John Richards

Tuesday, 8 December 1980 we all had to say goodbye to John peace and love John. I’m asking Every music radio station in the world sometime today play Strawberry Fields Forever. Peace and love. - Ringo Starr twitter.com ----- Lennon viewed "Strawberry Fields Forever" as his finest work with the Beatles. After his death, a section of New York's Central Park was named after the song. - Wikipedia

The song was the title track and theme of the blaxploitation film of the same name. Relating the song to the movie's lead character, as well as to issues in his private life, Gaye called it one of the most honest recordings he ever made. He played drums and piano on the record as well as performing all the vocals himself, singing most of the song in falsetto.

On the song, PiL leader John Lydon has said: 'Public Image', despite what most of the press seemed to misinterpret it to be, is not about the fans at all, it's a slagging of the group I used to be in. It's what I went through from my own group. They never bothered to listen to what I was fucking singing, they don't even know the words to my songs. They never bothered to listen, it was like, 'Here's a tune, write some words to it.' So I did. They never questioned it. I found that offensive, it meant I was literally wasting my time, 'cause if you ain't working with people that are on the same level then you ain't doing anything. The rest of the band and Malcolm never bothered to find out if I could sing, they just took me as an image. It was as basic as that, they really were as dull as that. After a year of it they were going 'Why don't you have your hair this colour this year?' And I was going 'Oh God, a brick wall, I'm fighting a brick wall!' They don't understand even now."

“We should finish that Christmas song this year, I think many people will relate to it” – for what a year it has been! The anti-consumerist satire fell away and I was able to write new verses and finally finish the song with some honest sentiment. We recorded it during our recent Patreon funded E.P sessions, and as much as I can be, I am proud of it. Of course there are a few grains of salt left in there to stop you slipping on the slushy snow of sentimentality… I hope it puts a smile on your face & warms the iciest of hearts, With love as always, Ellery James Roberts & Ebony Hoorn. xXx “ louderthanwar.com