It was 40 years ago today....

What do you remember about the sad day Lennon was shot?

I was 14 and while getting ready for school I saw the news on one of the morning news shows. I was really getting into music at this point (had already made new wave purchases and read issues of TP). I had started to appreciate the early (non-hippie) Beatles by then.

Some random memories:

- the Starting Over single was already released and getting radio airplay. It was NOT only after his death that those singles got played.

-the Double fantasy album was so new that most (if not all) album reviews were written AFTER his death. I remember thinking ‘who would say anything bad about this album now?’

-I was really surprised at how nonchalant McCartney was when interviewed getting into a car that evening. I was just too young and naive to know he was obviously devastated and not in the mood to talk.

- it took the kids in my classes about a day to come up with tasteless jokes about it. Won’t repeat them here. Tasteless jokes are a thing in junior high.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/08/2020 07:15PM by Bip.

For me, it was a great evening that suddenly crash-landed hard.

It began with a study session in my dorm room, just me and a girl from Chemistry I. The studying didn't continue for very long, because the, ummm, chemistry turned out to be pretty strong. It was during the afterglow, with the radio on, that we heard the awful news. Well, I considered it awful; the announcement barely seemed to affect her.

I was a high school sophomore. My mother woke me on Tuesday morning (the 9th) with the news that Lennon had been murdered the previous night. It was difficult for me to process this terrible information. For the rest of that day, I was—like many people—in something of a daze.

I really liked the “Starting Over” single, which was getting major airplay in my neck of the woods. Double Fantasy was one of several albums I received as Christmas gifts, but it was hard for me to listen to it without feeling my heart break a little each time I spun it. Nevertheless, I particularly enjoyed Ono’s “Kiss Kiss Kiss” and “Give Me Everything.” I used to play “Kiss” (the b-side of “Starting Over”) on the jukebox in my tiny town’s restaurant, which invariably poleaxed the other patrons.

I don't have the link right now but there is a killer acoustic version of Watching the Wheels out there, John really nails it.

I remember it really impacting my middle school English teacher, I mean she was devastated. She was probably in her late 20's at the time. She moved on to the HS as I went through and I had her again as a sophomore. It is amazing how much you mature in that short time period, socially and musically. I was totally not supportive the day after he died but two years later I had a discussion with her about that day. She told me she thought about calling off sick but she remembered a video she had seen about someone hanging outside of John's house in England (I think). John went out and talked to the dude about he was just a man, you don't know me, get a grip - basically. That was enough to get her out of the bed. She would always have his music.

That's a powerful scene in the doc film "Imagine." The intruder appeared to be a bit mentally ill, but John was able to speak to him and calm him down. Clearly, a great communicator, which is a good skill to have as an artist.

Weirdly enough, in Engish class we were supposed to write an essay on a figure we admired. I wrote about Lennon. Wasn't too much later that he was killed. My friends joked that I jinxed him.

The missus and I went to NYC for the 20th aniivesary. We attended the rather large gathering in Central Park, the Strawberry Fields area. It was 17 degrees out, something this LA boy was not used to, but we were there! (Looking at a framed poster in our living room of John in his NEW YORK CITY shirt as I write this.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/2020 02:45PM by MrFab.

I was 8. I can remember my dad mentioning it...perhaps he was discussing it with my mom? I can't remember much other than my dad saying something about it. Anyway, I've forgotten a TON from that period of life, being that it was 40 years ago, but I remember that little snippet.

a.k.a. the Day Darby Crash Fans Hate (sorry, couldn't resist)