New John Lennon & Yoko Ono Box Set Reveals Raw Early 1970s Performances

A newly released box set, “Power to the People (The Ultimate Collection),” offers a comprehensive look at John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s early 1970s work, featuring live recordings, studio jams, and previously unreleased material.

The collection highlights Lennon’s return to the roots of 1950s rock and roll, showcasing performances with the Plastic Ono Band and Elephant’s Memory, the latter bolstered by drummer Jim Keltner. Recordings from the “One To One” concerts reveal a nervous energy in Lennon’s performance, while studio jams feature covers of artists like Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. Notably absent from the set is the controversial track “Woman is the N***** of the World,” despite Lennon initially selecting it as a single from the album Some Time.

Beyond the studio work, the box set captures Lennon and Ono’s active presence in the political and cultural landscape of the era, including a performance at a rally to free John Sinclair in Ann Arbor and a surprising appearance on the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy telethon, where they performed a reggae version of “Give Peace a Chance” alongside Lewis himself. This period saw Lennon navigating a unique space as a globally recognized figure engaging with the leftist underground and utilizing mainstream platforms for political messaging – a duality that continues to fascinate music historians. The release offers a deeper understanding of Lennon’s artistic process during a period of intense creativity and activism, influencing generations of musicians and activists.

Officials involved with the project stated the curation aimed to present a cohesive narrative of Lennon’s musical explorations during this time, focusing on his consistent return to foundational rock and roll sounds. Further details about the collection and its contents can be found on the official website for [Consequence of Sound](https://www.consequence.net/).