Album: Live Peace in Toronto 1969
Artist: The Plastic Ono Band
1969 Apple
CD: 0777 7 90428 2 1 (1995 re-release on EMI Records Ltd.)

Band members:
Eric Clapton: guitar, backing vocals
John Lennon: vocals, guitar
Yoko Ono: vocals
Klaus Voorman: bass
Alan White: drums (1-7)


Produced by Lennon/Ono
Re-mixed by Rob Stevens
Remastered by George Marino


Tracks:
Side A
1.  Blue Suede Shoes [Perkins] (4:07)
2.  Money [Bradford/Gordy] (3:25)
3.  Dizzy Miss Lizzy [Williams] (3:24)
4.  Yer Blues [Lennon/McCartney] (4:12)
5.  Cold Turkey [Lennon] (3:34)
6.  Give Peace a Chance [Lennon/McCartney] (3:41)

Side B
7.  Don't Worry (Mummy's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow) [Ono] (4:48)
8.  John, John (Let's Hope for Peace) [Ono] (12:39)


Notes: (***) Alan White has often told the story of being invited to join the Plastic Ono Band and initially believing he was being pranked, and then of running through the songs on the plane out because they didn't have any time to rehearse. The result was historic, but, probably reflecting that lack of rehearsal, not actually very well performed. It was panned by the critics at the time.

The promoters of the show had contacted Lennon to see if he would be the master of ceremonies at the one-day Toronto Rock and Roll Revival Festival. Lennon suggested instead bringing his band, and the promoters agreed. A band had to be hastily assembled. George Harrison turned down the guitar role, Lennon turning to Eric Clapton instead. The band had two rehearsals: on the plane and at the festival, shortly before appearing on stage. Lennon has said that it was on this flight to Canada that he gained the confidence to leave The Beatles, as he did soon after.

The band performed on 13 Sep 1969 to an audience of around 25,000. (5) and (7) received their premieres at the show, before being released the next month as a single ("Cold Turkey" as the a-side, "Don't Worry" the b-side). Lennon mixed and largely mastered the album on 25 Sep, although he did return on 20 Oct to re-do the master for (7), removing most of Ono's vocals and Clapton's backing vocals. The 1995 remix added additional backing vocals from Ono on (3), but removed some of her backing vocals from (2).

The album was released 12 Dec in both the UK (Apple) and US (Capitol), failing to chart in the former, but making #10 and eventually going Gold in the US. A documentary film of the festival was made, later released as "Sweet Toronto", including the Ono Band's performance. The album was re-released in 1982 and 1986 in the US. A CD releasewas planned 1989, but cancelled, before appearing in 1995. The remix was re-released in 2006. (HP, 28 Dec 2016)

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