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Lennon and Harrison both said 'Yes' to Alan White

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It's not every day a Beatle calls you and changes your life forever. But that's what happened to Alan White in 1969. Before he began his nearly 40-year-career as the drummer for Yes, White received a phone call from a man who said he was John Lennon. He thought it was a prank.

Only it wasn't. Lennon had just seen White play in a club and wanted him for a new group he was putting together, The Plastic Ono Band.

During the next few years, White became Lennon's go-to guy, and when Lennon introduced him to George Harrison, George was so taken by the drummer's immense skills that he used him on his triple- album breakthrough smash All Things Must Pass.

In the following interview, White recalls those heady days and talks fondly of his memories of performing with two of music's biggest icons.

So let's set the picture here, Alan. You're taking a shower, the phone rings and a guy who says he's John Lennon is on the other line.

"That's exactly right. I was sure it was somebody playing a joke, so I hung up. A minute later the phone rang again, and sure enough, it really was John Lennon. He said he'd seen me play the night before in a club - I was gigging with a local band - he liked what I did, and he wanted me to play in Toronto for this peace event. I didn't have time to think, but of course I said, 'Sure.' You don't say no to John Lennon."

Talk about a twist of fate.

"Oh, the biggest. The next day, a limo arrived and took me to Heathrow Airport, and once there I was taken to the VIP lounge, where I met John and Eric Clapton, Yoko, Klaus Voorman. We talked about what we were going to play and we rehearsed on the plane. In mid-air we became The Plastic Ono Band."

Tell me the truth - were you freaking out just a little? Here you are, an unknown drummer about to play with rock royalty.

"Strangely enough, I took the whole thing in stride. It wasn't until years later that I went, 'Wow, what an amazing thing to have happened!'" [laughs]

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