John Lennon handed me the biggest scoop in pop history and I blew it!
We were in Canada when John Lennon told me he’d left The Beatles.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was just before Christmas 1969, and a few nights earlier, while discussing his Beatles’ song lyrics on the phone, he’d suddenly invited me to join him and Yoko in Toronto, where he was going to meet Canada’s Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. So, there I soon was being driven through snow-covered Canadian fields to the home of rock singer Ronnie Hawkins, where John and Yoko were staying.
Almost as soon as I arrived, John, who had just washed his hair, excitedly insisted I follow him and Yoko up to the secrecy of their bedroom. And then, giggling happily, he casually announced his destruction of the world’s most popular musical attraction. ‘I’ve left The Beatles,’ he said smiling, and carried on drying his hair with a towel.
I was speechless.
At the time, The Beatles absolutely dominated the world of popular culture, with their latest album, Abbey Road, still at No. 1 in the charts everywhere. Why would anyone in his right mind decide to destroy the most popular entertainment ensemble the world had ever known? It didn’t make sense. But I wasn’t only astonished. I was devastated, too, because I was as big a Beatles fan as anyone.
By: Ray Connolly
Source: Daily Mail
