Yoko Ono

I've been listening to Yoko Ono for 40 years (Double Fantasy) and I'm still discovering certain aspects of her work that I passed by. Recently, it was the ONOMIX double cd that blew me away. Since then I collect her remix 12" and the good surprises are numerous. Yoko Ono is unique and fascinating.

YOKO ONO is a brilliant artist, musician, advocate for peace, humanitarian etc etc. It is interesting how she can attract such fiercely opposed views: of loving and loathing. Thankfully, the below (Discogs thread) doesn't reflect too much of the negative side.

The polarisation in ONO appreciation is not only revealing on the basis of the simple truism of people having different taste in music and art. The weird thing revealed (sort of funny, but also disturbing) is some are guilty of POLICING, dictating the limits of what they think good art (music) should be - that there is only one opinion, their own. Implying if a work of art is not liked on a personal basis it is not valid, which of course displays a profound ignorance: given people like different things and when there are clearly so many other people who do appreciate the art in question. + surely music . . . rock, punk . . . is all about freedom?

Such narrow and singular approach to the appreciation of art and music is a blindness, death to art. Art, amongst many things, is about varieties of expression, the exploration of the infinite human soul and resulting expression. A good civilisation allows the cultivation of variety in art (a fascist state, as example, dictates, kills the creative voice as reflected in some of the negative opinions). When some are spewing certain shallow statements, they are stating more about themselves than the object they pretend to represent.

Yoko Ono is a genius with her exploration and expression of her own soul, of humanity, hope, life and politics. There are many (including John Lennon of course) who know this of Yoko and love her work for it. John Lennon was attracted to Yoko because of her deep awareness and success in the art world. Yes, setting aside the beautiful aspects of which there are many, there are odd things in Yoko’s work, some very odd things, some difficult things, I’m not going to go into details here. The point is, including the odd and the sometimes ugly, Ono’s art is part of a more COMPLETE picture of reality, a bigger vision than many other artists choose or dare embrace.

Some assume 'taste' in art / music is a gift or simply a part of an individual’s identity, that it can elevate their character. “I have good taste”: there is a measure of bland pretentiousness in such a claim to ‘taste’. “I don’t like that”: in reality is not a boast, it is a setting of parameters, it is a clear declaration that that person lacks the ability to appreciate the piece, it is an ignorance.

[Negative criticism is useful, but some of the below, for example, is not proper negative critique.] Thank you YOKO for your wonderful art, some of the most beautiful, soul-searching and personal expression to exist on this earth.

Love her, never mind the ignorant comments from the "dad rock" element

One of the worst voices ever be on a pop record. The only hit she ever came close to having was "Walking on Thin Ice" because Larry Levan and Frankie Knuckles used to spin the record back in the day.