April 7, 1979
An online Beatles fan club for and about Beatle fans
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Just Call me "Lucky"
Just Call me "Lucky" (Finding a Beatle in a Haystack)
By Vickie Smallwood
The Harrison Alliance Issue #82
October-December 1992
To borrow an often-used song title, "With a Little Help From My Friends," Barbara Pazmino and I were able to attend the Dylan Tribute Concert on October 16 (1992). We had no intention of really looking for George because, with everyone in town at once, one might say it would have been like looking for a Beatle in a haystack!
We had met up with friends from Chicago and Cincinnati that weekend and sometimes luck is on one's side. And this was one time that we really walked into a windfall! Passing by one of New York City's more luxurious hotels on Sunday afternoon, we happened to spot a small band of faces, some of them familiar. That was all the encouragement we needed to join them to wait and see what would happen next. Our wait wasn't very long, as who should be the two next people to stroll out the door, but none other than Olivia and Dhani Harrison! Even if you didn't recognize Olivia, there's no mistaking Dhani. While Dhani has his mum's coloring, he's George all over again! They stopped for a brief moment and smiled at us. it was just long enough for those of us with cameras to take one quick photo. They got into a van and drove away.
We waited for what seemed like forever when finally, after what felt like weeks on end, George came out. Up close, you could see that he had gained a bit of weight and looked better than ever! He also looked like he had a more healthy color to his face.
Unfortunately, for the few of us that are truly fans, there always seem to be a couple of "rotten apples" that have to spoil things, and they all rushed over to George. Anyone's chance of ever asking for an autograph were instantly ruined. Some of us did manage to get a couple of quick photos as he got into a van. As the van pulled away from the curb amid shouts of "Great show, George!" and "Hope you tour soon, George!" much to our delight, George blew kisses to the ladies gathered on the wall. From then until the van was out of sight and out of earshot, "We love you, George!" rang out in the frosty air.
Concert for TM
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| Photo taken at the rehearsal |
April 4, 2009 - Ringo and Paul perform in concert together.
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
It Ain't Fair John Sinclair....
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| Yoko and John meet John Sinclair and his wife |
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| John Sinclair's release from prison in December 1971 |
John Sinclair passed away on April 2, 2024 from congestive heart failure at the age of 82. John Sinclair may have left this world, but fans of John Lennon will never forget him because he is forever immortalized in the song written about his situation. Even though the "got to got to got to" part gets annoying, you have to admit that it is a catchy song.
Of course, John Lennon wrote the song after learning about Sinclair's prison sentence. He received 10 years in prison for giving an undercover police officer 2 joints (hence the line "they gave him 10 for 2). Which, even for 1969 (when he was sentenced), seems extreme. I am sure with John's issues with immigration due to his marijuana bust, he had empathy for John Sinclair. And so he wrote the John Sinclair song and performed it during the Rally in Ann Arbor, Michican. I often wondered what Sinclair's thoughts were during the concert. Well -- come to find out, a radio station was broadcasting it live and he was in his cell listening to it on a transistor radio. Here is what else Sinclair had to say:
It was scary, he said, since he used his weekly call to his wife, Leni, to call in to the concert and have his words broadcast throughout the arena.
“I was terrified, because I thought as soon as the guards found out, they’d carry me off to the hole,” he said, breaking into a hearty laugh. “But I was lucky, because they were listening to the basketball game instead.”
“Then I figured all weekend I figured when the warden came in and heard the report of the phone call, my goose would be would be cooked."
Still, Sinclair recalled, it was worth the risk.
“I felt like I had the chance to speak with people who were supporting me from the penitentiary was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
From what I can tell, the two Johns only met in person once (see photograph above). John remained an activist throughout his life and he managed the band MC5.
John Sinclair will be missed by many people, but he will never be forgotten.
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