Lennon, the Mobster & the Lawyer: The Untold Story

Retired attorney Bergen debuts with a surprisingly tepid play-by-play of his involvement representing John Lennon in a consequential lawsuit concerning his 1975 solo album, Rock ’n’ Roll. Just as he was releasing the album, a collection of covers of rock classics, Lennon became ensnared in a legal battle against Morris Levy, the Mafia-connected cofounder of Roulette Records, who used the singer’s demo recordings for an unauthorized release of the same record. The federal judge trying the case ruled in Lennon’s favor, finding no basis to conclude that Lennon had agreed to release the record, awarding damages to him and his record company, EMI. Unfortunately, the litigation itself—recounted in tedious passages interspersed with verbatim excerpts from court transcripts—isn’t particularly stimulating, apart from the music megastar’s role in it. Beatles fans, furthermore, are unlikely to learn anything new about Lennon, notwithstanding the occasional humorous anecdote, such as Lennon’s amusing response to being mistaken by a passerby on the street for George Harrison. Meanwhile, the promise of a gripping mobster tale vanishes when Levy’s eventual indictment and conviction for his involvement with the Genovese family are relegated to a footnote. Despite the intriguing premise, there’s not enough substance to warrant a book-length treatment of this long-overlooked case. (Sept.)