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May Pang Biography

May PangMay Fung Yee Pang (b. October 24, 1950) is best known as the former lover of ex-Beatle John Lennon. She had previously worked as a personal assistant and production coordinator for Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono.

In 1973, Lennon and Ono separated and Lennon and May Pang had a relationship that lasted over 18 months, which Lennon later referred to as his "Lost Weekend."

Pang produced two books about their relationship: a memoir called Loving John (Warner, 1983) and a book of photographs, Instamatic Karma (St. Martins, 2008).

Pang was married to producer Tony Visconti from 1989 to 2000, and had two children, Sebastian and Lara.

Lennon called his 18-month relationship with May Pang his "Lost Weekend", a reference to the The Lost Weekend film, which starred Ray Milland, Jane Wyman and Phillip Terry. The film was based on a novel of the same title by Charles R. Jackson, about a writer who drinks heavily because of the accusation that he had had an affair with one of his male friends while in college. The reference to the gay affair was removed in the film, and the main character's descent into an alcoholic binge is blamed on writer's block.

In summer 1973, Pang was working on the recording of Lennon's Mind Games album. Lennon and Ono were having marital problems and decided to separate, and Ono suggested to May Pang that she become Lennon's companion.

Ono explained that she and Lennon were not getting along, had been arguing and were growing apart, and said that Lennon would start seeing other women. She pointed out that Lennon had said he found Pang sexually attractive. Pang replied that she could never start a relationship with Lennon as he was her employer and married. Ono ignored Pang's protests and said that she would arrange everything. Ono later confirmed this conversation in an interview. In October 1973, Lennon and Pang left New York for Los Angeles, living at the homes of friends.

When Lennon began producing Nilsson's Pussy Cats album, he thought it would be a good idea for the musicians to live under one roof to ensure they would get to the studio on time, so May Pang rented a beach house in Santa Monica in March 1974, for Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, and Keith Moon to live in.

During the recording, Lennon and Nilsson were involved in two drinking incidents at The Troubadour after starting work: The first was when Lennon placed a Kotex on his forehead and scuffled with a waitress, and two weeks later when Lennon and Nilsson were ejected from the same club after heckling the Smothers Brothers.

Lennon then collaborated with Spector in December 1973, to record an album of Lennon's favourite oldies, but the alcohol-fuelled recording sessions were not successful. It was reported that Spector fired a loaded gun in the studio control room, and Lennon had to finish the album in New York's Record Plant, in the autumn of 1974. Pang was credited on the finished album as "Production Coordinator and Mother Superior", in recognition of the difficult time she had organising the production schedule and musicians.

In May 1974, John Lennon and May Pang returned to live in New York City. Lennon stopped drinking and concentrated on recording. As Lennon had previously had cats in Liverpool—while living at his aunt Mimi's house—he and Pang had two cats in New York called Major and Minor. Pang is the voice whispering Lennon's name on "#9 Dream".

Pang claims that Lennon's song, "Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)", was written about her. Lennon achieved the only number one single in his lifetime with "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night".

May Pang received an RIAA gold record award for her work on Walls and Bridges and continued her work as production coordinator of Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll album. Pang also worked on albums by Nilsson, Starr, Elton John and David Bowie.

May Pang - In Her Own Words

My association with the Lennon’s began as a working relationship. For three years, I had a dream job: personal assistant and production coordinator for John and Yoko. A typical day would consist of the mundane (like brewing the morning coffee or opening the mail) to calling Jackie Kennedy Onassis or Andy Warhol to coordinating recording sessions. Each day would hold a surprise.

But the biggest surprise of all came in the summer of 1973, as I was coordinating press for Yoko’s new album, Feeling the Space, and simultaneously starting the sessions for John’s upcoming album, Mind Games. Early one morning, Yoko came to my office in their apartment at the Dakota and told me that she and John were not getting along. It was obvious to all of us who worked there that things were a bit tense between them, so this wasn’t exactly a bombshell. Yoko went on to say that John would start seeing someone new, and she wanted it to be “someone who would treat John well.” I now felt the bombshell coming. I was thinking, If they split, who will I be working for?

Yoko continued, “You don’t have a boyfriend.” I dropped my pad and pen. Did I just hear her right? I assured her I wasn’t interested in John, if that’s what she was thinking. She told me she knew that. But she didn’t stop there. “I think you should go out with him.”

I was dumbfounded. I kept telling her no, I would not go out with John. But apparently her mind was made up. “If John asks you out, you should go!” Yoko announced, making it sound a little stronger than a suggestion.

For the next two weeks, all was quiet. Recording was put on hold, and I assumed (and hoped) that John and Yoko had worked out their differences and everything was back to normal. When John resumed recording Mind Games, I got ready to accompany him to the studio, as usual. The moment we got into the elevator at the Dakota, my world changed. John grabbed me and kissed me and said, “I’ve been waiting to do that all fuckin’ day.”

As we drove to the studio, John told me that he was coming home with me. I just couldn’t deal with it, so I ordered the cat to take him to the Dakota. After a couple of nights of trying to come home with me and getting rebuffed, he sent the car away during a session without my knowing it.

We’re getting a cab and I’m coming home with you,” he declared. I wasn’t going to argue on the streets of New York at 2:00 AM. And, so our relationship began.

To see some of May Pang's photographs click here.

Check out reviews of May Pang's books here.

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