Sorry to rehash this topic that was posted before, but I wanted to add my thoughts. I read the closed thread, “John Lennon: May Pang & Lost Weekend” (https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/john-lennon-may-pang-lost-weekend.699225/) which inspired me to get May Pang’s book, “Loving John” (1983). I found the book fascinating and it led me to think, “What would have happened if John decided to permanently leave Yoko and stay with May?”
John separated from Yoko in 1973 and spent 18 months with his personal assistant May. They lived in L.A. and New York.
Some interesting things from the book:
• In 1973, John and Yoko’s marriage was having major problems. Yoko encouraged May to start a relationship with John because Yoko wanted someone to be with John who would really care for him. Yoko wanted to have her own affair.
• May was John and Yoko’s personal assistant who set up recording sessions and living arrangements. She helped set up the recording session for the album “Mind Games”
• John worked on the Rock N’ Roll album in L.A. which broke down due to alcohol, drugs, and an unstable Phil Spector. Producer Phil Spector fired a gun in the studio and later stole the master tapes. The album was later finished in New York under a much calmer setting with John in charge.
• John Produced Harry Nillson’s album “PussyCats” in L.A.
• While in L.A., John would drink with buddies such as Harry Nillson and would get very violent and out of control. He would black out and not remember what he did the next day. John would always ask for forgiveness from May afterward.
• May described John as having two personalities. There was a public John that was outgoing, witty, and fun to be around. There was a private John that was introverted, lacking confidence, and had trouble making decision. May believed this was due to his abandonment by his father, his mother’s lack of stability, and his early fame. John seemed an unstable person who had never truly matured as an adult.
• Yoko was described as very manipulative. She would constantly call John multiple times a day to check up on him and tell him what to do even though they lived on separate coasts. Yoko told John to say that she kicked him out of the Dakota even though he denied to leave on his own. Yoko told John not to let people see May and John in public.
• May encouraged John to reconnect with his son Julian and served as a buffer or helper when Julian came to visit. She encouraged him to call Julian every week.
• John began to reconnect with Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Star who all visited in L.A.
• John completed the album Walls and Bridges back in New York and had the #1 hit “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night.”
• John seemed to love May and wrote the song “Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradise)” about her.
• May encouraged John to start making his own decisions like an adult. It started with simple things like going out to the grocery store by himself. John seemed to be making steps toward maturity and being happy.
• At first John would always take Yoko’s calls and wanted to make sure she was o.k. Eventually John became more distant from Yoko and did not want to take her calls. During the the 1974 musical Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road, John refused to have May switch seats with Yoko who was sitting in the back of the Theater.
• There were tentative plans to visit Paul in New Orleans to see him record the album, “Venus and Mars.” May believed that John and Paul might get together and write again. May believed that Yoko really encouraged John to leave the Beatles whereas John would have been more indifferent to leaving on his own.
• John made plans to buy a house with May. He also had plans for doing another album. He had written one song called “Tennessee” that I believe later became, “Watching the Wheels.”
• John went back to the Dakota to visit Yoko who said she knew someone who used hypnosis to stop smoking. May didn’t want John to go, but John said not to worry and he would be back soon. In a strange episode, May saw John a couple days later at the dentist and looked like he hadn’t slept after undergoing some intensive therapy at the Dakota.
• John reunited with Yoko. He continued to call and visit May from time to time after. When May told Mick that John had went back to Yoko, Mick said, “I guess I lost a friend.”
• May believed John chose the “safety” of Yoko who was a strong woman who would make all his decisions for him. John didn’t want to grow as person into a mature adult. May believed John was depressed when he was with Yoko and that Yoko wanted John back when he began to assert his independence.
In my opinion, John was making positive personal growth during his time with May. He was making his own decisions, gaining confidence, and was planning a future with May. They were going to buy a house together and he had given up the destructive drinking lifestyle in L.A. He was actively producing good music. He had made connections with Julian and renewed his friendships with Paul and Mick. I think he most likely would have reunited with Paul and maybe the Beatles in some way. I think he would have been a much happier human being and adult.
What does everyone else think? Has anyone else read this book or something similar? What would have happened if John stayed with May? I know there is a lot of speculation here, but if you believe May’s account there is tantalizing clues that John could have had a very happy and productive second half of his life.