A draft letter written by John Lennon to Eric Clapton in 1971 is set to go under the hammer at International Autograph Auctions Europe this Thursday. The letter reveals Lennon’s ambitions to form a supergroup with Clapton, alongside a dream lineup of musicians. Expected to fetch around £100,000, this artifact offers a glimpse into Lennon’s post-Beatles ambitions and his desire to continue shaping rock music.
Dated September 29, 1971, the letter was written during a pivotal moment in both artists’ lives. Clapton had recently disbanded Derek and the Dominos following the tragic death of Duane Allman and had just performed at the Concert for Bangladesh, organized by Lennon’s former bandmate, George Harrison. Lennon, meanwhile, had released Imagine earlier that year and was preparing to release “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” in December.
Each sheet of the eight page draft is listed here:
Você também conhece a música que temos feito e esperamos fazer. De qualquer jeito, depois de perder o show de Bangla-Desh começamos a sentir mais e mais vontade de ir para a estrada, mas não do mesmo jeito que era com os Beatles, noites após noites de tortura.”
(2/3) pic.twitter.com/ODoSephSgs— The Beatle BR (@TheBeatleBR) December 3, 2024
In the letter, Lennon imagines a lineup featuring Klaus Voormann on bass, Jim Keltner on drums, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Phil Spector as producer. He envisioned a group free from the constraints of traditional bands, stating: “Our uppermost concern is to have a happy group in body & mind. Nobody will be asked to do anything that they don’t want to, no-one will be held to any contract of any sort… and of course, we had YOU in mind as soon as we decided.” Lennon even included Yoko Ono as a creative force, noting that spouses were welcome on stage or behind the scenes, as was Hopkins’ wife.
Had the project materialised, it would have been a meeting of legends. Clapton, no stranger to supergroups—having been part of Cream, Blind Faith, and Derek and the Dominos—would have brought his bluesy guitar to a lineup brimming with talent. The letter hints at the collaborative freedom Lennon was searching for after the dissolution of The Beatles, a way to rekindle the energy he felt rock had lost.
The draft, reportedly in near-mint condition, is part of an eclectic mixture that also includes a lost letter from Mozart, a pair of Mahatma Gandhi’s sandals, and a photograph of Marie Curie. The sale will take place at 6pm, with Lennon’s letter expected to attract significant attention.
While the £100,000 estimate is impressive, it pales in comparison to other Lennon memorabilia, such as his psychedelic Rolls-Royce Phantom, which sold for $2.23 million in 1985, or the Imagine piano, bought by George Michael for $2.1 million in 2000. These figures become even more astronomical when you account for inflation ($6.5 million and $3.85 million respectively).
Lennon and Clapton’s friendship and musical partnership were well established by 1971. Clapton famously played the iconic solo on the Beatles track ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ and had performed with Lennon in the Plastic Ono Band during their 1969 ‘Live Peace in Toronto’ concert. The pair also played together as part of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Rock and Roll Circus’, when they played under the name ‘The Dirty Mac’. This letter marked a new step in Lennon and Clapton’s relationship—a potential collaboration where both artists could continue to push musical boundaries.
This letter serves as a testament to Lennon’s restless creativity, even after achieving monumental success with The Beatles. The dream supergroup never came to fruition, but the draft offers a tantalising “what if” for fans of both Lennon and Clapton.
With its mix of rock history, personal insight, and Lennon’s characteristic wit, this letter provides a unique snapshot of a moment when two of rock’s greatest icons nearly joined forces. Fans and collectors will be watching closely as the hammer drops on this unique piece of history.
