Musician whose message was peace
Dec 8 2005
Liverpool Echo
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0800beatles/0050news/tm_objectid=16462970%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=musician%2dwhose%2dmessage%2dwas%2dpeace-name_page.html BILL HARRY, editor of Mersey Beat, talks to Peter Grant about the Literary Lennon a man he regarded as a genius and peace guru
AT times I don't regard John as being dead, as he lives on in my memory - and is still freshly alive in the minds of so many other people.
It's the good things he achieved in his life and the remarkable music which we should remember rather than the tragic circumstances of his death.
His Aunt Mimi said she'd always remember me because I was the first person to call John a "genius".
I was certainly interested in drawing out his creative talent.
The first time I saw him striding across the art college canteen I noticed he had a degree of charisma and decided I'd get to know him. We'd go across to Ye Cracke pub in Rice Street where I introduced him to Stuart Sutcliffe and Rod Murray, two other pals of mine.
It was in Ye Cracke that John first showed me his poetry and I was to encourage him to write by commissioning him to produce stories and poems for Mersey Beat.
John certainly established himself with his music, becoming one of the pre-eminent musicians of the 20th century.
He also did it with his song-writing, producing some of the most memorable songs in the history of popular music.
John will always be remembered for his music and songs, but we mustn't forget his efforts to bring PEACE to the world.
John stands shoulder to shoulder with the great compassionate humans such as Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King.
Their message and John's message was that with love comes peace and with peace comes love.
As potent a message as "Give Peace A Chance" is the message "All You Need Is Love".
Liverpool always played a special part in John's life.
Although New York was to become his adopted city, he lived for most of his life on Merseyside and had intended returning to Liverpool at the time of his death.
* Mersey Beat - Merseyside's Own Entertainment Paper /BillHarry@aol.com
www.mersey-beat.com
