Lennon was in Los Angeles for three days of business meetings and promotional activities, including a three-hour stint as a disc jockey on a local radio station. Identifying himself as "Dr. Winston O'Boogie," he played some records (including, to the surprise of some who feel he's still anti-Beatles, Paul McCartney's "Jet" and George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord") and answered phone calls in the wry, who-can-take-this-seriously style that was his trademark with the Beatles.

"Hello, John," a caller said, a bit of hero-worship in his voice. "This is Mark. One of the songs you wrote in the Beatles days -- 'I Am the Walrus' -- is a favorite of mine."

"Oh," Lennon said in a greatly exaggerated voice. "That's a favorite of mine, too. What a coincidence."

"I wanted to know," the voice continued, still trying to inject a note of seriousness into what had turned into a zany radio show, "where some of the insane lyrics that you write come from."

"Out of my insane head," Lennon roared back. "I have to leave you now because my head is walking away from me." And he was off to the next caller.

-- excerpted from the Sept. 1974 article "Dr. Winston O'Boogie Movng On to Lighter Ground" by Robert Hilburn