John Lennon‘s sister Julia Baird has spoken to NME about the launch of a new London exhibition space that features a recreation of the icon’s childhood bedroom, as well as opening up about her issues with the upcoming Beatles biopics. Check out footage from the launch and our interview with Baird below.
Having launched this week at Camden’s Stables, Live Odyssey has been previously described as “a celebration of the rich tapestry of British music, offering a unique experience for music lovers of all ages” through “a groundbreaking tribute to the sounds that shaped Britain”.
The attraction – which combines live music, an exhibition museum, and a hologram performance from The Libertines – will take fans through six decades of music via a two-and-a-half-hour adventure that captures the evolution of British pop, from the early anthems of the ’60s and ’70s to the Britpop explosion of the ’90s and today.
This week saw Baird will unveil a multi-sensory immersive exhibit dedicated to the late Lennon which “details the early years that shaped Lennon through to a life of stratospheric fame with The Beatles” through artefacts, paintings, drawings, writings, moving photographs, provided by James Wilkinson.
This includes a recreation of Lennon’s childhood bedroom, which Baird described as “very moving”.
“If you’re a Beatles fan you’ve either been to Mendips or seen a picture of John’s childhood home, where he had what is known as ‘the box room’,” Baird told NME. “You couldn’t fit much in there. You had six inches to move everywhere. It’s very true to life: the bed, the red quilt, the lot. It’s a good imitation of what his room was like. He was in there writing all the time and doing his cartoons.”
Baird explained how allowing fans to see the room was also part of her efforts to reclaim Lennon’s childhood from mythology.
“I wrote a book back in 2006 [Imagine This], and it’s been realised that John’s childhood isn’t exactly what’s been promoted,” she told NME. “More and more people now know the truth of it. My mother wasn’t this happy-go-lucky person who had children and put them on eBay. That’s the impression that I was getting so I thought I had to do something about it.
“With that in mind, James has taken things out of my book and paraphrased them for the room.”
Baird also explained how she grew exhausting by new John Lennon films, books and projects emerging each year – taking particular issue Sam Mendes’ upcoming big-budget biopics of each individual Beatle.
“It’s never-ending: people finding things,” she said. “I obviously have no and want no control over any of that. But I have to say, I despair whenever I hear about the next thing. Biopics, four of them – what are you doing? Leave us alone! I saw ‘us’ because it affects me, my sister, my cousins. I open the paper and think, ‘What have they found now?’ I can’t think of anything that hasn’t been done.”
“John isn’t the only one affected by it and he isn’t affected by it. We are. But does anyone ever ask us? The answer would be no. Sam Mendes isn’t even coming to Liverpool. I don’t know if he’s ever been there or if he ever would come so far North.”
It’s been announced that Harris Dickinson will play Lennon, joined by Paul Mescal playing Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan playing Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn taking the role of George Harrison.
“We have actors in Liverpool, you know?” replied Baird. “We have acting schools and young lads that could do John like that. Is he going to meet them? No. We all know that no one can do a Scouse accent without sounding stupid. They roll their Rs to a ridiculous extent as if they’re in Mexico or something. That’s not right.
“Just come to Liverpool and get an actor from Liverpool.”
Asked about the likelihood of the Lennon biopic being a fair and accurate portrayal of his childhood, Baird replied: “Wouldn’t that be wonderful? How are they going to do that? I bet they don’t talk to me. They’ll talk to somebody who knew somebody who’s American who has a dog that barks ‘John Lennon’.”
Gary Prosser is one of the two directors of Live Odyssey, who said that the area dedicated to John Lennon was his “favourite room” in the space. “It’s got this amazing New York loft style feel to it,” he told NME. “It’s personal, it’s intimate, and what James has tried to do is tell the story of John’s early life before The Beatles came into existence with his family life, The Quarrymen and what led him up to The Beatles.”
As for the bedroom element, he said: “Everyone paints John as this mythical godlike character and so unattainable. To see this box room where he had his dreams is really special. The liberation started here, in rooms like this.”
Prosser described the rest of Live Odyssey as “a walk-through music experience of the history of British live music, where we try and encapsulate the spirit of the last 60 years”.
“We have two live bands – one representing the ‘60s and ‘70s and another of the ‘80s through to the present day – and in between we’ve got lots of themed bars, artwork, merch, paraphernalia, posters and a hologram of The Libertines performing a short set,” he said.
“Six months ago we painstakingly shot The Libertines at The Roundhouse. They performed three songs and we’ve spent six months compositing that and putting it together. The reaction to that has been amazing.”
Previously speaking to NME about ‘Live Odyssey’, The Libertines’ Carl Barât said: “This is something truly special. Performing in Camden for this project brought everything full circle for us. Knowing it will live on as part of Live Odyssey is truly exciting – it’s a tribute to the music that shaped us and the fans who’ve supported us.
“This is something truly special for us. Performing for this in Camden felt full circle for us, from squatters to holograms, buskers to beams of light. Knowing it will live on as part of ‘Live Odyssey’ is both exciting and surreal – it’s a tribute to the people and music that shaped us and the place that made it possible.”
Bandmate Pete Doherty added: “British music thrives on its history and its ability to evolve. Being part of this is thrilling – it’s like stepping into the future while paying homage to the past.”
Live Odyssey is open in Camden now. Visit here for tickets and more information. Donations of ticket sales will be donated to Music Venue Trust.
