Let's talk about John

Where the HECK is everyone? Why is this place so dead. COME ON PEOPLE!

Next month would be John's 74th birthday. Let's start celebrating the happy time early.

So I made this thread for us to just chat about John- whatever. Just get people talking.

Today I listened to 'I'm Stepping Out' and I realized when he was talking about his "space suit" he meant that hideous silver parka he wore a lot in 1980.

It's hideous, but John made everything look cool:



What do you guys think of this jacket?

Just let's talk John BS because it's too dead here and that's not right

Crash!!! *tinkle* *tinkle* Oh no! You broke it!

Originally Posted by hibgal

Crash!!! *tinkle* *tinkle* Oh no! You broke it!

I don't get it (let me in on the inside joke here, hib, I've been surrounded by work all summer I think I lost some of my humor).

I've always hated that jacket too, Fly! And I remember when he first wore it... I like the story Jack Douglas tells about when he bought it, though. How happy he was that he could whip out his AmEx card and pay for it himself... like a teenage kid using his parent's credit card for the first time!

Yeah, but that jacket shows John's unerring trend sense. It's so cutting edge late 70s! The first inklings of the bombastic 80s fashions to follow, what with shiny/glittery fabrics, wide shoulders (pads), large collars and the like. It even look suspiciously like it has a fake fur collar! So, well. The 80s fashion hasn't aged well, still we got to give John his due in knowing what was 'in'.

And Scruffie, glass houses? Fly hasn't been here for ages herself so maybe ironic to berate others for not posting. I'M not criticizing as I'm sure she's been busy, as we have all. Just sayin'.

I love that John wore that ugly jacket, though. It's got that really cheesy/decadent/flamboyant air to it that only someone with John's confidence could make work. If I saw this jacket in person, I would probably just stare for...a long time. Like, it's got it's own personality man.

I gotcha hib!!! Fly has the nerve to chastise us when she's been gone forever- hey, I tried to make a comeback (but failed) a few months back. Maybe we need something non-comittall and simple as a thread like this.

So how about John's 1980 sunglasses? I love the way he looked in them

hey scruffie,
you can still get them, if you can afford them.

http://www.retrovisioneyewear.com/

Now that I'm thinking about it, I actually had a silver jacket in the '70s, but it was like a baseball jacket and it definitely wasn't fur-lined!

The glasses were uber-cool! My U.S. History teacher wore similar ones, and I had a huuuuuuge crush on him!

Originally Posted by wallrus59

hey scruffie,
you can still get them, if you can afford them.

http://www.retrovisioneyewear.com/

Awesome! I may have to go for a pair. I love those gold-tone ones. Thanks wallrus!!!

Regarding Lennon's Glasses:

Throughout Hakusan Megane’s history, notable celebrities around the world have supported the brand due to Hakusan’s quiet quality.
In the summer of 1979, Beatles member John Lennon visited Japan with his wife, Yoko Ono. Lennon and Ono browsed MILKBOY, a pioneer store in the 1970s Japanese punk scene.
Lennon discovered Hakusan in the store and took a personal liking to Hakusan’s eyewear.
Soon after, Hakusan Masachika was introduced to John Lennon through MILKBOY’s owner. Hakusan then became John Lennon’s main eyewear supplier, bringing their wide variety of glasses to Lennon’s suites whenever he was in town.
Hakusan Masachika and John Lennon got along well due to their common interest in glasses. After a series of selection, John Lennon chose “Mayfair” celluloid handmade glasses and he bought all colors that are clear, caramel and tortoiseshell. On Hakusan’s part, the store also customised three different color lenses for the three frames.
Since then, John Lennon is often seen wearing “Mayfair” in all major occasions. On December 8, 1980 in The Dakota, New York, John Lennon was also wearing “Mayfair” when he was shot.
Currently, new releases from Hakusan Megane are always covered in depth by major newspapers, magazines and media in Japan. Due to limited production, it is common for the Japanese to queue up to buy their glasses.”
And here’s the Hakusan website (sadly in Japanese)
http://www.hakusan-megane.co.jp/startpage.htm

Well, if you hafta use glasses you mighta as well do it with style!

Hey, hib, where do you think John would have stood on Scottish Independence? Like most Yanks, I don't know too much about it so I studied up a little and I think John might have been for it. He had that primal attachment to Scotland... and I know Paulie loves it too, but when I look at the celebrities who are pro and con, I tend to think John would've been on the pro side.

Tough call. John was all for freedom, we know that, but would he have cared about Scottish independence after 40+ years in USA, assuming he'd stayed, which I believe he would've? He might just as well have thought it had nothing to do with him. So, yeah,

What do you all think of Lennon totally retiring form the music business and became a novelist to speak his mind., I'm sure he would have been a wonderful statesman. Perhaps producing music a little here and there but he probably may have thought to some degree that he has sang enough.

His Sky Writing By Word of Mouth showed he had a gift for that medium.

Hmmm, Winston... I can see John writing more, but I don't think he would've ever totally given up singing or making music as his primary form of creative expression. z

And a statesman? No way!! He was way too loudmouthed and opinionated!

John in politics? I doubt he'd been elected. Nor did he seem to have the temperament for it. Too impatient and blunt.

When it comes to writing? Hm, who knows? I've always thought him the likeliest to write a proper autobiography. Don't really count the collaboration that Paul did or the songbook cum anecdote collection of George's as the real deal. As for Ringo's Liverpool songs... .

Musically, well, I wonder if he wouldn't have ended up collaborating with his sons. He's be the unifying factor that would join together Julian's ballads with Sean's experimental stuff. They'd call themselves The Lennons and would've had a huge success!

Naa, we're speculating now and I'm not into that because who knows what would've happened that didn't? What I do know is that John had a huge impact on his generation and want to leave it at that.

Originally Posted by Maia 66

Hmmm, Winston... I can see John writing more, but I don't think he would've ever totally given up singing or making music as his primary form of creative expression. z

And a statesman? No way!! He was way too loudmouthed and opinionated!

A statesman is usually a politician, diplomat or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career at the national or international level.

I was thinking along the lines of his being a notable public figure and a ambassador of some kind ... perhaps to a country who needed a musical boost

I could see John having a podcast. Where he could spout his opinion of the topics of the day, and have really great guests come on and chat. In the same vein of Marc Maron's WTF podcast.

Why do I have it in the back of my mind that in some later day interview John said he didn't want to be a political figure? That his aim had been to get people to think and act for themselves? Maybe I dreamed it all?

Originally Posted by hibgal

Why do I have it in the back of my mind that in some later day interview John said he didn't want to be a political figure? That his aim had been to get people to think and act for themselves? Maybe I dreamed it all?

I still see that type of Statesman is other than political, as a commentator on World events is more of what that type of statesman brings to mind.

A man who is a respected leader in a given field: "a mature statesman of American letters" (Toby Thompson)