In a 3 o'clock rainy afternoon, over a cup of cappuccino in a coffee shop i
sat with John, we talked about things that i always been wanted to ask him-- music, his life, interests, opinion and view about life and faith.
I am an artist, however, i don't even consider myself one hell as good as the other because i know that i am still learning this talent, but i always loved music. I imagine music as complicated as it is technically, so I’m always in awe whenever i hear great music, even just a simple guitar strum, i die. I don’t know if John has created an impact in my musicality so far, but, I know that John made me question and wonder life itself, that John created an impact in our world and in generations, good or bad, it depends on the receiver.
So, i looked at John as i see his signature round glasses on his strong edgy face that reminds me of that old lady veteran pianist in our church (they have the same face feature) and asked "John, I was browsing the internet, i saw your video there, it is called imagine, i got fascinated by it that i searched more about you, your music and your band, the Beatles ". I continued talking and asking questions as i sip my cappuccino, “yesterday, I got curious with queen, and I learned that you also influenced Freddy mercury, how cool is that right? I mean, you influenced a band that also contributed in music and history worldwide”. Before John’s about to answer, I once again talked, without even considering that he is about to answer my questions “… and oh, I learned about your generation, those old good days in the 60’s to 80’s, I always loved hearing music from those times, like everyone’s starting their scenes, creating history, those great musicians from your time influenced a lot of artists and genres today, I mean, whoa? You guys from then are really cool!!!”
These questions I have for John have been running in my mind for some time now. Sitting here with him is a dream come true and these might be the questions that the whole world is dying to ask him.
“You know what John, your songs are very expressive, you are not afraid to talk about love, people, your family and your ideas, I can see that you really love Yoko Ono and your sons”.
Then silenced killed me, it went straight on our table.
There’s this one thing I am dying to ask him all these times, this is about his song imagine. I was thinking if I might offend him or what but I literally don’t know anything now, I just thought, it’s now or never, so I got my courage and asked him “John, your song imagine, the lyrics is about people being united, the message is very powerful, but, John, do you believe in God?”
John looked at me right in my eye. He said “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I don’t know what will go first, rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity. We’re more popular than Jesus now. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me”. He stopped and added “ ..I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong.”
Again, silence went on our table.
