Trafford Publishing: The Lennon Sessions

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The Lennon Sessions

by Tony Davilio with Mary Vicario

139 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #04-0307; ISBN 1-4120-2479-X; US$18.95, C$23.95, EUR14.95, £9.95

A behind the scenes look at John Lennon's last recording sessions for "Double Fantasy" as told by arranger Tony Davilio.

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About the Book About the Author Excerpts Catalogue Information

About the Book

The Lennon Sessions is an intimate tale recapturing the memories as lived by Tony Davilio, as he experiences the once and a lifetime opportunity to work with one of the world's most well-known musicians. John Lennon, is not only deserving of his long-standing title of rock legend but as Tony discovers and carefully shares with the reader, he is also a man of vision, generosity, compassion and humor.
This is a story unlike any told before. To remember John Lennon not only as a man who captivated the world as a mystical and complex character, but as a loving father, adoring husband, and profound musician with layers of laughter and happiness in the last days of his life. To understand him is to have known him and only a few did. This is your chance to hear the story as told by someone whose memories will keep John alive in himself and for the world forever.

About the Author

Tony Davilio is an arranger and guitarist. He was born in Newburgh, New York in 1950. At 15, he signed to Columbia Records and did extensive studio work in New York City from 1968-1985. His most notable credits include:

The Five Stairsteps - "Ooh Child" and "Dear Prudence" (Gold Record)
Lou Christie - "I'm Gonna Make you Mine" (Gold Record)
Ronnie Dyson
Cher - Superstar (Atlantic Records)
The Voices of East Harlem - "New York Lightning"
Gunhill Road - (Mercury Records)
The Edwin Hawkin Singers
Bruce Murray (Canada)
Paul Jabara
John & Yoko - "Double Fantasy"
Yoko Ono - "Season of Glass"
Graham Parker - "Another Grey Area"
The Knack - "Round Trip"
Steve Taylor - "On the Fritz"

Excerpts

EXCERPT FROM THE INTRO

The lights are hot. My own blood drips slowly from every riff that emanates from this old guitar. Bang, bang, the notes bounce from wall to wall, off the old man smoking the cigar. He didn't seem to feel it.

It slowly comes to rest on the concrete marble floor, where our feet are wrapped in the cords of sound and technology.

Damn, I can't see a thing. When did wearing glasses become so uncool?

I was the arranger and musical associate on the "Double Fantasy" album. It has taken me 23 years to write about that experience. During these years I have been approached about writing a book on many occasions, but always declined. Finally I realized that this was a story that needed to be told. In many ways writing this book has been a cathartic experience for me. This is a story that should be read not only for its sentimental value, but also for the purpose of appreciating what I have come to understand through knowing John. Essentially, one should be aware of the intrinsic value of loving what you do regardless of what benefits or wealth it may bring.

Reminiscing about John has been difficult for me. When people asked what it was like to work with him I would usually just say "Great" because I knew that I could never communicate my experiences in a brief sentence or even a long conversation. A life like his couldn't be summed up or broken down. I worked closely with John & Yoko 5 days a week, 10 hours a day for about 4 months. Even though when compared to a lifetime, I only knew John for a short while, his life made an impression on mine that is to this day inexplicable.

As for the time being, I still strum a guitar that has no more gloss on it than a '57 Chevy, with a great engine that has run faithfully for 300,000 miles. Music is not a high gloss career, it is a life-style for those who are unafraid of being soiled by the means to their dreams and psychologically beaten by the necessary end to their beginning. It is not a profession that demands respect, and at times it takes a great deal to even respect myself after giving in to the conventions that bind the breadth and depth of musical possibility. Nevertheless, John and Yoko always treated me with respect and a certain amount of humility.......

EXCERPT FROM "MOTHER AND THE ASTROLOGER"

After just glancing at this piece of paper, which was sort of hanging out over a tote bag, I realized immediately that it must have been predictions from John and Yoko's astrologer. I remember that it was written in a list form. I don't know if there were numbers in front of the predictions but they were written in a column, almost like a shopping list. The only one that I saw for that brief moment was the hand written warning that I remember read "Danger now, No Tour." There were others, but that just caught my eye in the quick glance that I allowed myself. I did not look any further because I knew it was private and none of my business.

After I left the room I did not see that piece of paper again. I don't remember ever mentioning it to anyone, although it would occasionally creep into my consciousness. If John would say lightheartedly to Yoko, "Mother, shut up and go buy some xxxxxxx cows," it would remind me of that piece of paper from the astrologer, but this moved silently through my mind. It was like a cool breeze on a summer night leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake but instantly forgotten with the return of the humid hot air behind it. John's humorous perception of the bulls allowed me to quickly disregard what I had seen on that sheet of paper.

Which brings us to the question for the ages:

What if?

EXCERPT FROM "JOHN SAID!!"

I know that John experimented with avant-garde music for a while. He also played many different types of music, with a wide range of musicians. He was eager to embrace the natural growth that occurs when a musician realizes the depth of endless possibilities in that vast pool of musical venues. Johns creativity could not be stifled and his desire to stretch out, learn, explore, and create, was a lifelong journey. This journey included his beloved Yoko, who was consistently supportive and inspirational to him. Given this, which one of us could deny a man his love for his woman, and his destiny? John's passionate soliloquy left no room for argument. Yoko's presence in his life had nothing to do with the inevitable end of the Beatles, because John said so!

EXCERPT FROM THE SPECTOR SOUND!!

John was talking one day about the record producer, Phil Spector. He spoke about one of the times during which he had worked with him. It was when John recorded the album with a bunch of late 1950's and early 60's songs on it. Included are songs like "Be My Baby," which is on a collectible limited production album entitled "Roots."

John's eyes kind of got big when he was talking about the experience, and he made funny rumbling sounds like "speectoooooor," in a deep voice. People in the music business will get this because Spector had a way of flooding things with reverb. John went on to say he told Phil, when they were working on this album, that he had wanted Phil to make him sound like Ronnie, from the Ronnettes.

At a later time, I had the distinct experience of working on a project that Phil Spector was producing, which was Yoko's "Season of Glass" album. I actually first met Phil at the Hit Factory on March 9th, 1981. The meeting was in the same studio in which we had recorded "Double Fantasy" and all of the side musicians from that album were called in for this project. On the first day of those sessions, before we even started getting set up in the studio, we were told that we had to meet Phil, one at a time, in the room that was originally made for John and Yoko. I thought that this was a little peculiar. Why did we have to go in one at a time?...Why was there a bodyguard in there with him?... Why was that bodyguard holding his hand in his jacket breast pocket? What was in there, I wondered. I later came to the conclusion that Phil Spector was under the impression that people were after him. He didn't want to go out in public places. I mean really, who would know him by sight? Most of you probably don't even recognize his name, or at least you wouldn't have if it weren't plastered to the media's walls right now.

On the first day of "Season of Glass" he said he wanted to talk to us one on one for a minute. I really can't remember what we said to each other during this brief meeting. I was a little sidetracked by the awkwardness of having to stand in a cafeteria style line to meet him. He asked me if he could call me Anthony. Hell, why not as long as that bodyguard kept whatever he was holding in that pocket hidden while he was around me. In that first meeting he seemed pleasant and polite. It was weird though, courteous or not, the whole situation wreaked of oddity......... (continued)

Catalogue Information