Looking Through A Glass Onion 2007

By John Waters THE SONGS OF JOHN LENNON

It’s been suggested to me many times since I became known as an ‘interpreter’ of John Lennon’s music, that, having achieved the feat of bringing the man’s persona into life so dramatically, it would be great if I could now just deliver the songs. No ‘abridged’ versions such as was occasionally the case in ‘Looking Through a Glass Onion’. Let us enjoy the music. And while I’m at it, could I please do songs X, Y and Z. Favourites that were so tragically missing from that show.

My response has always been: great idea. I’ll get back to you.

Well, I’m getting back to you. I have gathered together the original ‘Glass Onion Band’ with Stewart D’Arrietta on keyboards at the helm. Paul Berton plays guitars, Greg Henson drums, and Tony Mitchell adds his fluid bass lines. I am very fortunate to have these great musicians, who represent the cream of Australian rock talent, as my colleagues in this and many other ventures. We’ve played and sung together for a few years now, and it only gets better.

What we are going to give our audiences on this tour is, in a way, the concert we all wish we could have had, but which was denied us by fate. The real John Lennon cant be with us, needless to say. What It is my pleasure to do, is to bring his songs to life, and thereby let us all relive the sound-track of our lives, for Lennon, surely more than anyone, has written it.

I certainly had problems leaving out certain songs when putting together the ‘Glass Onion’ idea, but in order to persue the semi-narrative line we were taking, we simply had to. So now, freed from such constraints, we will be rocking out with ‘Don’t Let Me Down’, ‘Happiness is a Warm Gun’, ‘I Am The Walrus’, ‘I’m Losing you’ and others that I have been longing to perform.

There is no doubt that these shows will be a form of ‘release’ for me. A way of shaking off the shackles of dramatisation and basically cutting lose on some of the best rock and pop songs ever written. I have formed quite a bond with audiences around the country, and I am looking forward to repaying their support by giving them a party.

The Warrnambool Standard. What a performance. By SHANE FOWLES June 18, 2007

John Waters at the entertainment centre yesterday. Picture: JEMMA WALLACE

YOU could not find a more diverse triple bill a French opera, a children's dance party and a musical tribute to the most famous Beatle.

But together they combined to attract the biggest weekend audience seen in many years at the Warrnambool Entertainment Centre.

More than 1700 patrons attended performances at the centre, providing a welcome shock for management.

``There hasn't been such a full-on weekend like this in my three years here,'' the centre's marketing officer, Kelly Reaburn, said last night. ``There were three very high-class acts on with something for everyone - and everyone has taken it on.''

The blockbuster weekend started with two all-singing, all-dancing shows from everyone's favourite green dinosaur, Dorothy. Stepping out of the shadow of The Wiggles, the friendly dinosaur provided a party for about 900 children and their carers.

One of the world's most popular operas, Carmen, lived up to its billing in front of 480 people. ``It was the best (attended) opera that we have had in a long time,'' Ms Reaburn said.

The Melbourne Opera performed Bizet's tragic tale of the doomed love between a soldier and the passionate gypsy, Carmen.

Last night, John Waters brought the songs of another John, Beatle John Lennon, to full life in a rousing gig.

More than 350 tickets had been pre-sold, although many more punters turned up to enjoy the performance.

Having created a play based on the life of the songwriting genius, Waters is well versed in the former Beatle's back catalogue.

BENDIGO WEEKLY. 8 June 2007. Are you ready to rock with John? By Sue Turpie - Arts and Entertainment

JOHN Waters has portrayed some of the greatest characters on Australia’s stages and screens since arriving from England in 1968. He landed a job as a grip on the set of a US film Adam’s Woman, and cast member Helen Morse suggested he audition for an up-and-coming musical. It was a twist of fate which saw John land the lead role of Claude in Sydney’s 1969 production of Hair.

Since then he’s starred in the likes of All the Rivers Run, Breaker Morant, Nancy Wake, Alice to Nowhere, and on stage in My Fair Lady, the Sound of Music, Oliver and the Graduate.

One project obviously dear to John is performing songs by John Lennon, something he found success in through the production Looking Through a Glass Onion. John has got together with the original glass onion band, featuring Stewart Arrietta on keyboards, Paul Berton on guitar, Greg Henson on drums and Tony Mitchell adding his fluid bass lines. As a special feature, Stewart Arrietta will perform some Tom Waites favourites. The ensemble will be at the Capital next Wednesday. For inquiries phone 5434-6100.

The Courier-Mail. Word's out on All Saints. June 05, 2007

AUSSIE TV veterans John Waters and Judith McGrath were yesterday caught for the first time talking to each other on camera. They have been working together on Channel 7's highly popular All Saints for more than 12 months – and on TV for that matter for some 40 years each – yet have never exchanged a scripted word. "We've never spoken a word to each other on that show," Judith told Qconfidenital.

The two were summoned to Brisbane to film a segment for the Great South East at the new look State Library which was also an excuse for Judith to return to the city where she grew up. "I could come back here to live very easily," Judith said. Now in her tenth season on All Saints, she has appeared in all but a handful of episodes, missed due to commitments for a theatre production. Before All Saints, her longest TV stint was four years on Prisoner. "I remember watching the first episode (of Prisoner) with Rowena Wallace and laughing because the prison walls shook," Judith said. "Then I ended up being on it for four years . . . no I never did a panto."

As for John, he said the release of the documentary US vs John Lennon would not necessarily mean he would reprise his stage show Looking Through A Glass Onion. "The one thing about doing that show is that I'm not seen as a John Lennon impersonator, which has been good," John said. "Unsure if the documentary means I will bring it back, but I will be touring Queensland at some stage soon with my band."