My Family Friend Broke into John Lennon’s Home…and was then Offered a Job

From Fan to Employee to Family, A Q&A with Greg Martello

On Wednesday, October 26th 2016, I called Greg Martello at his place of work in Long Island. It took two rings before the phone was picked up by his secretary. I told her that I had a scheduled phone call with Martello and she quickly buzzed me in. Martello, or Greg as he would rather be called answered within the first ring. He was energetic and excited to talk about the event that changed his life.

Back in the 1970s in New York, Greg was 17 and his younger brother Richie was 14. They lived in a time of positivity and glass-half full mindsets. They were both big fans of The Beatles, even having an underground band modeled after them. Wanting to take advantage of living near one of the greatest rock and roll stars of all time the decided to innocently break into his home in New York City. But when Yoko Ono found them trespassing on her property, she offered the young boys a job instead of calling the police.

Greg is now a personal injury attorney in Long Island. Around his desk are models of the Empire State Building (he currently lives in New York City), mugs with funny sayings about attorneys, and dozens of stuffed bears and mugs from previous Superbowls. It is clear, this man lives his life to the absolute fullest. After a phone call with one of his clients, he happily shares with me what he calls one of the best experiences of his life.

1. When did you start listening to The Beatles? Were you always a fan?

Greg Martello: In the late 70s I had my own band in high school. It was a basement band and we modeled ourselves after The Beatles. I played the bass shaped like a violin, and Paul [McCartney] used that exact model throughout The Beatles career. It was on The Ed Sullivan Show and it was in the Let It Be album when they played it on the rooftop! I had the bass [and I eventually] gave [it] to Sean [Lennon] to teach him chords when he was older. We would listen the the songs so much.I was introduced to them by my sister with the Let it Be 45 record. Which was a small record with one song on one side and my sister would play it.

2. Okay so when and who decided to go to John Lennon’s home?

GM: We were a bunch of young kids from Queens. I didn’t have a car and was working as a waiter and bank teller. We all lived at home. Rooty Miller, who was the Vice President of The Beatles club at his high school, told us John lived in The Dakota (in New York City) with Yoko Ono. We didn’t think we had access to him but on one evening all members of band went to Beefsteak Charlies and we’re bragging “John Lennon lives in New York City and we know where he is right now!”. So I said “Let’s go and meet him” and everyone was thrilled with that idea. But as we were going home they all backed out cause they had to go home cause they had curfews, one of my friends had to bring his bike back [home]. So everyone left but me and my brother Richie.

3. So it was your idea?

GM: Yes exactly. So we go to my house and I steal my father’s car and drive into the city and [I] didn’t know where I was going cause I normally take the train but I found it and parked in front of The Dakota at around 6:30 in the morning. And we were waiting for John Lennon to walk out, like to pick his newspaper or walk the dog. But that didn’t happen so I was like “Let’s go inside and meet him!”

4. Was there any security to stop you? I mean, this is John Lennon we’re talking about.

GM: There was an officer on the inside of the gate so I told my brother to sneak in! He was a little scared but figured out that you needed to put your hand under the door to open it. So we went under the gate to avoid security. I remember I knocked over the garbage can the and guard was sleeping! My brother was looking at me like “you gotta be kidding me!” and we knew from magazines that he lived on the 7th floor so we went there. But the doorman and security guy were there so I think they knew someone has came in. But we were by the stairwell so no one saw us. At 8:30am we were at these two big mahogany doors which was the opening of their home and we were there and then Yoko opened the door and walked to the elevator and brought us with her.

5. What was it like when saw Yoko Ono staring at you? Did you think you were going to get in trouble?

GM: We were not feeling like we were in trouble. We were innocent kids with no malice. Innocent fans. She was the first famous person I’ve ever meet in my life. I couldn’t believe I was in an elevator with Yoko Ono and I said [to her] “I just wanted to meet you!” She said “You shouldn’t be here” and I was like “You’re famous like George Washington!”. She got a kick from that and told her to stay with her and we went to a place called Studio One. She brought us to the office and she said “You boys shouldn’t of done this. But how many weeks do you have till school [starts]?”. We said like six because it was the summer and she said you can come over to work for me.

6. How did that make you feel? Normally people would call the cops.

GM: You would think! The best way to answer this is: a lot of people point to the murder (of John Lennon) as an end of innocence. Assassinations were reserved for political figures. Society was much more gentle. Now you would think two kids sneaking in, call the cops. Back in the 1970s/1980s it was two kids sneaking in, not criminals. It showed that we were in a time of innocents. We (himself and Richie) were the the last cause the next time someone came to The Dakotas was the man that killed him. We came with love in our hearts and Yoko saw that. Her hiring us was the last of the age of innocence, her not calling the cops was the last of the age of innocence. The killer, I won’t even mention his name, was the end of the innocence. It was symbolic of it.

A lot of people point to the murder (of John Lennon) as an end of innocence. Assassinations were reserved for political figures. Society was much more gentle.

7. So what did you do the next day?

GM: I went to work! It was my first day and I was the first to meet [John]. I saw him and he saw me and my jaw dropped. I went up to him and he charged at me, pointed a finger at me and said “You’re the guy that broke security!” I thought my idol was mad at me! But then he smiles and said “It’s a pleasure to meet ya kid. You got guts”. That’s what I love about him. In his heart he knew we were kids. My brother Richie came into the office later and he saw the look on my face and knew that I just meet John and then John came back and Richie had an ‘oh my god’ type of look and then John mirrored it back and said “Oh my god it’s Cher!” because of his long hair.

8. Were you nervous about meeting John?

GM: Very. We were in a state of shock with Yoko. With John we had a whole night to process that we were [going to] meet our idol. There’s a quote about not meeting your idols cause they don’t become your idols anymore cause they’re just as human as you. But that’s not the case with [Yoko and John] cause their humanity was a strength instead of a weakness. It was what you hoped what your idols would be like.

9. What was it like working in the Lennon’s house?

GM: In the beginning we just opened fan mail and Yoko and John trusted us quickly so we babysat Sean when he was five I think. And went to the recording studio, the Hit Factory. But Sean was much later. It was after John passed when we were [really] with Sean. Remember, John spent most of his time with him and he was adorable. John wrote a song called Beautiful Boy and it’s about him and it was spot on.

10. You worked for him during and after the assignation?

GM: Yes…It was terrible. There…there was a change in the air. In the beginning we took away all the newspapers and turned off the TV cause Sean didn’t know and Yoko wanted to tell him her own way. There were thousands of fans chanting and singing outside and we lived in that for weeks and we were tried to be there for them. Much less than employees but more as family. They lost a father and husband, the world lost an idol and I lost a friend.

11. How long did you work for them after?

GM: I worked from there until I was done with college. And then I decided to go to law school. I remember that Yoko was very good to us. The moment I realized I arrived and the enormity of what was going on was at [John’s] 40th birthday party. And it was on October 9th and a few months before he was killed and it was in Tavern on the Green. It has this great room called The Crystal Room and he had a private party there for his 40th birthday. There was fans outside and everything and a police line in front of it. I was running late to the party and I got to the police line outside The Crystal Room and was like “I work for them let me in” and the police said “we don’t know you. You can’t get in” but then John was leaving the room at the time and saw me and looked at me, then reached over the police, over the gate, grabs my shoulder and says “Greg is with me” and he pulled me over the line and I was like, ‘how is this kid from Queens with John Lennon. Like I’m his friend? I’m his friend and I’m at his birthday party!’ It was a huge moment of being recognized in that way.

12. So, why did you leave them?

GM: I had a different vision of my life. As much I loved it and wouldn’t change it. But as the 80s go, anything was possible… you can be anything you want. The Go-Go 80s. And after the 80s I wanted something that was mine. I wanted my own future. I knew my future was in law.

13. Do you still keep in touch?

GM: Oh yes! We kept in touch every year. I went with Yoko to Iceland for what would of been John’s 70th birthday. We went to a light ceremony in Iceland. Ringo was there and a lot of other celebrities. That was a few years ago. I get a Christmas gift from Yoko every year, a hand written Christmas card year. Every year.