Sean Lennon and Girlfriend Recreate Iconic Photo of John and Yoko
- Posted on Sep 3rd 2009 12:30PM by Charley Rogulewski
- Comments (253)
You can call it a case of history repeating itself. Sean Lennon has recreated the award-winning Rolling Stone cover photo of his parents, Yoko Ono and John Lennon, taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz on Dec. 8, 1980, just hours before the assassination of the former Beatle. While the original photo shows a clothed Ono being spooned by a naked Lennon, the junior Lennon and his girlfriend, model Kemp Muhl, switched roles for the remake, with Lennon keeping his pants on and Muhl, well, not so much. The Huffington Post (link NSFW) reports that the remake appears in the fall issue of independent French style publication Purple.The original photo shoot initially correlated with the release of Ono and Lennon's first album together in five years, 'Double Fantasy.' Lennon would be shot by Mark David Chapman hours later outside the couple's New York City apartment building, the Dakota, upon returning from the studio. The photo graced the cover of Rolling Stone's commemorative issue to the late Beatle that hit newsstands on Jan. 22, 1981.
Ono has said of the iconic photo, "Why wasn't I told that John will be taken away from me soon after, without even a chance for me to say goodbye? That's what I think about now when I see it." There's no word yet on what she thinks of her son's take on it.





Reader Comments(1 of 12)
Chuck Defeliceat 9-04-2009
COOL !
Garyat 9-04-2009
I remember the day very well. I still have the original Rolling Stone issue, sealed in plastic, as well as the "Two Virgins" LP, unopened, never to be played. Lennon lived for peace, and his shortsightedness was his downfall. One of the few heroic figures of the era, despite his failings, never let him or his legacy be forgotten.
da boboat 9-04-2009
You're absolutely right.
Sherryat 9-04-2009
Very well said! Amen.
kayeat 9-04-2009
Agree.
Dreahsfat 9-04-2009
I absolutely agree, and I think it is very tacky for his son to do this picture, Its not the same concept, John did not show an "parts". His sons picture is creepy.
Larryat 9-05-2009
John would be saddened by this country today. We take the daily horror's with a grain of salt. We are deadened more every day to the pain in the world. If you would tell someone in the 50's what the headlines are today, they would be horrified, we are just numb.
I am sad too, and it isn't going to get better I'm afraid.
Today in this country we are living in a police state and don't even realize it. I am sad about it all and John Lennon would be too.
jenniferat 9-04-2009
I was born the day the Rolling Stone issue came out. A wonderful musician taken far before his time
arugulaat 9-04-2009
Shortsightedness was his downfall?? Fall from where? Lennon never had a "downfall" from anything. He had a lot of inner searching he needed to do, but that's his business. Are you saying he should have anticipated a lone looney tune numping out of the shadows and shooting him just to impress a woman who didn't know he even existed (and would never have cared for someone like him if she did}? Are you saying he should have lived inside a suit of armor just in case? Lennon was a light in the darkness and he sure was a working class HERO to me.
Garyat 9-04-2009
And yes, on my Keroucish world travels in the early '70s, I visited Gilbraltar if for no other reason than that was where John & Yoko got married!
Timat 9-04-2009
Funny as hell
kayeat 9-04-2009
You are one sick racist.
Gat 9-04-2009
Gary you are a sick SOB why make stupid jokes on a serious subject. Get a REAL life. The Beatles #1 rock band of all time.
26 6=1at 9-04-2009
YES, I too would like to visit Gilbraltar, so that Britain will get the F*ck out of Ireland! Tiochfaidh Ar La! Bas No An Bua!
It is soooo funny too when these liberals (Yoko) who proclaim peace, love, communal property, forgiveness and all that load of crap when horrible things are done to you and your family, then cannot practice what they preach when it is done to them.
Cherieat 9-05-2009
Your "joke" is tasteless. And John and Yoko just wanted to try to show that peace is the best way to go. The picture appears to be Sean's way of getting some publicity and not at all what John and Yoko's intent was.
TTat 9-04-2009
WEAK!
sydnieat 9-04-2009
I would hit it
Tinaat 9-04-2009
Sorry people...that is NOT yoko. The lady in the pic is too pretty to be yoko.
Ninaat 9-04-2009
No, it's not Yoko, it's Kemp Muhl...and guess what, it's not John either, it's his son Sean posing with his girlfriend, Kemp. How 'bout you read the story...or even the headline...before making an idiotic comment like that.
KATat 9-04-2009
YOKO was ugly to look at- while i am sure he thinks his mom is pretty in some sort the rest of us don't need to be reminded of HER- lennon is the memory- NOT YOKO