When I was 13, my parents bestowed their collection of records to me. I didn't really care though at the time: most of it was just bad classic rock records. For some reason, though, they had a copy of The Plastic Ono Band's Live Peace in Toronto 1969. I thought I might as well give it a try, even though I always hated The Beatles. Side A was pretty much what I expected, with its horrible rock ‘n’ roll covers and Clapton/Lennon guitar solos. I'm not really sure why I even put Side B on at that point, but I guess I had nothing better to do. After hearing Lennon announce "Now Yoko's going to do her thing, all over you," I had no idea exactly what he meant. But when the second track broke loose with both Clapton and Lennon making feedback and Ono "doing her thing all over me," I was mesmerized.
Well, guess what, Yoko is back with a new Plastic Ono Band, and she is going to "do her thing all over you" yet again. Ono will release Between My Head and the Sky September 22 via Chimera Music. This time around, Yoko's Plastic Ono Band is made up of Japanese avant popsters Yuka Honda (Cibo Matto) and Keigo “Cornelius” Oyamada, as well as New York improvisers like Daniel Carter (Test). Ono's son Sean Lennon also plays on the record and helps produce. According to Lennon, "Yoko unleashed a deluge of new songs, writing about 16 songs in six days. The most prolific day peaking out at six songs written and tracked in an afternoon. The recording session was like a tornado of inspiration. Some of the best lyrics on the record Yoko actually ‘freestyled’ as if she were a lyrical divining rod.”
Well, I'm not really how well Ono can do her thing all over everyone, but I'm definitely curious to see if she's still got it.
Between My Head and the Sky tracklist:
1. Waiting For the D Train
2. The Sun Is Down! (Cornelius Mix)
3. Ask the Elephant!
4. Memory of Footsteps
5. Moving Mountains
6. Calling
7. Healing
8. Hashire, Hashire
9. Between My Head and the Sky
10. Feel the Sand
11. Watching the Rain
12. Unun. To
13. I'm Going Away Smiling
14. Higa Noboru
15. I'm Alive