John Lennon Pitches Eric Clapton on a New Band in Rare Letter Headed to Auction

A rare, eight-page draft letter John Lennon wrote to Eric Clapton in 1971, pitching him on a new musical project at one of the most tumultuous times in Clapton’s life, is headed to auction.

This copy of the missive is dated Sept. 29, 1971 and it contains various deletions and corrections, including some in a different hand, possibly Yoko Ono’s. Lennon retained this copy of the letter and the exact contents of the final version sent to Clapton are unknown. (If all of this sounds vaguely familiar, the same letter was put up for auction in Los Angeles in 2012.) 

Lennon opens the letter raving about Clapton’s work, saying, “You must know by now that Yoko and I rate your music and yourself very highly, always have.” He goes on to outline his and Ono’s percolating plans for a new band and way of touring, with Lennon saying they’ve already asked the likes of Klaus Voormann, Jim Keltner, Nicky Hopkins, and Phil Spector to form a “’nucleus’ group (Plastic Ono Band)” before adding: “And of course we had YOU!!! in mind as soon as we decided.”

A few lines later, Lennon tells Clapton: “I really feel that I/we can bring out the best in you — (some kind of security financial or otherwise will help) but the main thing is the music. I consider Klaus, Jim, Nicky, Phil, Yoko, you could make the kind of sound that could bring back the Balls in rock ´n´ roll. Both of us have been thru the same kind of shit/pain that I know you’ve had — and I know we could help each other in that area — but mainly Eric — I know I can bring out something great — in fact greater in you that has been so far evident in your music.”

Despite Lennon’s vociferous pitch, it appears Clapton ultimately turned down the offer. Clapton had played with the Plastic Ono Band briefly in 1969, while Voormann, Keltner, Spector, and Hopkins all enjoyed stints of various lengths as well. 

The letter is fascinating for a variety of reasons, not least Lennon’s grand plans for a vision of touring and making music that keeps everybody happy, well-paid, and artistically stimulated. He ruminates about touring everywhere from behind the Iron Curtain to the islands of the South Pacific, and even floats “a kind of Easy Rider at sea” scheme: “We get EMI or a sane film co. to finance a big ship with 30 people aboard (including crew) — we take 8 track recording equipment with us (mine probably) movie equipment — and we rehearse on the way over — record if we want, play anywhere we fancy.” 

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Equally intriguing though is all the context surrounding the letter, which Lennon largely leaves unsaid, or only hints at. Lennon drafted this letter to Clapton over a month after George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh benefit show in New York where Clapton made a rare public appearance in the midst of his deep heroin addiction. Clapton’s retreat from the public eye was further exacerbated by his famously unrequited love for Pattie Boyd, the model and photographer who was then married to Harrison. 

To the extent that Lennon broaches these subjects, it’s through reassuring Clapton that he’ll be cared for and supported on this musical journey. “We don’t want to work under such pressure that we feel dead on stage or have to pep ourselves up to live,” he writes at one point, before later assuring Clapton they’ll even bring doctors on the road with them “in case of any kind of bother.” 

Lennon closes his letter by encouraging Clapton to write him back or at least think about his offer: “Please don’t be frightened, I understand paranoia, only too well. I think it could only do good for you to work with people who love and respect you, and that’s from all of us.” 

The drat letter currently has an estimated price of €100,000 – €150,000 (about $104,000 to $157,000). It’ll hit the auction block on Dec. 5 via International Autograph Auctions Europe SL.