A Japanese 1990 Book release which illustrates many photos in the Escher-related film that Sean Lennon appeared in (above) Published by Shogakukan
M.C. Escher
Maurits Cornelis Escher was a Dutch graphic artist who gained worldwide recognition later in his life and his work has received much praise following his passing in 1972. His work is presented in many prominent museums. Sean Lennon was involved in both a book and a film that portrayed many of Escher’s fantastic drawings and the film about Escher was used to demonstrate a Sony high definition TV technology back when Sean was just a teenager. Sean appears in the film. The following video was posted by someone on Youtube.
Sean Lennon in Infinite Escher
A Japanese book which Sean dedicated to the children of his half-sister, Kyoko which had a publication date in 2009. Many fine sketches by Sean appear in the book.
The Cho-Do ii Book – written (in Japanese and English) and illustrated by Sean Lennon
ChoÌ„do ii hon = The cho-do ii book Tankobon Hardcover – 1 Jan. 2009
Here’s an odd artifact from the Fab Four days…you could use it to hum all of your favorite Beatle’s tunes. Yes, you put it into your mouth, and then…hum!
Manufactured by the Louis F. Dow Company and licensed by NEMS, a ‘hummer’ was a musical instrument. The Hummer was an 11″ x ¾” cardboard tube, which sported a lithographed picture of The Beatles and facsimile signatures. Also printed on the tube was “original idea by Merrimaker, N. Y.”
Beatles Hummer
Fab Four Colors
The mouthpiece that produced the musical tone had flared end pieces, which came in four colors: red (some say the rarest), blue, yellow, and white. The idea was that you hummed into it, and the perfect notes from the song would fill the air.
Merrimaker Corp. gave Dow the idea for the piece, which Dow proceeded to manufacture. In exchange for the concept, Dow conferred to Merrimaker Corp on June 5, 1964, rights to “sell for resale only and will not permit anyone else to sell in the USA the product “Hum-Along” Beatle horn or party favor instrument.”
Thanks for the Idea
Dow then added they would retain the rights to sell this item to “advertising specialty buyers & Beatles performance promoters or shows & to other resale outlets except for chain stores that Merrimaker will cover plus their regular jobbers throughout the USA.” From Dow to Merrimaker, this sublicense covered 1964 with “an option for one year’s renewal.” That was Dow’s ‘thanks for the idea’ concessions!
Promotion for The Beatles Hummer
The poster that advertised the Hummer was 20″ x 11¼” and was also manufactured by Louis F. Dow. One poster came with each retail sales box of hummers. The upper section of the poster had The Beatles pictured in a doorway, and information about the Hummer printed on the lower part.
Also provided for retailers was an in-store white cardboard display box with a blueprint that measured 12″ x 9″ x 5″ and held about 80 hummers. The top of the display box was die-cut, so you could fold it out to stand it up at the back of the box. The box read: “Brand New! Exclusive! Get Your Official BEATLE HUMMER Great Fun! Start Your Own Beatle Combo! Picture Direct From London.”
The Beatles Hummer
The Merrimaker Corporation (DOS ID: 24082) was incorporated May 7, 1927, in New York. Their business is recorded as “DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION.”
Find out more about The Beatles memorabilia in Terry’s great book:
NEMS and the Business of Selling Beatles Merchandise in the U.S. 1964-1966 (2ND EDITION)
The book covers the approximately 150 licensed items that dotted store shelves and helped fuel the band-crazed fan during the time right after the band landed in America and performed on The Ed Sullivan Show. Toys, games, dolls, jewelry, clothing, wigs, and more!
It was 1980 and John Lennon had decided to return to music after his 5 year hiatus. Yoko Ono had hired the prominent Boston-based PR agent Charles Cohen to handle the publicity of John’s return. Cohen and Yoko had arranged for a very prominent photographer, Roger Farrington, to take the first publicity photos of the duo.
The Lennon / Ono Assignment
I was able to contact Mr. Farrington and I purchased a beautiful signed print from him. This is the watermarked photo of the print that I purchased from him. He sent me a note to accompany the purchase telling me the great story of how he got the Lennon /Ono assignment and his feelings about the subject. It was wonderful and I have to say how pleased I was in the purchase that I made.
Lennon/ Ono Images
I have included Roger Farrington’s website link if you have any inquiries to place with him or if you are interested in acquiring/purchasing any of his Lennon/Ono images. I have also included the link to his website’s Lennon-related photos!!! Roger Farrington is a wonderful personality and an excellent photographer and I am so happy I was able to contact him and learn his fascinating story!
In conclusion, the exciting news from Mr. Farrington is he is considering coming out with a photo book dealing with the Lennon story and the memorable photos he took in August of 1980.
Buy John Lennon Prints – Roger Farrington Photography
2 FANTASTIC BOOKS AND A SPECIAL PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN LEATHER-BOUND EDITION
Would like to take this opportunity to highlight two excellent books about a couple of legal conflicts that John Lennon experienced while living in the USA after having moved permanently here to New York in the early Seventies.
Lennon, the Mobster & the Lawyer: The Untold Story Paperback – May 1, 2022
by Jay Bergen (Author), Bob Gruen (Photographer)
Publisher-DeVault-Graves Agency (May 1, 2022)
Lennon The Mobster and the Lawyer
The first book is by Jay Bergen who was John’s legal representative in a case involving Morris Levy, a controversial music industry figure who used a copyright entanglement regarding a line used by John in the song “Come Together” which Levy claimed was a copyright infringement on a Chuck Berry song that Levy held the rights to.
John apparently had agreed to record 3 other Levy-controlled published songs to settle their disagreement and over time the legal case became a virtual legal spider web of claims as Levy eventually took it upon himself to release a collection of Lennon recordings called “Roots” without the permission of Lennon’s recording company that held the rights to the recordings.
Bergen’s excellent book tells the fascinating story of all the legal wranglings that went on which eventually led to John winning a significant legal victory thanks to taking his attorney’s wise advice. John’s full testimony in court is included in this book and offers a fabulous insight into the man’s great mind.
Congratulations are extended to Jay Bergen for winning the 2023 IPPY Silver Medal Award for Best First Book Non-Fiction for this wonderful book:
LENNON, the MOBSTER, & the LAWYER The Untold Story
Silver Medal Best First Book Non-Fiction2023 IPPY Awards
John Lennon vs. The U.S.A.: The Inside Story of the Most Bitterly Contested and Influential Deportation Case in United States History Hardcover – August 7, 2016
by Leon Wildes(Author),
Michael Wildes (Foreword)
John Lennon vs. The USA
This excellent book released in 2016 is by noted and well-respected immigration attorney Leon Wildes and his son, Michael Wildes, who has taken up the mantle of his dad’s immigration case expertise. This book describes John’s conflicts with the US government as a result of John’s marijuana possession conviction in the UK in 1968.
That conviction was to cause a multitude of heartaches for John and Yoko and it led to harassment and surveillance of the couple because of a fear by the powers that be that John would use his influence with the youth to affect US political outcomes. Lennon was at the risk of being deported on several occasions but Leon Wildes was able to protect the rights of his clients to live in this country and his legal defense is considered to be groundbreaking.
Publisher : American Bar Association (August 7, 2016
John Lennon vs. the USA Leather Bound – January 1, 2020
By Leon Wildes
Gryphon Editions
I was not aware of this special leather-bound edition of the Wildes Lennon book until I recently stumbled across one on Amazon. I quickly purchased a copy to add to my library. A wonderful addition to the collection!!!
A rare hardcover book about Nicky Hopkins, one of rock’s greatest session musicians who has backed the Beatles, the Stones, John Lennon, and George Harrison, as solo artists, and many others of prominence. It is very difficult to find this book in the hardcover format.
Publisher : Desert Hearts (4 May 2011)
Imagine
Who can forget Nicky’s superb keyboard work on the “Imagine” LP and his stellar contribution to the Beatles song “Revolution.” Nicky’s many contributions to the Rolling Stones catalog will also be fondly remembered.
Nicky’s life was cut short at age 50 due to intestinal problems.
Rare Autograph of Nicky Hopkins
A rare autograph (above) of Nicky Hopkins obtained on eBay many years ago. Hopkins seemed to share fellow session man Jim Keltner’s aversion to signing many autographs during the course of their careers.
Buzz
Some Great Autobiographies & Biographies at The Beatles Bookstore
THE CONCEPTS OF SELECTIVE PERCEPTION, ATTENTION AND RECALL AND HOW THAT RELATES TO CONSPIRACY THEORIES LIKE THE INFAMOUS PAUL McCARTNEY DEATH RUMOR FROM 1969
Have you ever wondered how rumors get started and are perpetuated?
Well, picture how political differences are portrayed by different media outlets. The same event that you may be watching (a political speech for example) can be interpreted in vastly different ways depending on if the media outlet has a conservative or liberal leaning.
Paul Is Dead?
Well, the same type of psychology can be applied to the study of rumor and how those rumors are spread and perpetuated. The Beatles in 1969 became the subject of one of those rumors when a college student claimed that both album visual clues and audio song clues pointed to Paul McCartney passing away in a 1966 car crash.
I can remember vividly in late ’69, being a young teenager and participating in the hunt for so-called clues that would verify this bizarre theory.
Keep in mind that much of this speculation is tied to the concepts of selective perception, attention, and recall. You have a theory or belief that you hold in your mind and then you selectively pay attention to information that backs up or supports your belief. Conversely, you ignore anything that would disprove or discredit the belief you hold. These concepts help to understand why conspiracy theories have become so prevalent in our society as more people decide to pick and choose the information available that supports their preconceived notions and beliefs and they choose to ignore the information that discredits their beliefs.
The Paul Is Dead Rumor
I will use this opportunity with the Paul is dead rumor to hopefully demonstrate how selective perception operates in the finding of so-called clues.
Someone came up with the idea of holding a strait-edged mirror to the Sgt Pepper drum on the cover of the album (see photo above). By doing so they were able to look in the mirror and see the message I ONE I X HE DIE with an arrow pointing up to the blue-clad, Paul. The I ONE I was said to represent the total of the other three Beatles-3. and the X was said to represent X-ing the 4th individual out of the picture. You can see how many see this as being outlandish and far-fetched.
However, if you have your mind set on believing the theory, you seek out things such as this to support the theory and you ignore things that may dispute the theory. People that supported this rumor would seek out photos of Paul where he did not conform in some way with the other Beatles like the out-of-step Paul on the Abbey Road cover photo.
However, photos of the other three Beatles non-conforming would be ignored or not addressed as they would not be applicable to the rumor in question.
Clues for the Paul Is Dead Rumor?
Here is another photo used by the Paul is Dead theorists (above). The picture on the left is a banquet scene from the Magical Mystery Tour booklet. This scene supposedly does not appear in the movie. The theorists in their typical bizarre antics, turned the photo to the side and were able to see a skull giving support to the Beatles providing death imagery in their albums.
These images represent only a few of the many so-called clues discovered to prove the rumor!
Truth?
I do not believe in this rumor but I have to admit it was somewhat eerie to spend time with friends to see if we could find another clue to support the rumor back in 1969, as young kids. Hopefully, when you now see a conspiracy theory proposed, that you take a look at the full picture and examine the total amount of information being provided and what is being disclosed, and what is not. That can help us get a far more accurate picture of what constitutes the TRUTH!!!
The Last Laugh?
To bring a smile to your face after this discussion, the end result of this rumor was that record sales for the Abbey Road LP and all of the post-66 Beatles albums soared, as people fall prey to the notion of discovering another hidden Beatles message. The laugh turned out to be on all of us either directly or indirectly! I am sure John Paul, George, and Ringo all enjoyed their trips to the bank that summer!!!
What was your favorite “Paul Is Dead” clue? Let me know in the comments below.
