NME: John Lennon’s ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ to be celebrated in new ‘Ultimate Collection’ reissue

The record, which was Lennon's first solo studio album, turned 50 back in December

By Sam Moore

John Lennon and Yoko Ono, 1970 (Picture: Press / Richard DiLello © Yoko Ono Lennon)

John Lennon‘s debut solo studio album ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ is set to be reissued next month for a new ‘Ultimate Collection’ box set.

Originally released in December 1970, ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ was recorded shortly after the demise of The Beatles. The record, which was co-produced by Phil Spector and once described by Lennon as “the best thing I’ve ever done”, featured Ringo Starr on drums and Klaus Voormann on bass and included the songs ‘Working Class Hero’, ‘Isolation’ and ‘God’.

Yoko Ono Lennon and Capitol/UMC will celebrate the recent 50th anniversary of ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ with the release of an eight-disc super deluxe box set, dubbed ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band – The Ultimate Collection’, on April 16.

Ono personally oversaw the production and creative direction of the reissue, which includes rare demos, rehearsals, outtakes, jams and studio conversations as well as 87 never-before-heard recordings. The full live recording session of Ono’s companion LP, ‘Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band’, is also included, presenting the songs in their full, unedited lengths and speed for the first time.

The ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band – The Ultimate Collection’ has been previewed with the new ‘ultimate mix’ of the album’s opening track ‘Mother’, which you can hear below.

In the preface of the box set’s accompanying book, Ono wrote: “With the Plastic Ono Band albums, John and I liked the idea of this really raw, basic, truthful reality that we were going to be giving to the world.

“We were influencing other artists, giving them courage, giving dignity to a certain style of vulnerability and strength that was not accepted in society at the time. It was a revolution for a Beatle to say, ‘Listen: I’m human, I’m real.’ It took a lot of courage for him to do it.”

‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band – The Ultimate Collection’ (Picture: Press)

Published on www.nme.com.