Music to Your Ears: John Lennon’s ‘Rock and Roll’
In 1972 John Lennon teamed up with notorious producer Phil Spector to record a collection of rock’n’roll oldies. Those sessions took place in L.A. during a period the ex-Beatle would describe as his “lost weekend,” a time of drunk and drugged carousing and general misbehavior. Making matters worse, when the sessions were completed, the mercurial Spector disappeared, taking the tapes with him. Lennon was left with a rough mix cassette copy of the songs, and found them to be sloppy, badly recorded and sometimes out of tune.
But meanwhile, claiming a verbal agreement with Lennon, shady music industry figure (and associate of organized crime) Morris Levy released an unauthorized LP using the rough mixes. The affair landed Levy and Lennon in Federal court.
Jay Bergen represented John Lennon and Yoko Ono in those cases. In the process he became friends with the couple, both of whom were determined to fight Levy. That story is the basis for Bergen’s book, Lennon, The Mobster & the Lawyer.
Bergen’s book was published this year. And that presents a great opportunity to dive into the record, rediscovering the qualities that make it special, important and controversial. Join host Bill Kopp (that’s me) and special guest host Jay Bergen as they lead a discussion of John Lennon’s Rock and Roll. We’ll chat about the background, creation and legacy of key tracks, and even listen to some unreleased tapes from the session.
As lawyer for John Lennon and Yoko Ono during the Federal court cases related to the Rock and Roll album, Bergen is uniquely qualified to discuss the John Lennon’s sixth solo studio release. We’ll listen to key tracks and facilitate audience discussion.
WHAT: Music to Your Ears Discussion Series: John Lennon’s Rock and Roll
WHO: Discussion led by music journalist/author Bill Kopp, with guest host Jay Bergen
WHERE: Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr., Suite D, Asheville
WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 5 @ 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (doors open 6:30) $10 at the door / SEATING IS LIMITED
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.