John Lennon, the boy we knew
From London’s Guardian Newspaper:
Before the Beatles, John Lennon was a school friend, a bandmate, a boyfriend - and a big personality. We talk to the people who knew him best during his Liverpool youth
Rod Davies, banjoist for the Quarry Men, John’s first band:
I met John at St Peter’s Sunday school when I was about five. He quickly ended up there when he came to live with Mimi. John was a bit of a villain even in those days – he would spend his two pennies for collection on bubblegum. Him and [his friend] Pete Shotton often had to give up their gum at the start of the hour-long class. But I was too frightened of hellfire and damnation.
John was the best singer in the group by far but I don’t think any of us recognised him as a major talent. The talent obvious at the time was his cartooning. His cartoon book, the Daily Howl, used to pass around the school. Even some of the teachers would have a good laugh at that in the staffroom. But he was a disruptive pupil; he didn’t always know where the boundaries were. Eric said that he basically ruined his education by fooling around too much.
Bill Harry, Liverpool College of Art friend and founder of Mersey Beat:
When I first saw John he was strolling amidst the students at Liverpool College of Art, dressed like a teddy boy. All the other students were in duffle coats and turtle necks, and I thought, “Art students are supposed to be bohemians and rebels and they’re all dressed the same, they’re all conventional. He’s the rebel, I must get to know him.”
I loved John’s art because it reminded me of Steinberg, the American artist. He had a great fluidity of line with his cartoons and things. But he was such a rebel. We’d get commissions at college, the teacher would say “I want you to paint the docks”, and when he collected the work and ordered it by merit, John’s would be last because while everyone would depict cranes and dockers and things he’d just draw a foot.
Thelma McGough, first girlfriend at Liverpool College of Art:
John was enormous fun to be with, always witty, even if it was a cruel wit. Any minor frailty in somebody he’d detect with a laser-like homing device. We all thought it was hilarious but it wasn’t funny to the recipients. Apart from the first instance, where he mocked my name, I never experienced it until I ended our relationship.
I’ve never wondered what might have been. It sounds disingenuous, but I wouldn’t like to have been married to John – that would be quite a gargantuan task! He would’ve been 70 next year and I just cannot imagine a 70-year-old John Lennon. I’d be fearful that the fire would’ve gone out.”
Allan Williams, The Beatles’ first manager:
I had him down as a coffee-boy layabout, as I used to call him, and thought he was rather arrogant. But when I got to know him – it’s quite tragic really. I had an unhappy childhood, too, so there was a bit of an understanding there, although we never talked about it. I remember Stuart Sutcliffe saying that he once saw John at the top of the stairs at art school, crying on his own. That, to me, was the real John, but on stage, of course, he was arrogant.
He was a sensitive lad but not that sensitive because he’d swear at the Germans, say “we won the war” and that sort of thing. Once I got a phone call from Stuart, saying, “we’re in deep trouble”. It turned out John Lennon was swearing so badly that the promoter sacked them.
Much more at the link…
