Rassegna Stampa a cura di Luca Mantini
FOR JOHN LENNON'S BIRTHDAY, YOKO ONO WILL ATTEMPT A GIANT PEACE SIGN
(fom:http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/)
September 2015
To celebrate the 75th birthday of John Lennon, Yoko Ono is inviting the general public once again to give peace a chance: in the form of a giant, human peace sign in New York's Central Park.
Having recently concluded the run of her solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, Ono is taking on as her next major project an attempt to create the world's largest human peace sign on Oct. 6, three days before the date that would have been the late former Beatle's 75th birthday.
Organizers announced Friday that the general public is invited to participate in the event on the East Meadow of Central Park in New York. The gathering is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., near the park entrance on 99th Street and 5th Avenue.
Participants are required to register online, but the event is free and open to all ages. The event, titled "Imagine Peace," is organized by the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, a traveling, nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing hands-on music education to students.
On Friday, Ono officially brought the Tour Bus to New York to commemorate her late husband's birthday in a public event attended by local officials. She was joined by former "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark" actor Reeve Carney, who performed numbers including "Imagine," for a gathering of schoolchildren.
Lennon was born Oct. 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England. He was killed by a gunman in 1980 at 40, near his home in New York. Since his death, Lennon fans have frequently congregated at Strawberry Fields, on the west side of Central Park, to observe the star's birthday and death.
Ono, a performance artist and peace activist, was the subject of the recent MoMA exhibition titled "Yoko Ono: One Woman Show, 1960-1971." The show, which ended Sept. 7, was the museum's first exhibition dedicated exclusively to the artist and spotlighted her performance pieces and other avant-garde creations.
JOHN LENNON: THEY MADE US BELIEVE...
(fom: www.eticamente.net)
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July 2014
I ended up with a poem attributed to John Lennon, that made me consider what today's world makes us believe, never telling us how things really are, so as individuals we are forced to seek the truth for ourselves, understand it at our expense, because no one out there speaks out, no one tells us the truth.
Doors shut in your face, disappointments, lost loves and left loves ... all the real things, we have to live them to understand them. These things do not directly explain them, yet they tell us others things that affect our lives.
We are brainwashed about what is right and what is wrong, we live by stereotypes, clichés, mass ideas and mass information, without really knowing what we think of one thing, what we want and how we want it.
And now, for those who want to look a bit further, those who want to "know", here he comes... John Lennon, one of the greatest songwriter, poet, peace activist of our time. He that knew, he that saw beyond ...
Now it's up to us to open our eyes and stop believing.
John Lennon: They made us believe..
“They made us believe that real love, the one that’s strong, only happens once, more likely before your thirties. They never told us that love is not something that you can put in motion, neither has time schedule.
They made us believe that each one of us is the half of an orange, and that life only makes sense when you find that other half. They did not tell us that we were born as whole, and that no one in our lives deserves to carry on his back such responsibility of completing what is missing on us: we grow through life by ourselves. If we have a good company it’s just more pleasant.
They made us believe in a formula “two in one”: two people sharing the same line of thinking, same ideas, and that it is what works. It’s never been told that it has another name: invalidation, that only two individuals with their own personality is how you can have a healthy relationship. It has been made to believe that marriage is an obliged institution and that fantasies out of hour should be repressed.
They made us believe that the thin and beautiful are the ones who are more loved, that the ones that have little sex are boring, and the ones that have a lot of it are not trustful, and that will always have a old shoes to a crooked foot; what they forgot to tell us is that there are more crooked minds than feet.
They made us believe that there’s one way formula to be happy, the same one to everybody, and the ones that escape from that are condemned to be delinquents. We have never been told that those formulas go wrong, they get people frustrated, they are alienating, and that we can try other alternatives. Oh! Also they did not tell us that no one will tell those things to us.
Each and everyone of us will have to learn by ourselves.
And, when we get to the point that you are in love with yourself first, that’s when you can fall in love with somebody.”
~ John Lennon.
DREAMING : TED , IDEAS WORTH SPREADING
(fom:http://www.ted.com)
www.johnlennon.it welcomes TED, the global comunity, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of our world and invite you to go and enjoy it on TED website. With subtitles and transcriptions of more than 1000 worth spreadings talks in 40 languages!
We'd like to see Yoko, or Ringo or Paul attending the next annual conference, beeing shure they'll have intresting thoughs to share with the World!
JOHN LENNON, 9 OTHERS HONORED WITH MERCURY CRATERS
(fom:http://www.nbcnews.com)
Imagine that.
John Lennon is getting a tribute on Mercury.
The late Beatles legend is among 10 famous people who are having craters on the planet closest to the sun named after them by the International Astronomical Union."deceased artists, musicians, painters, and authors who have made outstanding or fundamental contributions to their field and have been recognized as art historically significant figures for more than 50 years."
In addition to Lennon, the newly named craters are:
Barney, for Natalie Clifford Barney (1876-1972), an American playwright, poet and novelist who lived as an ex-patriate in France.
Berlioz, for Hector Berlioz (1803-1869), a French Romantic composer best known for his compositions “Symphonie fantastique” and “Grande messe des morts.”
Calder, for Alexander Calder (1898-1976), an American sculptor best known as the originator of the mobile, a type of kinetic sculpture made with delicately balanced or suspended components that move in response to motor power or air currents.
Capote, for Truman Capote (1924-1984), an American author whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction include the novella “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and the true-crime novel “In Cold Blood.”
Caruso, for Enrico Caruso (1873-1921), an Italian tenor who sang to great acclaim at the major opera houses of Europe and the Americas and appeared in a wide variety of roles from the Italian and French repertoires that ranged from the lyric to the dramatic.
Ensor, for James Sidney Ensor (1860-1949), a Belgian painter and printmaker, considered an important influence on expressionism and surrealism.
Giambologna, for Jean Boulogne Giambologna (1529-1608), a Dutch sculptor known for his marble and bronze statuary in a late Renaissance or Mannerist style.
Remarque, for Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970), a German author best known for his novel “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which depicted the horrors of war from the viewpoint of young German soldiers.
Vieira da Silva, for Maria Elena Vieira da Silva (1908-1992), a Portuguese-born French painter of intricate, semiabstract compositions.
The 10 newly named craters join 114 other craters named since the MESSENGER spacecraft’s first flyby of Mercury in January 2008. In 2011 MESSENGER, an acronym of MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging, became the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury.
“The MESSENGER team is delighted that the IAU has named an additional 10 impact craters on Mercury,” MESSENGER principal investigator Sean Solomon of Columbia University said in a press release issued by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, which built and operates the MESSENGER spacecraft. “We are particularly pleased that eight of the 10 individuals honored made all or many of their artistic contributions in the twentieth century, the same century in which the MESSENGER mission was conceived, proposed, and approved for flight. Imagine.”
It’s not Lennon’s first celestial honor.
On Oct. 9, 2009, the International Lunar Geographic Society announced that a crater on the moon had been renamed to honor the late Beatles star on his birthday. The crater, located in the moon’s Lacus Somniorum (“Lake of Dreams”) district, was given the designation the John Lennon Peace Crater.
SIR PAUL McCARTNEY URGES PUTIN LENIENCY FOR GREENPEACE
(fom:http://www.bbc.co.uk)
Portraits of Greenpeace activists are frozen in ice cubes in front of the headquarters of Gazprom Germany in Berlin
The protesters are from 18 different countries
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December 19, 2013>
Ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has written to Vladimir Putin, calling for the release of a group of detainees known as the Arctic 30.
In his letter to the Russian president, he expresses hope that the 28 protesters and two journalists could be home before Christmas.
They were arrested during a Greenpeace demonstration against oil drilling in the Russian arctic eight weeks ago.
The group - which includes six Britons - have been charged with hooliganism.
'Hugely respected'
In his letter, Sir Paul, who received a personal guided tour from Mr Putin a decade ago, addressed the Russian president as "Vladimir".
"Millions of people in dozens of countries would be hugely grateful if you were to intervene to bring about an end to this affair," he wrote.
"I understand of course that the Russian courts and the Russian presidency are separate. Nevertheless I wonder if you may be able to use whatever influence you have to reunite the detainees with their families?
Extracts from Sir Paul's 14 October letter to President Putin
- It is now more than ten years since I played in Red Square, but I still often think about Russia and the Russian people.
- I am writing to assure you that the Greenpeace I know is most certainly not an anti-Russian organisation. In my experience they tend to annoy every government! And they never take money from any government or corporation anywhere in the world.
- I see you yourself have said that they are not pirates - well, that's something everybody can agree on. Just as importantly, they don't think they are above the law.
- Forty-five years ago I wrote a song about Russia for the White Album, back when it wasn't fashionable for English people to say nice things about your country. That song had one of my favourite Beatles lines in it: 'Been away so long I hardly knew the place, gee it's good to be back home.'
- I hope, when our schedules allow, we can meet up again soon in Moscow.
Posting the letter on his personal website, the singer said Mr Putin had yet to reply but that the Russian ambassador to the UK had told him the prisoners' plight "is not properly represented in the world media".
Greenpeace says there are five detention centres in St Petersburg and that the detainees have been split between them.
The charity say a further charge of piracy against the group has not yet been formally dropped, despite reports to the contrary.
The Britons being held are journalist Kieron Bryan from London, activists Philip Ball from Oxfordshire and Anthony Perrett from Newport in south Wales, logistics co-ordinator Frank Hewetson from London, communications officer Alexandra Harris from Devon, and second engineer Iain Rogers from Exeter.
They were arrested when Russian security sources stormed the ship following the demonstration.
Executive director of Greenpeace International Kumi Naidoo said: "Sir Paul is hugely respected in Russia, and so we hope his letter brings the day closer when those thirty brave men and women are back with their families."
JOHN LENNON INSPIRES UNIQUE LINE OF EYEWEAR
(fom:http://www.usatoday.com)
(Photo: Adlens)
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Whitney Matheson, USA TODAY
May 31, 2013
Decades after his death, John Lennon continues to inspire us with his music and loving spirit.
A special line of eyewear takes its inspiration from Lennon's signature specs and it raises the bar by helping people in need.
Adlens' John Lennon Collection was created in partnership with Lennon's estate.
It offers a variety of round frames and colored lenses for a reasonable price.
So what makes it unique? Adlens uses fascinating "fluid-injection lens technology" that enables owners to create their own prescriptions in less than a minute.
This can be life-changing for people in countries where citizens don't have access to proper eye care.
Yoko Ono has called Adlens glasses "an interesting concept with such amazing potential ... I am sure John would be proud to be associated with the glasses and the ethos behind them."...
JOHN LENNON EDUCATIONAL TOUR BUS COMING TO UK AND EUROPE
(fom: http://www.musicweek.com)
April 23, 2013
A new non-profit John Lennon Educational Tour Bus supported by Yoko Ono Lennon will reach the UK this summer.
The bus aims to provide young people with free hands-on opportunities to produce original music, video, photo, game app and broadcast projects within its mobile recording studios.
Yoko, along with special guests, will be in Liverpool for the European launch of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus on Wednesday 8th May at the Museum of Liverpool.
The event will be streamed live online.
The bus will also be at the Yoko Ono curated Meltdown Festival on the South Bank in London this June, amongst other soon to be announced dates.
The programme has been made possible by international companies such as Montblanc, Apple and Sony who have contributed equipment and funding.
The facility boasts two studio environments, robotic video cameras, switchable glass doors that change from clear to opaque for privacy, green screen production capabilities from Reflecmedia, Manfrotto’s Sky Track system for suspending lights, cameras, and speakers.
An upper level “Peace Deck” has been created for interviews, live music, DJs, and bands.
“The educational bus is a huge success in the USA. But John would have been extra thrilled that it is now launching in Europe, starting in Liverpool, his home town,” said Yoko Ono Lennon.
Plans for Lennon Bus Europe have been evolving since the first US Lennon Bus hit the road 16 years ago. Yoko Ono Lennon developed the outreach project with Executive Director Brian Rothschild and legendary music manager, David Sonenberg to provide young people with access to state of the art studios as a way of inspiring them to ‘create original projects reflective of their ideas, values, and creativity’.
Like its original sister bus in the US, Lennon Bus Europe is staffed by a crew of three producer/engineers, and will include stops at local schools, colleges and festivals; providing free tours and workshops in which young people produce original songs, audio recordings, broadcast quality music videos and livestream events using equipment from Apple, Sony, Avid, Gibson Guitars, Epiphone Litepanels, Roland, Genelec, Neutrik, SSL, Audio-Technica, and more.
The US Lennon Bus has history as a hit maker, with chart-topping singles from The Black Eyed Peas and Fergie recorded on board. The European edition will also invite name recording artists to participate, mentor students, and utilise the facilities throughout its journey.
Lennon Bus Europe was designed and built by the Ketterer Truck Company, with studio integration provided by Sony Professional Solutions Europe.
Interiors were created by designer Tom Junglas. Lennon Bus Chief Engineer, Jeff Sobel worked closely with all parties.
Plans are underway to further expand the project to China and Japan.
YOKO ONO TO CELEBRATE 80th BIRTHDAY WITH ONE-OFF PLASTIC ONO BAND GIG
(fom: http://www.nme.com/news/yoko-ono/68302)
Janruary 22, 2013
Yoko Ono is set to celebrate her 80th birthday with a one-off gig in Berlin.
The Plastic Ono Band, who recorded three albums with Ono's late husband John Lennon and featured the Beatles legend in their live shows, will play Berlin's Volksbühne on Sunday, February 17.
The band will be led by Ono and Lennon's son Sean Lennon, who collaborated with his mother on her 2009 album 'My Head And The Sky'.
A retrospective of Yoko Ono's visual art will open at the Schirn Kuntshalle in Frankfurt on February 15 and will tour to other museums in Denmark, Austria and Spain in 2013 and 2014.
In a busy year for the artist and musician, a reissue of all her albums from 1968-1985 is also slated for 2013 and she will curate this years' Meltdown Festival at London's Southbank Centre.
Ono recently praised Paul McCartney for saying that she didn't split up The Beatles, thanking him for finally putting the issue to rest and described him as a "brave man".
"I thought people knew that I was not responsible, but surprisingly, many people still felt that. He was very brave. So I'd like to say, 'Thank you, Paul. I love you, we love you'," she said.
Paul McCartney had previously said that Ono's relationship with John Lennon was not the main reason why the band ended, as had been thought.
"She certainly didn't break the group up, the group was breaking up," said McCartney. "When Yoko came along, part of her attraction was her avant garde side, her view of things, so she showed him another way to be, which was very attractive to him. So it was time for John to leave, he was definitely going to leave one way or another."
PAUL SUPPORTS NEW PRO-VEGETARIAN PETA UK CAMPAIGN: "CELEBRATE LIFE"
(fom: http://www.paulmccartney.com/)
November 20, 2012
What is Paul McCartney eating for Thanksgiving dinner this year?
Not turkey, that's for sure – and to bring the message home, he’s supporting a brand-new PETA UK campaign, in which he shows off an "Eat No Turkey" T-shirt below the words "Celebrate Life This Holiday Season. Go Vegetarian".
When Paul sat down to record his narration for PETA's video exposé of the meat industry – called "Glass Walls" which included his famous statement, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian" – he shared what his family eats for the holidays: "We eat a veggie roast at home, so if we have traditional moments like Christmas … the roast is perfect. It's completely vegetarian, but I can slice it, so I can do all my traditional dad things. We can do our family stuff with it, and it's delicious, so I much prefer that to my memory of turkey".
Every year, almost 10 million turkeys are slaughtered in the UK for Christmas dinners alone. In nature, turkeys are protective and loving parents as well as spirited explorers who can climb trees and run as fast as 25 miles per hour. But most turkeys slated to be killed for food are crammed into filthy warehouses, where disease, smothering and heart attacks are common. Turkeys are drugged and bred to grow such unnaturally large upper bodies that their legs often become crippled under the weight.
The "Eat No Turkey" T-shirt is available to purchase HERE!. For more information, including animal-free holiday recipes, please visit PETA.org.uk.
T-shirt photo by Claudia Schmid
MCCARTNEY: "YOKO NOT TO BLAME FOR BEATLES SPLIT"
(fom: http://www.bbc.co.uk)
October 28, 2012
London, Yoko Ono was not responsible for splitting up The Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney claims in a new TV interview.
"She certainly didn't break the group up," the 70-year-old will be seen telling Sir David Frost in an interview to be broadcast next month.
"I don't think you can blame her for anything," he says, claiming John Lennon was "definitely going to leave".
His remarks challenge a school of thought that holds Lennon's widow responsible for the band's separation.
Sir Paul's revelations feature in an hour-long interview with Sir David, 73, that will be aired on the Al Jazeera English TV channel in November.
The programme will also see the former Beatle claim that Lennon would not have written his hit song Imagine without the conceptual artist's influence.
"When Yoko came along, part of her attraction was her avant garde side, her view of things," Sir Paul tells the veteran broadcaster.
"She showed him another way to be, which was very attractive to him. So it was time for John to leave."
According to The Observer, the interview will see Sir Paul muse on losing his mother at the age of 14 and the death of his first wife Linda in 1998.
The musician also discusses being a father and a grandfather, which he describes as "my coolest thing".
Both McCartney and Lennon went on to forge successful solo careers after the Fab Four split up in 1970.
Earlier this month saw the 50th anniversary of The Beatles releasing their first single, Love Me Do, in 1962.
YOKO ONO AWARDS LADY GAGA PEACE PRIZE IN ICELAND
(fom:http://www.reuters.com)
October 9, 2012
(Reuters) - Pop star Lady Gaga was awarded a peace prize by Yoko Ono in a ceremony in Iceland on Tuesday.
Peace activist Ono said the LennonOno Grant for Peace, established in the name of her late husband, former Beatle John Lennon, rewarded Lady Gaga for combining stardom with activism and changing "the mental map" of the world.
"Lady Gaga is in a position of number one as a singer songwriter," Ono told Reuters Television. "And when you are number one you don't want to risk yourself. And she did."
Grammy-winning Lady Gaga, who shot to fame with her debut album "The Fame" in 2008, accepted the puzzle-shaped award in Reykjavik along with a monetary prize that she said she will give to the Elton John AIDS Foundation
Gaga said she would continue to "communicate compassionately to the world and its leaders," and dedicated the award to "youth empowerment around the world."
"I dare you to be compassionate in a cynical age," she added.
Last month, at an event in New York City, Yoko Ono awarded the prize to the members of Pussy Riot. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were sentenced to two years in jail in Russia for staging a "punk prayer" in Moscow's main cathedral.
Tolokonnikova's husband accepted the grant on behalf of the three women.
This year's winners of the prize also included peace activist Rachel Corrie, killed on the Gaza strip in 2003, "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" author John Perkins and the late journalist Christopher Hitchens.
(Reporting by Omar Valdimarsson; writing by Niklas Pollard, editing by Jill Serjeant and Andre Grenon)
LADY GAGA MEETS WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN ASSANGE IN ECUADORIAN EMBASSY
(fom: http://www.itv.com)
October 9, 2012
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was visited by Lady Gaga at the Ecuadorian Embassy, London, where he has been granted asylum.
The two had dinner on Monday evening after Gaga launched her new perfume at the Harrods store - which is next door to the embassy.
In the run-up to the meeting, the WikiLeaks Twitter account posted several updates on the singer - who has 30 million followers on the social networking site.
London: Lady Gaga & Julian Assange: Come visit Assange embassy protest and Lady Gaga outside of Harrods this afternoon.
FROM @WIKILEAKS ON TWITTER: ( 1:15 pm, Sun 07 Oct 2012)
London: Gaga is due to arrive at Harrods in 35 minutes.
FROM @WIKILEAKS ON TWITTER: ( 4:28 pm, Sun 07 Oct 2012)
Gaga delayed. At Harrods + Hans Cresent in 55 mins.
FROM @WIKILEAKS ON TWITTER: ( 5:31 pm, Sun 07 Oct 2012)
Assange, who has been subject to a European arrest warrant after allegations of sexual assault in Sweden, has been in the embassy since June this year.
The Government said it plans to extradite the 41-year-old Australian to Sweden when he leaves the building in central London.
Assange said he does not want to go to the Scandinavian country as he fears this could lead to his extradition to the United States.
Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, has not commented on her meeting with the WikiLeaks founder but posted a photo of the pair on her social networking site Little Monsters.
Before her meeting with Assange, Gaga had angered fans outside Harrods after she arrived at the department store over an hour late and then dashed indoors before many had even seen her.
Fans were left disappointed after she did not walk the black carpet, leading to a chorus of boos.
It's quite ironic it's called Fame because it just shows how much fame has changed her.
– LUKE READER, 18, FROM CENTRAL LONDON
I'm obviously annoyed. She was late and I thought she would sign autographs and I'd be able to get a picture.
– ALEX GEORGE, 18, FROM ISLINGTON, NORTH LONDON
JOHN LENNON NAMED AS NME'S ULTIMATE ICON
(fom: http://www.nme.com)
September 18, 2012
John Lennon has been named as NME's Ultimate Musical Icon of the last 60 years.
The Beatles' co-frontman topped the poll, which began with 60 nominees in March of this year, beating out the likes of David Bowie, Amy Winehouse, Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner, Morrissey, Liam Gallagher and Damon Albarn to take the crown.
Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher came second in the poll, with David Bowie in third and Alex Turner in fourth. Nirvana's Kurt Cobain came fifth, Amy Winehouse came sixth, with Jimi Hendrix in seventh place.
Morrissey ranked in eighth place, with Noel Gallagher in ninth and Ian Curtis in 10th place.
Over 160,000 votes were cast in the poll, which ran for over six months and has taken place to celebrate NME's 60th birthday. You can read the definitive list of all 60 icons in this week's issue of NME, which is on newsstands tomorrow (September 19) or available digitally.
The Top 10 in the poll to find NME's Ultimate Musical Icon of the last 60 years are as follows:
1. John Lennon
2. Liam Gallagher
3. David Bowie
4. Alex Turner
5. Kurt Cobain
6. Amy Winehouse
7. Jimi Hendrix
8. Morrissey
9. Noel Gallagher
10. Ian Curtis
SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY SUPPORTS PUSSY RIOT
(fom: http://www.telegraph.co.uk )
August 16, 2012
Sir Paul McCartney has become the latest celebrity to support jailed Russian activists Pussy Riot, a day before their verdict on hooliganism charges over a “punk prayer” in Moscow’s main cathedral.
The singer’s plea to the three young women to “stay strong” came as the judge in the case, Marina Syrova, was issued a security detail on Thursday because she was allegedly receiving threats.
In a letter addressed to “Nadya, Katya and Masha” published on his website, Sir Paul, 70, said: “I would like you to know that I very much hope the Russian authorities would support the principle of free speech for all their citizens and not feel that they have to punish you for your protest.
“Many people in the civilised world are allowed to voice their opinions and as long as they do not hurt anyone in doing so I believe this is the best way forward for all societies.”
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Maria Alekhina, 24, and Katya Samutsevich, 30, are facing up to seven years behind bars in the politically-charged prosecution, which critics say was initiated by President Vladimir Putin’s circle.
Sir Paul, who met Mr Putin for tea in the Kremlin when he performed in Red Square in 2003, added in his message to the defendants: “I hope you can stay strong and believe that I and many others like me who believe in free speech will do everything in our power to support you and the idea of artistic freedom.”
The three women were virtually unknown when they were arrested in March for doing a chaotic can-can while wearing bright coloured clothes and balaclavas inside the capital’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral the previous month. During this “punk prayer” they genuflected and cried a few words, including, “Mother of God, drive out Putin!”
But their nine-day trial earlier this month attracted worldwide opprobrium, and was interpreted as part of a wider crackdown on dissent since Mr Putin returned to the presidency in May.
Madonna, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Franz Ferdinand are others stars who have voiced their support for the three and a chain of international events is to be held on Friday to coincide with the verdict.
There will be a “protest party” outside the Russian consulate in New York and actress Chloe Sevigny will read from the women’s closing statements at a bar in Manhattan.
In London, a protest in which those attending are urged to “wear a dress even if you are not a woman” is to be held opposite the Russian embassy in Kensington Palace Gardens. Other gatherings in support of the women are planned in at least 50 cities worldwide, including Dublin, Paris, Madrid, Tel Aviv and Melbourne.
In Moscow, peaceful protesters are expected to gather close to Khamovnichesky Court, where Ms Syrova will begin reading her verdict on Friday afternoon. A spokesman for the court said on Thursday she had been put under state protection because of alleged threats from Pussy Riot supports. The prosecution has asked for a three year jail term for the women.
SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY GIRL'S BOOK LAUNCH IS A FAMILY AFFAIR
(fom: http://www.express.co.uk)
May 5, 2012
LONDON — MUSIC legend Sir Paul McCartney’s daughter Mary has launched a cookbook.
Following in the footsteps of her long-time vegetarian father, Mary McCartney (marymccartney.com) has penned a heavyweight debut tome dedicated to meat-free home cooking.
Accompanied by wife number three Nancy Shevell, the former Beatle played the part of proud father at the launch of the book, entitled Food, at London’s Liberty store.
Sir Paul’s fashion designer daughter Stella McCartney (stellamccartney.com) and musician son James McCartney (jamesmccartney.com), also lent their support.
The 69-year- old pop star is no stranger to cookery, having launched The Meat Free Monday Cookbook, based on his family’s campaign to urge people to go meat-free at least one day a week (www.meatfreemondays.com).
GEORGE HARRISON'S WIDOW HOPES BOOK WILL FILL IN BLANCKS LEFT BY SCORSESE DOC
(fom: www.billboard.com)
May 2, 2012
LONDON — George Harrison's widow Olivia hopes to add more perspective on the reticent Beatle with her new digital book, and fill in the blanks left by Martin Scorsese's recent documentary.
Based on Scorsese's "George Harrison: Living in the Material World," the multi-touch book of the same name is available on iBookstore. It includes audio, video material from the film along with personal photographs, letters, and memorabilia never seen by the public (a traditional print edition of the book has been in stores).
Along with the multi-touch book, the DVD of the documentary also came out on Tuesday (May 1).
Scorsese's three-and-a-half hour film on Harrison shows his spiritual side, from his early days with the Beatles to his exploration of Eastern music and religion, and also includes his death in 2001. In a telephone interview from London, Olivia Harrison, who served as one of the film's producers, said she loved the message of the film, but felt it didn't cover her husband's other "sides."
"Marty chose the music for the narrative and it drives the story. I think he fit the music perfectly in there, but there's was a point when I realized, 'Oh wow, we're not going to get past 1975,'" Harrison said. She noted the absence of the song "Taxman" and his 1987 comeback album, "Cloud Nine."
"It was clear, pretty quickly, that we could not fit everything," she acknowledged.
And she notes that the Harrison documentary, which aired last year on HBO, includes more of the ex-Beatle's career in comparison to Scorsese's "No Direction Home: Bob Dylan," which covered Dylan from when he arrived in New York in 1961 to his eventual switch to "electric."
"You know, that documentary ends in 1966. That's it. And you know the volume of music that Bob (Dylan) has produced since then," Harrison said. "Both are three-plus hour movies, yet this one covers a bigger span of George's life."
The documentary covers his early years with the Beatles and post-Beatles solo career. Much of the emphasis is on the former Beatle's travels to India as he explored both the spirituality and music of the country, as well as his collaboration with Ravi Shankar.
Giles Martin, son of the Beatles legendary producer George Martin, did some of the music production on the film. He said Harrison enlightened his father when it came to Eastern music and instrumentation.
"He pushed the boundaries with his journey through Indian music," Martin said.
"My dad said when George brought (his song) 'Within You Without You' to (the Beatles album) 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' he didn't know what to make of it. In that context in that time, 1966, world music wasn't readily available," he added. "So he introduced my dad to the sitar."
Harrison said her husband's ability to translate what he felt in the world in a way that speaks to everyone was at the heart of his gift.
"I think it was the dilemma of life, and where you find yourself, that appealed to him most," Harrison said.
YOKO ONO CAMPAIGN 'IMAGINE THERE'S NO HUNGER' TO RAISE HUNGER AWARENESS
(fom: news.yahoo.com)
October 10, 2011
NEW YORK (AP) — Yoko Ono is launching a global campaign to raise money and awareness to help fight childhood hunger and poverty.
The 78-year-old widow of John Lennon is asking that on Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT), people "take a moment to imagine a nourished and abundant world, where 'the world will live as one.'"
Hard Rock International and WhyHunger are partners with Ono for the campaign called "Imagine There's No Hunger." Various Hard Rock locations will host events on that day aimed at raising awareness.
Sunday would have been Lennon's 71st birthday, and Tuesday is the 40th anniversary of his song "Imagine," which Ono co-produced.
A limited-edition bracelet will go on sale to support the campaign's efforts and people can also text the word "Imagine" to 50555 to donate.
GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD
(fom: beatles.com)
October 2011
George Harrison: Living In The Material World Official Trailer is on YouTube.
Coming this October, Martin Scorsese traces the life of George Harrison in an intensely personal film, weaving together previously unseen archival materials, home movies, and interviews with Eric Clapton, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, George Martin, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Tom Petty, Phil Spector, Ringo Starr, Jackie Stewart and others.
In the US, "George Harrison: Living In The Material World" debuts in two parts on October 5 and October 6, 2011, exclusively on HBO. In the UK, the film is released as DVD, Blu-Ray and Deluxe packages on 10 October, 2011 by Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK.
The UK Deluxe Edition includes 2 DVDs, a Blu-ray, a 96-page booklet and a CD of never-before-released George Harrison tracks. Order your copy on Amazon.co.uk, or check your local retailer. Coinciding with the film, Abrams Books will publish Olivia Harrison's George Harrison: Living In The Material World, a personal archive of photographs, letters, diaries and memorabilia from George's life - available worldwide beginning late October.
For the DVD George Harrison: Living In The Material World Click Here.
For the Book George Harrison: Living In The Material World by Olivia Harrison Click Here.
For the Blu-ray George Harrison: Living In The Material World Click Here.
For the full story visit GeorgeHarrison.com
VARIOUS ARTISTS: SONGS FOR JAPAN
All proceeds go to Japanese Red Cross
(fom: imaginepeace.com)
April 2011
As Japan recovers from the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck on March 11th, the world’s top recording artists respond to the tragedy with this benefit album.
The 38 tracks include some of their biggest hits, featuring “Imagine” by John Lennon, an exclusive remix of Lady GaGa’s “Born This Way” along with original versions of Katy Perry’s Firework, Bruno Mars’ “Talking to the Moon”, Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love”, and more.
In what stands as a major global music relief effort to benefit those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, over 30 of the biggest names in contemporary music have joined together for the worldwide release of “Songs for Japan,” an unprecedented compilation of 38 chart-topping hits and classic tracks, available worldwide on the iTunes Store for $9.99 starting today (http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/songs-for-japan/id428401715). Proceeds from the album’s sale will benefit the disaster relief efforts of the Japanese Red Cross Society.
Proceeds from “Songs for Japan” will be directed to the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) to support its disaster relief efforts. The society will use the funds for the ongoing provision of immediate relief and for eventual recovery support to the affected population.
The artists participating on “Songs for Japan,” the music labels and music publishers have waived their royalties and proceeds from the worldwide sales of the album to ensure that the JRCS receives as much support as possible from this global initiative.
iTunes will also donate its proceeds from the album’s worldwide sales to the benefit of the JRCS, and has prominently featured the project throughout its stores worldwide.
Track Listing
Songs included on the album are:
John Lennon: Imagine
U2: Walk On
Bob Dylan: Shelter From The Storm
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Around The World
Lady Gaga: Born This Way
Beyonce: Irreplaceable
Bruno Mars: Talking To The Moon
Katy Perry: Firework
Rihanna: Only Girl (In The World)
Justin Timberlake: Like I Love You
Madonna: Miles Away
David Guetta: When Love Takes Over
Eminem: Love The Way You Lie
Bruce Springsteen: Human Touch
Josh Groban: Awake
Keith Urban: Better Life
Black Eyed Peas: One Tribe
Pink: Sober
Cee
Lo Green: It’s Ok
Lady Antebellum: I Run To You
Bon Jovi: What Do You Got?
Foo Fighters: My Hero
R.E.M.: Man On The Moon
Nicki Minaj: Save Me
Sade: By Your Side
Michael Buble: Hold On
Justin Bieber: Pray
Adele: Make You Feel My Love
Enya: If I Could Be Where You Are
Elton John: Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
John Mayer: Waiting On The World To Change
Queen: Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)
Kings Of Leon: Use Somebody
Sting: Fragile
Leona Lewis: Better In Time
Ne-Yo: One In A Million
Shakira: Whenever, Wherever
Norah Jones: Sunrise.
AN ITALIAN BOOK IN THE JOHN LENNON TIME CAPSULE STORED IN LIVERPOOL
November 2010
A small piece of Italy is protagonist of the selection of the materials that has been inserted in the three Time Capsules devoted to John Lennon in the thirtieth anniversary of its disappearance. The three John Lennon Time Capsules will be reopened October 9 th 2040, on the occasion of the centennial of the birth of the ex-Beatle.
In the capsule preserved in the Liverpool John Moores University has been inserted the whole extraordinary record and artistic production of John Lennon: album, cd, dvd, sketches, a catalog of the works, and even a CD and DVD reader, that could be impossible to find in 30 years.
Two books only were chosen for the occasion: an illustrated biography of the artist, written by James Henke and the photographic book Imagine Your Dream…A Tribute to John Lennon of the journalist and TV-director Fiorella Dorotea Gentile, that picks up the photos of the vigil in honor of John Lennon in Central Park, under the house of John, a few days after his killing. It withdraws the reaction of people of every gender, age and race facing the premature death of the young and beloved artist, a cry of many for everybody, for the humanity to recognizes the uselessness of violence, mechanicalness and war and join for a more concious, better future.
The photos have been exhibited at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome for a successful show by the symbolic title: Imagine (Your Dream) You Are (Your Dream), or Imagine to be what you want: You already are! Fiorella Dorotea Gentile is also author of the site https://www.johnlennon.it/, that is among the first 10 sites devoted to John Lennon in search engines all around the world and nowadays has reached more than 5 million contacts.
Here you can find the inventory in jpg and gif format: description and photo - page 1 - page 2
JOHN LENNON 70th TRIBUTE CONCERT TO BE HELD IN NY
(from: www.reuters.com)
14 september 2010
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of John Lennon's birth will include a benefit concert in New York, organizers said on Tuesday.
Among the musicians slated to pay tribute to the former Beatle at the November 12 concert at New York's Beacon Theater are Jackson Browne, Patti Smith, Cyndi Lauper, Aimee Mann and Shelby Lynne.
The concert is one of several events and parties being held in New York and around the world to honor what would have been Lennon's 70th birthday on October 9.
Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, is expected to mark the anniversary day in Iceland, where she will light the Imagine Peace Tower memorial located on the island of Vioey, near the Reykjavik.
Ono's "We Are Plastic Ono Band" has also planned tribute shows expected to feature guests Lady Gaga and Iggy Pop in Los Angeles on October 1 and 2, while on October 5 she will help release eight reissued solo albums plus new collections called the "John Lennon Signature Box."
This year Lennon has been depicted in the biopic "Nowhere Boy," by video artist Sam Taylor-Wood and is the subject of a new documentary "LennonNYC" using rarely seen footage of the music legend. He was gunned down outside his New York City apartment on December 8th, 1980.
Proceeds from the concert will be donated to the Playing for Change Foundation, a charity which promotes peace through music and builds music schools in the developing world.
JOHN LENNON TIME CAPSULES
1 september 2010
In Honor of John Lennon’s 70th Birthday
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum will seal three time capsules not to be opened until 2040
Time Capsules will include official body of work, along with fan contributions submitted online.
With the cooperation of Yoko Ono Lennon, the time capsules will be preserved and stored until they are opened in a ceremonial presentation on October 9, 2040. They will be stored at the Rock Hall in Ohio, and at two additional worldwide locations that have significance to John Lennon’s legacy.
The Rock Hall will host a time capsule dedication ceremony at the Museum on Friday, October 8 at 10:30 a.m. The Museum will continue to celebrate Lennon’s legacy with a weekend of special programs built around John Lennon’s personal items in the Museum’s exhibits including in-depth curator discussions, screenings of Lennon-related Induction content and other special events.
"I am delighted to support this effort to help share John's music and messages of peace and love with the children of today and tomorrow” says Mrs. Ono Lennon, “I know that John's work, life and dreams will help inspire them to bring a better world for everyone. Children Power!"
Along with fan contributions the capsules will include John Lennon’s post-Beatles recordings, newly restored art prints of his LP artwork, a newly commissioned essay on his career and other related items.
THE JOHN LENNON TIME CAPSULE PROJECT is being overseen by Jonathan Polk, of BoxofVision LLC, who last year created THE BEATLES Box of Vision.
“John Lennon's body of work IS our time capsule,” says Polk. “It embodies the ideals that once fueled our absolute belief we could change the world…then led to cynical backlash … but now represent how we wish to be remembered.
“The John Lennon Time Capsule is a gift to our children and grandchildren. It is an effort to pass on those messages of peace and love and personal responsibility; to help ensure that John’s beautiful body of work, what he stood for and how he inspired us, will shine on.”
“John Lennon was one of the most influential figures in rock and roll history, not only in terms of his body of work, but also because of how he used his art and visibility to help make a difference in the world,” said Jim Henke, Chief Curator at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
About the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. is the nonprofit organization that exists to educate visitors, fans and scholars from around the world about the history and continuing significance of rock and roll music. It carries out this mission through its operation of a world-class museum that collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets this art form and through its library and archives as well as its educational programs.
The Museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Wednesdays, the Museum is open until 9 p.m. Museum admission is $22 for adults, $17 for seniors (65+), $13 for youth (9-12), $18 for adult residents of Greater Cleveland. Children under 8 and Museum members are free.
The Museum is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. When you become a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the world of rock and roll becomes yours to explore.
Call 216.515.8425 for information on becoming a member. For general inquiries, please call 216.781.ROCK(7625) or visit www.rockhall.com
Boxofvision LLC creates and distributes elegant products for fans to store and display the bodies of work of great recording artists, such as last year’s officially licensed THE BEATLES Box of Vision.
DARK HORSE RECORDS ANNOUNCES RAVI SHANKAR, GEORGE HARRISON BOX SET RELEASE
(from: www.georgeharrison.com)
12 august 2010
Los Angeles – Dark Horse Records announced today the October 19th release of a limited edition deluxe box set, entitled RAVI SHANKAR GEORGE HARRISON COLLABORATIONS. The release honors the sitar master’s 90th birthday.
Collaborations is a 3 CD and 1 DVD uniquely numbered limited edition box set. All compositions were composed by Ravi Shankar and produced by George Harrison over a period of 20 years.
The DVD is a rare concert performance of the Ravi Shankar’s Music Festival From India recorded at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1974. The albums include the acclaimed Chants Of India (1997), The Ravi Shankar Music Festival From India (studio version 1976) and Shankar Family & Friends (1974). The 56-page book includes a foreword by Philip Glass, a history of George and Ravi “in their own words” and rare photographs from both family archives.
The personal and musical friendship between Ravi Shankar and George Harrison has been known and well documented for decades now. It was a friendship that was powerful enough to make an impact on the large, musical life of the late nineteen sixties and it reverberates, as clearly, even today. – from the Foreword by Philip Glass
In 1973 George Harrison signed Ravi Shankar to his Dark Horse Records label. The first joint recording project between George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, Shankar Family & Friends brought together renown Indian classical musicians such as Ustad Alla Rakha, Lakshmi Shankar, and Shivkumar Sharma alongside Western jazz and rock musicians including Ringo Starr, Tom Scott, Klaus Voormann, Jim Keltner and Billy Preston. One half of the album comprises instrumentals and songs, while the second half is a thematic ballet to a yet un-staged performance.
Ravi Shankar’s Music Festival From India (live from the Royal Albert Hall) was the first artistic event organized and sponsored by George Harrison’s Material World Charitable Foundation; bringing together a 17-piece Indian classical ensemble as well as a solo sitar performance by Ravi Shankar accompanied on tabla by Alla Rakha.
In 1997 George Harrison and Ravi Shankar again collaborated on an album. This time Ravi created music for ancient Sanskrit chants with the challenge of maintaining the authenticity of the ancient verses, along with four original compositions. Released in 1997, Chants Of India are timeless, Vedic verses chanted for the well being of man and mankind.
Collaborations, is available on Dark Horse Records and distributed worldwide by Rhino Entertainment.
SEE ALSO "REMEMBERING GEORGE HARRISON: FULL OF LOVE AND FUN"
YOKO ONO DISCUSSES NEW JOHN LENNON DOCUMENTARY
LENNONYC explores the Beatle's last decade in New York
(from: www.rollingstone.com)
6 august 2010
Los Angeles – John Lennon spent the last decade of his life in New York City, finding freedom, inspiration and tragedy there before his death in 1980.
Those years and his relationship with what his widow Yoko Ono calls "the city that he loved so much" are explored in LENNONYC, a new PBS documentary set to premiere November 22nd on American Masters. "It is a very strange city," Ono said Thursday. "It was his love and it was his death."
Ono appeared at a press conference in Beverly Hills to discuss the two-hour film and preview scenes from the work-in-progress, stepping onstage entirely in black, a fedora titled to the side, Sinatra-style. "I was so impressed with how good John was," she said of watching the film's previously unseen footage and recording outtakes. "I knew him as a husband. I wish I could tell him, 'Hey, you're so good.' But he is not there . . .
I still think John's songs are giving power to the people."
In one clip, the raw demo of a song called "Make Love, Not War" is shown evolving into a dreamy final track called "Mind Games." And longtime friend and sideman Klaus Voorman explains on-camera the lasting impact of Lennon's songs: "John talks of his problems, of the fighting with himself. And that's what's makes it so strong and what people can relate to."
There are first-hand remembrances from label chief David Geffen and Double Fantasy producer Jack Douglas, who describes how Lennon tuned his guitar to always flatten the D-string, a habit dating back to his Beatles days so his Aunt Mimi could tell which guitar was his. And during a 1974 radio interview on WNEW-FM, Lennon reads the weather report before discussing his ongoing immigration battle: "Maybe they could just ban me from Ohio or something."
Some of Lennon's happiest years were spent living at the Dakota apartments in Manhattan after the birth of their son, Sean. "I always knew John Lennon had a very gentle side, otherwise I couldn't live with him," Ono said with a smile. "He was always very nice to me. But when Sean was born, he was a totally different person, not just nice. He was so much into bringing Sean up."
Ono said the upcoming October 4th reissues of Lennon's post-Beatles albums would focus on his best-known solo music, and not include the experimental works Two Virgins and Life With the Lions. "I want it to be known exactly what he was — he was a brilliant singer-songwriter and a rocker," she said, "and I don't want something like the avant-garde sneaking in there."
WATCH THE TRAILER OF LENNONYC
RINGO STARR HONORED WITH WALK OF FAME STAR
(from: www.msnbc.msn.com)
9 february 2010
LOS ANGELES - A star for former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr was added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame Monday evening during a whimsical ceremony that also marked the 50th anniversary of the sidewalk attraction's groundbreaking
Starr's name was the 2,401st to be unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
"This is the start of the next 50 years of stars," he said outside the Capitol Records building. "I'm proud to be the first one."
The Walk of Fame also includes individual stars for the drummer's former bandmates John Lennon and George Harrison, as well as the likes of musicians Roy Orbison and Ozzy Osbourne.
"It's cool to get one at night," said Starr. "I don't know about you, but where I live, the stars come out at night.
The Beatles as a group were given a star in 1998.
Those by Starr's side for the unveiling included actress-wife Barbara Bach, musicians Joe Walsh and Ben Harper, producer Don Was, director David Lynch and actor Noah Wyle.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame attracts an estimated 10 million visitors annually to the 18-block stretch lining Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce conceived the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1953 in an effort to return glamour to the decaying neighborhood at time when the film and television industry was on the decline.
"We've seen positive changes," said Hollywood Chamber of Commerce senior vice president Bill Farrar. "We've seen an increase in housing, the opening of many new businesses, the significant reduction of crime and the continual influx of visitors. This walk represents much, much more. This is more than just a tourist attraction and a monument to art.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame's anniversary celebration will continue throughout the year with a community festival in July and a gala in November in which every living celebrity who has received a star will be invited to attend. Other celebrities due to receive stars this year include rockers ZZ Top, funnyman Adam Sandler and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press
CELEBRITIES, ATHLETES PLEAD FOR EARTHQUAKE SUPPORT
(from: Poder360.com)
15 January 2010
With Haiti in utter turmoil after being rocked by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake this week, a number of Hollywood celebrities and athletes have opened their wallets to help the impoverished country rebuild
.
...Haitian native and music producer, Wyclef Jean, has joined the relief effort on the ground, while others like Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Ben Stiller and Scarlett Johansson are all encouraging people to donate.
Jean was quick to encourage the general public to do all they could to help by texting “Yele” to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to his Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (charged to your cell phone bill), or by visiting www.Yele.org and clicking on "DONATE."
...Shakira posted a message on her personal website, asking everyone to donate cash to Jean’s Yele charity organization, while other stars including Mark Hoppus, Yoko Ono, and Kim Kardashian have all taken to their Twitter.com pages to raise awareness of the tragedy.
Madonna has also donated considerable funds to help end the unfathomable suffering. In a statement sent to PerezHilton.com, the singer says: “My prayers are with the people of Haiti. I can’t imagine the terrible pain and suffering they are experiencing. Sadly the depths of the tragedy are just becoming known and the need for our support grows more urgent with every passing moment.
George Clooney announced that he has signed on for a telethon to aid the devastated island nation. The Oscar-winning actor will take part in a fundraising program to be telecast on all MTV networks on Friday, January 22, according to a posting at MTV.com. The article notes that other actors and musicians will be announced as taking part in upcoming days...
By Melissa Arteaga Marti | PODER360.com
HELP HAITI – Here’s how
HELP HAITI NOW:
Please donate $5 by texting YELE to 501501 on your cellphone.
Please text YELE to 501501 to donate $ 5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund:
Yéle Haiti is a grassroots movement that builds global awareness for Haiti while helping to transform the country through programs in education, sports, arts and environment. It was founded by Grammy-Award winning musician Wyclef Jean in 2005.
GEORGE HARRISON 8th ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL TRIBUTE
(from: BeatlesNews.com)
November 27, 2009
The Alliance for Survival peace group will be holding the George Harrison 8th Anniversary Memorial Tribute on this Sunday, November 29, 2009, at 12:00 Noon, at George's new Hollywood Walk of Fame Star.
At this free-to-the-public memorial tribute, George Harrison and Beatles fans will join hands to form a "Human Chain of Hope for World Peace" between Harrison's star and the John Lennon star on the same block.
George Harrison was born in Liverpool, England on February 25, 1943 and passed away on November 29, 2001 in Los Angeles after a long bout with cancer.
Also, on Tuesday, December 8 beginning at 6:00PM, a public John Lennon 29th Anniversary Memorial Tribute will take place at Lennon's Walk of Fame Star.
Olivia Harrison's message honoring George Harrison:
Chris Carter, host of "Chris Carter's 'Breakfast With the Beatles," got a message from Olivia Harrison for the anniversary of George Harrison's passing.
It read,
Thank you Chris and each one of you for remembering George today
The love we feel for him grows and grows.
I think of George and a million wonderful things flood my mind and heart. And a million things in the world remind me of him, from a leaf blowing across the sky to hum of a guitar string.
God bless us all. Send your warm loving thoughts to all the people in the spiritual sky and your kind actions to the people here in the material world, especially those in need.
Love from Olivia and Dhani
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER LIGHTS IN SECOND LIFE
(from: AFP)
October 10, 2009
SAN FRANCISCO - Just hours after Friday's annual lighting of the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, a virtual version of the tribute to late Beatle John Lennon opened in online world Second Life
"I hope we will all come to visit it when it lights up every sunset time, as it spreads our wishes of peace throughout Second Life," Lennon's widow Yoko Ono said Friday in a message at her imaginepeace.com website.
"Remember, each one of us has the power to change the world."
Ono's avatar spoke at the Second Life lighting ceremony, and then danced with others until a virtual dawn.
She left the online realm to dash on stage in Iceland to sing "Give Peace a Chance" with her son Sean and local musicians taking part in a Lennon tribute concert, according to organizers there.
The tower on an island in Second Life is modeled after the real-world version, which uses mirrors to bounce beams from powerful searchlights into the sky from a white platform 17 meters in diameter
Imagine Peace Tower was dedicated in Iceland on Oct. 9, 2007 on what would have been Lennon's 67th birthday. The Beatles band member whose songs included "Imagine" and "Give Peace a Chance" was shot dead in New York City in 1980.
The light blazing into the firmament from an island near Reykjavik is said to be powerful enough to be seen in space. The tower is annually lit each night from October 9 until the December day that Lennon died.
Time is accelerated in Second Life, resulting in a half-dozen dusks and dawns in a real-world day.
Above the virtual tower are a set of clouds where animated characters, or avatars, that are people's proxies in Second Life can socialize, meditate, or take in views.
Virtual hot springs were added in tribute to the fact that the real Imagine Peace Tower is powered by geothermal energy, according to Linden Lab, the San Francisco company behind Second Life.
Avatars can also ride above the island in Imagine Peace hot air balloon.
TORONTO LAWYER OUTLINES DAY WITH LENNON IN HIS BOOK, 'I MET THE WALRUS'
(from: winnipegfreepress.com)
May 2009
TORONTO - Nearly 40 years after quietly slipping into John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "bed-in for peace" in a Toronto hotel as a teen, Jerry Levitan still gets chills whenever he returns to the scene.
"I opened the door and I had goosebumps," the Toronto lawyer and eternal Beatles fanatic said in a recent interview inside Room 769, dubbed the John Lennon Suite, at the King Edward Hotel.
"It's the same room," he said. "They've changed the drapes but I think it's the same look of drapes and the configuration is basically the same."
Levitan was last in the room a year ago for an interview about his Oscar-and Emmy-nominated animated short, "I Met the Walrus," which recounts his glorious day with the late Beatle. Levitan returned again this year to talk about his new book of the same name.
"I tell the story of what it was like being a kid in those days, and I talk about me as a kid and why I was so drawn to the Beatles, particularly John," he said of the book.
"Then I talk about the Beatles and how they grew up along with me and millions of other kids and then the miraculous moment when I heard that John Lennon might be in my hometown, Toronto.
I trace that day and the aftermath of it, step by step."
Levitan was 14 when he took the bus with his camera to the hotel on May 26, 1969, and entered the room, pretending he was a reporter.
The rock legend and Ono took an instant liking to Levitan as he sat on the rug while they lounged on a couch. Later, they signed his copy of their album, "Two Virgins," and granted him an exclusive Canadian interview.
"The second I walked in here and looked at his face, I knew it changed me for life," said Levitan. "It made me think I could do anything."
A DVD with audio and video of the interview is included in the book. Also there are Levitan's never-before-seen photographs from the event and illustrations from James Braithwaite, who also worked on the animated short.
"I Met the Walrus" (Harper Collins) officially launches May 26, the 40th anniversary of the Toronto "bed-in for peace," one of three held by Lennon and Ono as a non-violent way of protesting war. The other two were held in Amsterdam and Montreal.
Though Levitan has told the story of his life-altering encounter with Lennon, his "hero," and Ono countless times before, the memories still excite him.
"I met what for me and for a lot of other people was the biggest star on Earth at the height of his fame. Someone I fantasized about, idolized, listened to the music constantly, looked at the pictures, whatever," said Levitan, who also acts and composes music.
"I could not have imagined him to be better, because not only was he the real deal - just the way he walked, the way he talked, the things he said, the look in his eyes - but he was so kind to me and so open to me. He gave me such respect."
"I Met the Walrus," the short film, was directed and written by Josh Raskin and produced by Levitan. It's up for a Daytime Emmy Award in the category of "new approaches - daytime entertainment," for its success on YouTube.
The Daytime Emmys will air live from Los Angeles on Aug. 30 on the CW network.
TEARFUL YOKO ONO TALKS ABOUT JOHN LENNON EXHIBIT
(from: nypost.com)
May 2009
NEW YORK -- A new John Lennon exhibit is particularly emotional for his widow, Yoko Ono. Besides Lennon's guitars, letters and other personal effects, it also includes a paper bag containing the bloody clothes from the night he was shot to death.
Ono received the items from the medical examiner in December 1980, when the former Beatle was gunned down in New York City at age 40.
"It was hard to include," Ono said. "And I thought it might be criticized as well.
But ultimately, Ono thought it was important to let people see the effects of gun violence
.
The Lennon items are part of a new exhibit that will launch Tuesday at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex. "John Lennon: The New York Years" includes Lennon's famous New York City T-shirt, his upright piano from his Dakota apartment, and a posthumous 1981 Grammy Award for the couple's album "Double Fantasy."
"I know it's a kind of a sad and very poignant kind of paradox I think that he loved this place so much and this is where he was killed," she said in an interview after a news conference for the exhibit.
There are also letters documenting Lennon's long-fought battle against deportation in the early 1970s, both from the government and supporters. Glass cases also contain a dozen or so handwritten lyrics.
Ono says Lennon's death still haunts her nearly 30 years later: "I still get affected by it."
"If it (his death) was a slow a process we could have talked about it or something," she added, holding back tears.
The exhibit will be on display throughout 2009.
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