BIBO99
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(This blog was first uploaded in German in March 2018.)
It was thanks to the stupidity of Beatles fans, including of course record critics and radio DJs, that the musical work of the versatile artist from Japan was ridiculed for a long time and left to the left. Ono was boycotted and often and gladly accused of having destroyed some music band from the 60s; sometimes she was also exposed to massive racist comments. In recent years, thankfully, the tide has turned, Ono has found the respect she deserves; her club remixes, for example, regularly top the American dancefloor charts.
To date, she has recorded 26 albums – taking into account her collaboration with John Lennon – plus the large 6-CD anthology Onobox (1992), as well as a simultaneously released CD presenting the highlights of the box set. A new album seems to be in the making, the first work started around 2015 and put on hold in the meantime for health reasons.*
Below I have picked out six Ono records that can be considered particularly successful.
1) YOKO ONO/PLASTIC ONO BAND (1970)
Her first solo record, the previous four were presented to the astonished public as collaborative efforts by John & Yoko. Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band can rightly be called the first punk record, long before punk even existed. The band – Lennon on guitar, Klaus Voormann on bass and Ringo on drums – play as if the devil is after them, Ono’s onomatopoeic vocals are on par with the musicians. Special bonus: a jazz improvisation with Ornette Coleman, recorded in 1968. Listening tips: „Why,“ „Why Not,“ „Touch Me“ and the track just mentioned („AOS“).
2) FLY (DoLP, 1971)
A double LP that nicely documents the transition of the improvising Yoko at the microphone to a mature song composer. Ono was supported mainly by Lennon, Voormann and Jim Keltner on drums, some guest musicians are also featured (including Eric Clapton). While the first record is designed by the above-mentioned musicians, on the second Yoko experimented with percussion instruments that play by themselves and were made by Joe Jones at Yoko’s behest. There was also a poster and a postcard as a bonus. Listening tips: „Midsummer New York,“ „Mrs.Lennon,“ „Mind Train,“ and „Don’t Count The Waves.“
3) APPROXIMATELY INVINITE UNIVERSE (DoLP, 1973)
This massive monster work was recorded entirely in America, accompanied by the New York band Elephant’s Memory. The double album contains mature and amazing classic rock songs (if you want to call them that) and clearly shows that Yoko definitely knew how to convince both musically and lyrically. While husband John played a supporting role on the records before, this work is almost entirely her responsibility, although Lennon still acts as co-producer here. 22 songs that impress. Listening tips: „Now Or Never,“ „Yang Yang,“ „Death Of Samantha,“ „Winter Song,“ „Peter The Dealer“.
4) SEASON OF GLASS (1981)
This record, released in the summer of 1981, is entirely influenced by Lennon’s assassination. After a five-year hiatus, John and Yoko wanted to make a new start in the fall of 1980 and released their comeback album Double Fantasy; a few weeks later the shots were fired. In the spring of ’81, Yoko went back into the studio with the same musicians and produced what was probably her most polished LP ever. Old companion Phil Spector helped with the completion. A depressing document of grief and spiritual contemplation. The record cover features Lennon’s blood-encrusted glasses, which he wore when he was murdered. Listening tips: „No, No, No,“ „Goodbye Sadness,“ „Dogtown,“ „Silver Horse,“ „Extension 33“.
5) RISING (1995)
After a musical break that lasted ten years, Yoko came back fresh and vital with this great work that comes dangerously close to Invinite Universe in quality and joy of playing, but here the music is far more raw and unpolished, thus strongly reminiscent of old Plastic Ono Band times. Son Sean and his band IMA accompanied her and had a big part in this audiophile fresh cell cure. Thus, Rising was an all-around successful comeback album that is worth listening to. Listening tips: „New York Woman“, „Rising“, „Kurushi“, „Talking To The Universe“, „Warzone“. (A half-hour song called „Franklin Summer“, mesmerizing and extraordinary, recorded during the sessions, appeared a little later on the CD Rising Mixes.)
6) TAKE ME TO THE LAND OF HELL (2013)
The esoteric-tinged opening (birdsong and tinkling wind chimes) don’t bode well at first, but in fact this album turns out to be distinctly versatile and multi-layered. Produced by Sean Ono Lennon, numerous different musicians (including Yuka Honda and Lenny Kravitz) let Yoko’s songs, whose lyrics are kept minimalistic, create small and large sound paintings that vary musical styles – and yet it is a self-contained album. Listening tips: „Leaving Tim,“ „Take Me To The Land Of Hell,“ „Cheshire Cat,“ „Moonbeams“.
Currently, Ono’s records released between 1968 and 1985 are being reissued on vinyl and CD, ensuring that they will be available everywhere for decades to come.** Whether Onobox will also see a re-release, perhaps in an expanded version with additional material from 1995 to the present, remains to be hoped.
*The album was finally released in October 2018 under the title WARZONE.
**The record label Secretly Canadian took care of these re-issues.
