Ian MacDonald: Revolution in the Head – Extracts Featuring Marx & Mao! (18.4.2023) 

Imperial Japan initiated military violence against the people of China between 1931-1945. This was a fascist expansion that spread throughout Asia and even threatened the US! I am told that around 60 million men, women and children were killed and wounded during these terrible years throughout China – a number that includes Europeans. A fact often ignored is the part that Yoko Ono’s family played in this era. Her family were ardent ultra-nationalists who supported this racist war. Yoko Ono defied the ‘racist’ attitudes of her family by entering into a relationship with a ‘White’ foreigner. Indeed, when touring Japan during 1966 (and before meeting Yoko Oni) – The Beatles would encounter this evil face of Japanese racism when they played the Budokan! Ultra-Nationalists in Japan threatened the life of The Beatles if they played in a sacred arena – as their ‘Whiteness’ threatened to spiritually ‘pollute’ the arena usually reserved for the devout practice of Japanese martial arts! Yoko Ono may have defied her parent’s anti-Western racism – but she definitely retained their attitudes pertaining to anti-China racism! All the evidence points to Yoko Ono attempting to ‘cure’ John Lennon of his infatuation with ‘Maoism’ (and of course, ‘May Pang’)!

The ‘Budokan’ and Doing ‘A Beatles’! (29.3.2023) 

John Lennon had been to Japan with the Beatles about five months before he met Yoko Ono in New York. The Beatles made their first visit to Asia at the end of June 1966. They played two televised Concerts at the ‘Budokan’ on June 30th and July 1st, 1966. This is actually the ‘Nippon Budokan’ (日本武道館) located in the heart of Tokyo. The name means ‘Japan Martial Arts Training Hall’ and this venue was built and opened in 1964. Although Japan was still officially ‘Occupied’ by the US Military until 1972 (following Japan’s Unconditional Surrender during late 1945) – the Americans tolerated a certain level of right-wing Japanese ultra-nationalism amongst the population – providing it was contained to being aimed at Communist China. Yoko Ono’s family is said to have been supportive of this ‘racist’ ultra-nationalism – which she rebelled against by having relationships (and children) with ‘White’ men. At one point, Yoko Ono even allowed her husband to have an 18-month affair with his ethnic ‘Chinese’ secretary – the American-born May-Pang (龐鳳儀 – Pang Feng Yi).