John Lennon

Latest about John Lennon

Beatle George Harrison receiving instruction in playing the sitar from a Sikh teacher as the other members of the Beatles look on in quiet fascination, July 1966
The Beatles share an early recording of “Norwegian Wood” — Hear the moment the sitar changed rock

By Christopher Scapelliti Published

The upcoming Rubber Soul box set reveals an early stage in the song’s development, as George Harrison’s curiosity about the sitar helped bring Indian classical music into the pop mainstream

Music
LEFT: Tony Levin, portrait, Rome, 1990. RIGHT: August 1972 72
Tony Levin recalls working with John Lennon on Double Fantasy

By Martin Kielty Published

The King Crimson and Peter Gabriel bassist remembers Lennon’s unusual way of getting the perfect take

Guitarists
Beatles Paul McCartney and John Lennon, London, 1967.
Did John Lennon and Paul McCartney last meet in 1978 over a pizza in New York City?

By Phil Weller Published

Radio and TV personality Elliot Mintz says he saw the two former Beatles together two years after their last known encounter

Guitarists
George Harrison photographed in Germany, 1988
The Beatles song George Harrison didn’t think was any good: “It might not be a song at all”

By Phil Weller Published

The track saw John Lennon experiment with an early fuzz pedal before George Martin rejected the sound as too distorted

Guitarists
LEFT: The cover of the Beatles’ 1969 album, Abbey Road. RIGHT: The Beatles at the London Palladium, February 18, 1965
Behind the Beatles’ Abbey Road cover with Paul McCartney and its designer: “I thought, I’ve got to do this and get it out on Wednesday?”

By Phil Weller Published

As Sam Mendes re-creates the iconic image for his new Beatles films, we revisit how the original cover photo became an icon

Makers
LEFT: Paul McCartney, fronts his next band "Wings" in May 1976 in Los Angeles, California. CENTER: David BOWIE, performing live onstage on Philly Dogs Tour, 1975. RIGHT: John LENNON, performing live onstage - last live appearance, with Elton John, 1975
David Bowie on how he almost got former Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney back together in 1974

By Christopher Scapelliti Published

Bowie and the ex-Beat;es discussed forming a trio at a time when Lennon was hungering to collaborate on music for the first time in years

Guitarists
Paul McCartney (left) and John Lennon (1940 � 1980) performing with The Beatles during their American tour, August 1965.
"I’ve no recollection of ever recording it.” How a John Lennon rocker got banished from the Beatles' albums

By Christopher Scapelliti Published

Recorded for 1965’s ‘Help!’ album, the track was left in the vault for just over 30 years

Music
English singer and songwriter David Bowie (1947 - 2016) at Union Station, Los Angeles, with model Patty Clark of Star magazine, California, March 1973.
The guitar legend who launched David Bowie and John Lennon to the top of the charts, got high with Paul McCartney and talked back to Chuck Berry 

By Andrew Daly Published

Carlos Alomar reveals the stories behind some of his wildest adventures with rock and roll royalty

Guitarists
John Lennon of the rock and roll band "The Beatles" poses for a portrait in circa 1966.
A lost John Lennon song has been found for the Beatles’ Rubber Soul reissue — but its origins remain a mystery

By Phil Weller Published

The home demo was an unexpected discovery in Lennon’s archive, and the clues it contains have only deepened the mystery surrounding its creation

Guitarists
John Lennon playing Gibson J-160E in 1964
Elvis Presley inspired it. John Lennon hated it. Behind the Rubber Soul track he wished he'd never written

By Elizabeth Swann Published

As Rubber Soul gets a Super Deluxe reissue this October, we revisit the surprising Elvis-inspired origins of Lennon’s darkest Beatles cut

Music
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives