Tony Levin recalls recording John Lennon’s ‘Double Fantasy’

Bassist Tony Levin has shared recollections regarding the 1980 recording sessions for John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s collaborative album, ‘Double Fantasy’. During a recent podcast appearance, Levin described a unique studio atmosphere characterized by what he called ‘good tension’.

Levin noted that Lennon, who was returning to music after a five-year hiatus, would alternate between moments of playful jamming and moments of intense focus, often directing the session by telling musicians to ‘stop fooling around’ before counting off a take.

The sessions also involved alternating between Lennon’s tracks and those of Yoko Ono. Levin remarked that working on Ono’s material provided a different experience because, as she did not play an instrument, she could not provide musical direction in the same way.