What are John & Yoko's "Avant-Garde" stuff really like?

[DeRick]

When i was in my teens & early 20s, i used to love to make "Radio tapes",i would just record switching radio stations every 5 sec-40 sec with static am/fm, for some reason, i got a kick out of that. And then when i heard "Revolution #9", i wasn't the only who liked doing that. I cant explain but theres a hidden part of me that likes it, it sorta helps me sleep at night when im having trouble sleeping, your mind just seems to go to places you never thought possable. Sadly, i dont have those tapes no more, but ive been considering maybe checkingout J&Ys "Avant-Garde" stuff. What's Avant-Garde like?

[Harrythebannister]

To the greater part unlistenable. Buy if you're a completist only if not don't bother!!!

[EddieV]

To the greater part unlistenable. Buy if you're a completist only if not don't bother!!!

Unlistenable, yes

[Corvair]

To the greater part unlistenable. Buy if you're a completist only if not don't bother!!!

Harry is being very diplomatic. It really is awful stuff, but I used to be one of those "completists," so I have all of their rubbish in my collection. Some of the tracks (such as "John and Yoko" from the Wedding Album) are just laughable, and others (like "Cambridge 1969" from Life With the Lions) are sheer torture. Your curiosity will be satisfied after one listen.

[mclarke825]

It kind of depends on whether you're into Avant Garde stuff to begin with. There are much better Avant Garde recordings available, but it's fun to think that our John even attempted it. Here's a link to a Lennon discography site that has multiple reviews of each album: http://www.bagism.com/discography-albums.html. You can see the wide range of opinions about the Avant Garde stuff. Some loved them, some hated them.

[Mark Rink]

Lennon was just ripping the public off.It was s**t he knew it was s**t.You can enjoy some of Macca's Avant and not waste your money.Again Lennon was selling us S**T.

[mclarke825]

Lennon was just ripping the public off.It was s**t he knew it was s**t.You can enjoy some of Macca's Avant and not waste your money.Again Lennon was selling us S**T.

He may have thought it was s**t in the sense that it wasn't his usual pop/rock music. But John and Yoko were naive enough to think that their experimentation was Avant-Garde, and egotistical enough to think that everybody was interested enough in every little detail of their lives to pay money for these things. I think he sincerely thought those albums were worth putting out. And the funny thing is, there are still some who think they are artistically valid. And when it comes to art, there is no right or wrong, it's a matter of taste.

[bonovox66]

As one of those annoying completist I have and have listened to all of this trash once and only once. Even people into avant garde should know this was rubbish. It might have been an interesting outtake, b-side or something thrown in the middle of an album to really shock the listenner. But not an album worth of material. I respect them for trying, but they were smarter than this. People that say they like this are the same people that can look at a toilet seat hanging in an art gallery and say how emotional it makes them feel. All it makes me is is like I have to poop.

[savillerowdie]

Listen to this sample on YouTube from "Life with the Lions" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SJrXqwKEI4
Or this, from "Two Virgins" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8v963UPfVE&feature=related
Here's the best, from "Wedding Album", about 5 minutes of J & Y calling each other's name. Fascinating stuff, though I must say that this one is, at least, a bit comical. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiHnliphZ48&feature=related

Listen to these, if you dare....then put your wallet away and save your money for Paul's next album or tour.