Episode 41 Beyond ‘Double Fantasy’: Laurie Kaye’s Journey to John Lennon’s Final Interview
Episode 41 Promo
Laurie Kaye
Laurie Kaye has worked in radio from the time she was in her very early 20s, first as an intern, then as an on-air reporter and anchor. She wrote and coproduced numerous radio rock specials for RKO, including ‘RKO Presents the Beatles’ (later expanded and retitled as ‘The Beatles from Liverpool to Legend’), and ‘The Top 100 of the 70’s’ before moving on to write Dick Clark’s weekly radio countdown show and syndicated newspaper column. Laurie then moved on to television and film as a writer, producer, and casting director, where she still works today, handling both creative content and line producing for docuseries pilots.
On Dec 8, 1980, Laurie Kaye was part of a team from RKO Radio Network, along with an executive from Warner Bros./Geffen Records, who interviewed John Lennon and Yoko Ono at their Dakota apartment in NYC, following the release of their album ‘Double Fantasy’. It was to become the music legend’s final interview. A few hours later, John Lennon was assassinated. ‘Confessions of a Rock ‘N’ Roll Name-Dropper: My Life Leading Up to John Lennon’s Last Interview’, published by Fayetteville Mafia Press/Tucker DS Press, details Laurie’s experience before, during, and after that monumental encounter.
About the Episode
EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this episode of Rock is Lit, we’re deviating from the world of fiction to explore the riveting reality of rock ‘n’ roll. Laurie Kaye is here to talk about her brand-new memoir, ‘Confessions of a Rock 'N' Roll Name-Dropper: My Life Leading Up to John Lennon’s Last Interview’. Get ready for exclusive behind-the-scenes tales, intimate encounters with rock royalty, and a symphony of stories that will transport you back to the golden age of rock.
FYI: We may be talking nonfiction in this episode, but, in the spirit of Rock is Lit’s claim to fame as the first and only podcast devoted to rock fiction, I encourage you to check out some of the novels that feature John Lennon in some capacity, such as ‘Saint John Lennon’ by Daniel Hartwell, ‘The John Lennon Affair’ by Robert S. Levinson, and ‘John Lennon and the Mercy Street Café’ by William Hammett. You can read my short story about John and Yoko, “Shadow of Shiva,” which was published in ‘Solidago Literary Journal’ in 2017, here.
Listen to my interview with John Lennon’s lover during his 18-month separation from Yoko in the mid-1970s, May Pang, about her new documentary on her time with John, ‘The Lost Weekend: A Love Story’, on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAvoFbFNerM&t=945s
MUSIC AND MEDIA IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
“Love” by John Lennon, Instrumental Cover
Clip from RKO interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Clip from the ‘Today’ show about John Lennon’s murder, featuring Laurie Kaye, Dec 9, 1980
Clip from RKO interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Clip from Plutopia News Network interview with Laurie Kaye
Free John Lennon “Imagine” Cover, No Copyright
Rock is Lit theme music
Clip from Season 3 Announcement/’Duck Tales’/Disney Channel
[Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop”
John Lennon “Free As a Bird” Instrumental Cover
John Lennon “#9 Dream”
Clip from The Beatles Live at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles 08/28/1966: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5pV-sgapPg
John Lennon “Out the Blue”
George Harrison “Blow Away”
Paul McCartney and Wings “Silly Love Songs”
John Lennon “Watching the Wheels”
Yoko Ono “Kiss Kiss Kiss”
John Lennon “Mind Games”
John Lennon “(Just Like) Starting Over”
Clip from the ‘Today’ show about John Lennon’s murder, featuring Laurie Kaye, Dec 9, 1980
The Beatles “In My Life”
John Lennon “Woman”
John Lennon “Beautiful Boy”
Yoko Ono “Hard Times Are Over”
George Harrison “All Those Years Ago”
Clip from RKO interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Rock is Lit theme music—royalty free background music
LINKS:
Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451
Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350
‘Today’ show, Dec 9, 1980, about John Lennon’s murder, with Laurie Kaye: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zrcbfSUOZI
RKO uncut interview with John and Yoko, Dec 8, 1980: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsu-GihhQIY
Laurie Kaye’s website: https://www.confessionsofarocknrollnamedropper.com/
Laurie Kaye on Facebook: @LaurieKaye
Laurie Kaye on Instagram: @rocknrollnamedropper
Laurie Kaye on Twitter: @LaurieJoKaye
My interview with May Pang about her new documentary, ‘The Lost Weekend: A Love Story’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAvoFbFNerM&t=945s
Photo courtesy of Laurie Kaye: The author, John Lennon, Yoko Ono at The Dakota in NYC, Dec 8, 1980
Courtesy of Laurie Kaye: John and Yoko’s signatures on Laurie’s copy of Yoko Ono’s book, ‘Grapefruit’
Photo courtesy of Laurie Kaye: Linda McCartney, Paul McCartney, Laurie Kaye in London, June 15, 1979
Courtesy of Laurie Kaye: Laurie’s 45 of “Silly Love Songs,” which Linda, Paul, and Denny Laine signed
