It was 26 years ago today..........

[donegal]

Where were you when you heard the news that John Lennon was dead?

[donegal]

I was not born at the time by the way

[robbo82]

Back in the USSR

[BigDogsWang]

Penny Lane.

Seriously though, I was 12 at the time, and none of my family were Beatles fans, so it didn't really strike me as that much of a big deal. However, as I grew older and started to study his work in more detail, it now makes me realise what a tragic loss it was.

Another 'however' however, away from his work / talent, I have also formed the opinion that the guy was a hypocryte, writing anti-violence / anti-greed music, whilst beating his girlfriends, and driving around in Rollers & Mercs.

Just my opinion. But still a tragic loss all the same.

[andy-hughes]

I was at work, and I still see the guy who told me the news when I got to work that day - although we work in separate ofices now, I did mention this fact to him a few months ago, and he remembered being the person to tetll me.

I was stunned all say, then I went home and saw it on the news, and I cried.

[NH]

Also not born at the time. BigDogsWang makes the point about Lennon's hypocrisy; but what makes his death all the more terrible is that throughout his life he was a deeply troubled individual who couldn't work out where he was psychologically, spiritually, politically or otherwise. By the time he died he'd only just found peace within himself and resolved everything- and then some psycho came along and shot him.

[willa]

I was a sophomore in college in The Bronx - 261st St. and Broadway - just a 1/2 hour from The Dakota. When we all heard about the shooting, a bunch of us jumped on the #1 train and went into the city. I'm still not sure why we went; it's as if we didn't believe it and going to his house would make it fact. I wasn't a Beatles fan especially, but I just felt sad that someone whose art brought so much joy to others should be torn out of life so rudely.

We couldn't get anywhere near the Dakota, but hundreds of us gathered at the entrance to the Columbus Circle subway stop and sang Beatles songs and cried. The next morning in art class, we were all numb.

Four years later, I moved into the city and sublet an apartment at 40 W. 72nd St., between Central Park West and Columbus. It was just a few doors down the block from the Dakota. I walked past the spot of the shooting every day. It felt like any other spot on the block - nothing special.

[carolew]

I was working in North Wales at the time and one of my workmates - Gwen, told me ( I thought it was a bad joke) I cried buckets, he was my hero (where are you now gwen?

[denisdenis]

Working in a denim shop in Brighton on a wet Monday - an ex-girlfriend came in and told me, I also thought it was a bad joke until we turned on the radio. Played Beatles all day to an empty shop... was it really 26 years ago?

[jennabelle42]

a glint in my fathers eye!!!!!!!1