This was surprising...
http://youtu.be/oZdlIMy5Wug“The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette” was the Four Seasons’ attempt at creating socially relevant music in the aftermath of such ‘60s pop masterpieces as the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and the Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds.” Not surprisingly, it was a commercial flop upon release but has become a cult favorite over the years.
Bob Gaudio was the original keyboardist and tenor vocalist for the Four Seasons....“And, you know, I had dinner with John Lennon a number of years later with a couple of people, and he said, ‘you know, that album you guys did with that newspaper (referring to the album’s cover art)?’”
Gaudio then added with a laugh, “Well, he didn’t say, ‘you guys,’ he said ‘you blokes.’ But anyway, he said, ‘That’s one of my favorite albums.’
“And to hear something like that from John Lennon – to know that he played it and listened to it a few times – was worth the journey.”
http://soundobservations.blogs.goupstate.com/11287/bob-gaudio-on-four-seasons-cult-masterpiece-the-genuine-imitation-life-gazette-including-john-lennon-anecdote/