John news - new documentary coming out
Looks like it will be very interesting. Here's some info.
John Lennon's Most Revolutionary Songs Collected for New Capitol/EMI Soundtrack to Controversial New Documentary Film, The U.S. vs John Lennon
Friday July 28, 8:03 pm ET
The U.S. vs John Lennon CD Features 19 Original John Lennon Tracks, Including 'Imagine,' 'Instant Karma (We All Shine On),' 'Nobody Told Me,' 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' and Two Previously Unreleased Tracks
CD's Package Includes Newly-Penned Liner Notes by Yoko Ono Lennon
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Capitol/EMI Music Catalog Marketing will release the original soundtrack album to the highly-anticipated feature length documentary film, The U.S. vs John Lennon. The soundtrack, available on CD and digitally on September 26, collects John Lennon's most evocative songs, including "Imagine," "Nobody Told Me," "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)," "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," and "Power To The People," as well as two previously unreleased tracks, "Attica State," recorded live at 1971's "John Sinclair Freedom Rally" benefit concert in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the film's instrumental version of "How Do You Sleep." The CD and digital album packaging will include a liner notes essay written exclusively for this release by Yoko Ono Lennon. The controversial film, distributed by Lionsgate Films (Crash, Fahrenheit 9/11), will open in New York and Los Angeles theaters on September 15, followed by wide release at the end of September.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Never in a million years, did we think that promoting World Peace could be dangerous. Were we naive? Yes, on that account, we were. John sings: 'Nobody told me there'd be days like these.' That was his true confession," says Yoko Ono Lennon, "These songs have become relevant all over again. It's almost as if John wrote these songs for what we are going through now."
The U.S. vs John Lennon follows Lennon's artistic and personal evolution between 1966 and 1976 as he broadened his personal and artistic scope, launching from his Beatles-rooted music legend pedestal into powerful, globally-resonating antiwar and social justice activism. As the Vietnam war exploded and America's youth was increasingly under attack at home for expressing its discontent, Lennon's counter-cultural activities were increasingly monitored by the FBI on behalf of President Richard Nixon's administration (Nixon himself was briefed on Lennon's activities). The film, through its captivating exploration of the government's ongoing efforts to silence John Lennon, also clearly illustrates certain parallels to today's political landscape, through insightful interviews with those who knew him best.
Living in New York City during this highly-charged period of his career, Lennon wrote many of his greatest, most culturally vital songs as he and Yoko Ono battled a constant and threatening veil of U.S. government scrutiny with inspired determination. The government's intimidating and ongoing surveillance campaign was coupled with threats of deportation for the Visa-carrying Lennon, aggressive tactics that he and Ono met with creative and more reasoned responses. In 1969, they staged their legendary 1969 "Bed-In" antiwar protests during their March honeymoon in Amsterdam and two months later in Montreal, where they were joined by friends to record "Give Peace A Chance." On December 10, 1971, Lennon and Ono headlined the "John Sinclair Freedom Rally" benefit concert in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a lightning-rod performance that turned the world's attention to the plight of John Sinclair, an American sentenced in July 1969 to nine years and six months to 10 years in prison for possession of two marijuana cigarettes. Three days later, Michigan's Supreme Court ordered Sinclair's release, and subsequently overturned his conviction. Together, Lennon and Ono personified the struggle for freedom and compassion through this fractured and wounded period of American history.
The U.S. vs John Lennon is co-written, directed and produced by LSL Productions' David Leaf and John Scheinfeld. Leaf wrote and directed the critically-acclaimed and Grammy-nominated documentary Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson & the Story of SMiLE, which premiered on Showtime last fall. Scheinfeld wrote and directed the feature-length documentary Who is Harry Nilsson (and Why is Everybody Talkin' About Him)?, currently screening at film festivals across the U.S.
The story of The U.S. vs John Lennon is told with archival film clips, illuminating interviews and Lennon's original music. David Leaf says, "We were allowed to 'strip' lead vocals from Lennon's original recordings, so that we could use his own instrumental work as the score for the movie. I think it's the first time that John's solo catalog can be heard in this way."
"I believe John would have loved this film," says Ono Lennon, "It's the kind of cool film he would have liked even if it were about somebody else. It's not tabloid, but rather it tells it like it was. 'Gimme Some Truth,' indeed. If John were here today, he would have felt good about being represented by such a film, and the fact that we took the chance to make it and present it to the world. War Is Over (If You Want It)."
www.theusversusjohnlennon.com / www.johnlennon.com / www.lionsgate.com
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060728/laf054.html?.v=36
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Rare Lennon live track enriches film soundtrack Fri Jul 28, 1:34 AM ET
NEW YORK (Billboard) - The soundtrack to the upcoming documentary "The U.S. vs. John Lennon" will include a previously unreleased Lennon song, "Attica State," recorded at the John Sinclair Freedom Rally in Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1971.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Capitol/EMI release, set for a September 26 release, will also feature such tunes as "Imagine," "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" and "Happy Xmas (War is Over)," as well as an instrumental version of "How Do You Sleep."
"We were allowed to 'strip' lead vocals from Lennon's original recordings, so that we could use his own instrumental work as the score for the movie," said David Leaf, who co-wrote, directed and produced the film along with John Scheinfeld. "I think it's the first time that John's solo catalog can be heard in this way."
Additionally, the packaging will include liner notes written by Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono.
The controversial documentary explores the government's attempts at silencing Lennon as a proponent of humanitarian and anti-war causes, which included FBI surveillance, wiretapping and deportation proceedings.
Indie distributor Lionsgate will release "The U.S. vs. John Lennon" in New York and Los Angeles on September 15, with a wider release scheduled for the end of the month.
Reuters/Billboard
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060728/music_nm/lennon_dc_2
John Lennon's Most Revolutionary Songs Collected for New Capitol/EMI Soundtrack to Controversial New Documentary Film, The U.S. vs John Lennon
Friday July 28, 8:03 pm ET
The U.S. vs John Lennon CD Features 19 Original John Lennon Tracks, Including 'Imagine,' 'Instant Karma (We All Shine On),' 'Nobody Told Me,' 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' and Two Previously Unreleased Tracks
CD's Package Includes Newly-Penned Liner Notes by Yoko Ono Lennon
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Capitol/EMI Music Catalog Marketing will release the original soundtrack album to the highly-anticipated feature length documentary film, The U.S. vs John Lennon. The soundtrack, available on CD and digitally on September 26, collects John Lennon's most evocative songs, including "Imagine," "Nobody Told Me," "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)," "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," and "Power To The People," as well as two previously unreleased tracks, "Attica State," recorded live at 1971's "John Sinclair Freedom Rally" benefit concert in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the film's instrumental version of "How Do You Sleep." The CD and digital album packaging will include a liner notes essay written exclusively for this release by Yoko Ono Lennon. The controversial film, distributed by Lionsgate Films (Crash, Fahrenheit 9/11), will open in New York and Los Angeles theaters on September 15, followed by wide release at the end of September.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Never in a million years, did we think that promoting World Peace could be dangerous. Were we naive? Yes, on that account, we were. John sings: 'Nobody told me there'd be days like these.' That was his true confession," says Yoko Ono Lennon, "These songs have become relevant all over again. It's almost as if John wrote these songs for what we are going through now."
The U.S. vs John Lennon follows Lennon's artistic and personal evolution between 1966 and 1976 as he broadened his personal and artistic scope, launching from his Beatles-rooted music legend pedestal into powerful, globally-resonating antiwar and social justice activism. As the Vietnam war exploded and America's youth was increasingly under attack at home for expressing its discontent, Lennon's counter-cultural activities were increasingly monitored by the FBI on behalf of President Richard Nixon's administration (Nixon himself was briefed on Lennon's activities). The film, through its captivating exploration of the government's ongoing efforts to silence John Lennon, also clearly illustrates certain parallels to today's political landscape, through insightful interviews with those who knew him best.
Living in New York City during this highly-charged period of his career, Lennon wrote many of his greatest, most culturally vital songs as he and Yoko Ono battled a constant and threatening veil of U.S. government scrutiny with inspired determination. The government's intimidating and ongoing surveillance campaign was coupled with threats of deportation for the Visa-carrying Lennon, aggressive tactics that he and Ono met with creative and more reasoned responses. In 1969, they staged their legendary 1969 "Bed-In" antiwar protests during their March honeymoon in Amsterdam and two months later in Montreal, where they were joined by friends to record "Give Peace A Chance." On December 10, 1971, Lennon and Ono headlined the "John Sinclair Freedom Rally" benefit concert in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a lightning-rod performance that turned the world's attention to the plight of John Sinclair, an American sentenced in July 1969 to nine years and six months to 10 years in prison for possession of two marijuana cigarettes. Three days later, Michigan's Supreme Court ordered Sinclair's release, and subsequently overturned his conviction. Together, Lennon and Ono personified the struggle for freedom and compassion through this fractured and wounded period of American history.
The U.S. vs John Lennon is co-written, directed and produced by LSL Productions' David Leaf and John Scheinfeld. Leaf wrote and directed the critically-acclaimed and Grammy-nominated documentary Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson & the Story of SMiLE, which premiered on Showtime last fall. Scheinfeld wrote and directed the feature-length documentary Who is Harry Nilsson (and Why is Everybody Talkin' About Him)?, currently screening at film festivals across the U.S.
The story of The U.S. vs John Lennon is told with archival film clips, illuminating interviews and Lennon's original music. David Leaf says, "We were allowed to 'strip' lead vocals from Lennon's original recordings, so that we could use his own instrumental work as the score for the movie. I think it's the first time that John's solo catalog can be heard in this way."
"I believe John would have loved this film," says Ono Lennon, "It's the kind of cool film he would have liked even if it were about somebody else. It's not tabloid, but rather it tells it like it was. 'Gimme Some Truth,' indeed. If John were here today, he would have felt good about being represented by such a film, and the fact that we took the chance to make it and present it to the world. War Is Over (If You Want It)."
www.theusversusjohnlennon.com / www.johnlennon.com / www.lionsgate.com
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060728/laf054.html?.v=36
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Rare Lennon live track enriches film soundtrack Fri Jul 28, 1:34 AM ET
NEW YORK (Billboard) - The soundtrack to the upcoming documentary "The U.S. vs. John Lennon" will include a previously unreleased Lennon song, "Attica State," recorded at the John Sinclair Freedom Rally in Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1971.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Capitol/EMI release, set for a September 26 release, will also feature such tunes as "Imagine," "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" and "Happy Xmas (War is Over)," as well as an instrumental version of "How Do You Sleep."
"We were allowed to 'strip' lead vocals from Lennon's original recordings, so that we could use his own instrumental work as the score for the movie," said David Leaf, who co-wrote, directed and produced the film along with John Scheinfeld. "I think it's the first time that John's solo catalog can be heard in this way."
Additionally, the packaging will include liner notes written by Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono.
The controversial documentary explores the government's attempts at silencing Lennon as a proponent of humanitarian and anti-war causes, which included FBI surveillance, wiretapping and deportation proceedings.
Indie distributor Lionsgate will release "The U.S. vs. John Lennon" in New York and Los Angeles on September 15, with a wider release scheduled for the end of the month.
Reuters/Billboard
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060728/music_nm/lennon_dc_2