I think it's important when talking about "the cooling of John's creative output" to remember that he was very active outside the band. Three "experimental" albums, a live album and three singles. He was very busy and creative, it was just that his energies had been deflected outside of The Beatles.
That was the point of my other thread about Cold Turkey. If they had accomodated John (regardless of how un-Beatle his work was. They accomodated George's Indian fetish without disastrous results) his energies may have remained within the band.

I don't think John Lennon is scared of anything.

I agree with DSL. John was not a timorous person. He was wounded, adrift at times, desperately compensating-- but he would smack down Yoko if she annoyed him, which she occasionally did. (I don't mean physically, just cut her off at the pass and stop her cold. There's enough evidence of this in the Imagine outtakes.)

I think it isn't odd for a person to look for outside influence to give shape to one's life. One of the easiest ways of doing this is your job. People often define themselves in terms of what they do. "I'm a writer" banker, whatever. Don't know what to do in the morning? No problem, the boss has it all worked out-- and will let you know pretty quick if you don't do it! No real choices, just compliance, and complaining if you feel like it (or conversely, feeling happy because it's a project you believe in; either way, it's defined for you).

John was a lot of things: musician, composer, artist, author, youth leader, fashion influence-- the list goes on. With so many options open, it's hard to pick a direction. It's a lot easier to let an opinionated person do it for you. "Today we will call people on the phone and tell them we love them." "Okay!"

It seems to me that what you see as motivated by fear is to me motivated by lack of motivation! It's hard to pick a direction in life, and easy to question if you made the right choice. It's very convenient to have an outside force telling you what to do. So what John had with Yoko doesn't strike me as the least bit mysterious. I just wish Yoko had been less self-involved and generous enough to help John find his direction in his music-- but she always wanted to share in that limelight, and music was not her gift, IMO.

I think if John had wanted to get out of the relationship, he would have.

I believe that as well.... I think harihead summed it up pretty good.....

I also agree with you Dark Sweet Lady and harihead. I'm almost sure he wasn't scared of Yoko or the ex Beatles.

It's not always easy to get out of a relationship thats not good for you ?
And i'm not sure i would have wanted John to leave Yoko , what i wanted to see was a seperation of there creative union . One husband and wife project is ok , but having her " Spoil " your records time and again was not what i wanted to hear ?

DaveRam

Quoted from Flaming Pie in the Sky

I think if John had wanted to get out of the relationship, he would have.

John was never a loner. He would have only left her for someone else.

If John Lennon wasn't a singer in a rock and roll band, I would have loved to have seen him carting Yoko Ono to his day job at IBM.

A small bump to this thread, but I read someting last night that reminded me of the discussion here...

Its a quote from Sam Leach : "John was a bit shy - that's why women used to dominate him"

Didn't John try to leave Yoko and be with May Pang only to ditch May to go back to Yoko? He would always go back to Yoko regardless IMO.

I think the whole "I don't think John was afraid of anything" quote is a bit silly. You're making him out to be something like a fearless hero who conquers evil. If anything, he was the most vunerable Beatle. Being alone probably scared him the most. John had to have some sort of guidance in his life and Yoko gave that to him. He probably wasn't afraid of Yoko, just afraid to be without her. She was definitely domineering. John needed a motherly figure in his life. May Pang seems like too much of a pushover and thats probably why John didn't stay with her.

Only a robot can`t be afraid of anything.
I have been thinking recently of the idea you mentioned in your post, Wordno - that John was vulnerable, that is true, I think. On the one hand he had these leadership qualities and used to be an idol for boys in Liverpool, kind of being above them. On the other hand he desperately needed a soul-partner and hated loneliness. That`s why he left Cynthia, who he didn`t love (and I think had never loved), cause they were absolutely different people and he didn`t feel any bond to her, first of all emotional and intellectual. When he met Yoko he was overwhelmed how much alike they were. She was intellectual, radical, unusual, exotic, and I think very emotional. Like no other woman had been. "I had no doubt, I`d met the One," he said later. He wasn`t lonely any more.
But I don`t think he needed guidance, this is not true. He had been guiding himself and others all his life! So this idea of Yoko being as mother to him is nonsense. She was his equal, his true equal and he was impressed. It`s like it was with Paul. When John met him he was impressed. Maybe he even felt threatened by Paul`s talent but he asked him to join the band. It was not often that John met equals. So he sincerely fell in love with Yoko. Certainly he wasn`t afraid of Yoko but was connected to her by all these bonds. May Pang was just an ordinary girl. Yoko knew who to give to John for him to stay for a WHILE with.

"Also, someone claimed that at the time of his murder, John was about to start the process of divorcing her."

I read that somewhere. Does anyone know if that was true?
I hate to join the conversation and not really read what was going on, but is this true? I mean, I've never heard it, but apparantly, someone has.

Quoted from freakchic9

"Also, someone claimed that at the time of his murder, John was about to start the process of divorcing her."

I read that somewhere. Does anyone know if that was true?
I hate to join the conversation and not really read what was going on, but is this true? I mean, I've never heard it, but apparantly, someone has.

I doubt very much that John was planning to divorce Yoko. It would have made the whole 'Double Fantasy' symbology meaningless. Besides, John didn't strike me as a man in the middle of a marriage breakdown in the interviews given at the time of his death.