Post by nowheregirl on Jun 17, 2007 10:41:28 GMT 1
www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1477578.0.0.php
Lennon enthusiasts to come together for magical mystery tour in the Highlands
ORGANISERS OF a festival to celebrate John Lennon's Scottish roots believe the Highlands could be a "treasure trove" of the former Beatle's clothes, pictures, poetry, drawings and lyrics.
The tiny village of Durness in Sutherland, where Lennon spent his summer holidays as a boy, is preparing to welcome the musician's remaining relatives to the three-day event in September.
An exhibition entitled The Beatles In Scotland will show new pictures of live performances and memorabilia related to the group's time north of the Border, including cards playfully signed "MacLennon" and a previously unpublished photograph of John and a bandaged Yoko Ono leaving hospital in Golspie after a car crash.
Curator Jason Cornthwaite believes that the area holds a lot of undiscovered and important material, and is encouraging anyone with any Lennon-related relics to make them known to festival organisers.
He said: "John was a very warm and generous guy and would often give away clothes and other items. He must have signed all kinds of things whenever he was up there.
"It is possible some fantastic items are around from the time of his childhood, perhaps some poetry and photographs from his holidays as a boy. He was writing as a boy, so perhaps even some early lyrics. It's amazing what turns up. Who knows what people might bring along?"
The John Lennon Northern Lights Festival will be attended by Lennon's half-sister Julia Baird and a host of writers, artists and musicians keen to visit the songwriter's retreat in the northwest.
As a boy, Lennon would be packed off on the bus from Liverpool to a croft on Sango Bay owned by relatives. His cousin Stanley Parkes, who also spent childhood holidays in Durness, is excited about the prospect of revisiting their friendship.
Speaking from his home in Largs, Parkes told the Sunday Herald: "I am looking forward to reading some of the books of John's poems he gave to me. The festival is not remembering John Lennon the pop star, but John the person, the writer and the poet.
"John spent many happy times up there and always really loved going back. He would go off into the hills and he did a lot of fishing, hunting and shooting, as well as drawing and writing. He just loved the whole area."
Lennon returned to the Highlands with Yoko, son Julian and Yoko's daughter Kyoko during a break from recording the Abbey Road album in 1969.
A car crash on a narrow road left the musician requiring stitches to a head wound at Lawson Memorial Hospital in Golspie. On returning to London, he raved to reporters about the homemade marmalade and line-caught salmon he enjoyed while convalescing.
Parkes added: "He was so comfortable in Scotland that he hoped to buy the Durness estate when it came up for sale, but - typical John - he left it too late and somebody else got in."
Festival organiser Mike Merritt expects more than 1000 people to go to Durness - population 350 - for what he says will be a "unique and extraordinary event".
He said: "We are being contacted by people all over the world who want to get involved. There's a huge amout of goodwill towards John. He took the elitism out of art and I wanted the festival to reflect that spirit."
Events include Sir Peter Maxwell Davies conducting members of the Royal Academy of Music at the premiere of the Beatles Prom, while artist Peter Howson is to unveil a new exhibition of work dedicated to Lennon. Rising folk stars Julia Fowlis and King Creosote are set to perform.
Other expected highlights include a dance event in Smoo Cave, Britain's biggest sea cave, a mobile cinema showing Beatles films, and MSP Michael Russell talking about his novel The Next Big Thing, which imagines how Durness may have shaped Lennon's early years.
Julia Baird said she was looking forward to re-establishing family ties with Scotland. "John really loved Durness and would be very pleased that his influence was being celebrated with this festival," she said. "We are all looking forward to coming again to a place that meant so much to my brother."
Lennon enthusiasts to come together for magical mystery tour in the Highlands
ORGANISERS OF a festival to celebrate John Lennon's Scottish roots believe the Highlands could be a "treasure trove" of the former Beatle's clothes, pictures, poetry, drawings and lyrics.
The tiny village of Durness in Sutherland, where Lennon spent his summer holidays as a boy, is preparing to welcome the musician's remaining relatives to the three-day event in September.
An exhibition entitled The Beatles In Scotland will show new pictures of live performances and memorabilia related to the group's time north of the Border, including cards playfully signed "MacLennon" and a previously unpublished photograph of John and a bandaged Yoko Ono leaving hospital in Golspie after a car crash.
Curator Jason Cornthwaite believes that the area holds a lot of undiscovered and important material, and is encouraging anyone with any Lennon-related relics to make them known to festival organisers.
He said: "John was a very warm and generous guy and would often give away clothes and other items. He must have signed all kinds of things whenever he was up there.
"It is possible some fantastic items are around from the time of his childhood, perhaps some poetry and photographs from his holidays as a boy. He was writing as a boy, so perhaps even some early lyrics. It's amazing what turns up. Who knows what people might bring along?"
The John Lennon Northern Lights Festival will be attended by Lennon's half-sister Julia Baird and a host of writers, artists and musicians keen to visit the songwriter's retreat in the northwest.
As a boy, Lennon would be packed off on the bus from Liverpool to a croft on Sango Bay owned by relatives. His cousin Stanley Parkes, who also spent childhood holidays in Durness, is excited about the prospect of revisiting their friendship.
Speaking from his home in Largs, Parkes told the Sunday Herald: "I am looking forward to reading some of the books of John's poems he gave to me. The festival is not remembering John Lennon the pop star, but John the person, the writer and the poet.
"John spent many happy times up there and always really loved going back. He would go off into the hills and he did a lot of fishing, hunting and shooting, as well as drawing and writing. He just loved the whole area."
Lennon returned to the Highlands with Yoko, son Julian and Yoko's daughter Kyoko during a break from recording the Abbey Road album in 1969.
A car crash on a narrow road left the musician requiring stitches to a head wound at Lawson Memorial Hospital in Golspie. On returning to London, he raved to reporters about the homemade marmalade and line-caught salmon he enjoyed while convalescing.
Parkes added: "He was so comfortable in Scotland that he hoped to buy the Durness estate when it came up for sale, but - typical John - he left it too late and somebody else got in."
Festival organiser Mike Merritt expects more than 1000 people to go to Durness - population 350 - for what he says will be a "unique and extraordinary event".
He said: "We are being contacted by people all over the world who want to get involved. There's a huge amout of goodwill towards John. He took the elitism out of art and I wanted the festival to reflect that spirit."
Events include Sir Peter Maxwell Davies conducting members of the Royal Academy of Music at the premiere of the Beatles Prom, while artist Peter Howson is to unveil a new exhibition of work dedicated to Lennon. Rising folk stars Julia Fowlis and King Creosote are set to perform.
Other expected highlights include a dance event in Smoo Cave, Britain's biggest sea cave, a mobile cinema showing Beatles films, and MSP Michael Russell talking about his novel The Next Big Thing, which imagines how Durness may have shaped Lennon's early years.
Julia Baird said she was looking forward to re-establishing family ties with Scotland. "John really loved Durness and would be very pleased that his influence was being celebrated with this festival," she said. "We are all looking forward to coming again to a place that meant so much to my brother."