Travel: John Lennon – Los Angeles to San Francisco

John Lennon and Yoko Ono flew from Los Angeles to San Francisco on 21 May 1970.

Since late April they had been undergoing primal therapy with Dr Arthur Janov at the Primal Institute in Los Angeles.

One of the given reasons for the trip to San Francisco was to spread word about primal therapy, and to place an advertisement in the San Francisco Chronicle. However, although an advertisement was drafted, Lennon later revealed that the idea was little more than an excuse for them to go to San Francisco.

Well, I think that’s something people go through at the beginning of that therapy, cause you’re so astounded at what you find out about
yourself, you think, surely this is something. Because it happens to you, you think, well this must be the first time it’s happened. So I was just full of it, like that. Also, I need to have a reason for going somewhere, otherwise I’m too nervous. So I conned meself, and that was a good way of coming to San Francisco [laugh] to see you. Then | have an objective: I’m going to do an advert… Then we settle down, we just talk. So it’s really like that. But I still think the therapy’s great, but | just don’t want to make it into a big Maharishi thing. You were right to tell me, ‘Forget the advert.’ And that’s why I don’t even want to talk too much about it. If people know what I’ve been through there, and if they want to find out, they can find out. Otherwise it turns into that again.

Jeff Jacobson and Marsha Williams, part-time employees of San Francisco limousine service Carey Systems, were sent to the airport to pick up “Mr and Mrs Ghurkin”, although both were told of the celebrity booking.

At the airport, Jacobson approached and asked if “Mr Ghurkin” was, in fact, Lennon. “Yes, dammit, I am John Lennon,” he was told. “How the hell did you know?” Lennon and Ono were each given a red carnation from the Carey Systems office, but Lennon took umbrage at Williams’ informal dress. “How dare you bring this girl? She serves no function,” he told Jacobson.

Lennon and Ono were nonetheless taken to the San Francisco Hilton, although the atmosphere was strained and Williams left in tears. Carey’s assistant manager Bob Higi placed a local ban on any further bookings from Lennon.

Careys elsewhere may give him a ride, but as for this office, we will hereafter refuse service to Mr. Lennon. The inconsistency of the man! His lovable image, and this rudeness, the very opposite. Why, he didn’t even offer a tip.

In the evening Lennon and Ono had dinner with Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone magazine. The following day, at Wenner’s suggestion, they checked out of the SF Hilton and moved to a more private location.