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I dreamt I was
still at the concert, standing by the stage, lost in the music, feeling
an almost out-of-body euphoria. Then, somehow, I was ushered backstage
with a few others. I remember hanging out with the band and talking to
everyone. Paul and Linda joined in on the conversation. This was every
fan's dream, especially mine, since I'd grown up worshipping the Beatles
like many others.
As I savored
both the concert and the dream, a line popped into my head: "Wings Over
the Universe at the Speed of Light." I didn’t know why, but I loved how
it sounded, and it played in my mind repeatedly.
Over the next few weeks, that concept took root in my head, and that's
when I painted the album cover. As an artist, I had perfected my
brushstrokes in gouache and often painted space and interstellar themes
inspired by NASA and the unknown. I showed the painting to my friend
Bill, a fellow artist, and told him about my dream. He was amused. As we
talked more, I hired Bill to help me build a treasure chest and music
box to encase the project. Bill, a skilled woodworker, helped bring the
vision to life. It took months to refine the concept and make it
impressive—after all, I needed to impress a Beatle!
Then, I set out
to achieve the impossible, getting the finished product to Paul.
A Bit of
History for Perspective
There was no internet, email, or cell phones in those days. We lived in
the dark ages compared to now. Phones were wired and nailed to walls or
desks, and TVs were bulky and overheated easily. On the bright side,
first-class mail was only 13 cents, McDonald’s hamburgers cost 25 cents,
and White Castles were just 10 cents.
I used every
connection I had, but none panned out. As time passed, I became
discouraged. The lack of real connections, leads, and progress weighed
on me, and I feared rejection. There seemed to be no way to show Paul my
work. So, I put the project aside and went on with my life. Although
presenting the work to Paul seemed impossible, it became a great
conversation piece, helping me in my career as an artist. As a young,
hungry artist eager to create, I had nothing to lose and much to gain.
A Real Lead
Many
years later, when I had found success in business and made new friends,
I remained hopeful about meeting Sir Paul and presenting my long-waiting
creation. A dear friend, a speechwriter for President Carter, arranged a
meeting with Paul’s top man at MPL Communications Ltd., based in Soho,
London.
I was over the
moon. It was all I could talk about for days leading up to the trip. It
felt like an American dream come true. Just a few years earlier, the
idea of meeting a Beatle seemed as far-fetched as
meeting Muhammad Ali, the greatest
champion of all time (whom I did have the good fortune of meeting). I
was about to go to London to meet a Beatle—pinch me!
Since my
teenage years, I have been an avid Beatles fan. I had even made small
cardboard cutouts of the four Beatles, which I proudly displayed in my
room. Like many others, I had a Beatles haircut and tried to play bass
guitar, much to my father’s objection.
An American
Dream
With tickets in hand and my suitcase packed, I was ready to go to London
on December 11, 1980, to meet one of the greatest musicians in the
world.
Monday,
December 8, 1980
I remember it like it was yesterday. I was watching Monday Night
Football when a banner flashed across the screen: "Breaking
News: John Lennon has been fatally shot outside his New York City
apartment."
My stomach
dropped. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I stared at the TV,
waiting for the message to appear again. When it did, I read it over and
over in shock. There was dead silence in the room. I looked at my
brother, hoping he had seen it differently, but he was just as stunned.
John Lennon’s
death was a sad day in history. He was the voice of peace and "live and
let live" for our generation. A loving husband, father, friend, and a
gifted musician, he stood for simple ideals of peace, love, and harmony
for all. Learning later that his assassin was a deranged fan made the
tragedy even more heartbreaking. Lennon was gunned down not for his
anti-war stance or his Vietnam protests but for no reason at all. His
loss devastated us all, including Paul.
The tragedy set
the world back, and many projects, including concerts, were canceled or
scaled down. The mood had changed. Although my meeting was rescheduled a
few months later and the project was well-received, John's death was
still fresh in everyone’s minds. It was a loss that changed our
innocence and the world forever.
I am deeply
grateful and honored for the time and generosity shown to me by Sir
Paul, Linda McCartney, and their staff. They have inspired me to be who
I am today. Paul's love for Linda and his family has also influenced my
love and respect for my wife, Linda, and our family.
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