May Pang and John Lennon. Photo via FoxNews
Yoko Ono wasn’t the only woman in John Lennon’s life after the Beatles. Lennon’s lover of nearly two years, May Pang, has just released a book of photos chronicling the time she spent with John while he and Yoko were on the outs. The book, called “Instamatic Karma: Photographs of John Lennon” features intimate photos of John doing everyday things such as taking a trip to Disneyland, playing with his pet cats and his son Julian, and hanging out around New York City. Pang says she began her romance with John, surprisingly enough, at the suggestion of Yoko herself. Hey, it was the 70’s– anything went back then.

May Pang, John Lennon’s former lover during 18 months in 1973 and 1974 has completed a new book which is being endorsed by John Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia Lennon. May’s affair with John was arranged by her employer Yoko Ono when Yoko split from John. During their 18-month relationship also known as the “Lost Weekend,” several of John’s records were produced which can arguably be said to be his most creative time after the Beatles broke up.

Yoko is said to have tried to systematically erase May from Lennon’s history, but May has now published a collection of photos she had during her time with him. May’s new book, “Instamatic Karma” is hitting stores next month. Although this is May’s second book about her relationship, the photos in this new book haven’t yet been published.

[From Dotspotter]

John’s first wife, Cynthia, has given her blessing to the book, saying that May was a positive force in John’s life who urged the singer/songwriter to maintain his relationship with his son Julian. The relationship had been strained after John left Cynthia to marry Yoko.

JOHN LENNON’s first wife CYNTHIA has pledged her full support to the late BEATLE’s ex-girlfriend MAY PANG and the forthcoming release of her book INSTAMATIC KARMA. Pang - who was Lennon’s assistant and lover in 1973, when the star had temporarily separated from his second wife Yoko Ono - is soon set to release a book of previously unseen photos taken of the legendary rocker during their 18-month romance. The collection, titled in reference to Lennon’s song Instant Karma!, features 150 photographs of the Imagine singer, including shots of him in the studio recording his album Walls And Bridges, and images with his Fab Four bandmates Sir Paul MCCartney and Ringo Starr. And Cynthia, who befriended Pang when she reunited her and Lennon’s son Julian with his father in the early 1970s, is glad she is using the photos so creatively. She says, “She is a lovely, vibrant lady. She was a good friend when my son and I needed one, and a dear close friend now. The book of photographic memories is very special and evocative of times remembered… “For all that May has done in the past and hopes to achieve in the future, Julian and I will be her greatest champions… May, I wish you all the success in the world.”

[From Contact Music]

The most interesting part of this book to me is the way in which Lennon could still do everyday things like walk down the street, play in the park, etc. without being mobbed by paparazzi. Here was one of the most famous men in the world, but he was still able to have a somewhat normal life after leaving the Beatles. I doubt that would be the case today. Something tells me if John were alive today he probably would have left the U.S. by now to avoid having his privacy invaded.

On Tuesday Msat wrote a story that’s gotten a lot of press attention lately, in which a singer named Lennon Murphy said Yoko Ono had sued her to prevent her from using the name Lennon for her band. Many people were disappointed in Yoko, especially considering that she has done a lot of work to promote the arts. While the issue is complicated, Yoko has not in fact filed a lawsuit or anything close to it. Yoko has asked Lennon Murphy to withdraw her claim of exclusivity to the Lennon name with the United States trademark Office. You can see how Lennon Murphy have exclusive rights to the name Lennon would be a problem. Yoko Ono was kind enough to email Celebitchy and explain her side of the story.

Dear Friends

A musician named Lennon Murphy is claiming that Yoko Ono has sued her and that Yoko is seeking to stop Lennon Murphy from performing under her name, Lennon Murphy. Both of these claims are untrue.

Several years ago, Lennon Murphy sought Yoko’s permission to do her performances under her name, Lennon Murphy. Yoko, of course, did not object to her request. Subsequently, without Yoko’s knowledge, Lennon Murphy filed an application in the United States trademark Office requesting the exclusive right to utilize the name “Lennon” for musical performances. Yoko’s attorneys asked Lennon Murphy’s attorneys and manager to withdraw her registration of exclusivity to the name LENNON for the trademark. Yoko also offered to cover all costs Lennon Murphy had incurred in filing for the trademark. But Lennon Murphy went ahead to register.

Yoko did not sue Lennon Murphy, but sought to stop her from getting the exclusive right to the name Lennon for performance purposes. For that, Yoko’s attorneys, simply notified the Trademark office that Yoko did not believe it was fair that Ms. Murphy be granted the exclusive right to the “Lennon” trademark in relation to musical and entertainment services. As you can see, this is a very important issue for Yoko and the Lennon family.

Yoko says: “I am really hurt if people thought that I told a young artist to not use her own name in her performances and had sought to sue her. I did no such thing. I hope this allegation will be cleared.”

Thank you for your kind attention,
Yoko

[From e-mail to Celebitchy]

There’s very much two sides to every story. Having heard both, it seems that the issue is that Lennon Murphy wants sole rights to the name Lennon, which would obviously be problematic for John Lennon’s widow. Both Celebitchy and I thought Yoko’s letter was carefully written and generous, and she didn’t come across as snotty, belligerent, or angry like a lot of people would. Whatever people say about Yoko Ono, most everyone agrees that she has worked tirelessly protecting John Lennon’s memory and his estate. As writers, we really appreciate when celebrities or their publicists respond to our stories and let us know their side. We want to be fair and publish accurate information, and give both sides of a story whenever possible. It’s so much more helpful than a bunch of PR reps who constantly give us “no comment.” Yoko was kind enough to take a bit of time to respond, and now we’re able to tell you her side of what’s going on. Hopefully both sides will be able to reach an amicable resolution.

Here’s Yoko Ono at the John Lennon Education Bus Dedication at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on 1/7/08, thanks to PRPhotos. Musician Lennon Murphy is shown in promotional photos.

A legal battle between John Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, and a young, unknown female musician whose birth name is Lennon is starting to get noticed by media outlets and even John’s oldest son, Julian. According to her MySpace blog, Lennon Murphy, a heavy metal musician who was named after the iconic singer/songwriter, has been contacted by Yoko Ono’s attorneys and ordered to stop using the name or face legal ramifications. Ono claims that the rock singer is using her husband’s name in an exploitative manner to intentionally confuse people and boost sales of her CD. Lennon says she dropped her surname, Murphy, eight years ago because it is her father’s name and means nothing to her– leaving her to go by her birth name, Lennon. Both her band and her debut CD, which until recently was on the Arista record label, were named “Lennon.”

Yoko Ono filed what is for the most part a law suit with the Trademark and Trial Board of the US Patent & Trademark office this past week… Yoko waited 8 years until 2 days before the statue of limitations ran out to file this complaint. 5 lawyers including 2 trademark experts we have spoken with agree that Yoko has no grounds for these claims and is just trying to push Lennon around and make her spend money she doesn’t have. Yoko seeks to gain the rights to the Trademark “LENNON” which Lennon Murphy has owned since 2003.

[From Lennon's MySpace blog]

Lennon claims that her record label ran concerns about the trademark infringement past Ono and her attorneys eight years ago, when the singer first dropped her surname. At that time, she claims, Yoko had no problems with it. However, eight years later, the statute of limitations for Yoko to file an infringement claim is about to run out, and now she is deciding to file suit.

In a bizarre turn of events, John Lennon’s oldest son, Julian, has spoken out in support of Lennon on his own MySpace blog. He has had a longstanding feud with his stepmother that only got worse after his father’s death in 1980. In a blog entry titled “Sad but True & interesting ……….. I feel for her & know the situation well,” Julian Lennon posts a message from Lennon, the female rock singer, and says that the girl has his “full support.” In an earlier version of the blog entry, which Julian has since edited, he prefaced Lennon’s statement by saying that he’s had his own legal run-ins with Yoko over the years and that if “she could have stopped me from working using my own legal name, she would have.” Ouch.

Yoko has certainly worked hard in the years since John’s death to protect the Lennon estate. However, I find it hard to believe that people who heard this girl’s music would be confused between John Lennon and Lennon Murphy. Further, I find it interesting that Yoko doesn’t seem to have a problem selling Beatles’ songs to companies such as Target to be used in commercials. It’s not like this girl is raking in the dough or anything– she is a struggling musician whose mother really, really liked John Lennon. Yoko had eight years to make up her mind about this. Why file suit now?

Picture note by Celebitchy: Yoko Ono is shown at the John Lennon Education Bus Dedication at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on 1/7/08, thanks to PRPhotos. Musician Lennon Murphy is shown in promotional photos.