I had a digital clock radio. Often, and on some occasions earlier than most, I'd get in bed, set the timer for 2-4 hours, and lie there in the dark listening to Alison Steele or Dennis Elsas on WNEW-FM until I fell asleep. It was perfect, like a personal seminar every night, listening to some of the greatest rock music ever recorded.
30 years ago today, class was disrupted and my musical sanctuary changed for good.
I shut off the timer and just listened all night. The next morning, I dragged my ass out of bed and picked up my friend Sal. We started walking toward our high school, trading "I can't believe its" for most of the trek.
We made our way to the bleachers and just sat there, for hours, wondering how this could have happened.
30 years later...still missing John.
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I've told this story before, but...
The night Lennon was shot, I was living on 13th street in the Village. About 11pm or so, I decided to walk down 6th avenue to my local watering hole (Folk City, actually) just...well, just because. It was really eerie -- there was very little pedestrian traffic on the street, but every time you passed somebody, you got a look that said "Yeah, we know."
Anyway, I finally got to the bar, which was mostly deserted, and I sat there nursing a beer. At which point a wiseguy musician/actor I knew -- who went on to write the movie "F/X" -- sat down next to me and said "So, Mrs. Ono -- other than that, how did you enjoy the recording session?"
True story.
Please tell me you weren't amused.
There's not a time, maybe once a day, every few days, once a week that I don't think about this terrible tragedy. It stops my brain cold for a few seconds. I can't believe it's been 30 years. We still, and always will miss him. The first, and my favorite Beatle, just gone. It will never and doesn't ever seem right, ever.
Sal -- actually, I was, in a perverse sort of way. I heard a similar play on the famous Lincoln joke the day JFK was shot.
My pal meant it in a black humor sort of way; we were both kind of in shock.
It's true, none of us ever got over it. Of course, like any rocksnob dad, I turned my daughter on to the Beatles early - on our morning trips to day care when she was 4. She took to it instantly, of course, and they're still her favorite - she'll say Taylor Swift or whatever, but we both know.
One day, she asked, "are they all still alive?". I said no, but when she asked for details, I danced around it. How do you explain something like that to a kid? I don't want her thinking about that every time she sings along to "8 Days a Week".
I got the news from Howard Cosell.
I hear ya!
I'll share this. This is a Facebook post from an old friend of my father's. I saw this early this morning.
"Yesterday was Dec 7 very little was said about it on TV.Today the lord of Junky's was killed and u would think he was our savior I know a lot of FB people worship John the Junky's Lennon but really I think we should get our priority's strait"
I came from this neighborhood.
I had a DJ gig on my college station the next morning at 6 am. All the other stations in Boston were playing "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine." I was angry. I played "Run for your life" and "Happiness is a Warm Gun." Very undergraduate, but something of the gallows humor of the Lincoln joke.
As you know on my blog I recently posted the video of John presenting at the Grammys with Paul Simon (is it too nerdy to post the link here?) and I still pine for someone, anyone, to pick up the mantle of being a brazen, outspoken and don't give a shit pop icon.
Please post the link, David.
John many miss you. i have for thirty years now. it's a long long time.And a sad time. You have not been forgotten. Your message of Hope and Peace lives on. Rock n Roll lives on. Peace and love brother John
Very selfishly I keep thinking of the thirty years of new Lennon music we lost.
ROTP(lumber)
30 years!...a cold Monday night..remember it well..monday night football, Cosell, then shock, sadness, turn on wnew, vin scelsa, jungleland, tears to sleep..very sad day.
I know this is a few days late, but here is another ridiculous post on fb by a 'friend':
I see all the posts for John Lennon. Sad that he was taken from us. But hardly anyone posted anything about the 2008 US Navy KIA, 109 USMC KIA 218 US Army KIA AND The 68 Civilians KIA. Now that's sad. Men and Women protecting our freedom. God Bless Them All. As for John Lennon, I refuse to glorify a drug addict.
Yeah well, the 2008 US Navy KIA, 109 USMC KIA 218 US Army KIA AND The 68 Civilians KIA didn't write "No Reply."
A) I was watching Monday Night Football in my studio apartment on Staten Island. Cool digs -- I could see the skyline from my window in Saint George. Cosell breaks in with the news . . . Just staring teary eyed at Manhattan, wodering how that could be. Saw the clip more recently on You Tube -- gave me chills. And most recently the off-air dialogue between Cosell and Gifford as to how to break in with the dire news -- Cosell did NOT want to (?) Giff, says : we have to.
B) you were in High School WTF????
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