Cassette Tape with Lennon Interview Just Sold at Auction

A never before released cassette tape with an interview of John Lennon and Yoko Ono was sold at auction on Tuesday night at Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers. The tape was made during the couple’s winter visit to Thy in Northern Jutland in 1970. On the 33-minute recording, you can hear the conversation between the famous couple and the four 16-year-old Danish schoolboys who were allowed to interview Lennon and Ono, as well as the never-released song "Radio Peace". The hammer price landed on DKK 481,000 / EUR 64,700 / USD 75,500 (including buyer’s premium).

In late December of 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono suddenly appeared in snow-covered Thy. Four 16-year-old Danish schoolboys were allowed to interview the couple for the local school magazine, and on Tuesday evening more than 50 years later they sold the cassette tape with the interview and the never-released song "Radio Peace" at Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers. The hammer price landed on DKK 481,000 / EUR 64,700 / USD 75,500 (including buyer’s premium).

"The unique experience and the commitment that has been among our employees to orchestrate the sale of the John Lennon tape, once again solidifies Bruun Rasmussen’s status as an international auction house that can not only procure the attention of the world press, but also international customers and impressive hammer prices," says Alexa Bruun Rasmussen, Head of Branding at Bruun Rasmussen.

One of the four schoolboys, Karsten Højen, was present at the auction. Since the interview took place, he has reached the age of 68 but is still just as preoccupied with the message of peace that Lennon and Ono represented – a message that he wants to pass on by letting the cassette tape find a new owner.

"I am happy and surprised by the great hammer price achieved for the cassette tape. The meeting with John Lennon and Yoko Ono has had a great impact on our personal lives because we considered them as sort of political prophets and symbols of peace. I hope that the new owner will enjoy listening to our conversation and be inspired in the same way as we were 50 years ago,” says Karsten Højen.

The tape is accompanied by several photographs from the meeting. They were taken by one of the other boys, Jesper Jungersen. Here you see John Lennon and Yoko Ono reclining in a sofa wearing wool socks and with their feet up on a coffee table with Yoko Ono's five-year-old daughter Kyoko.

A Recording of Lennon's Remarkable Visit to Thy

The four 16-year-old schoolmates had an experience of a lifetime when they persuaded their school principal at Skovgårdsskolen near Brovst to let them postpone their normal schoolwork to interview John Lennon, after reading in the newspaper that John Lennon and Yoko Ono were in Northern Jutland. They tried their luck and knocked on the door, and luckily, they managed to get in and meet their idols.

On the unique tape recording, one can hear that there was a good chemistry from the start between the boys and the famous couple, the conversation is surprisingly informal and relaxed, and they cover everything from hair length and friendships to peace visions and generation gaps.

During the interview, the small party also dances around the Christmas tree, and you can hear John Lennon and Yoko Ono hum along to Danish Christmas songs on the tape recording. At one point, John Lennon finds a guitar and sings "Give Peace a Chance" and the unreleased song "Radio Peace".

Read the full story about the four schoolboys' encounter with John Lennon HERE.

Find more information about the sold cassette tape HERE.