Was John Lennon better as a solo act?!

Was John Lennon better as a solo act?

I think John Lennon was better after he left the Beatles. (Personally there is not ONE song by the Beatles, performed by the Beatles; that I enjoy.) I think the Beatles only held John's creativity to a certain level. He was only able to expand and fully explore the depth of his artist after disassociating himself from the "Fab Four" (Fab One)

I understand your line of thinking here, but disagree with your arrival or examination of Lennon that resulted in your opinion. I agree entirely that Lennon was a much better musician after the BUGZ. I never have liked the quartet either, nor any of it's non-Lennon spawn. IE: Paul Wings, Ringo or even George Harrison - save one song; My Sweet Lord. (I like it for the musical arrangement NOT the lyrics)

Where I disagree with you is that Lennon began using drugs while in the BUGZ and continued to do so after he left. He largely abandoned his leadership role in the BUGZ under the influence of LSD and Timothy Leary's book; "The Psychedelic Experience" he believed he needed to "lose his ego" to become enlightened. Drug use was a major reason for his divorce from first wife Cynthia. He became addicted to heroin and wrote about its effects in the song; "Cold Turkey."

His drug use not only continued after his stint with the BUGZ but it intensified. So I see that while leaving the group, he enabled himself to examine his potential brilliance as an artist, but was blocked still. This time by drugs and not the BUGZ.

The long and short - Yes; John was a far superior artist after his enlistment ended with the Beatles. Although the explosion of his artistry never happened due to drug use.