Is there anybody there?

A few years ago I came across a guy on the internet claiming to be channelling John. His name is American Lesley Jane and a strange life this man has too! Initially I listened to what he was saying as “John” and the fan part of me, desperate to hear anything more of John, was willing to give him a chance. On his radio interviews at least he successfully “talks” John well. On initial inspection he does the voice well enough that after a while you feel you really are kind of listening to a John. That is partly down to what he talks about – some of it scarily like stuff the actual John might talk about. And so you are drawn into this bizarre world where, since 1985 when the disembodied Lennon found him (!), Lesley Jane has “become” John. For about a nano-second I was really buying it and then I started to hear bits of well known John dialogue in his speech and then I thought…you’re busted mate – well and truly. Of course, the final nail for me was when George died and he tastelessly brought him into the “channelling” charade. Apparently they are all part of this band called Beatlesex (as in Beatles EX, named by “John” apparently) …and it is then that the penny drops…this is a guy desperate to BE a beatle, with a small b…a guy who can only be one of three things:

1 - an ordinary chap who has been channelling John Lennon since 1985

2 - a guy trying desperately to sell “his” music– I say that because it’s unbelievably beatlesque - at all costs

3 - a fraud

I know which one my money is on!

Over the years I’ve kept an eye on what American Lesley Jane is up to, mainly for my own amusement, but also because there is something compelling about the whole tasteless thing. Mrs Beatcomber and I laugh out loud when we decide to watch a Lesley channel (ooh sorry about that one!)…better than a night out at the cinema it is….well ok then…maybe not – but watchable in any case as he “makes an ass of himself”.
Lesley (and John) make it quite clear in several interviews that they are (both) ready to be tested out and have apparently thrown down the gauntlet to none other than Yoko Ono and Paul McCartney to pop by for a chat, who have both, unsurprisingly perhaps, failed to return his calls.
However, it seems that he has recently scored with a background character in the John Lennon story. On his my space page (and unbelievably so) there is this:

“….in this slideshow, two of the pictures shows me channelling John Lennon for the BEATLESEX record "Freezer Bird" while John Lennon's boyhood pal and co-founder of the original Quarrymen, Pete Shotton, sits on the couch observing the whole amazing thing. Pete said to John, "You bastard! You knew, didn't you? You knew that if I saw you work I'd know it's you!" and John replied "I've only been trying to tell you that for 2 f***ing years, Shotton". AND THAT'S The TRUTH.”

So, what is going on there with Pete Shotton? Why would someone of his knowledge be a part of this? Is it simple curiosity or a deep desire to believe that his boyhood friend carries on in some way or another? You know, that such a vital life force cannot have been extinguished completely, right?

What are these people trying to gain?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this one folks…here are a couple of links to get started on

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=23379248

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=431747