Over the gate...

Designed in 1913 by Victorian/Edwardian/other architect Theophilus A Allen; John Lennon's house between 1964 and 1968; sunroom, attic and prisco stripe hibernice; Mellotron and caravan; Babidji and Mimi; mortar and pestle; Wubbleyoo Dubbleyoo; curios and curiosity; remnants and residue; testimonials and traces; (Cavendish Avenue, Sunny Heights and Kinfauns); Montagu Square; mock Tudor: Brown House: *KENWOOD*.

(Also available as a blog.)

Legal Blah: This blog is for historical research only, and is strictly non-commercial. All visual and audio material remains the property of the respective copyright owner, and no implication of ownership by me is intended or should be inferred. Any copyright owner who wants something removed should contact me and I will do so immediately. Alternatively, I would be delighted to provide a credit. The writing is by me, such as it is, unless otherwise stated, and this is the only Beatles related blog I am responsible for.

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Friday 25 May 2012

Kenwood: August 28th, 1967.


Serenity Now! On the afternoon of August 28th, 1967, a very stunned (albeit serene) John and Ringo gathered with Ray Coleman round the pool at Kenwood to discuss the previous day's events. Pete Shotton had driven up from Hayling Island that morning to lend moral support, but, having found John very serene indeed on his perch, headed off again to tend to matters supermarket.
John, of course, was later to regret the whole Maharishi-led Serenity Now response to Brian's death.
As it sayeth in Seinfeld: Serenity Now - Insanity Later. And so it came to pass that under the influence of Arthur "Insanity Now - Serenity Later" Janov, John, fresh from Primal-ing, resented the way he'd bottled up his real feelings of anger/guilt etc., and characterised the Maharishi as a "f**kin' idiot" in the Wenner Rolling Stone interview.
Though he was later to turn on Janov in similar fashion, if certain accounts are to be believed John stuck with the notion of "squeezin' the real feelin'"(TM), occasionally in ways that might generously be described as "somewhat insensitive", right up until the end of his own life.
Alas, no pics from the day in question, but plenty o' text; download and zoom in to read.

Friday 18 May 2012

Hyde Park: further shiznit.


The venerable Meet The Etc. recently posted some rather good new Hyde Park pics, so I thought I'd go for a stroll and see what other Then Unt Nows might be found. Firstly, the above pic. Some reasonable doubts have been raised as to whether John's Roller was at the '67 Hyde Park session, but the location certainly seems to match the pic on the right, "done" today. If so, they parked up near Hyde Park Corner, on the mix of sand and horse-shit between Rotten Row and South Carriage Drive.
They'd then have walked round to the eastern end (absolutely riveting stuff) of Serpentine Road, and headed along toward the Serpentine itself.
This pic would seem to have been taken near the Cavalry Statue; the shape of the paths is the only one that fits, though there have clearly been changes in the ensuing half century:


After a spot of tea (covered elsewhere here), they were pictured on a bench or two. The new photo on MTB finally gives the exact location - note the 4 trees in the background, looking almost exactly the same still:


There's no bench on the spot now, but the same ones, presumably refurbished a bit, are still there dotted around the edge of the lake. I'm going to need a hand etc.:


And this:


Finally (thank feck), the Beatles, o' course, had form when it came to Hyde Park pics; apparently, according to tome o' tomes the Beatles' London, this is the very spot where Beatles For Sale was, errr, also "done":

Sunday 13 May 2012

29/04/67: Die Blumenkinder von London


As Alan Partridge might say, "extra ordinary". John, plus, I'd hazard a guess, Terry Doran (though I could be wrong), doing the "eye" thing at the 14 Hour Technicolour Dream, having driven up from Kenwood, on Owsley.
And here's a John's-eye view of the whole aforementioned "thang":


Someone or other has uploaded a German doc onto YouTube, stuffed with milieu, and full of Fabs-related interest.
Dandie Fashions on the Kings Road (later to become Apple Tailoring)? Try 16.04. John Crittle much in evidence.
Apple shop opening? Previously unseen (by me, and I assume, probably wrongly, by you) footage at around the 28 minute mark, or so.
Plus the above of John at the Ally Pally (16.40 or thereabouts).
Enough o' my yakkin'. Here 'tis:


Many thanks to Master Julian Carr for sniffin' this oot.
PS: Some (including me) have questioned whether that is Terry Doran. Well...take a look at the 'tache on that:

Friday 11 May 2012

Montagu Square: September, 1968.


John during the Cott interview in September 1968, in the main room downstairs at 34 Montagu Square. A mountain of junk (or non-junk, as the case may be) has followed him and Yoko from Kenwood, including the Brennels from the attic studio:


The flat has been characterised as a tip by various people who had access during the period, with musical equipment, old newspapers, "knickers" (dirty or otherwise) strewn hither and, indeed, thither in every room; and so it would seem. Others recall that the temperature was overly hot, and the air always thick with Indian incense acquired in Rishikesh.
These days, it's a much more spartan affair: