In 2010, Yoko Ono unveiled a blue marker plaque at the site of this flat, where she and John Lennon lived for about three months (from the 21st of June 1968) and took the photograph that would become the cover of their Two Virgins album. It was actually Ringo Starr who leased this ground floor and basement and first moved into the apartment in 1965 with new wife Maureen. In 1966 Paul McCartney used the basement of the apartment to build a small recording studio where he recorded the demo of I’m Looking Through You and worked on Eleanor Rigby, among other things.
On 6th December 1966 Ringo let the apartment to Chas Chandler, the former bass player of The Animals, who moved in with his girlfriend, Lotta, but also with Jimi Hendrix and his girlfriend, Kathy Etchingham. While living there, Jimi composed The Wind Cries Mary after an argument with Echingham about her cooking skills (Mary was Kathy’s middle name, which she hated and Jimi only used it to annoy her! Ha!)
After the police raided the flat looking for drugs while Lennon lived there (on the 18th of October 1968), the landlord of the property sought an injunction against Starr to prevent it from being used for anything illegal and Ringo eventually sold the lease in February 1969.
Music label owner Reynold D’Silva bought the flat for £550,000 in 2002, beating a rival bid from Noel Gallagher.
Address: 34 Montagu Square, Marylebone, London W1H 2LJ
@Rockandrollogist 