Tuesday 14 August 1973 | John Lennon, Studio
| Studio | Record Plant, New York City |
| Session | Fifth day of overdubs for Mind Games |
| Producer | John Lennon |
| Engineers | Roy Cicala, Dan Barbiero |
| Featured musician | Peter E ‘Sneaky Pete’ Kleinow (pedal steel guitar) |
The fifth day of overdubs for John Lennon’s fourth solo album Mind Games took place at the Record Plant in New York City on 14 August 1973. The session was produced by Lennon himself and engineered by Roy Cicala and Dan Barbiero. It was the second of two consecutive days on which pedal steel guitarist Peter E ‘Sneaky Pete’ Kleinow added his distinctive contributions to the album.
Sneaky Pete Kleinow
Peter E ‘Sneaky Pete’ Kleinow (1934–2007) was one of the most celebrated pedal steel guitarists in American music. He was a founding member of the pioneering country rock group The Flying Burrito Brothers, formed in 1968 with Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, and his fluid, expressive pedal steel playing was central to the sound that helped define the country rock genre.
By the early 1970s, Kleinow had become one of the most sought-after session musicians in Los Angeles and New York, contributing to recordings by a wide range of artists. His pedal steel work on the Mind Games sessions brought a warm, country-inflected texture to several of the album’s tracks — an unusual but effective choice for a Lennon record, reflecting the eclectic musical palette of the album.
Although the specific overdubs recorded on each individual day of the sessions are not documented, Kleinow’s pedal steel guitar appears on seven tracks from the album: ‘Tight A$’, ‘Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)’, ‘One Day (At A Time)’, ‘Bring On The Lucie (Freeda Peeple)’, ‘Intuition’, ‘Out The Blue’ and ‘You Are Here’.
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Mind Games: the album
Mind Games was John Lennon’s fourth solo studio album, released on 2 November 1973 by Apple Records. It was recorded during a turbulent period in Lennon’s personal life: he and Yoko Ono had separated in late 1973, and Lennon had begun what he later called his “lost weekend” — an 18-month period during which he lived in Los Angeles with May Pang, his personal assistant, at Yoko’s suggestion.
The album was recorded at the Record Plant in New York City, the studio where Lennon had recorded much of his post-Beatles work. The sessions featured a large cast of musicians, with Lennon producing the album himself — his first solo production credit since Imagine (1971), following the troubled Some Time in New York City (1972), which had been co-produced with political activist Yoko Ono and Phil Spector.
The album’s core band included David Spinozza and Ken Ascher on guitar and keyboards, Gordon Edwards on bass, and Jim Keltner on drums — a rhythm section of considerable pedigree. Additional musicians included Ken Ascher on piano, Rick Marotta on percussion, and a string section arranged by Mel Collins.
The title track, ‘Mind Games’, reached number 18 in the UK and number 18 in the US, making it a modest commercial success. The album as a whole reached number 9 in the UK and number 9 in the US. Critics at the time gave it a mixed reception, with some finding it a step back from the political urgency of Some Time in New York City and the artistic ambition of Imagine, while others welcomed its more accessible, melodic approach.
In retrospect, Mind Games is often viewed as a transitional album — a record made during one of the most unsettled periods of Lennon’s post-Beatles life, before the creative renewal that would produce Walls and Bridges (1974) and, ultimately, Double Fantasy (1980).
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The Record Plant, New York City
The Record Plant was one of the most celebrated recording studios in New York City, founded in 1968 by Gary Kellgren and Chris Stone. Located at 321 West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan, it became one of the defining studios of the rock era, hosting sessions by Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon, and many others. Lennon recorded several of his most important post-Beatles works there, including Imagine (1971), Some Time in New York City (1972), Mind Games (1973) and Walls and Bridges (1974).
The studio’s chief engineer, Roy Cicala, had a particularly close working relationship with Lennon and was present at many of his most significant sessions during this period. The Record Plant closed in 1987.
Key Facts
| Date | Tuesday 14 August 1973 |
| Studio | Record Plant, New York City |
| Session | 5th overdub day; 2nd day for Sneaky Pete Kleinow |
| Producer | John Lennon |
| Engineers | Roy Cicala, Dan Barbiero |
| Kleinow tracks | Tight A$, Aisumasen, One Day (At A Time), Bring On The Lucie, Intuition, Out The Blue, You Are Here |
| Album released | 2 November 1973, Apple Records |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Sneaky Pete Kleinow?
Peter E 'Sneaky Pete' Kleinow (1934–2007) was a celebrated pedal steel guitarist and founding member of The Flying Burrito Brothers. By the early 1970s he was one of the most sought-after session musicians in America, contributing pedal steel guitar to seven tracks on John Lennon's Mind Games album.
What was John Lennon’s ‘lost weekend’?
Lennon's 'lost weekend' was an 18-month period beginning in late 1973 during which he and Yoko Ono separated and Lennon lived in Los Angeles with May Pang. The Mind Games sessions took place at the very start of this period. Lennon later reconciled with Yoko Ono and returned to New York in early 1975.
Where was Mind Games recorded?
Mind Games was recorded at the Record Plant in New York City, the studio where Lennon had recorded much of his post-Beatles work including Imagine (1971) and Some Time in New York City (1972). The Record Plant closed in 1987.
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