John Lennon, Ritchie Yorke And 2 Degrees of Separation

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 at 3:42 am

: Image via Wikipedia

Over the last 12 months I have had the honor, and the privilege, of getting to know a legendary music icon, Ritchie Yorke.

When we first started our label (http://bit.ly/9fgh1x) Ritchie did what he does best, and did an interview with Cowbell.

When you meet people, you seldom ignore the general rule that states there are Six degrees of separation and accept the Human Web on planet earth. However, last week, I discovered there are in fact only two degrees that separate most in today’s global village.

As a John Lennon fan, it was fantastic to sit down and talk with the man that was Lennon’s International Peace Envoy. With John’s words still so firmly in Ritchie’s mind, 30 years later, sitting opposite him and watching the excitement and enthusiasm on his face when he spoke with passion about John, I began to realize the influence Lennon had on the world and specially on those that he came in contact with.

I also realized that a music lover like Ritchie, not only believes in John’s message, but that he still has the determination to tell the world, with the same gusto that drove him cross the red border into Communist China to deliver the message of peace on behalf of Lennon in 1970.

I could write volumes about Ritchie and his contributions to the music industry, but what happened last week at our studios will give you some idea of whom this man is.

During a break from a recording session, a senior student on work experience at Cowbell was casually talking to Ritchie and asked what he did. Ritchie replied with a question: ’Do you know John Lennon?’ “Not really … wasn’t he one of the Beatles?” was the answer.

Realising that the conversation could soon turn a crucial corner, I spied the T-shirt the lad was wearing. Them Crooked Vultures (which features the Led Zeppelin’s bassist, John Paul Jones) and promptly asked if he was familiar with Led Zeppelin. His eyes lit as he proudly announced that he was their number one fan, in fact he even owned their biography (The Led Zeppelin Biography, 1975).

Someone else at the table promptly announced, … “you are talking to the author.” The kid’s jaw dropped it was as though he’d just seen a Rock God!

My point is, that the most unassuming person could be closer to that Six Degrees of assumed separation than we all at times contemplate.
What makes Ritchie truly great, and others like him, is their humility, which in turn makes the stories they tell more interesting and the truth they speak totally accepting to even the hardest heart.

Some amazing things are happening that we can’t mention just yet, but please head over to the website www.peacebeliever.com and register your name for the upcoming project. Ritchie is a great ambassador and his (and John’s) message is definitely worth hearing.

Shayne Locke
Cowbell Digital Music – It’s Your Choice.