Plastic Ono

The last time I saw John was on September 13, 1969, at Varsity Stadium in Toronto. It was the world debut of the Plastic Ono Band and they were part of a stellar rock ‘n’ roll revival with Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, the Doors, and Alice Cooper. John was nervous as hell, throwing up before the concert, but as usual was fantastic on stage. With him were Yoko, Eric Clapton on lead guitar, Klaus Voorman on bass and Alan White on drums.

I can’t remember where I was the day John Lennon was assassinated. I was too shocked and numb and depressed and angry. A few months before he was killed, John said, “If the Beatles or the sixties had a message, it was learn to swim. Period. And once you learn to swim, swim. You make your own dream. That’s the Beatles’ story, isn’t it?”