The Day John Lennon Took Over the Airwaves

In 1974, when John Lennon paid a visit to WNEW’s Dennis Elsas, he brought along a collection of his favorite vinyl to share with the listeners.

© Dennis Elsas/denniselsas.com

On the afternoon of September 28, 1974, New York City was drenched by rain. If you had WNEW-FM on, you would have heard a playful interpretation of the weather forecast, read by a voice you might recognize with a distinct Liverpool accent.

“Mostly cloudy with occasional rain,” John Lennon started, taking a brief pause. “Expect rain this afternoon, tonight, and tomorrow. Highs in the 70s this afternoon and tomorrow, lows in the mid-60s tonight. Keep an eye out for it – that’s my forecast. Monday looks fair and cool, man.”

For two hours, a laid-back and cheerful Lennon took to the mic and turntable, calling it his 'second favorite job,' alongside the station’s music director and famed DJ, Dennis Elsas. For Beatles fans, it was an unforgettable experience that still sparks conversations nearly four decades later.

"As a lifelong Beatles fan, I knew it was something special," recalls Elsas. "It was unprecedented – something that had never been done on the radio before."

Elsas had met Lennon the month prior during a recording session. Through John’s then-girlfriend May Pang, he was invited to visit the station to discuss his upcoming album. But Elsas was surprised when Pang called shortly after saying, "John wants to come over. When would be a good time for him?"

Elsas recalls, "She said, 'Oh, and John wants to know if it’s okay to bring some of his records too.' She wasn’t just talking about his new album, Walls and Bridges. He had brought along some classic 45s he wanted to play. He was there to be a DJ."

"John just shows up."

Lennon’s visit was arranged just a few days after the phone call. Surprisingly, there was no publicity for the event at WNEW. "Honestly, I didn’t think he’d actually show up," Elsas laughs. "Plus, we were FM – much cooler – and didn’t promote things the way AM stations did. If I’d had a guarantee that John Lennon was coming, I definitely would’ve promoted it."

"Back in 1974, it was a different time. There weren’t as many established systems. No media machines as sophisticated as today. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon, and John just showed up."

For a fun-filled two hours, Lennon played rare rock ‘n’ roll tracks like Bobby Parker’s "Watch Your Step," alongside contemporary hits like ELO’s “Showdown” (he affectionately called the band ‘Son of Beatles’). He covered everything from hanging with the Rolling Stones in the ‘60s to the infamous Beatles “Butcher sleeve,” and from his love of Burger King Whoppers to his ongoing immigration issues (“I think we could definitely use a couple of odd Lennons around here”). In between, he did station IDs and some humorous commercial spots.

Reuniting the band?

And, of course, the inevitable question about a Beatles reunion came up.

"I always remind people of this, because they can’t fully grasp what it was like," Elsas reflects. "Beatle fans from 1970 to 1980 appreciated and respected all the solo projects, but deep down, they all had one burning question: ‘When are they getting back together?’ That was the focus."

Lennon’s response left room for hope. "There’s always a chance we’ll collaborate again, because when we meet, we tend to fall into that creative vibe. But I can’t see us hitting the road together – touring, I don’t really fancy that myself."

In the years that followed, Elsas crossed paths with Lennon several times, and the iconic broadcast was replayed, especially after Lennon’s tragic death in 1980.

WNEW, a station that defined rock radio in the ‘70s and ‘80s, faced struggles in the ‘90s and transitioned to an all-talk format in 1999. A few years later, it switched to "Blink FM: Music Women Love." Elsas can now be heard on WFUV in New York and Sirius XM Satellite Radio’s Classic Vinyl station.

In his long career in radio, that rainy September afternoon remains a defining moment. "I’m so glad that it has endured over time," Elsas shares. "It was completely unscripted and spontaneous. John was just a musician chatting about his new album, excited and talking to a fan who happened to be a DJ with a radio show. It captured a special moment. I’m still so grateful that I got to experience it."

You can listen to highlights from the broadcast on Dennis Elsas’s website.