John Lennon and Yoko Ono in Toronto

Scenes
by Howard Smith

I WAS IN TORONTO last week to do an interview for WABC-FM with John and Yoko Ono Lennon; one of the reasons the Lennons were there, as you probably already know, was to announce their "peace festival." It seems everyone and his greedy brother is slapping together a rock festival, but this one sounds like it might headline the summer's fare, and include one unique and cozy feature. The entire stage will be in the form of a massive bed, and so this July 3, 4, and 5 the joyful noise of "rock, peace poetry, and whatever" will be coming from between the sheets. Then the Lennons will be coming from between the sheets. Then the Lennons would like to tuck the whole package in and take it on a world tour, especially to Russia and Czechoslovakia.

When I asked him about the Beatles as an entity, John said casually that they might never play again, then added that they feel that way every time they finish an album. On the other hand, he mentioned that it is getting increasingly hard to fit all their songs on one lp, notably since George has begun to write so prolifically. He did seem sure they would never tour again as a group. As for music, John felt they hadn't made any dynamic changes since "Sergeant Pepper," and their music should go further out again. He also denied that the Beatles are leaving the Allan Klein management, and in fact said he liked Klein, not only as a businessman but also as a person.

When asked why he comes to Canada so often, other than problems with his U.S. visa, John answered, "Because it talks to China." Another reason why he was there this time was to sign the 5000 copies of his erotic lithographs. In between writer's cramp and macrobiotic meals (served by two chefs flown in from the Caldron on the Lower East Side), the Lennons planned the next phases of their peace campaign. They just completed their billboard event in Times Square and 10 other major cities, and will present another surprise in Japan by remote control in the next few weeks.

Both John and Yoko seem unaffected that war is even more powerful a piggy now, despite all their dove flutter and commotion. "We believe in selling peace...nobody says to give up Christianity because Christ died."

Their latest angle will be a "peace poll." Letters, postcards, or any other voucher from the peace-bent will be sent to a prescribed -- as yet to be announced -- address. They think that maybe a mountain of this mail can be delivered to one of those masters of war who is impressed by statistics.

[Each weekday morning, we post an excerpt from another issue of the Voice, going in order from our oldest archives. Visit our Clip Job archive page to see excerpts back to 1956.]