When "Double Fantasy" was released in 1980, it marked a new phase for John Lennon, who'd been a househusband and was releasing his first album after a five year hiatus.
Was the album a move to reinvigorate himself or re-invent himself? In what musical direction would Lennon have been heading after the album? Given that he was working on "Walking on Thin Ice" the night he died, it's possible that's his partnership with Yoko Ono signaled the direction he was headed musically, but were there other clues as to his musical future?
The newest Fab Fourum podcast, available through www.podarama.com/fab_fourum, examines the question as hosts Rob Leonard, Mitch Axelrod, Ken Michaels and Tony Traguardo discuss whether the album was a return to form and just picking up where he left off or a "new phase" John Lennon album.
In our view, given Lennon's inquisitive nature, it's doubtful he would have stood still. It'll be interesting to hear what the Fab Fourum guys think.
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Comments
As much as I love "Watching The Wheels," I would hope DOUBLE FANTASY wasn't any "direction" John intended to take. Overall, those sessions, and the MILK & HONEY sessions, as well (with the exception of "Nobody Told Me, which was vintage Lennon), produced pleasant, but very bland, MOR music. The same kind of thing he was lambasting Paul about in "How Do You Sleep?"
I agree mostly with Matt.
But I also think that Double Fantasy shows a direction -- if not strictly musical, at least "philosophical".
I think one can see a strong tendency of him to stick with his old rock formulas since albums like Mind Games. At the same time, he was extremely open to the sounds of his times.
So it seems it was natural to him to make softer music. Just look at his references at the time: B-52's instead of Clash or the rest of punk rock. Like McCartney, he was getting old, that's all.
I am a big fan of Walking On Thin Ice (not a fan of Yoko's vocals - but I do like the music). I like to think that might have been the direction he could have been headed in. I think it worked as a great blend of his own musical preference that worked with the then current style (new wave?) I think John would have progressed. It's such a shame we will never know. I guess I'm really hoping for a Rock & Roll Heaven to find out.
Clues? No! Speculation?Always! I do not think the next venture was to be a pseudo collaboration.Solo more likely. I think what Yoko did musically was novel for her at best and this lent some freshness to her tracks (courtesy of John and his vision musically.
I think much of his Milk and Honey tracks would have been reworked or scrapped.It's unfortunate that all her songs were new compositions while his were not on Milk and Honey.That was cheap.Then again what would the eighties had been like musically if he survived. One thing is clear to me..Now if tables were turned in an alternate universe..would John be recording his solo release within a month of his spouse's murder? My mind says.."No way".. I am still puzzled as to why Yoko felt it necessary to do this with Season Of Glass and release it 6 months after his death. The album cover graphic was also hurtful to many that did not need reminding of that horror and pain.
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