Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Starting Over The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy by Ken Sharp What critics got wrong about John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Double Fantasy" Former Beatle John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono outside of the Times Square recording studio 'The Hit Factory' before a recording session of his final album 'Double Fantasy' in August 1980 in New York City, New York. Getty Images/Salon. Released on November 17, 1980, John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Double Fantasy" had scarcely been in stores for three weeks before the former Beatle's senseless murder on December 8. In spite of the incredible buzz surrounding their first new album release in more than five years, the early reviews were lukewarm, if not outright caustic. Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Steve Pond panned the album, warning that "those expecting the return of the mythical Lennon – a man with an insightful, brilliant mind and a biting wit – will be sorely disillusioned by 'Double Fantasy.'" Pond concluded that "the worst thing about 'Double Fantasy' is that it simply makes John and Yoko look like a pair of aged, lost hippies." The Washington Post's Richard Harrington mined a similar vein, writing that "$8.98 for a flaccid look at a family scrapbook is too much to ask," describing "(Just Like) Starting Over" as "an embarrassing pastiche of 50s and 60s influences." Harrington dismissed John's work as suffering from "a general lack of substance, lyrical directness, and undistinguished melodies." By contrast, the UK press was downright merciless. In the intervening years since John's last solo album, the county had become swept up in the scrappy, often violent punk movement and its growing clash with the industry's privileged, seemingly less-relevant mainstays. Clearly working from this perspective, an unsigned reviewer in Melody Maker commented that "the whole thing positively reeks of an indulgent sterility. It's a godawful yawn!" Love the Beatles? Listen to Ken's podcast "Everything Fab Four." Writing in the November 22 issue of NME, Charles Shaar Murray continued the excoriation: "Lennon and Ono appear on the cover clamped in a passionate embrace," Murray writes. "The album celebrates their mutual devotion to each other and their son Sean to the almost complete exclusion of all other concerns. Everything's peachy for the Lennons and nothing else matters, so everything's peachy QED. How wonderful, man. One is thrilled to hear of so much happiness." Murray was complimentary of Yoko's tracks, observing that her "music sounds vastly more modern and considerably more interesting than Lennon's." In his summary, Murray admits that "I look forward to Yoko Ono's solo album," while wishing "that Lennon had kept his big happy trap shut until he has something to say that was even vaguely relevant to those of us not married to Yoko Ono." In retrospect—as we reflect in sober backcast on the album's 40th anniversary—it is useful to recall that in 1980, no one believed that rock 'n' roll would be a middle-aged passion, that folks like John Lennon would still be plying their trades in their 40s and beyond. In this context, Lennon, once again, was on the vanguard, sharing his state of mind, as he had nearly always done, at a key point in his life as a father and husband. What is far more perplexing is the manner in which the initial critical onslaught largely failed to account for Lennon's exquisitely crafted melodies in such tunes as "(Just Like) Starting Over," "I'm Losing You," "Watching the Wheels," and "Woman." These are class compositions in any era and by nearly any measure. In the all-too brief period in which Lennon knew about the critical backlash, he seemed to take it in stride, even finding the humor in it all. Indeed, at 40, he seemed to have found a new centeredness, an understanding that the journey involved in making "Double Fantasy" was what truly mattered. A few days before his death, Lennon and photographer Bob Gruen discussed the LP's early notices, with John assuring his friend that the mixed nature of the "Double Fantasy" record reviews had left him unscathed. As Gruen later recalled in Ken Sharp's 2010 book "Starting Over," Lennon "wasn't sorry that reviewers said Yoko's songs were more avant-garde, modern, and interesting than John's songs, which they described as being more MOR, middle-of-the-road. And he said, 'That's fine because we're going right down the middle-of-the-road to the bank.'" And later still, when Yoko commented on the sluggish sales of the "(Just Like) Starting Over" single, worried that he would be upset by reception of their new work, her husband didn't miss a beat. In olden days, he might have taken it personally, ranting and raving about the fickle nature of the chattering class, but not anymore. Looking up at his wife, as she later told Rolling Stone, he said, "It's all right. We have the family." John Lennon: Producer. Everyone thinks of John Lennon as a Beatle or Songwriter or Musician or Activist or Wit; today, let's look at his work as a Producer.

By Clive Young Published: August 18, 2011 ⋅ Updated: December 8, 2020. There’s been thousands of words written about John Lennon: Beatle or Songwriter or Musician or Activist or Wit, but there’s virtually nothing out there about his work as a Producer. The book Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Double Fantasy captures all aspects of how the artist created what turned out to be his final statement, but in the process, author Ken Sharp provides a fascinating glimpse of how Lennon ran his sessions, got the sounds he wanted and cajoled those around him into giving their all. While he famously spent most of his time in the producer’s chair for Harry Nilsson’s Pussy Cats (1974) getting drunk and rowdy, it was an older, more mature Lennon who entered New York’s The Hit Factory in the Summer of 1980 to create Double Fantasy . The album, a musical conversation between himself and Yoko Ono, was co-produced between the pair and the legendary Jack Douglas, and during its creation, Lennon showed himself to be incisive as to what he wanted the album to sound like, clear as to how to achieve it, and surprisingly humble when it came time to solicit and weigh all opinions in the room. United Archives ‘Lost’ Lennon Demos. Sharp’s book, an oral history with a cast of dozens intimately involved with the album, captures the interplay between the three producers, and their various production styles: Andy Newmark (Drummer): Although he had not recorded for the five years prior to Double Fantasy , John demonstrated that he was still very comfortable and confident in a recording studio. Clearly, he knew his way around that environment. I was impressed right from the start with his authority, his clarity, and his ability to make decisions fast. He never lost his focus. That was fantastic. We got the leadership, confidence and authority that we needed. This was unlike many artists who I’ve worked for who are not leaders in this context, though they may well be amazing talents nonetheless. George Small (Keyboards): There was one song where nothing was gelling, although I can’t remember the title of it. John took each of us aside and directed us individually. In about 10 or 15 minutes, he had everyone playing just what he wanted. He took the approach like he was fixing a machine or a watch and just tuned each one of us to the parts he wanted. Jack Douglas (Producer): I knew instinctually how to make it work in the studio. My general philosophy about making records is sometimes you need to go in and write with the artist, like I did with Aerosmith. In other situations, you facilitate, from doing the budget to making sure the studio is booked to hiring all the musicians. Other times, you just have to gently guide the thing along. When you have a talent like John Lennon, do you need to get in his way? No. You just need to let it happen. Lee DeCarlo (Engineer): Jack is a brilliant producer. John knew what he wanted and Jack helped him facilitate ideas. He was diplomatic. For example, if John had a nugget of an idea, Jack would go away for a day or two and he’d come back and say, “Remember that idea you had? Why don’t we try this?” Also if there was ever a disagreement, Jack was the tie-breaker. Part of Lennon’s incisiveness in the studio came from the fact that he had labored over primitive demos for the songs that gave him a distinct picture of how the finished songs should sound, yet those demos also revealed both a certain insecurity and perfectionism: Jack Douglas: He double-tracked because he hated the sound of his voice. And I used to tell him, “John, you don’t have to double.” These demos from Bermuda were recorded on a Panasonic boom box—it was just acoustic guitar on it, or in one case, piano on “Real Love” and him and Fred Seaman banging on pots and pans. He actually took the time to play those from one Panasonic to another one and double his vocal because he couldn’t bear that I would hear these things with a single vocal. One anecdote regarding Lennon’s double-tracked vocals finds him in slightly pushy producer mode, yet there’s a hint of the famed mischievous young Beatle at work too: Jon Smith (Assistant Engineer): One day, early in the project, as I was setting up in the studio, John and Yoko arrived early. Jack and Lee [DeCarlo] hadn’t arrived yet and John had an idea for a vocal part, a harmony part that he wanted to record. I loaded the multitrack tape and cued it up, but when we looked at the track sheet, there were no open tracks to put his part on. John said not to worry, there was an old trick they used to do on Beatle records. They would do an overdub on a track that already had something recorded on it, without erasing what was already there, but disconnecting the erase head from that track. The trick of it is to get the new recording at the right level so it’s balanced correctly with what’s already there, and we’d only get one shot at it so we’d have to get it right the first time. He told me he had faith in me and that he’d take full responsibility when Jack and Lee came. We decided to go right on to the lead vocal track that John had sung when cutting the song. He went out into the studio. We practiced it a few times to get the level right and then recorded it. When we played it back, it sounded great, and when Jack and Lee got there, we played it for them and they loved it. Throughout the book, associates relay story after story of how Lennon’s analytical mind was always at work. More than once, people tell of complimenting him on a new track or perhaps noting that a certain Beatle song was their favorite, and Lennon never merely said “thanks;” instead he asked “Why do you think that?” in an effort to figure out what in his work resonated with others. Over the course of Starting Over , Sharp skillfully takes the reader into the Hit Factory, observing the sessions like a fly on the wall. With plenty of period photos and copious insights from all involved, he serves up everything one could possibly want to know, from the name of the space-age guitar Lennon played through the sessions (a Sardonyx), to what his abandoned tracks recorded with Cheap Trick were like, to why Ahmet Ertegun was thrown out of the studio. While the narrative starts with Lennon and his cohorts attempting (in vain) to keep their recordings secret in case they flop, readers soon watch the ex-Beatle regain his confidence as the album begins to take shape. And if Lennon was experiencing doubts at the time, he didn’t allow his studio musicians to have any: Tony Davilio (Arranger): I remember whenever Andy Newmark thought he made a mistake, he’d say “Uh-oh, they’re gonna get Russ Kunkel.” [Famed L.A. session drummer who worked with the likes of Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Crosby Stills And Nash, and Linda Ronstadt] He said it in a joking way. He must have said this about 50 times. After a few days of him saying this, John said, “G—dammit, Andy; if I wanted Russ Kunkel, I would’ve gotten him!” But in truth, Andy was the perfect drummer for the sessions. From all the recollections in Starting Over , it’s clear that Lennon was a commanding presence, but also a man who created an upbeat, supportive vibe that encouraged everyone at hand to do their best. Julie Last (Assistant Engineer): It was somewhat intimidating at first working with John. After all, he was a Beatle. But he was very easygoing and funny and so excited to be back in the studio after five years of being a “house husband.” His spirit was like a little kid in a candy shop. You just got swept up in his joy at being back to making a record again.” Subscribe. For more stories like this, and to keep up to date with all our market leading news, features and analysis, sign up to our newsletter here. Ken Sharp. Ken Sharp is a New York Times Best Selling writer who has authored or co-authored over twenty music books, contributes to a variety of national music magazines, works on music documentaries and has done liner notes for releases by Elvis Presley, Sly & the Family Stone, Janis Joplin, Small Faces, Santana, Cheap Trick, Raspberries, Eric Carmen, KISS, Hall & Oates, Rick Springfield, The Babys, John Waite, The Guess Who, Jellyfish, Jefferson Airplane and others. His books include: Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Double Fantasy, Elvis: Vegas ‘69, Nothin’ to Lose: the Making of KISS (1972-1975), Elvis Presley: Writing for the King, Sound Explosion: Inside LA’s Studio Factory with the Wrecking Crew, Overnight Sensation: The Story of the Raspberries, Raspberries: TONIGHT!, Eric Carmen: Marathon Man, Reputation is a Fragile Thing: The Story of Cheap Trick, Play On!: Power Pop Heroes, Kooks, Queen Bitches and Andy Warhol: The Making of David Bowie’s Hunky Dory, KISS: Behind the Mask, Meet the Beatles…Again!, Small Faces: Quite Naturally, Rick Springfield: A Year in the Life of a Working Class Dog, Power Pop, The KISS Years!, and KISS Army Worldwide!: The Ultimate KISS Fanzine Phenomenon. Ken Sharp. Ken Sharp is a New York Times Best Selling writer who has authored or co-authored over eighteen music books, contributes to a variety of national music magazines, works on music documentaries and has done liner notes for releases by Elvis Presley, Sly & the Family Stone, Janis Joplin, Small Faces, Santana, Cheap Trick, Raspberries, Eric Carmen, KISS, Hall & Oates, Rick Springfield, The Babys, John Waite, The Guess Who, Jellyfish, Jefferson Airplane and others. His books include: Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Double Fantasy, Elvis: Vegas ‘69, Nothin’ to Lose: the Making of KISS (1972-1975), Elvis Presley: Writing for the King, Sound Explosion: Inside LA’s Studio Factory with the Wrecking Crew, Overnight Sensation: The Story of the Raspberries, Raspberries: TONIGHT!, Eric Carmen: Marathon Man, Reputation is a Fragile Thing: The Story of Cheap Trick, Play On!: Power Pop Heroes, Kooks, Queen Bitches and Andy Warhol: The Making of David Bowie’s Hunky Dory, KISS: Behind the Mask, Meet the Beatles…Again!, Small Faces: Quite Naturally, Rick Springfield: A Year in the Life of a Working Class Dog, Power Pop, The KISS Years!, and KISS Army Worldwide!: The Ultimate KISS Fanzine Phenomenon. Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Double Fantasy. The murder of John Lennon on December 8, 1980, sent shockwaves around the world. The most acclaimed singer/songwriter of his generation, first a Beatle and then a boundary-pushing solo artist, was senselessly silenced forever at age forty; immediately, his final musical statement, an intimate, pop-infused collection called "Double Fantasy," released only weeks before his death, skyrocketed to #1 worldwide, as did its poignantly titled single, "(Just Like) Starting Over." His first studio recording since 1975’s Rock ’n’ Roll—and his first musical endeavor of any kind since taking a much-needed hiatus to raise Sean, his son with Yoko Ono—"Double Fantasy" represents more than a comeback album to Lennon fans and music critics alike. It captures a cultural icon at the pinnacle of his creative success and personal fulfillment; thirty years later it remains a musical touchstone and an affecting reminder of what could have been. "Starting Over" is an oral history of the making of Double Fantasy and the definitive account of John Lennon’s last days. From early demos to sessions at New York City’s The Hit Factory, from the electrifying chemistry of the studio band to keeping the project under wraps to the album’s release and critical reception, here is fascinating, insightful commentary from all of the key players involved in its extraordinary creation: Yoko Ono, David Geffen, producer Jack Douglas, engineers, arrangers, session musicians, music journalists, and even Lennon himself via archival interviews. "Starting Over" is the essential portrait for anyone who hears both a beginning and ending in the tracks of Double Fantasy. Ken Sharp is a New York Times Best Selling writer who has authored or co-authored over twenty music books. His books include: Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Double Fantasy, Elvis: Vegas ‘69, Nothin’ to Lose: the Making of KISS (1972-1975), Elvis Presley: Writing for the King, Sound Explosion: Inside LA’s Studio Factory with the Wrecking Crew, Overnight Sensation: The Story of the Raspberries, Raspberries: TONIGHT!, Eric Carmen: Marathon Man, Reputation is a Fragile Thing: The Story of Cheap Trick, Play On!: Power Pop Heroes, Kooks, Queen Bitches and Andy Warhol: The Making of David Bowie’s Hunky Dory, KISS: Behind the Mask, Meet the Beatles… Again!, Small Faces: Quite Naturally, Rick Springfield: A Year in the Life of a Working Class Dog, Power Pop, The KISS Years!, and KISS Army Worldwide!: The Ultimate KISS Fanzine Phenomenon. Category: Nonfiction » Music » Individual Composer & Musician Category: Nonfiction » Music » Rock music Published: Oct. 8, 2020 Words: 61,340 Language: English ISBN: 9781005580766. Ken Sharp is a New York Times Best Selling writer who has authored or co-authored over twenty music books, contributes to a variety of national music magazines, works on music documentaries and has done liner notes for releases by Elvis Presley, Sly & the Family Stone, Janis Joplin, Small Faces, Santana, Cheap Trick, Raspberries, Eric Carmen, KISS, Hall & Oates, Rick Springfield, The Babys, John Waite, The Guess Who, Jellyfish, Jefferson Airplane and others. His books include: Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Double Fantasy, Elvis: Vegas ‘69, Nothin’ to Lose: the Making of KISS (1972-1975), Elvis Presley: Writing for the King, Sound Explosion: Inside LA’s Studio Factory with the Wrecking Crew, Overnight Sensation: The Story of the Raspberries, Raspberries: TONIGHT!, Eric Carmen: Marathon Man, Reputation is a Fragile Thing: The Story of Cheap Trick, Play On!: Power Pop Heroes, Kooks, Queen Bitches and Andy Warhol: The Making of David Bowie’s Hunky Dory, KISS: Behind the Mask, Meet the Beatles…Again!, Small Faces: Quite Naturally, Rick Springfield: A Year in the Life of a Working Class Dog, Power Pop, The KISS Years!, and KISS Army Worldwide!: The Ultimate KISS Fanzine Phenomenon.