Former Beatle John Lennon begins recording sixth studio solo album ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ in Hollywood 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 17 1973)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'Oldies But Mouldies - John Lennon (Early 'Rock 'N Roll' Construction)' "Bony Moronie" at 20:18)

(Wednesday, October 17, 1973, evening PDT) — Ex-Beatle John Lennon began recording Rock ‘n’ Roll, his sixth studio solo album, tonight at A & M Studios in Hollywood, tracking “Bony Moronie.”

Recording of the album, a collection of late 1950s and early 1960s songs as covered by Lennon, would be problematic and span an entire year: Phil Spector produced sessions in October 1973 at A&M Studios, and Lennon produced sessions in October 1974 at the Record Plant (East).

Lennon was being sued by Morris Levy over copyright infringement of one line in his Beatles’ song “Come Together.” As part of an agreement, Lennon had to include three Levy-owned songs on Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Spector disappeared with the session recordings and was subsequently involved in a motor accident, leaving the album’s tracks unrecoverable until the beginning of the Walls and Bridges sessions. With Walls and Bridges coming out first and becoming his fifth solo studio album, featuring one Levy-owned song, Levy sued Lennon expecting to see Lennon’s Rock ‘n’ Roll album.

To assure him progress was being made, Lennon gave Levy a rough tape of the sessions to review in late 1974. Levy took the tapes and pressed his own version of the album called Roots: John Lennon Sings the Great Rock & Roll Hits on his record label, Adam VIII, then proceeded to sue Lennon, EMI and Capitol for $42 million for breach of contract.

Capitol/EMI quickly sought an injunction and rush-released the official Rock ‘n’ Roll in Feb. 1975 as a Capitol “budget” album (prefix code SK—one dollar cheaper than the usual releases) to counteract sales of the Levy album.

After two trials, in which Lennon had to convince the court of the difference between a rough version and a final take, Levy won $6,795 in damages, and Lennon won $144,700, in February 1976.

It would be Lennon’s last solo album; with no recording contract obligation, he was on hiatus from the music business to raise his son Sean. Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono staged a comeback with their joint release Double Fantasy in 1980.