Bradford Centre

Sketch a day - Day 105/365

Tonight I went with friends to see the One to One film about John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s life together in New York. And the political scene they were involved in (and reacting against) during the 1970’s in the states.

It made me think about the awfulness of the moment we are in. The violent, repressive autocratic impulses we are seeing now have not come out of thin air.

It made me think about the lyrics of imagine in a new way. Never one of my fave Lennon songs. It's easy to dismiss it as sacharine maudlin nonsense (especially if you grew up in the years after Lennon was murdered and it was on endless repeat on top of the pops). Tonight, when he sings the song live, I found the lyrics moving. An idealist’s secular prayer for sanity in the face of the endless violence of Vietnam.

And it made me really sad to understand just how vitriolic the hatred of Yoko Ono was and how this effected her too.

Also, the soundtrack of the gig in new York was amazing. A fantastic sound.

After the film we went to the pub and talked about it. I haven't done that in ages. It was a good night.

Got home.. scribbled this sketch of Bradford city centre looking towards the wool exchange.

And, with 25 mins to go before midnight, that's the news.