Daytrippin' Beatles Magazine

The Latest Beatles News, Travel, Biography and Discography


Leave a comment

May Pang talks about her book, “Instamatic Karma: Photographs of John Lennon”

by Shelley Germeaux

Note: This article was originally published in February/March 2008 on Daytrippin’s website.

(Copyright 2008 by Dayrippin’;
Any or all parts of this interview may not be reprinted or reposted without the consent of Daytrippin’)

[All photos copyright 2008 by May Pang]

I recently had the opportunity to interview May Pang about the upcoming release of her new book, Instamatic Karma, for Daytrippin’. It showcases the many photos she took during her intimate relationship with John Lennon, from the summer of 1973 till early 1975, during John’s separation from Yoko Ono.

Her first book, Loving John, was published in 1983, then republished under the title John Lennon: The Lost Weekend in 1992 and dealt with the story of their relationship. Instamatic Karma, a photo book, will be a vital addition to any Lennon fan’s collection.

May was a skilled amateur photographer who used a 35mm camera in many of her shots, so the pictures are excellent. May’s artful lens captured a happy, relaxed John Lennon in candid settings that will joyfully surprise fans.

Due out March 4, 2008 by St. Martin’s Press, it’s being released in hard cover, approximately 7 by 9 1/4″, 140 pages, including roughly 150 pictures, both b&w and color. May will be appearing on Good Morning America that day as well.

Our phone interview was conducted December 29, 2007. May talked about many aspects of her relationship with John, from the type of camera she used and John’s opinions of her photographs, to the work she did on John’s albums and films, and exactly how their relationship grew to be more intimate. This was a very enjoyable interview with the woman who interrupted John and Yoko’s marriage, and she is now ready to share her personal photographs with the world.

Continue reading
Advertisement


1 Comment

John Lennon drawing recalls frightening Palm Springs tram ride

A rare drawing by John Lennon which sold Friday in a celebrity auction brings to mind a hair-raising story of when the ex-Beatle took a ride on the famous Palm Springs aerial tramway in California. The ballpoint pen drawing shows Lennon, girlfriend May Pang and Harry Nilsson sitting on a tramcar thousands of feet off the ground in midair.

JL-palmsprings

Courtesy CooperOwen Auctions

This rare drawing was auctioned off along with several other John Lennon sketches from the 1970s on Friday March 21 by CooperOwen Auctions in London. The drawings were given to guitarist Jesse Ed Davis from Lennon. Davis was a session musician who played lead guitar on Lennon’s albums “Walls and Bridges” and “Rock and Roll”.
*

In March of 1974, John Lennon was in the midst of his “Lost Weekend” with girlfriend, May Pang, on the West Coast. He had temporarily split from wife, Yoko Ono, and was partying and carousing with friends like Harry Nilsson in Los Angeles.

*
On a weekend getaway, Lennon, Pang, Nilsson and his girlfriend, along with former Beatles’ roadie, Mal Evans, drove to Palm Springs from L.A. May Pang recounts the trip in her book “Instamatic Karma” showcasing pictures she took of John and Harry sitting outside on the grass in Palm Springs.
*
It was Harry’s idea to go to Palm Springs, the desert retreat once known as the “Playground of the Stars,” and he suggested that they all go to a restaurant and bar which just happened to be at the top of the tramway.
*
The amazing 10-minute tram ride has to be seen to be believed. The tram, located at the northern end of Palm Springs, follows an extremely steep route traveling 2.5 miles up the side of the San Jacinto mountains. The tram ride begins at the bottom of the cliffs of Chino Canyon at elevation 2,643 feet and ends at elevation 8,516 feet.
 
tramcar3C

Having the tram stop in midair dangling over the mountainous cliffs would be a harrowing experience for anyone, and that’s exactly what happened when John Lennon was on the tram.

steep-upC
 
In her book, May Pang describes in detail the ride she and Lennon took on the Palm Springs tram back in March 1974:
“When dinner was over, we caught the last tram down, along with the other happy campers who closed down the place. I was just thinking what a pleasant, innocuous evening it had been when the power failed, leaving us suspended in midair with forty drunken strangers. All of a sudden, the tram car became the setting for something of a Fellini movie; people making out, hands everywhere, everyone groping. I was freaking out, but John, who had grown accustomed to that kind of craziness, basically told me to relax, since there was nothing we could do dangling in the middle of the sky.”

lookingdown2C

View from the top of the Palm Springs aerial tramway
Photo: Trina Yannicos

May’s story ends there, but obviously, the tram soon regained power and delivered the passengers safely to the floor of the Coachella Valley. Since 1963, nearly 18 million people have taken a ride on the Palm Springs tramway, but only a countless few have actually been stuck on the tram, and now we know the fascinating coincidence that John Lennon was one of them.

For more Beatles news, follow Daytrippin’ on Twitter and Facebook


Leave a comment

May Pang, Nancy Lee Andrews and Shannon come together for Beatles art exhibit

By Shelley Germeaux

The National Arts Club in New York City announced on January 24 that May Pang, Shannon, and Nancy Lee Andrews will hold a fine art exhibition and book signing dedicated to the Beatles from February 8 – 15.

Called All You Need is Love, this is a Valentines Day art theme honoring the love Pang had for John Lennon, and Nancy Lee Andrews had for Ringo Starr, with never-before-seen photos of all four Beatles. Shannon, the well-renowned Beatles artist, will have an impressive display of her photo-realistic paintings.

Ringo Starr and Nancy Lee Andrews
[Photo courtesy Nancy Lee Andrews]

An artists’ reception will be held February 8 from 6-8PM by invitation only, and the exhibit is open to the public at 8pm.

Marina Deco, curator of the exhibit, said, “May, Nancy and Shannon each offer a unique view of the Beatles from the eyes of a woman in love to the artist’s creative insight. The old world atmosphere (of the National Arts Club) offers romance and history as a perfect backdrop for their work.”

Nancy Lee Andrews, photographer and model, met Ringo Starr in 1974 through John Lennon. Her photos of Ringo were featured in her book, A Dose of Rock n Roll.

May Pang grew up with music all around her and was determined to work in the industry. She met John and Yoko in 1969 while working for Apple and became their personal assistant. In 1973 during John’s separation from Yoko, she became John’s lover and companion. She has published two books about that time period, and will be signing copies of her photographic tribute to her time with John, Instamatic Karma.

Shannon is regarded as the “World’s Greatest Beatles Artist,” a name bestowed upon her by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool in 1998. Her photographic paintings grace the walls of the Hard Day’s Night Hotel in Liverpool. Her most recent piece, John Lennon at 70, will be unveiled at this exhibition.

The National Arts Club is located at 15 Gramercy Park South in New York City.

GALLERY HOURS

According to the press release, the hours for the week long exhibition are as follows:

Tuesday Feb 8 – press reception 6-8pm, open to the public at 8pm.

Wed – Fri (9th, 10th, 11th) – 11am – 5pm

Sat-Sun (12th – 13th) – please call ahead (609-865-8721)

Mon (14th) – 11-5pm

Tues (15th) – 10am – 12 noon; 3 – 5pm

******
Note: This article was originally published on the John Lennon Examiner column on Examiner.com

******

For more Beatles news, follow us on Twitter