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A review by donaldcapone
We All Shine On: John, Yoko, and Me by Elliot Mintz
5.0
What a gift Elliot Mintz has given John Lennon and The Beatles fans with his memoir, WE ALL SHINE ON. There have been many books written about Lennon/The Beatles over the years and decades, and I’ve read a lot of them. And though there are a lot of good ones out there, well researched and including quotes from the key players, this one feels personal—because it is. Mintz tells us, the readers, stories of and conversations with his close friends, who just happened to be John Lennon and Yoko Ono. He takes us into their world, and his descriptions of his many late-night phone conversations really show them as human beings and not just larger than life celebrities that they were (and still are). As cliché as it is to say, Mintz really brings John to life. For example, there is a funny story about Mintz letting John (a notoriously bad driver) drive his car around an empty McDonald’s parking lot that’s not to be missed.
The memoir covers the years 1971 to 1981, and includes the time John spent in LA during his 18-month long “Lost Weekend,” his separation from Yoko. Mintz, who lives in LA, was asked by Yoko to keep John safe, which was a tall task. John, of course, fell in with a crowd of partiers like Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon, etc, and basically hit rock bottom. Though at the same time somehow managed to record his “Rock and Roll” album of cover songs, produced by Phil Spector. Mintz witnessed some of these legendary (i.e. crazy) recording sessions first-hand, and this is what makes the book such a standout: a first-hand account by someone who was not only there, but was also a trusted friend of the Lennons. Mintz also brings the reader into The Dakota, the Lennon’s home, and the late-night bull sessions, sitting in the kitchen, or the bedroom, Mintz in his preferred wicker chair. And of course, at the end, when Mintz arrives at The Dakota after Lennon’s death, to comfort and help Yoko any way he can.
I’ve heard Mintz in recent interviews make the joke that he decided to write the book now, otherwise people would soon need a Ouija board to interview him. He makes a good point. Soon people from that era, who knew The Beatles and witnessed or were part of the whole whirlwind, will no longer be with us. Paul and Ringo have given hundreds of interviews, but will they ever write their own memoirs? Pete Best could give some fresh insights into the early days too.
Thank you Elliot Mintz, for putting these stories and insights down on paper.
The memoir covers the years 1971 to 1981, and includes the time John spent in LA during his 18-month long “Lost Weekend,” his separation from Yoko. Mintz, who lives in LA, was asked by Yoko to keep John safe, which was a tall task. John, of course, fell in with a crowd of partiers like Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon, etc, and basically hit rock bottom. Though at the same time somehow managed to record his “Rock and Roll” album of cover songs, produced by Phil Spector. Mintz witnessed some of these legendary (i.e. crazy) recording sessions first-hand, and this is what makes the book such a standout: a first-hand account by someone who was not only there, but was also a trusted friend of the Lennons. Mintz also brings the reader into The Dakota, the Lennon’s home, and the late-night bull sessions, sitting in the kitchen, or the bedroom, Mintz in his preferred wicker chair. And of course, at the end, when Mintz arrives at The Dakota after Lennon’s death, to comfort and help Yoko any way he can.
I’ve heard Mintz in recent interviews make the joke that he decided to write the book now, otherwise people would soon need a Ouija board to interview him. He makes a good point. Soon people from that era, who knew The Beatles and witnessed or were part of the whole whirlwind, will no longer be with us. Paul and Ringo have given hundreds of interviews, but will they ever write their own memoirs? Pete Best could give some fresh insights into the early days too.
Thank you Elliot Mintz, for putting these stories and insights down on paper.