Live In New York City

Performer: John Lennon
Artist: Yoko Ono
Engineer: Paul Hamingson; Tim Crich
Producer: Yoko Ono
Distributor: EMI Music Distribution

Notes: Personnel: John Lennon (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Yoko Ono (vocals, keyboards); Wayne "Tex" Gabriel (guitar); Stan Bronstein (saxophone); Adam Ippolito (keyboards); John Ward, Gary VanScyoc (bass instrument); Jim Keltner, Rick Frank (drums). "Que pasa, New York?" sings John Lennon in the song for his new home that opens this historic Madison Square Garden appearance. On LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY, Lennon sounds thoroughly excited and just on the brink of chaos at times, but his hard-earned rocker chops don't let him down. The political is balanced with the personal here. Lennon chooses a favorite from his Cavern Club days, "Hound Dog," as well as one from the late Beatles' repertoire, "Come Together." The tender utopian vision of "Imagine," with a catchy new sax hook on the bridge, is contrasted with the bleak, pain-infused "Cold Turkey." As politically minded as Lennon was at this point in his life, where he once sang "Yeah, yeah, yeah" ("She Loves You," 1963) and "No, no, no" ("I'm So Tired," 1968), here he settles for "Well, Well, Well," existentially musing about whether or not one can raise consciousness in the face of the unstoppable force of destiny. On the chilling "Mother," we feel our own pain, not just his, and when the serio-comic "Instant Karma" starts churning irresistibly, one wants to hug this sorely missed New-York-by-way-of-Liverpool rock & roller in recognition and appreciation.

After exiting the Beatles, John Lennon cast off all artistic shackles and explored his muse fervently. Employing everything from primal screams to hard-rock minimalism, 1950s rock & roll, and plaintive balladry, Lennon simultaneously exorcised his personal demons and promoted a vision of utopian possibilities for the world's future. After a five-year retreat from the spotlight, during which he concentrated on raising his son Sean, John re-emerged with the striking comeback album DOUBLE FANTASY, on which he was aided, as ever, by his constant life/art companion Yoko Ono. Lennon's newly re-energized progress was tragically halted shortly after the album's release by the bullets of a crazed assassin's gun.

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