A Few Minutes With Yoko
My agency has done a number of really cool projects for the GRAMMY Museum. Our first one was the launching of Girl Rock Nation for Fender guitars back in 2010. Since then we've created work for exhibits featuring Bob Marley, Roy Orbison, Hip Hop and my personal favorite, John Lennon. When we were given the Lennon Songwriter project, we were told that we would need to get all creative approved by Yoko Ono but we would only have "a few minutes with Yoko".
As a lifelong Beatles fan, this posed quite a quandary; a few minutes with Yoko how do I use them properly? Should I ask her how she feels about being blamed for the break-up? Should I ask her which Beatle smelled the best? Should I ask her if Ringo got paid the same as the other three? Or should I get right to the point and ask, "What crazy potion did you make John drink to make him think you were talented?" Yeah I said it... in my head.
The day I got to the museum to present the Lennon creative, it was a madhouse. Yoko was doing press interviews to promote the Lennon exhibit in one of the conference rooms and we didn't know what time she would look at the concepts. The nice people at the GRAMMY Museum were trying so hard to get me in front of her but they were totally powerless. I assured them I'd be patient, and I'd wait quietly until they called me. I found a bench in the corner on the second floor where the exhibit was going to live. Lennon memorabilia was everywhere; guitars, costumes, original lyrics scribbled on hotel stationary and personal photos. On the wall right above my head was the handwritten lyrics to "Beautiful Boy." That song has one of my favorite Lennon lyrics; "Take my hand. Life is what happens to you, while you're busy making other plans." I stared at those words written in John's own handwriting, and choked up.
Peace and love was what the Beatles were all about. So when I do meet Yoko, I should do it in the spirit of John. So with peace in my heart, I gather my things and go back downstairs to the madness. My GRAMMY friends see me and say, "Oh there you are, we want you to meet someone." This is it, the moment of truth I need to find my inner peace and embrace what John loved in Yoko. I can do it. If anybody can do it, I can.
"Louie Moses, meet Leon Wildes, Yoko's attorney." Yoko, had left the building.
Writer/Music Industry and Art Collector
2 年Ohhh, So Many Moments in This Life in which....I'd like to have had a Little more Creative Control! But...alas!
Managing Principal at North Light Construction
5 年so screw it!? just do what you think is right.? That's all Yoko did anyways.? Doesn't make her RIGHT, doesn't make her WRONG
Managing Partner at 3Cube Tech Care
5 年Thanks for sharing, please check inbox.
Host/Podcaster at Revolutions Per Movie (he/him/his)
6 年I worked with Yoko on a charity album I executive produced for the Hetrick Martin Institute/Harvey Milk School.? I had the same nervous thoughts?? What to say when she arrives and how easy will she be able to work with?? She showed up and was amazing from the get go.? When she first showed up she instantly threw off he multi-colored coat and said "What do you need me to do?? I'm excited!? You could film me dancing if you want?"? She broke into an awkard, angular dance and everyone just relaxed.? She put everyone at ease and would even hold your arm while talking to you--always looking you straight in the eyes as you talked.? The composer, Stephen Trask of Hedwig & The Angry Inch, was not able to go to the session because he was working on a movie.? So she asked if she could call him using my phone to tell him how amazing his music was--she talked to him for over 20 minutes.? ?He said he burst into tears after the conversation because she was so kind and thoughtful to him about his music.? ?She then told me that this was to be her first cover version that wasn't a Beatles or John song and then proceeded to tell me about Beatles recording sessions (I hadn't even asked her about this but this was what I would have wanted of course!).? At one point she was struggling with where the lyrics came in so she has John Cameron Mitchell come into the booth and nudge her whenever she needed to start the next line.? It was hilarious and very sweet to see him gently pushing her shoulder when the time came.? She did a long Yoko Ono vocal meltdown at the end of the song, signed some records and books and then was off.? A lot of this is available in the Sundance Channel Documentary about the making of the record "Follow My Voice" so it's nice to have a document of these moments rather than my hazy thoughts.? Sorry you missed her--she would have been very kind to anything you asked.
Director, Writer, Editor, Composer
6 年John was a brilliant artist and misunderstood rocker and vise versa.