May Pang (John Lennon)

May Pang was John Lennon’s companion for the late-1973-to-early-1975 period that has become known as Lennon’s “lost weekend.” Although Pang has used that phrase for her documentary and photo exhibition, she doesn’t see this time as “lost” for Lennon. Not only did he record two albums (Walls and Bridges and Rock ‘n’ Roll) and produce another (Harry Nilsson’s Pussy Cats), but Pang reunited him with his son Julian and was there when he reconnected with Paul McCartney and considered writing with him again. She puts Lennon’s Los Angeles nightclub antics in context, describes Rock ‘n’ Roll producer Phil Spector’s crazed behavior and details the night she and Lennon saw a UFO from their New York City balcony. She also recounts interactions with Yoko Ono, who set her up with her husband when Pang was the couple’s assistant, and offers a surprising take on the recent Beatles release “Now and Then.” And she explains why George Harrison ripped Lennon's glasses off his face. (Photo by Scott Segelbaum.)