Wednesday 2 June 2010

John

John




I was around in the 60s and some of it I can remember. It was not all it is cracked up to be but truth be told it was a wonderful time. There was an excitement in the air, and the whole movement of love and peace sang to my inner me.

I wonder if that was where my not liking haircuts came from. I wore my hair very long in those days much longer than I wear it now, but then I did not have a wife who kept reminding me I needed it cut.

I played in a band as well as having a job during the day. Thank goodness I learned a lesson that I hint at in my other blog. Money has the power to bring joy but it also has the power to destroy. Had I not met a man who was to change my life forever I think I might not have had a life to enjoy?

It is amazing the influence the 60s have had. I was aware of that yesterday listening to some of the music of the time. So many of those songs and tunes are still around as are some of the bands.

I was more a Rolling Stones than a Beatles fan but age has moulded the two and now I listen from time to time to both.

It was with surprise then that a young person recently asked me to do a sketch of John. I did one of my black and white ones using black paper and only a white pastel.

It is not at all surprising that I only showed it to the person who asked me to do it and it still kicks about in a drawer somewhere.

But put it on today because it seemed to fit the thinking of both of my blogs. Apologies to lovers of the Beatles and John in particular.

This blog is linked to my other:-Real Wealth

5 comments:

  1. Nice historycal confess;-) I like stony 'Exile on Main Street' as well as 'IMAGINE...'; and the personality of G.Harrison. My pride is to have met Albert Hofmann in his home to learn a lot philosophy about nature-drugs. You nearly got *John* on your pastel; but we KNOW it first, before we SEE it, I guess...

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  2. Sheesh, Ralph. You do yourself an injustice with your lament on your rendering of John Lennon. I recognized him immediately and thought it was fabulous! I was pretty young in the 60's, but I sure remember it. My parents were young in the 60's as well...20's to very early 30's and I still remember my dad's horror of the "love" movement! LOLOL

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  3. Yes, I recognized him immediately too! The 60's were very exciting - with the new Beatles music and the vibe all over the world. Everyone swinging on the message of love and yeah yeah yeah !

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  4. Well i was born in the 70's but my ears were raised on this music too. My fav has and will always be Lennon. I "studied" him not the Beatles. for a longtime, reading bio after Bio. He has been a great influance in my growing. I have shirts,posters, music. You name it if it has lennon on it i have it.haha. Thank you for this great painting, to remind me what his message (after the Beatles) was about. He was before his time. He also was an artist, along with Yoko. I have prints of his work as well.
    I enjoyed the Beatles music, never was a Stones fan.sorry but my heart belongs to Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. Great work ralph
    cheers

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  5. ha I remember my older brother brought home the first Beatles album sold in the US. we were all amazed at how long their hair was!! I too liked the Stones better and although my friends went and screamed at the movie "A Hard Day's Night" I was working at the theater and did not scream! I was in Prague in 2008 and the group of young students and I were wandering some back streets on the other side of the Charles Bridge when we came across the Lennon wall. Apparently some kids had graffitied (sp?) this curved wall with tributes to John after his murder. And the Communists kept painting over it and lo and behold the next day the wall was redone! It happened several times and the Communist officials finally threw up their hand and left the wall intact. Today you can add to it if you want. There is a sculptured Lennon face in the wall and it is super. I will try to find my pics of it and post them on my blog. BTW I too recognized your portrait right away..well done.

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