool quartet was reconciled with his own musical roots. As Lennon would say later, "when we come to the U.S. and we find that nobody listened to rock and roll, or black music, I felt we had been the origin, but no one wanted to hear it. "

That year 1964 was, well, success on other fronts, especially in the film, alongside Richard Lester, director of a thriving free cinema English. A hard day's night captured in a documentary about the crazy life of the four Beatles, with inserts in the highly innovative musical numbers that suggest what the future will be video clips. The following year Help! Develop these components, showing them as a sort of Marx Brothers pop. Today, A Hard Day's Night is an undisputed classic of contemporary cinema

In addition, two books published by John, John Lennon in his own write and A Spaniard in the work. Everyone was surprised: the book is more than acceptable, it shows that there are rockers who are more than dust in the head and draws and writes superbly Lennon. He was awarded the prize Foyle legendary bookshop in London and this gives a reception in his honor. Not only that: John Lennon in his own write sold 300,000 copies in England. U.S. is also a bestseller. The rock begins to enjoy social respectability. The producer of his films, Walter Shenson, recalled to John Lennon at a banquet at the Cannes Film Festival, and he looks the best of their smiles for the gallery while it is in whispers: "Walter, if you tell me the fucking holder I am taking is right for this dish. "

The concerts of the Beatles away from the public. On the rare recordings that recorded the songs are barely audible from the audience screaming. In the photo, performance of the band in Las Vegas in 1964. The following year he visited Madrid and Barcelona in the summer of 1966 he left the stage. His music had become too complex to perform live.

To mark the 30th anniversary of the Beatles' visit to Spain Spanish Television produced a documentary entitled What a great come the Beatles!, Which detail that has sabotaged lightning visit on a more or less subtle by the Franco dictatorship, those who saw "melenudos" four dangerous agitators for youth at all suited to the interests of the regime. If you can not miss the link to get the chance, that's great.

GO TO THE THIRD PARTY.