Hmmm…not too sure. While it’s a bit strong to suggest that Yoko was controlling John it would seem that at least he was very much influenced by her. He definitely seems to have stepped into Yoko’s world, not vice versa. This conceptual art stuff is definitely her territory, not his, and you can imagine her doing it without him, but not the other way round.
I don’t really understand conceptual/avante garde art, so I’m loathe to say whether it’s any good. But I do think music/art needs these kind of maverick and experimental artists.
I do think it’s a bit rough condemning Macca as the lesser man because of John antics, if nothing else because Lennon dropped the big political/experimental idea (at least in public) as soon as the record buying public let it be known they preferred dreamy John to angry John. So dreamy he became (again.)
Lennon "his own man"? I'm not too sure.