legend

[cool-russian]

If John Lennon wasn't shot, would he be a living legend or just some ex member of a famous 60s combo?

[andy-hughes]

He would be a living legend. The Beatles are rather more than a 'famous 60's combo' - they altered popular music, and UK Culture in a way never seen before or since. Their impact is incalculable.

[jno]

yes

[morbidstorm]

He could be the Noel Edmonds of Music!!!! or Les Dennis!

There would be scandal after scandal in the 'newspapers' constantly harrassing him and turning our opinion of him. Just think David Beckham but 100 fold. If the 'papers' had their way he would become the antichrist cos that is what they like doing.

Destroying our heroes and idols so they can make more money.

gosh i sound so critical of the 'British newspapers'. I AM!!!

[-Zorro-]

I never thought much of the Beatles..I was born in 1970 tho

[jproximo]

he'd probably be on celeb big brother or i'm a celeb get me out of here.

[Rock'n'Roll]

The Beatles altered music like never seen before Andy??
That is surely down to the likes of Elvis,Jerry Lee.Bill haley. Chuck Berry
That was the start of the so called "teenage revolution"

[Calvados]

You obviously know nothing about John Lennon. He was, arguably, the cleverest of the Beatles and was very outspoken about many issues, particularly the Vietnam war. So much so that the CIA had him on their files as one of the most potentially subversive people in the USA.

He wouldn't leave the USA for any tours because he wouldn't have been allowed back in.

Look him up on Wikipaedia.

[poorclare]

In London in the 60's everyone was outspoken about
the Vietnam war

[Calvados]

John Lennon wasn't in London during his criticism of the war and the US. He was mainly in New York, which made him more of a target for the CIA.

[qapmoc]

So he was killed by arrangement of the CIA then??

[RATTER15]

Just another druggy!!

[Loosehead]

He'd be just another wife beating dope head from an average band. Might take some of the heat of macca though! What is all this hero worship *****? Rock n roll has a point there are many more eligible candidates for altering music and culture.

[donegal]

Loosehead - he was not a wife beater cos he only hit his wife once.

He would be a living legend if he was alive!!! He was a class singer/songwriter and said his mind and he was (Like everyone ) a bit of a git

[Loosehead]

so Donegal, if I rob a bank only once I'm not a thief then? Right oh!

[Stevee]

I suggest that you dont dismiss what you don't understand.

John Lennon was part of a group that changed the face of modern culture. Not just music, which was revoloutionary, but the actual culture of Britain. He was and is Iconic. He stood up and was counted using his fame and position to take a stance against the Vietnam war that the conservative American class found threatening.

He would have been a political activist still famous and Iconic.

To call the Beatles a famous 60's combo shows you have know idea what or who they were. Far from average look how many today still copy them as for others altering Music and culture WHO? the only other person who could claim to have such an effect, maybe more so, was Elvis Presley.

[RATTER15]

He also made it very acceptable for a whole era to take drugs by promoting it to his followers!! for that may he rot in hell!!

[Stevee]

Again you obviously are not aware of what happened, the Beatles took uppers while in Hamburg to keep them awake while performing, they were not introduced to Pot until Bob Dylan shared it with them in about 1964.

LSD was the drug of the smart set and was already widely in use before the Beatles used.

In addition to this there was a wide drug culture in all the music scenes.

Although the Beatles took drugs it wasn't done to "promote anything" All the Beatles did was do what the other kids were doing at the time. Thier profile meant they were watched like hawks.

[RATTER15]

So they were all druggies, that's what I have been saying, certainly not hero's or anybody to look up to, when they got caught with drugs as they were often caught they would make jokes about it, a good message to give out to youngsters isn't it!!

Just a load of musically talented yobs!! not my taste in music but obviously talented.

[maxximus]

drugs, who cares. the man was, and still is a music legend. my old man raised me on the beatles, john lennon was one of his hero's and my old man never touched drugs, john lennon certainly didn't have anything to do with the drugs i've done. surely your not trying to blame him, for a misspent youth are you ratter?

[cheekybat]

It would be nice to think that he would have been so appalled by his former bandmates rather bland 80's output that it would have spurred him into doing something really good.