John Lennon didn't give peace a chance at home - where he callously abused and routinely tormented the women closest to him.
The music legend was prone to unprovoked acts of cruelty, jealous rage and perverse sexual fantasies, according to the explosive new tell-all "John Lennon: The Life" by Beatles biographer Philip Norman.
The fans who flocked to Strawberry Fields in Central Park yesterday to celebrate what would have been Lennon's 68th birthday might want to stay away from the exposé, which chronicles his callous treatment of Yoko, the physical and verbal abuse of his two sons, and his chronic infidelities.
When they first began dating, Lennon forced Yoko to write down a list of men she'd slept with so he could pore over the names, treating each like a "mortal enemy."
He also admitted to Yoko that he regretted never bedding his mother, Julia, who was struck and killed by a speeding off-duty cop's car when John was 17.
He also showed his venomous side to his children.
Julian, Lennon's son with Cynthia, was all but ignored by the absentee musician, who would go for years without seeing him. In the rare moments he shared with his son, Lennon could be abusive.
One friend recalls Lennon yelling, "No, I'm not going to mend your f---ing bicycle," to his young son.
Well, at least we now know what "Mother" was really about.
Paul was always more of a father to Julian than John. Julian will be the first to say that. Paul wrote Hey Jude for Julian.
