Remembering John Lennon: New App Reveals Rare Photos

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Remembering John Lennon: New App Reveals Rare Photos
By ALEX HEIGL
UPDATED 12/08/2013

In June of 1980, John Lennon took a summer vacation. He sailed from Newport, R.I., aboard a 43-foot sloop with a crew of four to Bermuda, where he rented a house and flew his son Sean, then 4, down to join him. Ordinarily, that wouldn't be such a loaded statement, but given what happened December 8, 1980, Lennon's trip to Bermuda has gained a kind of misty-eyed significance.


John and Sean Lennon
COURTESY YOKO ONO

You can see what we mean with John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes, a sprawling, interactive album app now available through iTunes.


John and Sean Lennon
COURTESY YOKO ONO

The app consists of two parts: An illustrated narrative of Lennon's time in Bermuda, as well as interviews with Lennon, Yoko Ono, the ships's crew (and a few other notables), plus demos of the songs he made while on holiday. Collectively, the app is an indispensable, afternoon-swallowing treat for Lennon and Beatles fans.


An image from the "John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes" app

Yet pictures can't really describe how pretty and innovative this app is. Designed by Peabody and Emmy-award winning director Michael Epstein, it's insanely detailed and totally immersive. You can guide yourself through scenes from the vacation using your phone: Walk around the island, or guide the sail boat through a storm the crew encountered. Lennon, the only one not incapacitated by food poisoning or exhaustion, was left alone at the helm at one point; he sang sea chanteys and later likened the experience to being onstage at the height of fame. He also credits the wild experience as the catalyst that inspired him creatively and helped conquer his writer's block.


John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes

Back on land, you can explore the island disco where Lennon heard the song "Rock Lobster" by The B-52s for the first time (which he credits as the moment that convinced him people were ready for his musical collaboration with Yoko), and listen to them discuss how it felt having John Lennon cite their song as an . (Not an experience many people had.)


A portrait of John and Sean Lennon by Nancy Gosnell
COURTESY NANCY GOSNELL / YOKO ONO

There are also pictures of Lennon with Sean and the crew, including a portrait a local artist drew of Lennon and Sean, and handwritten lyric sheets to several songs, such as "Woman."


John Lennon's handwritten lyric sheet to "Woman"
COURTESY YOKO ONO

Then, of course, there's the music. Lennon says in one of the tapes that his experience with the storm left him "tuned in to the cosmos, and all the songs came." Hearing bare-bones versions of immortal Lennon songs like "Woman," "(Just Like) Starting Over" and "Dear Yoko" that he wrote while there, it's hard not to agree with him. Other tapes reveal how he cut songs using pots and pans for percussion, his misgivings about the music industry ("Walking away is much harder than carrying on. I know because I've done both") and how he approached the songwriting process.


Tyler Coneys (l) and John Lennon
©TYLER CONEYS

All net proceeds from the app ($4.99) go to WhyHunger, an organization that works to feed hungry and impoverished children worldwide and educate communities about farming.


John Lennon playing guitar in Bermuda
COURTESY YOKO ONO

The cumulative effect of the app is harrowing: Hearing Lennon's voice and seeing pictures of him with Sean, it's hard to believe it's been 33 years since his death.
As he sings in "Dear Yoko," "Even after all these years / I miss you when you're not here."











elcomercio.pe
Nueva App deja al descubierto fotos inéditas de John Lennon 
El Comercio
DOMINGO 8 DE DICIEMBRE DEL 2013

La aplicación “John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes” permite simular el viaje de seis días que realizó el fallecido músico a las Bermudas seis meses antes de su muerte


En 1980, seis meses antes de morir, John Lennon zarpó en un velero de Newport, Rhode Island, a las Bermudas en una aventura que despertó su deseo de volver a hacer música y que hoy es reconstruida en un formato electrónico que el ex Beatle no habría podido concebir: una aplicación móvil.
Bajo el nombre de “John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes”, esta app ofrece una serie de elementos interactivos que detallan un tramo relativamente inexplorado de la vida del músico. Un adelanto, revelado hoy por la revista People, muestra además la serie de fotografías inéditas que se utilizaron para la construcción de este proyecto: John tocando la guitarra en su hotel, John de la mano de su pequeño hijo Sean y acompañado de Tyler Coneys son algunas de las imágenes que se pueden ver aquí.

¿CÓMO FUNCIONA?
Los usuarios de la app pueden simular el viaje de seis días a través de los recuerdos de dos miembros de la tripulación y el mismo Lennon, en una entrevista para Playboy realizada poco después del viaje. Pueden visitar virtualmente la discoteca donde Lennon oyó una grabación de “Rock Lobster” de The B-52s que le recordó a la música de su esposa Yoko Ono y que lo convenció de que volviera a trabajar. Pueden espiar el proceso creativo mientras las últimas grabaciones de Lennon tomaban forma.
El director del proyecto es el cineasta realizador de “LennonNYC:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwMe4ccjw8s: Michael Epstein, quien dijo que quiso recrear la experiencia de sumergirse en un disco con esta app. Algunas de las características del proyecto son claramente imaginativas, como una visita virtual a un jardín en Bermuda. Los usuarios pueden “virar” un bote en la pantalla moviendo sus tabletas. También pueden reproducir música con botones que simulan a los de una casetera.

Por el momento, la aplicación solo puede usarse en dispositivos de Apple.