We Are the Plastic Ono Band

Here at the Awkward Toad, we've always believed that John Lennon turned into a bit of a lunatic after he left the Beatles.

During our youth, an ill-advised purchase of "Unfinished Music: Vol. 1: Two Virgins", Lennon's first solo album, served only to reaffirm that theory.

(The cover of that album is John Lennon and Yoko Ono nude. I was gonna put a picture up but this is a family site and no family should have to see that.)

Here is how "Two Virgins" is described by allmusic.com which gives it a one and a half star rating: "The record is not unlike what you might get if you turned on a tape recorder for a random half-hour in your home -- snatches of inaudible conversation far away from the microphone, footsteps, wind, and so on."

In reality, it is even more boring than that makes it sound.

However, The Awkward Toad has decided that we really like the album "Plastic Ono Band"and wanted to invite anyone else that was scared off by Lennon's nude album covers, curious sonic experiments, or, let's be honest, cult-like obsession with Yoko Ono, to give it a listen.

That's all.

(Oh yeah! We do not like the songs "Power to the People" and "Do the Oz" which have been included as bonus tracks on the CD version of "Plastic Ono Band". These songs are obviously recorded in a different vain than the rest of the album and stand out as particularly sub-par. We blame Yoko Ono for their inclusion. And for the break up of the Beatles. And for "Instant Karma" being used in a car commercial. And for global warming.)

Also, if you've never seen this picture, it is John Lennon with Mark David Chapman.

Chapman camped outside Lennon's New York hotel and got this autograph.

Later in the evening, as Lennon was returning home, he assassinated him.

Pretty spooky, huh?

(P.S. - We are continually impressed with how quickly the Google ad at the top of this page changes to reflect the content of the blog. It only took them one day to switch it from selling the Beatles' new "Love" CD (for the Beatles Paul is Dead post) to an ad for tickets to the Iowa vs. Iowa St. game (for the Tom Vilsack post.)

Corporate America. You're good. You. You are good.)