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John Lennon worked with producer Phil Spector on his 1975 album Rock ‘N’ Roll, and the experience was anything but smooth. Spector’s unpredictable behavior and both men’s heavy drug and alcohol use caused problems. After a night in the studio, Lennon began behaving erratically. When he wouldn’t calm down, Spector and his bodyguard tied him up. 

A black and white picture of John Lennon sitting in front of a window.
John Lennon | Michael Putland/Getty Images

John Lennon was working with Phil Spector in the studio

Lennon and Spector had collaborated on more than one occasion by the time they teamed up for Rock ‘N’ Roll. He didn’t look back fondly on the album after its release.

“It started in ’73 with Phil and fell apart,” he told Rolling Stone in 1975. “I ended up as part of mad drunk scenes in Los Angeles and I finally finished it off on me own. And there was still problems with it up to the minute it came out. I can’t begin to say, it’s just barmy, there’s a jinx on that album.”

Both Lennon and Spector drank heavily during the recording sessions, and Spector carried his gun with him in the studio. There was a sense of chaos hanging over the album long before it was released.

The producer tied up the former Beatle at the end of a long night

After the second recording session, Lennon grew agitated. When he began behaving aggressively, Spector rushed to get everyone back to Lennon’s house. He separated Lennon and his girlfriend, May Pang, on the drive, though. When they arrived, Pang learned Lennon had gotten worse.

“When we got to the house, I dashed out of the car,” Pang wrote in her book Loving John. “Arlene [Reckson, Pang’s friend] got out of the other one and ran to me. She looked very frightened. ‘John’s gone mad,’ she said. “He tried to kick out the windows of the car. He’s been hitting everyone and pulling their hair. Jim Keltner tried to sit on him and hold him down, but it was impossible.” 

Pang wanted to put Lennon to bed, but Spector insisted on keeping him up and giving him coffee. When it became clear that the caffeine was only making Lennon more argumentative, Spector and his bodyguard, George, marched him upstairs. Pang heard screaming and the sounds of a fight before Spector and George came back downstairs.

“We tied him up,” Spector said. “He was too dangerous. We tied him up tight so he won’t be able to harm anyone and he’ll be able to sleep it off. Untie him in the morning. Let’s go, George. Goodnight. By the way, wasn’t it a terrific session?”

Soon after they left, Lennon freed himself. In order to ensure their safety, Pang and Reckson drove to a nearby hotel to call Lennon’s engineers for help. Eventually, the group was able to subdue him.

Phil Spector and John Lennon continued working together 

The following night, Lennon went to another recording session. While there was a layer of tension, given that everyone knew about the night before, they continued working on the album.

John Lennon wears sunglasses and stands in front of an open car door.
John Lennon | Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

In 1974, however, Spector was in a car accident and said he wouldn’t release the tapes without money. Lennon and his label eventually sued for the tapes, but when they got them, they realized many were unusable. 

“The stuff we did with Spector, I was so messed up doing that stuff that I was looking forward to hearing that back,” Keltner told Uncut. “I didn’t realize how bad it was.”

How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.

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