A+E

The Beatles played Las Vegas once, in 1964, but I'm curious if you and John ever made it out here together?

No. Well, actually, we were going cross-country in a car from New York City to Ojai [California], and we did briefly stop in Las Vegas. But it was late at night and in the morning we had breakfast around the corner and just left. It was 1970-something, I suppose. The town was very different, and the way we felt about the town was very different, too. We were understanding that it was a town of gambling, and if it had performers it would be Frank Sinatra or whoever, not us. And I carried that feeling until now, and then when I went to Las Vegas this time I was totally surprised. I was saying to John in my mind, "We should have been here together." It's so different now. It's a beautiful, beautiful city. I think it's a city of the future, in the sense that it's really opening up to artistic freedom and creativity. I really love it.

You're bringing an exhibit of John's artwork to the Hard Rock Hotel this weekend. Do you think he's judged fairly as a visual artist?

As a visual artist most people say, "Was he serious about it?" It's a very interesting thing that happens, people want to box people into certain fields. He was so famous in one field that it was very difficult for him in others. But, of course, he was an art student first in Liverpool, at a prestigious arts school at the time, and he was proud of that. And then he became interested in [forming] a band. But he was a very serious artist. When you can delve in several mediums, it becomes very easy for one to keep on being inspired instead of getting stuck in one box. So it was very good that he had both.

Is John's music a comfort to you these days, or is listening to it too painful?

It depends on the song. I don't know what's gonna hit me. It's very interesting. When I was there for the Beatles' Love show, at the rehearsals I was pretty objective about it. And then at the opening it kinda hit me. "All You Need Is Love" was very emotional for me. And there are others, "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," many others ... even if it wasn't John's song, just the whole Beatles thing, really.