Biography of John Lennon. Biography of John Lennon October 9, John Lennon was born

At the age of 4, John entered an elementary school near today's famous Penny Lane. He began to compose quite early himself, mostly poems, which he himself illustrated.

In 1952, John moved from elementary school to secondary school, which was called " ". It was a typical English school with harsh discipline and a strict routine that was not inferior to the institute. John, with his unbridled character, never became at least an average student in it, on the contrary, from the very beginning he declared war on school rules of conduct.

The only subjects in which John showed interest and in which he showed remarkable ability were drawing, English and literature, although here again his inclinations did not coincide with the curriculum. He still composed short poems, drew caricatures and simply made sketches, sometimes of indecent content. Music didn't interest him at all.

Until the beginning of 1956, Lennon only watched how new music swallowed up peers one after another, how rock and roll became not just a musical style, but a style of dress, behavior, and life. Song"Rock Around The Clock", which topped the British charts in January 1956, had not yet convinced him, but in February a new song was broadcast on the radio "Heartbreak Hotel", and John was completely subdued.

He persuaded Mimi to buy him a used guitar. Julia knew how to play the banjo a little and willingly helped John master the simplest chords.

The new music required at least known playing skills, so John decided that skiffle, an original synthesis of American country music and British folk traditions, would be fine for now. He did not puzzle over the composition of his ensemble for a long time, but included in it Pete Shotton, Nigel Whalley and Ivan Vaughan - his closest friends.

They named the group after the school -. Soon the ensemble was replenished by Rod Davis, Eric Griffiths and Colin Hanton. At first, they rarely performed - at holidays in youth clubs, at skiffle group competitions. On July 6, 1957, the band played at a party in the garden of St. Peter's Church. Ivan Vaughan invited a school friend with him to the concert, who played the guitar superbly and could interest John. Comrade was called.

John Paul liked it, but he tried not to show it. Only when McCartney sang Eddie Cochran's new hit "Twenty Flight Rock" John could not resist and asked to write off the words. A week later, Lennon, through Pete, invited Paul to join the group. John was in school occasionally, and it is not surprising that he failed in all the exams. In the end, the director took pity on him and gave him a recommendation for admission to the Liverpool College of Art.

July 15, 1958 Julia Lennon was hit bya car. As John later recalled, at that moment he experienced the biggest shock in his life. And it's hard to say where it all would have ended if not for Paul, not for rock and roll, and not for new college friends.

One of John's new friends was Stuart Sutcliffe, an extremely talented art student. They were interesting and understandable to each other. Stewart, under the influence of John, became interested in rock and roll.

At art college, John met Cynthia Powell.

They met, then began to live with Cynthia. Cynthia was absolutely sure that sooner or later John would leave her, and when she told him in the summer of 1962 that she was pregnant, she was genuinely surprised at his proposal to marry. The wedding took place on August 23.

John and Yoko

In November 1966, in London, John met the Japanese avant-garde artist Yoko Ono, who came to England with an exhibition of her work. On November 8, John divorced Cynthia. Their son Julian was then 5 years old. On March 20, 1969, the marriage of John Lennon and Yoko Ono was registered in Gibraltar.

On May 26, John and Yoko settled into a room in Montreal's Queen Elizabeth Hotel and began an eight-day lay-down demonstration for peace. For eight days they sat in pajamas under blankets, talking with friends and giving interviews to journalists.

On the seventh day (June 1), Lennon impromptu composed the song "Give Peace A Chance".

On September 13, 1969, the debut concert of The Plastic Ono Band took place. The ensemble then included Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman and Alan White. By this time, Lennon had already announced to Paul, George and Ringo his decision to leave the Beatles. The reason for this step was the refusal of McCartney and Harrison to record the song "Cold Turkey" as a quartet. Paul and George thought she was too weak for the Beatles. John recorded the song with the Plastic Ono Band and released it as a single in October.

Perhaps none of the rock musicians in the press in 1969 paid as much attention as John Lennon. On December 15, he and Yoko Ono organized an anti-war concert under the slogan "War Is Over (If You Want)" - "The war will end (If you want it)".

On December 30, British television devoted a special program to Lennon, naming him among the three political figures of the decade, that is, putting him side by side with Mao Zedong and John F. Kennedy.

The year 1970 began no less rapidly for him. On January 5, John announced in Denmark that from now on he will spend all the proceeds from songs and records on organizing the struggle for peace.

In March 1971, Lennon's single was released with his song-call "Power To The People" ("Power to the people"). In the summer of that year, John and Yoko took part in a protest march against the use of British troops in Northern Ireland, held a series of actions in support of the Scottish shipbuilders' strike, and on September 3 flew from London to New York. John Lennon never returned to his homeland.

Lennon was a terrible driver. At the age of 25, he got a driver's license and 2 years later he crashes his famous Rolls-Royce, injuring himself, Yoko Ono and the children who were with them. After that, he gave up driving forever.

He ended up getting rid of the Rolls Royce in order to pay off a $250,000 tax bill. After his death, the car was sold at auction for $2.3 million.

Arriving in the United States, he immediately joined the struggle for the civil rights of the Indians, for the softening of the regime in local prisons.

On March 23, 1973, the authorities granted Yoko official permission to permanently reside in the United States. On the same day, John Lennon was ordered to leave the country within 2 months. This move could be seen as an attempt to drive a wedge between John and Yoko. Whether for this or for other reasons, but by the autumn they really had a serious quarrel, so much so that they parted for more than a year.

In music, his last major political action was the double album "Some Time In New York City" (1972). The album was not successful: an excessive dose of "current politics" in the songs turned out to be fatal, which John himself later admitted in an interview.

The album "Mind Games" (1973) was sustained in a completely different vein. By 1975, John and Yoko were living together again. On October 9, 1975, their son Sean was born, and Lennon decided to leave the world of music and show business for the sake of him. This "for a while" resulted in five long years, during which John was an exemplary "householder" and father.

He crossed the threshold of the recording studio again only on August 4, 1980, when he began work on the album "Double Fantasy". Having appeared in November, the disc impressed the listeners with freshness, sophistication of melodies and arrangements, depth and clarity of texts.

In those days, John and Yoko often gave lengthy interviews to journalists. John willingly shared his plans.

On December 8, 1980, at about 11 pm, a maniac named Mark David Chapman killed him with five shots at point-blank range.

On the way to the hospital, John Lennon died.

John Lennon (born October 9, 1940) is a British musician, writer and artist. Lennon is best known as one of the creators, leader and one of the authors of almost all the songs of the legendary The Beatles, which was and remains a symbol of the formation of rock music in the 1960s.

John Winston Lennon was born in Liverpool on October 9, 1940, during a German air raid on the city.


While studying at school, 16-year-old Lennon created the skiffle band The Quarrymen, which came to play Paul McCartney and George Harrison.


In 1959, The Quarrymen ceased to exist, and Lennon, McCartney and Harrison organized a group that eventually became known as The Beatles.


The early Beatles featured drummer Pete Best and artist Stuart Sutcliffe, who was tried to be forced to play bass guitar.


Most of The Beatles' songs have double authorship Lennon - McCartney, although fans of the group can easily guess who exactly came up with this or that composition.


In 1962, Lennon married his classmate Cynthia, with whom he lived for six years; their child Julian Lennon also became a musician.


In 1966, Lennon met the Japanese artist Yoko Ono, who three years later became his second wife. Their child - Sean Lennon - also followed in his father's footsteps.


In 1969, Lennon and Yoko held two "bed demonstrations". During the second, in Montreal, Lennon composed the anti-war anthem "Give Peace a Chance".


Lennon began his solo career in the last years of The Beatles. He formed the Plastic Ono Band with Ono, with whom he released several albums, such as "Imagine" in 1972.


In 1980, after a five-year hiatus, Lennon released his seventh solo album, Double Fantasy. On December 8 of the same year, he signed it for Mark Chapman (pictured), who a few hours later fired five bullets at the musician, of which four hit the target. Lennon was taken to the Roosevelt Hospital in just a few minutes by a police car. But the doctors' attempts to save Lennon were in vain - due to heavy blood loss, 25 minutes after the attack, he died.

The first wife of the famous singer and musician Cynthia Powell is far from being as famous as Yoko Ono. They met in their student years and were together for 10 years. Sin, as Lennon called her, was always in the shadow of her husband, did not strive for fame and did not interfere with his career. She was simply the keeper of his hearth until new feelings captured John Lennon.

student love

Cynthia Powell. / Photo: www.heydullblog.com

Cynthia Powell first saw John in a calligraphy class. He entered the auditorium late, which immediately attracted everyone's attention. Lennon was wearing a shapeless overcoat and tight trousers. He seemed to challenge everyone present. Not only with their appearance, but with a slightly cheeky demeanor

John Lennon in his youth. / Photo: www.warrenkinsella.com

Cynthia, who received the title of "Miss Importance" among the students, was not eager to get acquainted with her rude classmate. She was a decent girl and a very diligent student. She always dressed in a formal suit and spoke only correct English.

And John, meanwhile, sat down at the desk behind Sylvia and slapped her on the shoulder in an familiar way, introducing himself. How could the modest Sylvia imagine that after a while she would fall in love with this clumsy young man, whose manner at first almost frightened her?

John Lennon and Cynthia Powell, 1960. / Photo: www.histolines.com

Soon she noticed with what admiring glance he followed the blonde passing by, noticing that she looked like Brigitte Bardot. And the next morning, modest Powell appeared in the audience already with blond hair. Her efforts did not go unnoticed. At the next party, John invited her to escape from the annoying society and spend time together. From that day on, Cynthia and John became inseparable. Young and carefree lovers enjoyed each other's company. And they thought it would last forever.

modest wedding

John and Cynthia Lennon. / Photo: www.histolines.com

The news of the pregnancy of a friend stunned John, but he behaved quite worthily. Despite the fact that marriage could destroy his musical career, he offered the girl a hand and a heart.

The producer of the group in which John played was afraid that the leader's marriage would negatively affect the popularity of the team. Brian Epstein demanded that Cynthia never appear at The Beatles' venues or contact the press. For the public, John Lennon must be a promising bachelor. Cynthia could only agree.

So Cynthia illustrated her own wedding. / Photo: www.beatles-chronology.ru

Their wedding ceremony was held in an atmosphere of strict secrecy. The best man was the producer himself, and the guests were Paul McCartney, George Harrison and the elder brother of the bride Tony with his wife Margery. The musical accompaniment was an unimaginable roar from a jackhammer working outside. The bride and groom did not understand well what was happening around. And only after leaving the registration hall did they finally realize that they had become husband and wife.

In addition to the festive dinner paid by Brian, the newlyweds received a truly royal gift from the producer: he provided them with his apartment, which he rarely used.

Unknown John Lennon

John Lennon. / Photo: www.cyprus-mail.com

Their family life can hardly be called ideal. By the time of the marriage with Cynthia, the Liverpool four were not yet known and popular outside their hometown. Incomes were unstable and rather modest, which is why the young family had to constantly change their place of residence.

Julian Lennon was born in April 1963, the boy's father was on tour at that time. The baby was baptized secretly, even John himself found out about it only two days later. Julian's godfather was Brian Epstein.

John and Cynthia Lennon with their son Julian. / Photo: www.vesti.az

Despite the fact that John Lennon did not differ in puritanical behavior, he demanded unconditional devotion from his wife. He was jealous of her even to her friends and rolled up ugly scandals. Cynthia, who unconditionally loved her husband, forgave him a lot. She always hoped to change him for the better.

She devoted herself entirely to John and Julian. And she could not help it, seeing how her husband was moving away from her. Glory has already begun to spin his head. The house acquired by Lennon, servants, drivers, could not replace John himself. As they could not replace the father of the growing son.

Divorce

John and Cynthia Lennon. / Photo: www.rediff.com

Sad for Cynthia was the end of their family life. Lennon, after returning from a trip to the Maharishi in India, confessed to his wife in numerous relationships with women around the world. And soon Cynthia found John and Yoko Ono in their own marital bed. She did not resist when he asked for a divorce in 1968.

Her biggest pain was the pain of her own son. John Lennon, who did not particularly spoil the boy with his society, after the divorce, completely ceased to be interested in his son's life. He completely surrendered to the power of new feelings. And he devoted himself to raising his second son, Sean, who was born in the marriage of a musician and Yoko Ono.

Cynthia Lennon with son Julian. / Photo: www.pinimg.com

When, at the end of her life, Cynthia Lennon was asked if she would agree to go all the way again with John, knowing what awaits her, she only shook her head and said that she would have left without looking back. She wrote the book "My Husband John", which makes you look at the famous musician from a completely different perspective. Cynthia passed away in 2015 from cancer.

When John and Cynthia were already getting divorced, the musician dedicated a song to his son Julian, which later became a real hit.

"Hey Jude": One of The Beatles' Most Popular Songs Dedicated to John Lennon's Son

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

Photo: Globe Photos / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

“I am an artist. Give me a fucking tuba and I'll squeeze something out of it."
John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool. When the boy was four years old, his mother gave her son to be raised by her sister Mimi. She was quite strict and could not find a common language with the boy, who became more attached to his uncle George. In 1953, he died, and Lennon again became close to his mother.

"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination"
At school, Lennon was not particularly successful. He was bored, and in 1952 he ended up in a class for the most backward students. Despite this, he became interested in music, sang in the choir and was engaged in the release of the school newspaper.

Photo: Globe Photos / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

“Time spent having fun is not wasted time”
In the mid-1950s, a craze for rock and roll and skiffle, which came out of it, began in Liverpool, for the performance of which did not require special knowledge in music and good command of musical instruments. All this led to the emergence of many youth skiffle groups. In 1956, Lennon created the Quarry Men, named after the school where he and his friends studied.

Photo: Julian Hamilton / Mercury Press / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

“I never thought that I would write great things, I just went and wrote them”
In 1957, Lennon met Paul McCartney and brought him into the group. Following McCartney, George Harrison was also accepted into the group. In 1959, the musicians changed the name of the group. This is how the Beatles came about.

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

“For every man, the driving force is a woman. Without a woman, even Napoleon would be a mere idiot."
On August 23, 1962, John Lennon married Cynthia Powell, but their marriage did not last long. The couple separated in 1968 when Lennon met avant-garde artist Yoko Ono.

"Genius is apparently a form of insanity"
From his first marriage, John Lennon has a son, Julian (pictured)

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

"When I was younger, much younger than now, I didn't need anyone's help with anything"
The first performances of The Beatles outside of Liverpool took place in 1960 in Hamburg. The group quickly became popular, but the musicians became addicted to drugs. A year later, Brian Epstein became the group's manager, changing the image of the group, which Lennon did not really like, but contributed to the popularity of The Beatles

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

“You can put on shoes and a suit, you can comb your hair and look pretty, you can hide your true face behind a smile, you can go to church and advocate masses, you can judge others for the color of your skin, you can lie until you die, but you can never hide it.” that you are a moral cripple"

“Now we are more popular than Jesus; I don't know what will disappear first - rock and roll or Christianity"
In a 1966 Evening Standard interview, Lennon said, “Christianity is gone. No need to argue; I am right, and the future will prove it. Jesus was nothing, but his followers are stupid and mediocre. And it is their perversion that destroys Christianity in me.” The cold Britons did not react to this phrase in any way, but when the American Datebook magazine reprinted the interview five months later, a scandal began in the USA. Lennon was threatened. The band was forced to cancel concerts. After the scandal, Lennon faded into the background, Paul McCartney became the leader of the group

Photo: Courtesy of Alliance Atlantis Ho / Entertainment Pictures / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

"It's easy to live with your eyes closed, not understanding what you see"
Lennon tried to prove himself not only as a musician. In 1964 he published two books of prose and poetry. In 1967, after reading Timothy Leary's The Psychedelic Experience, Lennon became addicted to drugs again and distanced himself from musicians.

“Success can be achieved by anyone. You need to repeat these words to yourself all the time, and success will come.
In 1968, The Beatles' White Album was released. Both critics and fans of the group noticed that the musicians moved away from each other, which could not but affect the work of the group. Lennon began to write songs that were later called his best works: "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Across the Universe", "I Am the Walrus" and "All You Need is Love", which became a hippie anthem

“If you are standing on the edge of a cliff and thinking about whether to jump or not, jump!”
At this time, the group changes its image again and stops dressing in neat costumes. Lennon's iconic round glasses appear for the first time

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

“Music belongs to everyone. Only record labels still believe they are the owners."
Lennon was widely known for his political views. In 1971, his song “Imagine” was released, preaching the ideas of equality and freedom, the brotherhood of people and peace. It made Lennon a hippie idol

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

“We dreamed of changing something in this world ... but everything remained the same. They still sell guns to South Africa and blacks are killed in the street. People still live in poverty, and rats run over them. Only crowds of wealthy loafers walk around London in fashionable rags. I don't believe in the Beatles myth anymore."

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

“When Yoko appeared, he was attracted to her, among other things, by her avant-garde, her worldview. She showed him a different path in life, which attracted him very much, ”said Paul McCartney.
When John Lennon met Yoko Ono, he was 26, she was 33. On the recommendation of Paul McCartney, Lennon came to the Ono exhibition at the Indica Gallery in London, where they met. The couple married in 1969, after which Lennon changed his middle name Winston to Ono. After the wedding, the musician recorded the song "The Ballad of John and Yoko"

“If you are doing something beautiful and sublime, and no one notices this, don’t be upset: the sunrise is generally the most beautiful sight in the world, but most people are still sleeping at this time”
John Lennon tried himself as an actor. Not counting the films about The Beatles, he played in the film "How I Won the War" (frame from the film in the photo)

"We live in a world where we have to hide to make love while violence is practiced in broad daylight"
In 1968 John Lennon and Yoko Ono's first album Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins was released. The album, recorded in one night, had no music, just a jumble of noises, moans and screams. The cover of the album featured a nude photo of Lennon and Yoko Ono. The couple later formed the Plastic Ono Band.

Photo: Globe Photos / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

“If everyone worked sitting in bags, there would be no prejudice. I would have to judge people by their qualities, not by their looks.”
In 1969, Lennon and Yoko Ono began to arrange joint political actions. So, they invited journalists to a “bed interview”, during which they talked about the world while sitting in bed. At a similar action in Amsterdam, Lennon composed the song "Give Peace a Chance", which became the anthem of the pacifist movement. In December 1969, the concert "The War Will End If You Want It" was organized by Lennon. After that, a program was released on British television in which the musician was named one of the three political figures of the decade along with John F. Kennedy and Mao Zedong. All this led Lennon to a psychological crisis.

"All you need is Love"
On October 9, 1975, Lennon's son Sean was born, and the musician announced the end of his musical career. He devoted the next five years to his son, appearing in public only once. In 1980, the artist released his last album "Double Fantasy"

Photo: Keystone Press Agency / Zuma Press / Kommersant Photo

"Death is like moving from one car to another"
On December 8, 1980, Lennon fan Mark Chapman shot and killed the musician as John and Yoko entered under the archway of their house after returning from the Hit Factory recording studio. In 1984, his posthumous album was released, many of his songs are still re-recorded. Around the world there are memorials and streets named after the musician.

John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940. One of the founders and member of The Beatles, the famous singer, poet and composer, a popular musician of the 20th century, John Lennon still has his fans and is included in the list of the greatest guitarists of all time, according to Classic Rock magazine. John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, according to many sources, right during the German air raid on Liverpool. John's parents, Julia and Alfred, divorced immediately after the birth of their son, and the boy was taken up by his mother's sister. In high school, John had a very low academic performance, but even then he showed his leadership qualities, along with a daring freethinking. He drew caricatures of the teaching staff of the school, published a magazine and sang in the school choir. In 1956, inspired by rock and roll and the work of Presley, Lennon created the Quarry Men in honor of the school where all the team members studied. In 1957, fate brings John together with Paul McCartney, who immediately becomes a member of the ensemble. And after a while, Paul invites his friend George Harrison to the group. Creative activity absorbed Lennon so much that he did not even pass the final exams at school, but nevertheless entered the Liverpool College of Art, where he met his future wife Cynthia Powell (the boy Julian was born in this marriage). In 1958, John's mother died as a result of an accident. In 1959, the Quarry Men broke up, and The Beatles appeared to replace it. The early Beatles led a completely immoral lifestyle, taking drugs, swearing and drinking alcohol right on stage. All this changed with the arrival of Brian Epstein as manager in 1961. In 1963, the whole of Europe was already talking about The Beatles, and in 1964 the group gained worldwide fame. Lennon became the leader of the team. Along with his musical activities in 1964-1965, Lennon wrote and published books of his poetry and prose. In 1964-1966, the Beatles topped all the charts and were at the zenith of fame. According to Lennon himself, they were more popular than Jesus. In 1967, John became addicted to drugs again and lost his leadership in the group. In 1968, Lennon divorced Cynthia, and in 1969 he entered into a marriage alliance with Yoko Ono and left The Beatles in 1970 to work with her. From that moment on, many fans of the Beatles accused Ono of the "collapse" of the group. And the newlyweds themselves created their own group - "Plastic Ono Band". In the 1970s and 1980s, they recorded joint songs, participated in various political actions and other events. After the birth of his son in 1975, Lennon and his wife settled in New York, and from that time John finally left music, devoting almost all his time to his family. But on December 8, 1980, John Lennon was killed in New York by a mentally unbalanced US citizen, whom he gave his autograph shortly before ...