Monday 12 July 1971 | Studio A, Record Plant, New York City, USA
On 12 July 1971, John Lennon and Yoko Ono recorded an experimental session at Studio A of the Record Plant in New York City with Fluxus artist Joe Jones. The recordings were used in the soundtrack of their 1971 film Erection.
Joe Jones and the Tone Deaf Music Company
Yoko Ono had known Joe Jones from her years working as an artist within the Fluxus movement in the early 1960s. Fluxus was an international avant-garde movement that blurred the boundaries between art, music, and everyday life, and Ono was one of its most prominent figures.
Jones brought several of his music-creation installations to the Record Plant for the session. He manufactured these under the brand Tone Deaf Music Company ā self-playing, mechanised instruments designed to produce unconventional sounds and textures outside the conventions of traditional music-making.
The Recordings
Several tape reels were filled with experimental and improvisational recordings during the session. The titles recorded included:
- 'Rain Stains'
- 'Airmale (Tone Deaf Jam)'
- 'Don't Count The Waves'
- 'New York Rain Stains'
- 'I'm Afraid'
- 'Fly Paper'
- 'Where Is The Wind'
- 'You'
Of these, three were selected for use in the film Erection: 'Airmale (Tone Deaf Jam)', 'You', and 'Don't Count The Waves'.
The Film: Erection (1971)
Erection was a time-lapse film documenting the construction of a hotel at 147 Cromwell Road, Kensington, London. Lennon and Ono used the three recordings from this session as the film's soundtrack, pairing the mechanised, improvisational music with the slow, methodical imagery of a building rising from the ground.
The film was part of a broader body of avant-garde film work by Lennon and Ono, which included Two Virgins (1968), Rape (1969), and Fly (1970). Erection was directed by Yoko Ono and is considered one of the more accessible works in their joint filmography, its time-lapse format giving it a meditative, almost hypnotic quality.
Key Facts: 12 July 1971
| Date | Monday 12 July 1971 |
| Studio | Studio A, Record Plant, New York City |
| Artists | John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Joe Jones |
| Guest artist | Joe Jones (Fluxus artist, Tone Deaf Music Company) |
| Tracks recorded | 8 experimental/improvisational pieces |
| Used in film | 'Airmale (Tone Deaf Jam)', 'You', 'Don't Count The Waves' |
| Film | Erection (1971) ā time-lapse of hotel construction at 147 Cromwell Road, Kensington, London |
| Context | Recorded weeks before the Imagine album sessions concluded (released October 1971) |
The Record Plant, New York City ā where John Lennon and Yoko Ono recorded the Erection soundtrack with Joe Jones on 12 July 1971.
John Lennon: New York City
Lennon made New York his home from 1971 ā the same year as this session. Officially licensed John Lennon merch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the film Erection by John Lennon and Yoko Ono?
Erection (1971) is a time-lapse film directed by Yoko Ono documenting the construction of a hotel at 147 Cromwell Road, Kensington, London. The soundtrack was recorded by Lennon and Ono with Fluxus artist Joe Jones at the Record Plant in New York City on 12 July 1971.
Who was Joe Jones and what is the Tone Deaf Music Company?
Joe Jones was a Fluxus artist who manufactured self-playing, mechanised musical installations under the brand Tone Deaf Music Company. Yoko Ono knew him from her involvement with the Fluxus movement in the early 1960s. He brought his installations to the Record Plant for the Erection soundtrack session.
What is the Fluxus movement?
Fluxus was an international avant-garde movement founded in the early 1960s that blurred the boundaries between art, music, and everyday life. Yoko Ono was one of its most prominent figures, and her involvement with Fluxus significantly influenced her collaborative work with John Lennon.
Which recordings from 12 July 1971 were used in the film Erection?
Three of the recordings made on 12 July 1971 were used in the film Erection: 'Airmale (Tone Deaf Jam)', 'You', and 'Don't Count The Waves'. Several other pieces were recorded during the session but not used in the film.
What other avant-garde films did John Lennon and Yoko Ono make?
Lennon and Ono made several avant-garde films together, including Two Virgins (1968), Rape (1969), Fly (1970), and Erection (1971). The films were part of a broader artistic collaboration that ran alongside their music and activism.
ā 12 July in Beatles History
ā July in Beatles History
ā John Lennon: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
ā Paul McCartney: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
ā George Harrison: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
ā Ringo Starr: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
ā The Beatles Knowledge Hub
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