Glass Onion: On John Lennon

The show keeps rolling with a look at John Lennon as an actor, both in films and TV sketches and also in his persona as Beatle John with the press and on stage. Antony is joined in this endeavour by professional actor Ross Marshall, and the conversation also looks at the craft of acting itself in terms of styles and John Lennon’s (un)suitability for it.

Part 1 reaches the end of 1964, including discussion of John’s performance in ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. Part 2 will be out in a few weeks

Enjoy!

Feedback to [email protected]

Support the show at

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno

OR

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno

Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod

Twitter handle 

https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon

Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) 

https://www.antonyrotunno.com

Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media) 

https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com

Ross’s acting page and his new film, currently streaming on A***** Prime

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6892498/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19632160/?ref_=nm_flmg_knf_t_1

episode links

John’s scenes in ‘A Hard Day’s Night’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjkYjI4Mjd0

John on ‘Not Only But Also’ in Jan 1965 (2 appearances, both filmed in Nov 1964)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P2j24WMzbg

Eoghan Lyng analyses and discusses John’s acting

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/exploring-john-lennons-foray-into-acting/

Antony discusses A Hard Day’s Night on the ‘Classic Film Jerks’ podcast

https://player.fm/series/classic-film-jerks-2394703/a-hard-days-night

Marlon Brando talks about acting and has a friendly disagreement about it with Dick Cavett

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0yo5xKqt0o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tvca0FcuSs

David Mamet’s book on acting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_and_False:_Heresy_and_Common_Sense_for_the_Actor

Michael Caine’s acting masterclass and Peter Serafinowicz’s parody of it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZPLVDwEr7Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdaLhOODouI&t=1s

For our latest bonus episode, we offer a diversion and a trip back to the past as your humble host is interviewed about his and other people’s music by a friend in Madrid in 2016. Topics touched upon include songwriting, creativity, performance, recording and (no surprise) The Beatles and John Lennon.

Preceding the interview are Antony's thoughts after a reread of the Ray Coleman revised and updated 'Lennon' biography.

The next regular episode will be out at the start of November

Enjoy!

Feedback to [email protected]

Support the show at

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno

OR

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno

Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod

Twitter handle 

https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon

Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life coaching) 

https://www.antonyrotunno.com

Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media) 

https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com

episode links

James Jarman in action with the Gines in 2015

TTFN- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nkbYIWzLdc

iAddict- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqqlttrSp_Y

Antony interviews James in Madrid in 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPCHg7BOc34&list=PLJHwepa7LNQ2oXU3H7zDFwmW4iUsXHc_h&index=1

Creativity, Communal Experience & Mental Health ('Life And Life Only' episode 19 - relevant part starts at 10.30)

https://lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com/e/episode-19-life-coaching-creativity-communal-experience-mental-health/

‘Lennon: The Definitive Biography’ by Ray Coleman

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52247.Lennon

John & Yoko: A Love Story (1985 TV film)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u_FUvmmrPg&list=PLxzkNx9uq6gjgbNne6prJSQNH6YcC0xmr

Imagine: John Lennon (1988 documentary)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095360/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

We complete our 2-part look at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival concert of September 1969 and the ‘white-suited apostle’ John Lennon’s involvement in it with the highly flexible Plastic Ono Band. Following ‘Revival ‘69’, Antony and Dave Thurmaier turn their attention to a 1971 film that should be in every Lennon fan’s video collection, namely D.A. Pennebaker’s film ‘Sweet Toronto’.

Antony also reads some other articles and opinions about the event (Goldman despisers, please look away now) and gets Dave’s take on a few Lennon questions that used to be regularly tackled on Glass Onion, involving reality and also a parallel universe where John is still alive (and well?...).

As you listen, try to imagine an 80s and 90s where his presence is still active rather than being consumed by his legend, and Cobain gets or makes the call (Kurt plays The Beatles- see below)

Enjoy!

Feedback to [email protected]

Support the show at

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno

OR

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno

Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod

Twitter handle 

https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon

Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life

coaching) 

https://www.antonyrotunno.com

Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media) 

https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com

Dave’s podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-i5y5r-ef07d3

episode links

Sweet Toronto film (appropriately grainy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiSf0gY_X6k

Revival ’69 trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twSK2dycpB0

Alternative John Lennon performances of the songs from the Toronto set

(BBC 1963, Hollywood Bowl 1965, Rock and Roll Circus, Madison Square Garden, a Montreal hotel room)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kSnNyC3_So

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZkoXOHLxbo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeFwaWFTGYU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPPW4MNZwQ8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftE8vr0WNus

Yoko Ono’s Why (with graphics)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_cwuRmjhsY

A Yoko pop album you should check out

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n-lSeTHdHd7gyEmlAFe6WHeKftwUgkHGA

Rubber Soul film (comparison of Lennon 1970 and 1980 interviews)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB8Z1LRBmTA

Cold Turkey at the Lyceum isolated tracks (a song about pain!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLfQ0bplMv8

Kurt Cobain- And I Love Her

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBzA4shGmw8

Pennebaker and Dylan’s ‘Don’t Look Back’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNIQznF6NkQ

And so the next century of Glass Onion begins. We’ve got another fine 2-parter for you, with Antony joined by Dave Thurmaier, the co-host of the ‘I’ve Got A Beatles Podcast’ and former guest of the show way back in 2019 and 2020.

The Toronto Rock and Roll Revival concert of September 1969 yielded a live album for John & Yoko plus D.A. Pennebaker’s film ‘Sweet Toronto’ (which will be reviewed in the next episode) and most recently a fantastic 2022 documentary by Ron Chapman.

This latter doc is the focus of part 1 of our talk, and before that Antony and Dave discuss Beatle releases of the past year such as the ‘Now And Then’ song and video and the new Mind Games box set.

Enjoy!!

Feedback to [email protected]

Support the show at

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno

OR

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno

Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod

Twitter handle 

https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon

Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life

coaching) 

https://www.antonyrotunno.com

Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media) 

https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com

Dave’s podcast

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-i5y5r-ef07d3

episode links

Revival ’69 trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twSK2dycpB0

The Plastic Ono Band set (to be fully reviewed in the next episode)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiSf0gY_X6k

The Doors play ‘The End’ in Toronto (video from Isle of Wight 1970)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0ewoypJQUI

Bo Diddley and his riff at Toronto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X50nxR2Xz10

Alice Cooper and the feral chicken

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq9bEzADxyk

John, Yoko & Zappa play ‘Baby Please Don’t Go’ (1971)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_sQLIUi0mQ

John Lennon 1976 interview (1980 schtick in place)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4tAmScwAQ4

Mike Tree on ‘Something About The Beatles’ podcast

https://somethingaboutthebeatles.com/2024/03/10/277-mike-tree-in-nutopia-with-michael-meideros/

Over 4 years on from our original episode about ‘Revolution 9’ (episode 25, in the show notes), we return to the topic with an audio version (including multiple sound clips) of a discussion that originally went out on video on Matt Williamson’s excellent you tube channel ‘Pop Goes The 60s’ back in March.

We discuss our origin stories with the track, it’s conception and recording, some of the ‘musique concrete’ works that influenced it, the other Beatles’ reaction to it and a few other things.

This is preceded by Antony’s thoughts on the new version of the ‘Let It Be’ film and some discussion/defence of Albert Goldman from a Mojo magazine special about John Lennon.

There are multiple links below to some interesting work, including quite a few avant-garde pieces that may not seem accessible but do have some rewards to be found if the mood is right, rather like ‘Revolution 9’ itself.

Enjoy!!

Feedback to [email protected]

Support the show at

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno

OR

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno

Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod

Twitter handle 

https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon

Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life

coaching) 

https://www.antonyrotunno.com

Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media) 

https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com

The ‘Pop Goes The 60s’ you tube channel and the video version of this discussion

https://www.youtube.com/@popgoesthe60s52

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WIuYjjARrw&t=1s

episode links

The original Glass Onion episode on Revolution 9

https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com/episode-25-revolution-9-john-lennon-drugs-vietnam-and-everyday-life

Revolution 9 songfacts

https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/revolution-9/

Revolution 9 isolated tracks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqQ6lStuJwA

Revolution1 take 18 (the origin of Rev 9)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3glcY2LQIk

‘Avant-Garde’ and ‘Musique Concrete’

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avant-garde

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musique_concr%C3%A8te

Giles Martin mixes critiqued

https://somethingaboutthebeatles.com/2024/06/05/283-giles-on-trial-the-reissues-critiqued-with-john-leckie-and-jerry-hammack/

Liverpool vs Albert Goldman (1988)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmQHhXRS7uU

One Hour with Albert Goldman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dI8pFvAiak

John Cage’s Rozart Mix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICxG_o50y2E

Gesang Der Junglinge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpSO3UHKy_g

The Lovin’ Spoonful’s ‘War Games’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE86UINrJS4

Luis Bunuel’s ‘Un Chien Andalou’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbBfHy2qNeA

Dream Scene from the ‘Wonderwall’ film (1968)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=779ZlgO9low

2001: A Space Odyssey Stargate sequence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou6JNQwPWE0&t=57s

Salvador Dali dream sequence from Hitchcock’s ‘Spellbound’ (1945)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKDmLbMrAjc

And so we complete the milestone!

Scott Phipps once again joins Antony to complete their whistle-stop, greatest hits tour through John Lennon and the 1960s. Scott gives us a brief sketch of each year through a few news events (some extremely random but no less interesting) before our two intrepid heroes each pick a Beatles/Lennon talking point, this time covering the years 1965 to 1969.

Thanks once more to all those who’ve been on the Glass Onion journey. My heart has truly been touched by the interest shown in what has been a 5-and-a-half-year odyssey exploring the utterly unique creature that was and is John Lennon.

He has been gone from this earth for over 43 years now, but – forgive the cliché – the music lives on, and with modern technology allowing us to access untold amounts of interviews, alternate takes, documentaries and the like, he’s arguably never been more alive than right now.

Glass Onion: On John Lennon will continue, and the next couple of episodes are already well into the planning stage.

For now, enjoy!!

Feedback to [email protected]

Support the show at

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno

OR

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno

Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod

Twitter handle https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon

Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life

coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com

Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media) 

https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com

Scott's Podcasts (Rainbow Valley, Reel Britannia, The Stinking Pause)

https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/reelbritannia

https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/stinkingpause

https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/rainbowvalley

episode links

‘The Other 1960s’ with Frances Rotunno (my mother!)

https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com/episode-23-the-other-1960s-with-frances-rotunno

The Beatles At Shea Stadium (original audio)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E-W26eqfjM

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058957/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_the%2520beatles%2520at%2520shea

John Lennon in ‘How I Won The War’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxy48n7Y9xA

John trips out at the Ally Pally!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z0Ph7ldFYg

‘A Day In The Life’ isolated tracks (majestic)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMRxKp81t7o

The Beatles react to Brian Epstein’s death

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6wmiPIa88c

The Rock and Roll Years: 1967

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpaa5w6hbOc

'One After 909' on the roof!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z79S6S7_3D8

John Lennon vs Al Capp (full version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYxFO8o-t2E

The Abbey Road Medley- vocals only (sublime!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXM77NdG_Jw

Stevie Riks does Johnny Rotten

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYDMb4l8H68#

What better way to mark Glass Onion’s century than with a traditional multi-parter? In the first of two shows to celebrate our milestone, Antony is joined again by Scott Phipps to take a whistle-stop, greatest hits tour through John Lennon and the decade that made him and which he helped propel into history.

Scott puts on his ‘Rainbow Valley’ trousers (see show notes) to sketch out each year for us before we each pick a Beatles/Lennon talking point for discussion. This time we tackle 1960 to 1964 as our hero goes from pure rocker to public figure and part of a national obsession. He also starts to wonder if songwriting could be more than ‘I love you and you love me’.

Thanks to all those who’ve been on the Glass Onion journey, especially those who’ve consumed every episode and left inspiring and generous feedback

Enjoy!!

Feedback to [email protected]

Support the show at

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno

OR

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno

Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod

Twitter handle https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon

Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life

coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com

Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media) 

https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com

Scott's Podcasts (Rainbow Valley, Reel Britannia, The Stinking Pause)

https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/reelbritannia

https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/stinkingpause

https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/rainbowvalley

episode links

The Beatles at the Star Club 1962 (cleaned-up, stereo)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6PdWt4I7Ok

Stuart Sutcliffe biographical information

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Sutcliffe

Lennon’s first Lost Weekend (‘The Beatles Naked’ podcast)

https://player.fm/series/the-beatles-naked/episode-19-hamburg-spring-62-lennons-original-lost-weekend

The Beatles at the Cavern 1962 (colorised)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfgvoNvjRFY

The Hours and Times (recommended film)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hours_and_Times

John talks about ‘In His Own Write’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxfjW6F9R6M

Antony discusses ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ film on the ‘Classic Film Jerks’ podcast

https://pod.link/488613190/episode/430c4f82adc8ddb2495be860d112fbb6

Scott discusses ‘The Big Freeze’ 1962-63

https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/rainbowvalley/id/24520524

We felt it in poor taste to add show notes at such a sad time for the world...

In the last episode before we notch up our century, Antony flies solo to muse on and discuss various items of Lennon interest.

In order, these are the 40th anniversary of the ‘Milk And Honey’ album, the cancelling and virtues of the Lennon-penned Beatles song ‘Run For Your Life’, May Pang’s 2022 documentary ‘The Lost Weekend: A Love Story’, the work of Mike Williams and his theory on the impossibility of the recording of ‘Rubber Soul’ (Antony gets tied in knots at this point negotiating his position in the middle ground of the mainstream-conspiracy continuum!), and an extended look at the 2000 ‘Gimme Some Truth’ documentary.

Finally there’s a look at the recent Apple TV documentary ‘John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial’ and David Whelan’s new book ‘Mind Games: The Assassination of John Lennon’, both of which naturally focus on the grisly events of December 8th 1980.

There are multiple audio clips as ever and what is probably a record number of links in the show notes.

Episode 100 will appear in March

Enjoy!

Feedback to [email protected]

Support the show at

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno

OR

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno

Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod

Twitter handle https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon

Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life

coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com

Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media) 

https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com

episode links

John Lennon Real Life childhood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P3crKoa8tg

Antony’s ‘white reggae’ song ‘New World (Order)’

https://antonyrotunno.bandcamp.com/track/new-world-order

Mike Pachelli guitar lesson for ‘Run For Your Life’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMLC8Hhb13s

‘The Lost Weekend: A Love Story

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19812518/?ref_=tt_urv

Tony King as the Queen of England

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx-DNpoKfVg

Julian Lennon - Saltwater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7vdP0VZ3dE

Mike Williams on the impossibility of ‘Rubber Soul’ and other theories

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccEhmQ0M4FY&list=PLAW3gU1yflm_lFhOhwLoIQRXg8ZHLhevX

Olivia Harrison- ‘Hello Billy’ or ‘Hello babes’?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO1Q8qkVf6c

Ably House play ‘I Feel Fine’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkugg_tWV0Q

What did John Lennon play on George Harrison's songs?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtd-sug3i8c

Trailer for ‘John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial (on Apple TV)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnSnkvGKuyI

David Whelan’s Substack page

https://substack.com/@davidwhelan

David’s ‘Mind Games’ book

https://freepress.org/article/book-review-mind-games-assassination-john-lennon

David on the ‘Something About The Beatles’ podcast

https://somethingaboutthebeatles.com/2024/02/09/275-anomalies-in-the-assassination-of-john-lennon-with-david-whelan/

The Man Who Shot John Lennon (1988 documentary)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J8aMKRZZwQ

Dr Stephen Lynn squirms!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkw25rVcn84

We round off Glass Onion’s 5th year with a personal episode. Antony explores further his origin story with John Lennon and the ongoing relationship and fascination with the subject of our show (yes, it’s our show).

You will also hear some writing that didn’t quite culminate in a book this year, and there’s some discussion of childhood, both Antony’s and John’s, and the glorification of it.

Finally, did you know myopia was a superpower?

Enjoy the show and see you in 2024!

Feedback to [email protected]

Support the show at

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/antonyrotunno

OR

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/antonyrotunno

Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/glassonionjlpod

Twitter handle https://www.twitter.com/OnionLennon

Antony's website (music, podcasts, blog, life

coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com

Antony's 'Life And Life Only' podcast (on Psychology and Alternative media) 

https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com

episode links

Glass onion book intro (early draft)

https://www.antonyrotunno.com/2021/07/30/introduction-to-glass-onion-conversations-on-john-lennon-draft/

Raw and melodic (Plastic Ono Band outtake 1970)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6SdkBQYvT0&list=PL4H5cduO6BifOIQ-rynn4G4ifrQFNwmV3&index=2

Gloriously weird John & Yoko (1972 film)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine_(1972_film)

Birth of the Beatles/John & Yoko: A Love Story (bad but strangely charming TV films)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1y_W75_ZMA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlTZRynp5j0