MORE POPULAR THAN JESUS (Room 308)
MORE POPULAR THAN JESUS (Room 308)
On March 4th 1966 John Lennon gave an interview to Maureen Cleave of the Evening Standard. It was an in depth look at the life of a pop star away from the public gaze. He talked freely about beliefs and philosophy. Maureen noticed a Bible and Crucifix that John had bought in Chester. “He is reading extensively about religion.” wrote Cleave. “Christianity will go” asserted John. “It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that. I’m right. We’re probably more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first… Rock n Roll or Christianity.” The observations were treated in context in the whole article. It was a low key look at the life of a pop star at home and did not elicit much response in the UK. Over four months later, John could be forgiven for not even recalling the interview; such was the hectic schedule that a Beatle adhered to. However on 29th July, a US teen magazine ran the headline “I don’t know which will go first, Rock n Roll or Christianity!” Mayhem was about to erupt on the eve of The Beatles last ever US tour. Two days later an Alabama Radio Station started a boycott of the Beatles records and then organised a ritual burning of their albums. The story and the backlash spread coast to coast very quickly which became a PR nightmare for Brian Epstein with less than 2 weeks to go to the opening show in Chicago. Death threats were made and Brian seriously considered cancelling the whole tour. Ultimately Brian convinced John that the only way out was for him to make an apology. John was furious as he did not think he had anything to apologize for and that everything had been taken out of context and blown out of proportion. Reluctantly, very reluctantly, John made an uncomfortable apology (of sorts) on a nationally broadcast press conference from The Astor Towers Hotel in Chicago on 11th August 1966, the eve of the first gig. The furore died down a little but fear was omnipresent and pervaded the whole tour and this episode in truth was probably the final nail in the coffin for the band as live performers. They had outgrown their constant touring obligations; it was no fun anymore, so why do it?
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
MORE POPULAR THAN JESUS (Room 308)
On March 4th 1966 John Lennon gave an interview to Maureen Cleave of the Evening Standard. It was an in depth look at the life of a pop star away from the public gaze. He talked freely about beliefs and philosophy. Maureen noticed a Bible and Crucifix that John had bought in Chester. “He is reading extensively about religion.” wrote Cleave. “Christianity will go” asserted John. “It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that. I’m right. We’re probably more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first… Rock n Roll or Christianity.” The observations were treated in context in the whole article. It was a low key look at the life of a pop star at home and did not elicit much response in the UK. Over four months later, John could be forgiven for not even recalling the interview; such was the hectic schedule that a Beatle adhered to. However on 29th July, a US teen magazine ran the headline “I don’t know which will go first, Rock n Roll or Christianity!” Mayhem was about to erupt on the eve of The Beatles last ever US tour. Two days later an Alabama Radio Station started a boycott of the Beatles records and then organised a ritual burning of their albums. The story and the backlash spread coast to coast very quickly which became a PR nightmare for Brian Epstein with less than 2 weeks to go to the opening show in Chicago. Death threats were made and Brian seriously considered cancelling the whole tour. Ultimately Brian convinced John that the only way out was for him to make an apology. John was furious as he did not think he had anything to apologize for and that everything had been taken out of context and blown out of proportion. Reluctantly, very reluctantly, John made an uncomfortable apology (of sorts) on a nationally broadcast press conference from The Astor Towers Hotel in Chicago on 11th August 1966, the eve of the first gig. The furore died down a little but fear was omnipresent and pervaded the whole tour and this episode in truth was probably the final nail in the coffin for the band as live performers. They had outgrown their constant touring obligations; it was no fun anymore, so why do it?
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
MORE POPULAR THAN JESUS (Room 308)
On March 4th 1966 John Lennon gave an interview to Maureen Cleave of the Evening Standard. It was an in depth look at the life of a pop star away from the public gaze. He talked freely about beliefs and philosophy. Maureen noticed a Bible and Crucifix that John had bought in Chester. “He is reading extensively about religion.” wrote Cleave. “Christianity will go” asserted John. “It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that. I’m right. We’re probably more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first… Rock n Roll or Christianity.” The observations were treated in context in the whole article. It was a low key look at the life of a pop star at home and did not elicit much response in the UK. Over four months later, John could be forgiven for not even recalling the interview; such was the hectic schedule that a Beatle adhered to. However on 29th July, a US teen magazine ran the headline “I don’t know which will go first, Rock n Roll or Christianity!” Mayhem was about to erupt on the eve of The Beatles last ever US tour. Two days later an Alabama Radio Station started a boycott of the Beatles records and then organised a ritual burning of their albums. The story and the backlash spread coast to coast very quickly which became a PR nightmare for Brian Epstein with less than 2 weeks to go to the opening show in Chicago. Death threats were made and Brian seriously considered cancelling the whole tour. Ultimately Brian convinced John that the only way out was for him to make an apology. John was furious as he did not think he had anything to apologize for and that everything had been taken out of context and blown out of proportion. Reluctantly, very reluctantly, John made an uncomfortable apology (of sorts) on a nationally broadcast press conference from The Astor Towers Hotel in Chicago on 11th August 1966, the eve of the first gig. The furore died down a little but fear was omnipresent and pervaded the whole tour and this episode in truth was probably the final nail in the coffin for the band as live performers. They had outgrown their constant touring obligations; it was no fun anymore, so why do it?
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON