Legendary Collaboration: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Frank Zappa at Fillmore East in 1971
In the summer of 1971, John Lennon and Yoko Ono made a memorable appearance with Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention at Fillmore East on June 6. This collaboration led to the inclusion of four tracks from the show on the Live Jam bonus disc of the original Some Time In New York City vinyl album, later expanded to six tracks on the Power To The People boxset in 2025.
The meeting between Lennon, Ono, and Zappa was arranged by WPLJ disc jockey Howard Smith at Zappa's suite at the One Fifth Avenue residential hotel. Lennon was pleasantly surprised by Zappa's appearance and the initial expectations they had of each other. Zappa invited the couple to join him on stage at the Fillmore show, marking Lennon's return to performing in New York after a long hiatus.
The performance at Fillmore East featured a jam session that included a rendition of The Olympics' Well (Baby Please Don't Go), a nostalgic song for Lennon from his days at The Cavern in Liverpool. The set also included Zappa's King Kong, later renamed Jamrag by Lennon, and the energetic Scumbag, leading up to the experimental noise drone Aü performed by Ono.
After the show, Zappa entrusted Lennon with the 16-track tapes to mix with Phil Spector, but Zappa was dissatisfied with the final results, particularly the excessive tape echo used in the mix. Despite this, Lennon expressed his admiration for Zappa's work and intellectual approach to music, acknowledging their mutual appreciation for each other's artistry.
The collaboration between John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Frank Zappa at Fillmore East in 1971 marked a unique and memorable moment in music history. The fusion of their talents and styles resulted in a dynamic performance that showcased their individual and collective creativity. The legacy of this collaboration lives on through the recordings and the mutual respect shared between these iconic artists.