The Reason John Lennon Caused a Stir by Pulling Out a Knife at a Party

John Lennon's longtime collaborator Jack Douglas has recalled an incident in the early 1970s when the musician used an unusual method to silence a heated political outburst during a gathering. Speaking on Billy Corgans podcast The Magnificent Others, Douglas explained that he and Lennon had attended a party in New York City with Abbie Hoffman and several counterculture figures.

According to Douglas, the conversation in the apartment grew more intense as one guest began shouting radical slogans. As tensions rose, Lennon, who had been drinking, retrieved a kitchen knife and confronted the woman who had been loudly repeating the phrase associated with anti police sentiment. Douglas said Lennon challenged her by demanding if this was truly the kind of violence she wanted to promote. The gesture shocked the woman, and Douglas and Lennon promptly left the event.

The producer noted that Lennon and Yoko Ono had become loosely involved with Hoffman and Jerry Rubin after moving to New York, even speaking at a rally on behalf of writer John Sinclair, who had been imprisoned for marijuana charges. Douglas added that Lennon often felt the activists were trying to use his fame for their own political aims and had privately described the group as unstable before the fateful party.

During the same period, Lennon and Ono were vocal in their anti war efforts, which led to FBI monitoring in 1971 and threats of deportation. Douglas also previously recounted working with Lennon in the studio on the day the musician was killed in December 1980. He remembered Lennon as optimistic, energized about his work, and deeply devoted to his family. Douglas said the artist had numerous plans for the future and was enjoying a peaceful chapter of his life.

Reflecting on Lennon's creativity, Douglas shared a piece of advice the musician once gave him about songwriting. Lennon believed that the key to a powerful song was simple honesty paired with rhythm. Douglas said that this openness was why listeners felt such a strong personal connection to Lennon's music, as his lyrics consistently reflected his own experiences and emotions.

Author: Noah Whitman