UK/ITALY: POP STAR GEORGE MICHAEL BUYS JOHN LENNON'S "IMAGINE" PIANO FOR 1.45 MILLION POUNDS.

Record ID: 390225

  • Title: UK/ITALY: POP STAR GEORGE MICHAEL BUYS JOHN LENNON'S "IMAGINE" PIANO FOR 1.45 MILLION POUNDS.
  • Date: 16th October 2000
  • Summary: LONDON, UK (OCTOBER 17, 2000)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) GV: PIANO OUTSIDE HARD ROCK CAFE
  • Embargoed: 31st October 2000 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, LIVERPOOL, UK, MODENA, ITALY & UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS.
  • City:
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA1IWM8MRPUZ0GMAX3DG3XXON7V
  • Story Text: Just imagine! The piano on which John Lennon composed "Imagine" has been sold for 1. 45 million pounds - to pop superstar George Michael. His London press agents have confirmed Michael bought the piano, 'to keep it in Britain.' It is reported George immediately donated the historic Steinway to the Beatles Story Museum in Liverpool.
    Steinway has authenticated the upright walnut piano as the one Lennon bought in 1970 for around 1,000 pounds.
    The former Beatle, who composed "Imagine" on it a year later, was murdered in New York by Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980.
    Chapman was denied parole earlier this month.
    Be it the opening of a new Lennon museum in Japan or the release of the band's first autobiography, Fab Four events have flowed thick and fast as global interest -- and money -- continues to circle the British idols.
    Two solo albums were released last week to mark what would have been Lennon's 60th birthday, shortly after Paul McCartney put together a new Beatles dance record featuring out-takes from the band's 1960s heyday.
    The final price for the piano came within a whisker of the auctioneers' predicted 1. 5 million pounds.
    Bidding was conducted live from Hard Rock Cafe branches in both London and New York, as well as via the telephone and Internet.
    Also on offer was Lennon's old Ferrari 330GT, which fetched 110,000 pounds.
    But it was the piano that had aficionados drooling.
    Film footage from 1971 shows a relaxed Lennon at its keys composing "Imagine" before he turns to his keyboard player to remark: "That's the one I like best."
    The piano had been owned by a private collector and had been on show for most of the year at the Beatles Story Museum in their home town of Liverpool.
    Former drummer and founding member of the rock group, Fleetwood Mac, Mick Fleetwood was one of two organisers of the auction.
    His new company, FleetwoodOwen. com specializes in rock and entertainment memorabilia.
    A friend of George Michael is quoted in the London 'Sun' as saying, "George feels this piano is part of Britain's music heritage. He didn't want it to go abroad and is delighted it's going to its spiritual home."
    ---ENDS---
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