Roy Cicala was the engineer that John Lennon predominantly worked with when he came to NY permanently from the UK in the early 1970’s. Cicala was involved in engineering Walls and Bridges, the Rock ‘n’ Roll LP, Mind Games, Sometime in NYC, and some of the tracks on Menlove Ave. It was pointed out by the excellent author Kris Englehardt in one of his Beatles Undercover books that John Lennon actually co-wrote some of the lyrics to a Roy Cicala song entitled “Incantation” which was recorded by a group called Dog Soldier and sung by Patrick Jude.
Someone has posted that number on YouTube. The only official release of the number was on a bonus cd put together for one of Kris Englehardt’s fantastic books, the first one of his Beatles Undercover trilogy.
Dog Soldier – Incantation – YouTube
Roy Cicala’s former wife, the late Lori Burton, who sang backing vocals on John Lennon’s “Walls and Bridges” album also recorded a version of “Incantation” that remains unreleased!
The lyrics were inspired from a Native American that John Lennon had supposedly met.
The only other John Lennon co-written song that I am aware of by a member of his production engineering coterie or staff was Phil Spector who was given a co-writing credit for the song “Here We Go Again.”
A signed photo of the late Roy Cicala which I acquired in the last couple of years, along with the signature of engineer, John Hanti who has a wonderful book scheduled for release in the future written with Steve Acker!
John Hanti
Engineer John Hanti had much interaction with engineer Roy Cicala but he was never directly involved with recording John Lennon or having personal interactions with him.
In what will surely be a fascinating forthcoming book, John Hanti has many exciting stories to tell about his involvement in storing some Lennon tapes for Roy Cicala and unfortunately, what happened to some of them. He also has many tales about such Beatles associates as Nat Weiss! He also has a story to relay about the attempted bootlegging of the Beatles Christmas LP. Though not a Beatles book per se’, there are many intriguing musical stories about other giants of the business and music industry and the rigors of being a good engineer. The book has been delayed because of an unexpected illness but I eagerly anticipate what I am sure will be an information-laden and exciting book for all music fans. The promotion of the book will also possibly involve a detailed lecture series that is in the planning stages. The title of the book is tentatively slated to be “Escaping Gravity” by John Hanti with Steven Acker.
John Hanti’s website where his forthcoming book with Steven Acker is discussed
Backline Report | SST Studios and Rentals | United States (sstrentals.com)
DISCUSSION POINT
Today’s discussion question: I am always fascinated with books that have additional information about the Beatles or solo Beatles that come to light many years later from people who may have had a friendship or even a brief but notable interaction with one of the four of them. Their true personalities seem to emerge from books like that as the four are less guarded in many of those circumstances. Based on that description, what book or books that you may have come across that may not be very well known fits my description above the best? Any unusual stories that were revealed in those books that were not written about one of the four, but revealed something about one or all of them that you were not aware of? Thanks in advance for your input on these questions!
BUZZ
MORE GREAT BOOKS AT THE BEATLES BOOKSTORE
John Lennon
Books about John Lennon
