Nous vous retranscrivons ci-après une interview que Yoko Ono a confié au journal « The Herald tribune » :
Question : As we all know, John was an artist before he became a professional musician. But with the exception of his two books in the mid-’60s, « In His Own Write » and « A Spaniard in the Works, » he never seemed to fully embrace that side of himself until he met you. Do you think your work served as a reawakening in him?
Yoko Ono : Well, as you know very well, an artist cannot be impressed in a sense that if I had said anything, he probably would have gone the other way. So I didn’t say anything ? I may have encouraged him a little, you know. I was very impressed with him, and artists do need some kind of support in terms of how good their works are, and he wasn’t having that so much.
Question : When you and John worked together in the late ’60s and early ’70s ? you weren’t taken very seriously.
Yoko Ono : We were taken very seriously when we did the bed-ins, which was a performance artwork, in a way. Seriously in the sense that we were seriously attacked! (Laughs.)
Question : But in retrospect, that seems to have changed.
Yoko Ono : Well, you know, people remember the bed-in deal, in a way. It’s nostalgia time, maybe.
Question : I’ve been listening to stuff from that era recently, in particular the « Some Time in New York City/Live Jam » album, and certain pieces really seem to be precursors to so many movements. What do you think when you listen to those pieces?
Yoko Ono : With that particular album, we went through hell (with critics). The first time that I really noticed it was going down well was, I was invited to Russia by Gorbachev ? and the kids were very into « Some Time in New York City. » So I was just saying, « Hey, John! Do you realize this? » (Laughs.)
Question : You recently took out a full-page ad (in the New York Times) expressing hope for peace in the new year ? What do you think of America’s current state of affairs, especially as it pertains to foreign policy?
Yoko Ono : Well, I think that it’s really true that war is over if WE want it. All of us, each one of us, will have to really want it. That includes the soldiers, as well, and they’re in a very precarious position, putting their lives out there. So they might start thinking that maybe it’s not worth doing that. I don’t know. But my feeling is, we have to all agree on it, we have to all come together. And that could happen.
Question : If John were alive today, what do you think he would say about the situation?
Yoko Ono : Come together. Come together, imagine, give peace a chance. But I really think that, instead of fighting the people who have different ideas about peace, I think we should just go on doing our bit, each one of us.
Question : Do you still hear John speaking to you?
Yoko Ono : Well, you know, we were so close, and I don’t know if John is speaking or I’m thinking in terms of John’s words or not. But I do definitely feel that he’s still around, and that we’re communicating.
