John Lennon married Yoko Ono in 1969, just a year after meeting her. The Beatles star had met her at an art gallery while he was still married to his first wife, Cynthia Lennon. But after breaking it off with her, Lennon and Ono were inseparable.
The pair went everywhere together, including to the Fab Four’s recording sessions; a detail that would later become a point of contention for the likes of Paul McCartney. And when the band split in 1970, Ono was one of the main “reasons” the press pointed at as an explanation.
But before that, George Harrison was the person who had a bigger problem with Ono.
Lennon recalled the band’s reactions to Ono in a 1971 interview. Remembering Harrison’s reaction to Ono, he said: “George, s**t, insulted her right to her face in the Apple office at the beginning, [he was] just being ‘straight-forward.’ You know that game of: ‘I’m going to be upfront.’”
Lennon remembered Harrison had heard “Bob Dylan and a few other people” saying Ono had a “lousy reputation” in New York. He also said she “gave off bad vibes”.
These comments left the Imagine singer utterly furious.
Lennon continued: “That’s what George said to her! And we both sat through it.”
On reflection, the star realised he wanted to defend his wife by beating Harrison.
“I didn’t hit him,” he added. “I don’t know why.”
Lennon remembered that McCartney had similar reservations about Ono when she arrived on the scene.
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Lennon continued: “That’s what George said to her! And we both sat through it.”
On reflection, the star realised he wanted to defend his wife by beating Harrison.
“I didn’t hit him,” he added. “I don’t know why.”
Lennon remembered that McCartney had similar reservations about Ono when she arrived on the scene.
“I’ll never forgive them,” he raged. “I don’t care what f****n’ s**t about [Harrison’s religion] Hare Krishna and God and Paul with his ‘Well, I’ve changed me mind.’ I can’t forgive ’em for that, really.”
Begrudgingly, he added: “Although I can’t help still loving them either.”
Not every member of the band was against Ono when she arrived on the scene, however.
Ringo Starr was actually very accepting of the avant-garde artist, Lennon explained.
Lennon said: “Ringo was all right, so was [his wife] Maureen [Cox], but the other two really gave it to us.”
But the singer was sad when the rest of his friends would not warm up to his new wife – and future mother of his child. “I was always hoping that they would come around,” Lennon confessed. “I couldn’t believe it, and they all sat there with their wives, like a f*****g jury and judged us.”
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