John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes, An Interactive Album App Available Now

NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- "John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes," a new, groundbreaking interactive album app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, is now available exclusively on the App Store. 

John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes tells the story of John Lennon's life changing journey sailing through a mid-Atlantic storm to Bermuda in June 1980, his creative discovery on the island and the artistic collaboration with wife Yoko Ono who stayed at home in New York City. The app commemorates the 33rd anniversary of Double Fantasy: A Heart Play. Integrating excerpts of Lennon's demo tapes recorded in Bermuda with innovative game play and intimate documentary storytelling, John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes pushes the boundaries of the emerging album app market.

"Writing Double Fantasy was a very exciting time creatively for both John and me," said Yoko Ono, Lennon's widow and artistic collaborator. "I think the album app captures the sense of discovery and the artistic dialogue that John and I shared at that time and provides a new way to help us imagine a world without hunger."

John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes presents users with two paths: Play and Listen. On the "play" side of the app fans are immersed in John's little know Bermuda story.  Users guide the Megan Jaye through the mid-Atlantic storm while John, Captain Hank Halsted, and Tyler Coneys narrate their dramatic story, visit the Forty Thieves Disco in Bermuda and create beautiful, interactive illustrations of John and Yoko as they listen to their creative back and forth.

On the "listen" side, fans will enjoy a never-before-heard window into Lennon's songwriting process. Demo tapes of several songs written while in Bermuda are included: "Woman," "Starting Over," "I'm Losing You," "(Just Like) Starting Over," "Nobody Told Me," "Dear Yoko" and an unreleased demo version of "Stepping Out." These demo tapes, including unreleased versions of Ono's "Kiss, Kiss, Kiss" and "Hard Times are Over," are complimented by visual materials provided by Yoko Ono, including John's original hand-written lyric sheets and newly discovered photographs of Lennon aboard the Megan Jaye.

Net proceeds from the sales of the app will go to support WhyHunger and its "Imagine There's No Hunger" campaign to combat global childhood hunger and poverty through sustainable agriculture, with support from Yoko Ono and Hard Rock International. Users can explore the impact of their purchase within the app to see how the "Imagine There's No Hunger" campaign has helped communities grow enough food to provide over 7.2 million meals to children in need in 22 different countries.

"John Lennon remains an inspiration to people throughout the world, for his music and his willingness to imagine our world in a different way," said Bill Ayres, executive director and co-founder of WhyHunger. "We are thrilled to be a leader in this innovative approach to charitable giving that re-imagines John's work and allows us to imagine a world free of hunger by investing in sustainable agriculture and securing the right to good food for all."

The app concludes in Bermuda's Botanical Gardens where, in a nod to Yoko Ono's Wish Tree, users can create their own "Double Fantasy" flower. After making a wish, using the iPad's microphone, fans will plant a seed in the app's virtual garden. Each wish blossoms into a beautiful, unique flower that can be saved to the photo library to be shared on social media with #imaginenohunger, allowing users to imagine, along with John, Yoko, and WhyHunger, a world without hunger.

The album app is directed by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Michael Epstein ("LENNONNYC") and veteran digital artist Mark Thompson. Produced by Andrew Banks. The app's creative design and production is a collaboration between the interactive media studio Design I/O and the strategic design agency eyeball. The app is solely owned by WhyHunger.

The John Lennon: The Bermuda Tapes App is available for $4.99 on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch or at www.AppStore.com/LennonApp.

Visit www.lennonbermudatapes.com for more details.

About WhyHunger
Founded in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin, WhyHunger is a leader in building the movement to end hunger and poverty by connecting people to nutritious, affordable food and by supporting grassroots solutions that inspire self-reliance and community empowerment. WhyHunger is a four star charity, recognized among the highest performing nonprofits for excellence in fiscal management, accountability and transparency from America's leading independent charity evaluator, Charity Navigator. www.whyhunger.org

For media inquiries:
Aliza Rabinoff
DKC
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SOURCE WhyHunger