Jay BergenLennon, the Mobster & the Lawyer: The Untold Story

As a lover of music I really enjoyed reading about the ins and outs of Lennon's battle for what was right. I appreciate Mr Bergen recommending his book to me as I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend!!

I really don’t remember hearing about this lawsuit back in the day, but this book does an excellent job of explaining what happened. It’s presented by John Lennon’s lawyer, so it’s first hand knowledge. And it’s a n easy, fairly quick read.

Jay Bergen , a prominent trial lawyer, tells the story of his defense of John Lennon in a lawsuit brought against him by a shady , mob-connected record company owner . Mr. Bergen describes his legal strategy, which led to a victory , and vindication for Lennon . He provides trial transcript excerpts , which lend color and immediacy to his story . Lennon’s testimony about how he made records is fascinating .Even more powerful are the behind-the-scenes moments , where we see John Lennon’s outrage about the lawsuits, and his deep personal involvement in his own defense . Mr. Bergen’s description of his initial amazement that he was actually representing John Lennon , and then the friendship that developed between the rock icon and the lawyer , and the sometimes humorous moments they shared while preparing for trial were quite touching .The book was really enjoyable , interesting and fast-moving . Read it !

Jay did an excellent job conveying courtroom gargon, and making it understandable and simple. The Freddie Mercury story is worth the price of admission.....Excellent job Jay!!!!!

I was made aware of this book by one of the DJs on Sirius XM radio. Having grown up as a baby boomer and a huge fan of 60s and 70s music, especially The Beatles, I was intrigued by the DJ's description of this unknown story. Mr. Bergen does a terrific job of introducing, and describing how he became involved in this litigation between one of my childhood heros, John Lennon, and this mob connected record company owner. Throughout his narrative, Mr. Bergen is able to bring to light many insightful aspects of John's personality, and how he bonded with the superstar along the way.This is a tale that never made Front page news, so for those of us who like to have a more intimate look at the folks we grew up admiring, this served a a surprising peek into the life of one of my favorite musicians.

Excellent book on John Lennon and the Rock & Roll/Roots legal case against Morris Levy. Lawyer Jay Bergen goes in-depth on the trial, with Lennon’s actual words from the depositions adding to the story. A great behind the scenes look at the more ruthless side of the Music Industry and how John Lennon stood up to a bully and won. Highly recommended.

Jay Bergen's book offers a unique and compelling read. A fascinating treatise by John Lennon, in court, on his recording methods, and the author's legal strategies to expose a notorious mobster in a little known lawsuit, keep the reader turning pages into the night. The subject and tight prose really move the story. A must for Lennon fans and legal buffs. Barbara Gilford, author, "Heart Songs, A Holocaust Memoir."

At first I was wondering when did this happen? I don't even remember a news article being published. And the name Lennon usually got a lot of attention no matter what.I read the book in one sitting. The stuff famous artists get into without a good business friend having their back is nutty. Almost every artist or band has some story about dealings with parasites. In the end, I felt Lennon handled himself well.

The story of Lennon's involvement with Morris Levy is more interesting than this book would suggest. It has been told better by other authors and podcasters. The writing in this book is stiff and awkward. Conversations with Lennon are recreated which make both lawyer and client sound like robots. It reads more like the recollections of someone who was gobsmacked to be representing John Lennon rather than someone fully immersed in the legal intricacies of his client's case. Lennon and Levy were both far more colourful characters than this memoir would have us believe. Save your hard earned cash for Stan Soocher's book: "Baby You're a Rich Man: Suing the Beatles for Fun and Profit. Soocher may have not been the lawyer on the case, but he's a much better writer and keeps you interested.

Posseggo decine e decine di pubblicazioni sui Beatles, molto dei quali sono sul mio beniamino di una vita, ovvero Lennon. Il libro è interessante in quanto scritto da uno degli avvocati che lo hanno supportato a metà anni '70 in una causa intentatagli dal dententore dei diritti delle composizioni di Chuck Berry per plagio nella canzone "Come Together" dei Beatles, che riprendeva testualmente l'inizio di "You can't catch me". Inizialmente, sia Lennon che il tale Morris Levy giunsero all'accordo col quale Lennon s'impegnava a registrare alcuni brani di Berry, in modo da compensare le "perdite" dei diritti. Passarono alcuni anni e, finalmente, Lennon si mise a registrare un disco di successi Rock'n'roll degli anni '50, avvalendosi di decine di nusicisti in quelle che furono caotiche sessioni tra ubriachi. Levy ricevette delle demo e decise di pubblicarle sotto la propria etichetta e venderle per corrispondenza, senza l'approvazione dell'ex-Beatle...