3 Things You Didn’t Know About John Lennon

John Lennon has leagues and leagues of super fans–even decades after his murder. That in mind, we venture to guess that there are certain corners of that group that know everything there is to know about Lennon. We don’t venture to step on any toes, but if you’re not too versed in Lennon’s world, check out the three facts below. Some might surprise you.

[RELATED: New Documentary About John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Wacky 1972 Stint Co-Hosting a Talk Show Premiering Soon]

3 Things You Didn’t Know About John Lennon

1. Lennon wasn’t “turned on” by the idea of being a Beatle

Creativity can be a fickle thing–especially when you pursue a career in creativity. You have to be 100 percent into it, or you risk burning out. According to Lennon, being in the Beatles didn’t always excite him. His storied career is testament enough to his fervor for more fulfilling pursuits.

“I feel I want to be them all– painter, writer, actor, singer, player, musician,” he once said. “I want to try them all, and I’m lucky enough to be able to. I want to see which one turns me on. I want to see what I’ll be like when I’ve done it.”

2. Lennon felt like the Beatles never met their full potential

The Beatles weren’t just a rock band, they were global icons. With that amount of prestige comes a lot of responsibility. Lennon once said he felt the pressure of being world-renowned musicians somewhat stifled the group. In fact, he thought it blocked them from reaching their full potential as musicians.

“The music was dead before we even went on the theater tour of Britain,” Lennon once said. “We were feeling shit already, because we had to reduce an hour or two hours’ playing, which we were glad about in one way, to twenty minutes, and we would go on and repeat the same twenty minutes every night. The Beatles’ music died then, as musicians. That’s why we never improved as musicians; we killed ourselves then to make it. And that was the end of it.”

3. Lennon didn’t like his voice

Few people like the sound of their own voice on tape–famous musicians included. According to those creatively close with the Beatle said he often tried to cover his voice with studio techniques.

“John hated his voice, and would often use electronic methods to modify, disguise it, or enhance it,” a Beatles radio host once said. “He was always asking Beatles’ producer George Martin to put something on his voice.”

(Photo by ITV/Shutterstock)