Glass Onion: On John Lennon
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...
info_outline Episode 103: John Lennon The Actor with Ross Marshall (Part 1 of 2)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 Support the show at OR Facebook page ...
info_outline Bonus Episode #15- Antony interviewed by James Jarman in 2016Glass Onion: On John Lennon
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 Support the show at OR Facebook page Twitter handle ...
info_outline Episode 102- Toronto 1969 Part 2: Sweet Toronto with Dave ThurmaierGlass Onion: On John Lennon
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...
info_outline Episode 101- Toronto 1969 Part 1: Revival '69 with Dave ThurmaierGlass Onion: On John Lennon
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...
info_outline Bonus Episode # 14- Revolution 9 Revisited (Antony on 'Pop Goes The 60s')Glass Onion: On John Lennon
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...
info_outline Episode 100b- John Lennon In The 1960s (Part 2 of 2)Glass Onion: On John Lennon
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...
info_outline Episode 100a- John Lennon In The 1960s (Part 1 of 2)Glass Onion: On John Lennon
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...
info_outline Episode 99.5- Paul Is DeadGlass Onion: On John Lennon
We felt it in poor taste to add show notes at such a sad time for the world...
info_outline Episode 99- Gimme Some (More) TruthGlass Onion: On John Lennon
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...
info_outlineWe 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!
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coaching) https://www.antonyrotunno.com
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https://www.lifeandlifeonly.podbean.com
episode links
Glass onion book intro (early 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)