Travel: John Lennon – New York to Los Angeles – 25 May 1976
Tuesday 25 May 1976 | John Lennon, Travel
John Lennon and Yoko Ono travelled from New York to Los Angeles on 25 May 1976. The primary purpose of the trip was for Lennon to contribute to the recording sessions for Ringo Starr's album Ringo's Rotogravure. Lennon's contribution — the song 'Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love)' — was recorded on 27 May 1976.
Ringo's Rotogravure
Ringo's Rotogravure was released in September 1976 on Polydor Records (Atlantic in the US). It was Ringo Starr's fifth solo studio album and the first he recorded for a label other than Apple Records. The album is notable for featuring contributions from all three of Ringo's former Beatles bandmates — making it one of the very few post-Beatles projects to carry the fingerprints of all four members, albeit not recorded together.
- John Lennon contributed 'Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love)', recorded 27 May 1976 in Los Angeles
- Paul McCartney contributed 'Pure Gold'
- George Harrison contributed 'I'll Still Love You'
The album was produced by Arif Mardin, the Turkish-American producer whose credits included Aretha Franklin, the Bee Gees, Chaka Khan, and Bette Midler. Mardin was one of the most versatile and respected producers in American music, and his involvement gave Ringo's Rotogravure a polished, professional sheen.
'Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love)'
Lennon wrote 'Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love)' specifically for Ringo. It is a warm, playful song — light in tone, built around a domestic metaphor for love — and sits comfortably within the affectionate, good-humoured register that characterised Lennon's contributions to his former bandmates' solo projects. Lennon also played piano on the track.
The song reflects the continued closeness between Lennon and Starr during the mid-1970s. Of all The Beatles, Ringo maintained the warmest and most consistent relationships with the other three throughout the post-break-up years — he appeared on solo albums by Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison, and all three reciprocated. The bond between Lennon and Starr in particular was genuine and enduring; Starr was one of the last people to see Lennon before his death in December 1980.
Lennon in 1976: The Househusband Years
By May 1976, Lennon was in the middle of what he later described as his househusband period — a deliberate withdrawal from public and professional life that had begun in late 1975, following the birth of his son Sean Taro Ono Lennon on 9 October 1975 (Lennon's own 35th birthday). Lennon had decided to step back from music entirely, to raise Sean and to allow Yoko Ono to manage their business affairs.
The trip to Los Angeles for the Ringo session was one of the relatively rare occasions during this period when Lennon engaged with the music industry. He had finally received his green card in July 1975, ending the four-year deportation battle with the Nixon and Ford administrations, and the relief of that resolution had contributed to his decision to step back. He would not release another album until Double Fantasy in November 1980 — just three weeks before his death.
The Former Beatles and Ringo
Ringo Starr's solo career in the early-to-mid 1970s was the most commercially successful of any former Beatle in that period, at least in terms of singles. His 1973 album Ringo — which also featured contributions from Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison — had produced two US number one singles: 'Photograph' (co-written with Harrison) and 'You're Sixteen'. The formula of drawing on his former bandmates' goodwill and songwriting had served him well, and Ringo's Rotogravure was a continuation of that approach.
By 1976, however, the commercial landscape was shifting. Ringo's Rotogravure performed modestly — it reached number 28 in the US and number 28 in the UK — and marked the beginning of a more difficult period in Starr's solo career. The album is nonetheless a significant document: one of the last occasions on which all four former Beatles contributed to a single project.
Key Facts: 25 May 1976
- Travel: New York to Los Angeles
- Purpose: Recording session for Ringo Starr's Ringo's Rotogravure
- Lennon's contribution: 'Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love)' (recorded 27 May 1976)
- Album producer: Arif Mardin
- Label: Polydor (UK); Atlantic (US)
- Album release: September 1976
- Other former Beatles on the album: Paul McCartney ('Pure Gold'), George Harrison ('I'll Still Love You')
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ringo's Rotogravure?
Ringo Starr's fifth solo studio album, released in September 1976 on Polydor/Atlantic. It features contributions from all three of Ringo's former Beatles bandmates — Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison — making it one of the few post-Beatles projects to carry all four members' involvement.
What did John Lennon contribute to Ringo's Rotogravure?
Lennon wrote and played piano on 'Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love)', recorded in Los Angeles on 27 May 1976, two days after travelling from New York for the session.
Who produced Ringo's Rotogravure?
Arif Mardin, the Turkish-American producer whose credits included Aretha Franklin, the Bee Gees, Chaka Khan, and Bette Midler.
What was Lennon doing in 1976?
Lennon was in his self-described househusband period, having withdrawn from public and professional life following the birth of his son Sean in October 1975. The Ringo session was one of the rare occasions he engaged with the music industry during this time. He would not release another album until Double Fantasy in November 1980.
Did all four Beatles contribute to Ringo's Rotogravure?
Yes — Lennon contributed 'Cookin' (In The Kitchen Of Love)', McCartney contributed 'Pure Gold', and Harrison contributed 'I'll Still Love You'. It is one of the very few post-Beatles albums to feature all four members, though not recorded together.
Shop Beatles Merch: Beatles T-Shirts & Tops | Shop by Era
0 comments