We end Glass Onion’s 6th year with the start of another multi-part series, the first 4-parter in the history of the podcast.

Using (mostly) the John Lennon parts from Steve Turner’s excellent 2006 book ‘The Gospel According To The Beatles’, we trace our hero’s religious, spiritual and philosophical journey through its many twists and turns in his intense four-decade ride through life. Antony also comments on his own journey in these areas, some of which overlaps with that of John Lennon and The Beatles.

Part 1 looks at the first two chapters of Steve’s book, focusing a lot on the ‘Bigger Than Jesus’ controversy of 1966. This is preceded by an attempt to lay some groundwork for this series by defining ‘religion’ and ‘spirituality’ and pondering what the differences (if any) between them are.

There are multiple audio clips at the start to help us along, and you will find many useful web links in the show notes below

Enjoy! And see you in January 2025 for part 2.

Best wishes from Antony

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

Steve Turner’s book

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22515.The_Gospel_According_to_the_Beatles

Jon Stewart’s book ‘Dylan, Lennon, Marx & God’

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59593530-dylan-lennon-marx-and-god

Steve and Jon on the ‘Unbelievable ?’ podcast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COHA7qRQX5o

John defends ‘Bigger Than Jesus’ in Chicago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZaI7m1xpAg

Brian Epstein speaks about the controversy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsqdzC2kFeA

John Lennon- God ‘video’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX7GsonWTJA

Andrew Hickey’s podcast on the Beatles in 1966-67 (including ‘Bigger Than Jesus’)

https://500songs.com/podcast/episode-150-all-you-need-is-love-by-the-beatles

Beatles interviews database

http://beatlesinterviews.org/

Joe Goodden’s superb book on the Beatles and drugs

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36379732-riding-so-high

‘The Rest Is History’ podcast about Jesus’s existence (2 parts)

https://therestishistory.com/287-jesus-christ-the-mystery/

https://therestishistory.com/288-jesus-christ-the-history/

John Cleese and Michael Palin defend ‘The Life of Brian’ in 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYMpObbt2rs

Band Aid 40th anniversary documentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6_6PzRQ9sQ&t=1s

William Mann ‘oustanding composers’ article in The Times in 1963

https://www.beatlesbible.com/1963/12/27/the-times-what-songs-the-beatles-sang-by-william-mann/

We conclude our look at John Lennon as an actor, starting from 1965’s ‘Help!’ and with particular emphasis on what was arguably his only ‘serious’ role, albeit in an anti-war satire ‘How I Won The War’. He also voices a famously sprawling Beatles TV film about a bus, and there’s a film cameo and brief comedy sketch in amongst it all as well.

Antony is joined once again by professional actor Ross Marshall, and there are multiple audio clips to complement the conversation. Glass Onion will return in December for 1 or possibly 2 more episodes looking at John Lennon’s religious and spiritual life.

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 ‘Help!’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FesTTkMcSd4

How I Won The War (filmed in 1966, released in 1967)

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

John’s scenes in ‘How I Won The War’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEZFe94xpkk

Our original review of the film

https://glassoniononjohnlennon.com/episode-38-how-i-won-the-war-reel-britannia-film-podcast

John is interviewed on the set of the film in Almeria, Spain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8u5Ct8cdpQ&t=137s

John as the doorman of the ‘Ad Lav’ (‘Not Only But Also’, Nov 1966)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qAo0wx--C0

James Hargreaves’s very imaginative interpretation of the ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CTIlgC0P0Q

John riffs with Little Nicola on the bus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTjP74avEpQ

‘I Am The Walrus’ in 4k (glorious!)

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

Mr Creosote scene (somewhat influenced by Magical Mystery Tour)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aczPDGC3f8U

The Beatles’ cameo in the ‘Yellow Submarine’ film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM8S4Y7FPMk

John needles Peter Sellers in Twickenham

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

‘Daytime Revolution’ trailer (new doc about John & Yoko)

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

John at his charismatic peak playing DJ in 1974

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCq-kdYEvT4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_G7PN9Yovw

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...