College Friends

Cynthia with her art college friends: Cynthia, Phyllis, Ann, Annette, and Jenny in June of 1961

Neighborhood

 

Surprise Tour Guest

Lennon by Lennon

Photographed by Julian Lennon

Backstage Business

Photographed by Julian Lennon

In February of 2007, Sean was on his European tour when he got a surprise waiting for him after a show: his big brother Julian! 

"I thought it time to make big changes in my own life. Part of that has been to get Sean back into my life, because I love him so much. We just hugged and held each other. I got in touch with Sean's tour manager without him knowing, and was sitting backstage when he came off a gig in Prague. He said, 'Jesus, you look just like my brother.' I said, 'I am your brother.' He looked really closely at me, and it scared the shit out of him. We just hugged and held each other. We had been out of touch because of comments I had made about his mother. So he said: 'How long are you staying?' I told him: 'I am coming on the tour bus with you.' So I slept on the floor as we travelled through Croatia and Slovenia."

Julian, 2007

"I stood behind the stage and waited. When he came off initially he thought I was some Croatian security guy. We then chatted away and then he told me that he had a spare bunk in the touring van, and invited me to carry on with them. We went to some other east European countries and to Germany."

Julian, 2009

Sean Profile

Photographed by Julian Lennon

For two weeks, Julian traveled with Sean on his tour, sleeping on the floor of a tour bus, becoming an unofficial roadie, and a photographer - something that soon took off as a new career interest.

"I actually became the sort of assistant tour manager for restaurants."

Julian, 2010

"He's much better at organizing than I am. You're the organized one! Anyway, it was the most touching thing."

Sean, 2010

"Just experience, my dear boy. Just experience."

Julian, 2010

"I was hanging around with Sean, annoying him but really doing anything I could to help his tour manager with the show. There was this compact camera sitting in the wings. I happened to get a few nice shots and managed to add them to the first exhibition"

Julian, 2016

Naked

Photographed by Julian Lennon

Here's Looking At You Kid

Photographed by Julian Lennon

When Dreams Fail

"John would have been 50 this October but the main reason is that, as his friends and family couldn't attend his funeral, we wanted to pay tribute, in our own way, to the life and death of John Lennon. You can't just erase so many years of living together, or the memories, and we wanted to offer him this final homage."

Cynthia, 1990

May Pang, Cynthia, Mike McCartney and Sid Bernstein at Mike's The Macs book party on November 23, 1981 at the Horn of Plenty Restaurant in New York City.

Photographed by Ron Galella

In January 1989, Sid Bernstein had a brilliant far out idea: an ultimate tribute concert for John Lennon. Sid was a music promoter, managing musicians to perform at venues, like Carnegie Hall, Shea Stadium which was exactly what he did for The Beatles. Now, for some reason, instead of turning to John's widow, Yoko Ono, Sid reached out to Cynthia instead. Because she felt that Julian, his family, friends, and herself never got the opportunity to say goodbye to John in form of a funeral, this concert idea would be a way to go. For the record: there's was no funeral for John other than a worldwide silence for 10 minutes per Yoko's request. Sid and Perry Muckerheide visited Cynthia at her home in Isle of Man to discuss their tribute idea for John and her support. The original idea was to have a rock symphony based in Milwaukee and televised around the world. The ideas got extended into not only would it provide a celebration for John's life and career, it would also benefit saving the environment as well as united for peace during the aftermath of the Berlin Wall. Cynthia thought long and hard about this until she agreed.

"I can only tell you that I loved John. He was a friend of mine. We talked occasionally. And I just hope he would have approved.''

Sid Bernstein, 1990

"At first I thought, well, I'm not really into tributes. The marriage of the environment and the music and the celebration, to me, is a very good marriage, and it can only be good for the future.''

Cynthia, 1990

''It's a concert celebrating the unfolding progress thoughout Europe, Latin America and Southern Africa toward freedom. We feel that were John alive, he would have made a point of celebrating this unfolding and making sure we never go back in time.''

Perry Muckerheide, Promoter 

''I felt that it would be wonderful if we could 'come together' and close the chapter of the book, as it were. There are a lot of words that haven`t been said and a lot of feelings that haven`t been expressed. It's like saying, OK, we've had all the books, we've had all the trash, now let's celebrate the man's life and let it rest. The things that linger are the words and the music and the memory of a man who really cared, and let's just end it on that note.'

Cynthia, 1990

"Because she was offered $1-million to approach the Beatles, and she told us she needs the money. As for memorializing John, she wrote a book about him after he divorced her, he sued her when it was published, and they weren't on speaking terms for 22 years."

Sam Havadtoy, 1990

Cynthia with Willy Brandt, the former Chancellor of Germany, on June 22, 1990

By July of 1989, things were shaping up. 

The original planned October 9, 1989 with the performance from Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Milwaukee Ballet didn't happened, but instead got rescheduled for next year that would be John's 50th birthday. Sid and Cynthia held a press conference in Los Angeles on December 11, 1989 to announce a show of the century in Milwaukee on March 12 and 13th, 1990.

"I've had a feeling for the past 10 years that I wasn't able to pay my last respects to John. I wasn't there when he died. There was nothing I could do to say goodbye, so when this cropped up I thought this would be my way of saying goodbye to John."

Cynthia, 1989

Cynthia met with Rudolf Nureyev and Michael Jackson to dance together. There was talk to do the dance at the White House. However, Michael was recording an album and Rudolf wasn't participating, according to Sam Havadtoy, Yoko's companion. 

''In my opinion if Michael Jackson were going to participate in an event, it would be one with Yoko's permission and not one sponsored by Sid Bernstein.'' 

Peter Shukat, Yoko's lawyer, 1990

''As Michael Jackson said, although he is close to Yoko and Sean, he feels Cynthia and Julian are the root of the Lennon legacy.'' 

Perry Muckerheide 1990

''She can't do it. Sid Bernstein, who brought the Beatles to America, offered her $3 million to get stars to a 50th tribute. The Beatles are Sid's mission in life. Cynthia said she had Nureyev, but Nureyev told me, 'I'm not participating.' It's a puff of smoke.''

Sam Havadtoy, 1990

George Lucas agreed to provide the special effects. Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Elton John, Liza Minnelli, Mikhail Baryshnikov, The Bee Gees, and The Moody Blues agreed to perform as did Paul McCartney, alongside with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of George Martin. Cynthia also reached out to Ringo Starr (she spoke to Barbara Bach as Ringo claimed to have laryngitis) and George Harrison. It would've been a Beatles reunion. Cynthia hoped Julian would be part of it.

"Miracles do happen. Who knows what they'll all decide at the end of the day?"

Cynthia, 1990

"It would be wonderful but at the moment it's just a plan."

Cynthia, 1990

''I've written to all of them. I've spoken to Paul, and Paul was very warm to the idea.''

Cynthia, 1990

''My concert has to be the three and Julian. My feeling is it must be all of them or it's not what it's supposed to be. Yoko should be there. It's a real celebration of peace, brotherhood, love, and it's time they got back together again.''

Hans Janitchek, President of the United Nations Society of Writers, 1990

''Julian's position is that due to his personal relationship with his brother and due to his decision not to have his career confused with the mystique and spirit of John Lennon, he is supporting Cynthia from a distance on this. It's a very sensitive issue, to be honest.''

Perry Muckerheide

''Julian has been approached, and obviously he has managers to negotiate with. I'm not interfering with Julian's career, but he supports whatever I do anyway.''

Cynthia, 1990

Cynthia traveled around, meeting government tops for their support and funding, like Willy Brandt (as pictured above) in Germany, Coretta Scott King and Mikhail Gorbachev in Washington D. C. Instead of March, it was announced in May of 1990 that the "show of the century" was pushed to October 9th at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin instead of Milwaukee.

There were many ideas for this big concert. I personally think everyone bit off more than they could chew. Many other idea events came up to make way....

March 20th - Cynthia and New York Mayor David Dinkins ringing the United Nations Peace Bell (probably the only event that successfully went through).

July 4th - United States independence day bash on the White House front lawn with a dance performance by Michael Jackson and Rudolf Nureyev to John's music. Michael also had a choice to sing with a choir, or to just be present. Instead, that idea fell through and to be included for the October 9th show.

Unknown date - an event in Kenya with its government support to honor the emergence of Africa and liberalization in South Africa.

September - John and Paul's induction into the United Nations Society of Writers Hall of Fame. According to Perry Muckerheide, Cynthia would accept the award on John's behalf.

October 9th - the Come Together concert dedicated to John Lennon at Berlin Wall's Brandenburg Gate in Germany.

"So many of us in John's family were never given the chance to say good-bye properly. But what has started out as a tribute to John has grown, I think, into something much more important. The world is changing so fast on the one hand, but conversely, we are destroying ourselves environmentally. The world is certainly bigger than two women who loved the same man."

Cynthia, 1990

"I wrote to her a year ago to ask her if she would like to join in the homage but she replied saying she had her own plans - amongst them a concert in Liverpool. I think the important thing is to remember John and I don't think it matters who actually organises the homage. However the American press have distorted the facts and are saying that there are disagreements and discord between Yoko and myself. My response is that the only thing that divides Yoko and myself is the Atlantic. There's no point always going over old ground."

Cynthia, 1990

Yoko, Julian, Sean, and Cynthia at the Hard Rock Cafe on August 3, 1989 after Julian's concert at the Beacon Theater. Earlier that day, Cynthia and Yoko met earlier in the Dakota about the John Lennon tribute concert.

Cynthia wanted one meaningful endorsement: Yoko's. After all, Yoko was indeed the widow, and had the rights to use John's music. Another thing was that the press was having a field day of ex-wife vs. widow over their tribute concerts. Cynthia called her for a meeting; Yoko agreed. During this time, Julian was to perform at the Beacon Theatre with Sean making an appearance on stage (which I already posted, Stand By Me). On August 3rd, the day of the concert, Cynthia and her boyfriend/manager Jim Christie went to the Dakota for their meeting with Yoko. Cynthia found it almost unbearable to walk on the spot where her ex husband was gunned down. Cynthia was hoping that this tribute to John as well as their sons appearing on stage together that this would lead a friendship and to honor John. When they got to the apartment, Jim didn't remove his shoes and didn't want Cynthia to remove her shoes either (which is a no-no, it's Japanese custom to leave the shoes by the door. Heck, a friend of mine isn't Japanese is like that! I have to take my shoes off whenever I enter her house). Jim and Cynthia were led to the kitchen and sat at the nook area with cushioned benches. Cynthia was a little started by seeing a replica of a gun that had shot John sitting on a nearby shelf. Yoko and her companion, Sam Havadtoy, came in to talk business. Cynthia explained about the concert and the ideas attached to it. After Cynthia finished, Yoko told her she would consider it and get back to her. Later that evening, it was Julian's concert with Sean and then the after party at the Hard Rock Cafe. Yoko's lawyer said to have contacted Sid and Peter of their plans but Yoko held back her endorsement.

"Realistically it's about what you'd expect. We have spoken over the years. We have stood together and watched our two boys on stage. We are both part of John's family."

Cynthia, 1990

"I want to stress that in my heart I truly believe it is really time to bury the hatchet, I'd like to see us all come together for the good of everyone involved."

Cynthia, 1990

''Cynthia made her personal overture after a very emotional decision to walk over the steps for the first time where John was killed and into the home of the woman who was very much the reason for the end of her marriage to John Lennon. She said, 'On behalf of our sons I think we should do this together and not separately.' She offered to exchange endorsements of the events, and Yoko insisted she would not collaborate, period.''

Perry Muckerheide

There was supposed to be a lunch date two days afterwards between Yoko and Cynthia, but because Cynthia was accompanied by Sid, Yoko cancelled the lunch date.

A few days later, Sam contacted Cynthia to tell her Yoko refused to take part in the tribute and was planning her own tribute concert set for May. Yoko knew of this tribute around July of 1989 when she decided to do her own tribute show and sent Sid and Perry the cease and desist letter to stop their Lennon activities. Obviously that didn't happened as Sid and Perry were determined to do this show of the century.

Yoko claimed in an interview that Cynthia planned to make millions from this concert yet it was for charity. When the printed interview reached Cynthia, she knew the plans were doomed. The ugly rumor that the money was going to Cynthia instead circulated and seeds of doubt happened. While I do believe the intention to give to charities, Sid and Perry had no charities set up other than their production, We Believe. Sid, Cynthia, and everyone else attached to this had to abandon the project. Yoko's tribute to John, also called Come Together, went ahead on May 5, 1990 in Liverpool where John's family were in the audience after buying their own tickets and not invited backstage. Proceeds went to John and Yoko's Spirit Foundation.

"I object to two men wanting to stage a show for commercial benefit and bringing another woman into the picture as a smoke screen unsuspecting Cynthia Lennon and saying: 'Let's see the two women fight.' Whatever the smoke screen, they're not going to get my permission. The whole thing is a hoax."

Yoko Ono, 1990

'Sid Bernstein, Perry Muckerheide and Cynthia are in this to make profit. Yoko is in this to raise money for charity in John's memory and in his honor. Yoko does not want to do business with them. That is the bottom line.''

Peter Shukat, Yoko's lawyer, 1990

"Yoko's response reflects very much what I think has come about in the last 10 years, which is that it's impossible for her to share even the memory of John Lennon. All the money goes from Yoko and comes back to Yoko and is controlled by Yoko. It remains a Yoko only event. It's very easy for a wealthy woman to do a tribute to John Lennon with money that he earned.'' 

Perry Muckerheide 

''She has the right to prohibit the use of music in connection with an event regarding John Lennon. Sid Bernstein has been told that from the start.''

Peter Shukat, Yoko's lawyer, 1990

''It's my belief that there are songs that aren't necessarily hers alone.''

Sid Bernstein, 1990

"But when you have more than one person selling two similar events, all you do is detract from the value of the event, and it makes it difficult for either party to go and sell their event. Every time we turn the corner to talk to someone about a television deal, there's another article saying that Sid Bernstein has George Martin, Rudolf Nureyev and Paula Abdul.''

Peter Shukat, Yoko's lawyer, 1990

''I feel it's available to everyone to honor this guy just as it's available to honor Martin Luther King,''

Sid Bernstein, 1990

"Yoko was approached by us, but she has her own event. You can see that the people on her roster (Terrence Trent D'Arby, Roberta Flack, B.B. King, Cyndi Lauper) meant nothing to John personally or to his life. Even the date, May 5, has no personal significance. The performers we are dealing with are all the ones you would expect to be at such an event -- the peers who knew John and worked closely with him."

Perry Muckerheide

"Nobody's angry at Cynthia Lennon. Unfortunately, Mr. Berstein is in my opinion using her.''

Peter Shukat, Yoko's lawyer, 1990

"Cynthia Lennon is an innocent party. There's a Milwaukee promoter, a former waiter, named Perry Muckerheide, working with Sid Bernstein, and his mission in life is to reunite the Beatles. But the Beatles aren't interested. George has always said: 'As long as John is not alive, the Beatles cannot reunite.'"

Yoko Ono, 1990

''I have a job to do, and that's all I want to be involved in. I don't want to be in Star Wars and all that lunacy. I'm sure if you're talking about the essence of John Lennon, that's the last thing he'd want.''

Cynthia, 1990

Cynthia and Sid at Julian's Timeless photography exhibition opening at the Morrison Hotel Gallery on September 16, 2010 in New York City

While the surface looks like Yoko purposely sabotage Cynthia's tribute to John, I think it was more towards Perry Muckerheide and Sid Bernstein. I don't know why but Yoko must have known something was fishy with the men. Especially Sid. Granted he got The Beatles into Carnegie Hall and Shea Stadium, but Sid was literally obsessed getting The Beatles reunited like in 1976, he offered $100 million for a single concert (to be fair, there were a lot of other offers, including Saturday Night Live, trying to get The Beatles together). In 1979, Sid tried again offering The Beatles to perform on behalf of South Africa but instead ABBA took the spot. As for Perry, he was a waiter before becoming a promoter. Other than that I can't find much more about him -- I don't know if he's alive or dead! I don't know the history between Sid and Yoko; as for Cynthia, they may have met in 1964 while in New York for the first time when The Beatles played Carnegie Hall. Definitely for sure met again in 1981 for Paul's brother Mike's book release party. Was Sid using Cynthia, as Yoko believed? I can't say for sure, although I admit having Cynthia in the forefront of John's tribute is weird. An ex wife? Perhaps Sid felt sympathetic with Cynthia... It's one thing to use for support, I don't think that's weird, but to use Cynthia as the face? Whatever it may have been, it didn't falter Sid and Cynthia's friendship as it was evident when Sid went to Cynthia's book party in New York in 2005 and at Julian's first photography exhibition in 2010, with Yoko also attending. Sid died on August 21, 2013.