John Lennon

[ichabodius]

If somebody killed Chapman they'd be killing a victim. If you read Fenton Bresler's book Who Killed John Lennon? you'll find there's a lot of unsolved evidence showing Chapman was being controlled by people who were steering him towards killing FBI person of interest John Lennon. Before you scoff at this you have to read the background on CIA's MK-ULTRA mind control experiments under Sydney Gottleib and CIA's Technical Services Divison. Bresler found evidence that disaffected apartment house maintenance man Chapman showed sudden interest in Catcher In The Rye right in perfect synch with John Lennon's unannounced career comeback. Chapman had no way to know this since Lennon hadn't told anyone. FBI had admitted it bugged Lennon's apartment. Bresler's most condemning evidence was proof of forgery of Chapman's United Airlines travel ticket. This type of manipulation could only be done at the CIA level.

Once you realize Sirhan Sirhan was hypnotized to assassinate Bobby Kennedy you can understand that Chapman's hypnotic mind control was a given with such a strong political target as Lennon. The leading expert in mind control hypnosis, doctor Herbert Spiegel of Columbia University, said Chapman possessed every sign on the checklist for mind control hypnosis.

Funny that Chapman, Hinckley and Edward Richardson all look alike.

[TaupinJohn]

The worst celebrity death of my lifetime, I know. It didn't make sense then, doesn't now.

Chapman wanted fame and got it. And although I'd like to know what was really in his mind that day, I'd like it less for him to get the attention of an interview to find out. I'm okay with not knowing. I'm surprised he never got offed, really, but Lennon's fans are really known for that sort of thing, and no way would he have approved. Still, damn.

"It's funny how one insect can damage so much grain." --Elton John, Empty Garden (Hey, hey Johnny)

[DonnaMc]

It was the worst celebrity death of my life too. Next would be Elvis. I live in Memphis and it seemed like we really knew him.

[Carrie]

I was in the 9th grade, and I was a huge Beatles fan. It devastated me. My mother let me stay home from school the day after the shooting because I was so upset about it. Looking back, I don't think I knew at the time just how young 40 was. It makes me sad, even today, to think about John and the ''what could have been".

[suzycreamcheese1]

love and miss you John

[racingfan]

The worst celebrity death of my lifetime, I know. It didn't make sense then, doesn't now.

Chapman wanted fame and got it. And although I'd like to know what was really in his mind that day, I'd like it less for him to get the attention of an interview to find out. I'm okay with not knowing. I'm surprised he never got offed, really, but Lennon's fans are really known for that sort of thing, and no way would he have approved. Still, damn.

"It's funny how one insect can damage so much grain." --Elton John, Empty Garden (Hey, hey Johnny)

I love that song. Such a great tribute from one musical genuis to another.

[john*thomas]

I finally made it to the Dakota last month. It all appeared different from the descriptions and pics I've seen. It was really hard to picture what happened there, really happening there.

[lisalouver]

I finally made it to the Dakota last month. It all appeared different from the descriptions and pics I've seen. It was really hard to picture what happened there, really happening there.

I was last in NYC in 1986, the summer I turned 18. I had to see the Dakota, John had only been gone for 6 years at that time. It probably hasnt changed much since then, but I kind of felt like you did. It was just a bit surreal to be standing in front of it.

[JimC]

John would have done several more albums; just like Paul did; and they would likely all have been great.

Hopefully; they would have gotten past their personal issues and become once again one of the best song writing teams and singers in history.

RIP; John.

[Bayou Queen]

I'd like to think that John and Paul would have gotten closer again, but are we just fantasizing like children after their parents divorce?

I have wondered how John would have reacted after 9/11. He truly loved NYC, I remember reading after his death that he donated lots of cash to the NYPD for bullet proof vests and if a cop was killed he would also help the family out financially, so I think John would have expressed his sorrow best in music we will never hear. I still miss him.

[Dangitbawb]

I'd like to think that John and Paul would have gotten closer again, but are we just fantasizing like children after their parents divorce?

I have wondered how John would have reacted after 9/11. He truly loved NYC, I remember reading after his death that he donated lots of cash to the NYPD for bullet proof vests and if a cop was killed he would also help the family out financially, so I think John would have expressed his sorrow best in music we will never hear. I still miss him.

Lol... I may be like you, fantasizing about them pairing up again, but in my heart of hearts, I really do believe it would have happened. Before Michael Jackson's "Thriller" came out, it had gotten pretty stale. (99 Luft Balloons...really?) Anyways, it was a huge loss, ranks right up there with "I remember where I was when I found out it happened", and mine was riding with a friend on a dark, desolate road just west of Amarillo when she decided to turn on the radio. It was just like listening to a tornado in your area report, hair standing up on your neck. All we could whisper was "wow..."

[choff]

Lol... I may be like you, fantasizing about them pairing up again, but in my heart of hearts, I really do believe it would have happened. Before Michael Jackson's "Thriller" came out, it had gotten pretty stale. (99 Luft Balloons...really?) Anyways, it was a huge loss, ranks right up there with "I remember where I was when I found out it happened", and mine was riding with a friend on a dark, desolate road just west of Amarillo when she decided to turn on the radio. It was just like listening to a tornado in your area report, hair standing up on your neck. All we could whisper was "wow..."

Actually Nina's 99 Luft Balloons ( 99 Red Balloons ) was released in America I believe almost a year after Michael Jackson's Thriller but you are right music at the time was, well stale. I wonder what John's opinions was of the then current music scene ( 1979-1980 ) Reason I ask within the next year or two after John's murder both George Harrison and Ringo Starr more/less had said that they didn't care for it as I can recall Ringo saying in an interview at the time ( 1981 ? ) something like "..there is nothing out there that really excites me.." Come to think of it I seem to recall Paul McCartney saying pretty much the same thing too even though obviously he was a fan of Michael Jackson and Tracy Ullman since he had done records with Jackson and appeared in the Tracy's video "They Don't Know".

I guess the same question could be asked about Elvis as to what was his opinions of music from 1976 and 1977. Dunno, got a hunch he wasn't a fan of Abba, Leo Sayer, KC and The Sunshine Band or The Emotions ( Whoa Whoa..You Got the Best of My Love" )...that is if he was even aware. Maybe Elvis was so far out of it in the summer of 1977 that he had not a clue what was being played by Rick Dees and company over WHBQ in Memphis which was still blasting top 40 hits at the time of his death I believe.

[john*thomas]

A small article I had saved from just weeks before he was killed.

[Finnegan]

watching the olympics ceremony tonight, my six-year-old saw paul mccartney singing and wanted to know where "the beatle with the glasses" was.
I had to tell her that he died and she started crying because she wanted to see him sing.

[DonnaMc]

John Lennon's killer was denied parole for the 7th time today. RIP John.

[SomeChick]

Good. Fuck 'im.

[Aries65]

Chapman should just give up, and settle in for the long-haul. He's safer in there. Some Lennon fan would probably end up offing him anyway.

Or I could see Yoko going all Ninja on him...

[John Trim]

Chapman should just give up, and settle in for the long-haul. He's safer in there. Some Lennon fan would probably end up offing him anyway.

Or I could see Yoko going all Ninja on him...

Sean or Jullian could take him out also.

[cleanskull]

Good. Fuck 'im.

this

[ichabodius]

They should let him out for just a week. Give him a gun and Pauls whereabouts.

[RiotBoots]

He was out on the street selling lemonade the other day.

[SomeChick]

They should let him out for just a week. Give him a gun and Pauls whereabouts.

*spank

[SomeChick]

This should be played at his next parole hearing:

[Mysticakasha]

32 years today RIP John

[Arky67]

[Meow]

My all-time fave. I cried throughout the day 32 years ago today when I found out. I missed the famous Monday Night Football announcement and found out the the next day in much the same way I found out about September 11, 2001. On December 8 I woke up to a radio DJ's voice intoning the news just as I did on 9/11. In Lennon's case it was the way the DJ said the former Beatle's name. There was just something in his tone that lead to a real sense of foreboding. Somehow I knew he was dead even before the DJ got to the actual news of the shooting. In a sleepy haze I stumbled out of bed---went to my apartment door--- opened it and spotted a copy of the day's newspaper lying in front of a neighboring apartment door. I swiped it.



Attachment 44596The lettering heralding the news seemed impossibly large and the shocking albeit blunt message "John Lennon Shot Dead" sent a chill through me. I was a huge Beatles fan (still am) and I was absolutely shocked at the news. I grieved. His is the celebrity passing I regret the most. It was made all the worse because he had just released Double Fantasy and had reemerged after his self-appointed exile into a life of "house-husbandry" as he called it. There was such an air of optimism and hope about his life at that time. The killer's demented act put an end to that hope and quenched any possibility of seeing and hearing more from my favorite artist.

RIP John Lennon you are still sadly missed

[Leasie]

Gosh I am getting old. I remember this like it was yesterday. He is deeply missed.

[Ouattara]

I read in summer a biography about John. It was interesting to know more about his life and his music career.

[tamiele]

I watched The Killing of John Lennon a few days back. It got me wondering about the copy of Double Fantasy that Mark David Chapman had purchased and then John had signed. A photo was taken of that signing - with John and Mark in the same photo. I wonder whatever became of that album? Talk about your murder memorabilia - John's autograph on Chapman's album and then he is shot by the same guy a few hours later. Anyone know??

[Surfer Joe]

Somebody will have the details and a more accurate account, but to the best of my memory (the killer) dropped the signed album into a potted plant and a New York policeman (I think) picked it up and wound up with it. It definitely surfaced and came up for auction within the last ten to fifteen years at some point.

Note: I just edited this post to honor Paul McCartney's wish that we not publish the murderer's name. After all, that was basically his motive for the crime.

[Trilby]

It was auctioned in 1999 and then again in 2010, it appears to be here http://bit.ly/ULZ2aY at the moment.

[tamiele]

Somebody will have the details and a more accurate account, but to the best of my memory (the killer) dropped the signed album into a potted plant and a New York policeman (I think) picked it up and wound up with it. It definitely surfaced and came up for auction within the last ten to fifteen years at some point.

Note: I just edited this post to honor Paul McCartney's wish that we not publish the murderer's name. After all, that was basically his motive for the crime.

Thanks for all your information. I did not know that Paul had said that. I will keep that in mind.

[tamiele]

It was auctioned in 1999 and then again in 2010, it appears to be here http://bit.ly/ULZ2aY at the moment.

Very cool! Thanks!

[Surfer Joe]

Thanks for all your information. I did not know that Paul had said that. I will keep that in mind.

My pleasure, Tamie, especially after all the good information I've gotten from this board. Wish I had better details but I read about this years ago.

McCartney has always been militant about not speaking his name and asking others not to- when it comes up in interviews he calls him "the jerk" or "the jerk of all jerks". He has a solid point when you consider that the murderer supposedly once responded to being asked why he did it by saying "The Beatles changed the world and I changed the Beatles."

I'm not one who wants to see blood shed in vengeance, and I don't think the Lennons would either, but I wish they wouldn't even cover his parole hearings.

[tamiele]

So I just watched Chapter 27 (thanks to being in bed today with a sinus headache from hell) and when I read the credits at the end, 2 things were very interesting. First of all - Jared Leto played the killer but it only says Jared Leto and not the name of who he was portraying. Second - the man who played John Lennon has an interesting name. I'll let you look that up yourselves if you wish to.

[John Trim]

So I just watched Chapter 27 (thanks to being in bed today with a sinus headache from hell) and when I read the credits at the end, 2 things were very interesting. First of all - Jared Leto played the killer but it only says Jared Leto and not the name of who he was portraying. Second - the man who played John Lennon has an interesting name. I'll let you look that up yourselves if you wish to.

Interesting. Wikipedia says he lost out on the roll of Lennon in another film because of the name.

[tamiele]

Yes apparently Yoko thought it would be bad karma.

[Demgirl]

It was auctioned in 1999 and then again in 2010, it appears to be here http://bit.ly/ULZ2aY at the moment.

Just looking at that link provokes so much grief and anger, its a real trigger. It's amazing how, so many years later, the reaction to John's death is so difficult, so shocking. It still hurts.

[ichabodius]

John Lennon crimewave in Brazil:
http://www.brazildispatch.com/2013/0...ime-spree.html

The Beatles were immensely popular in Brazil and band member John Lennon the most loved of all. In the decades since Mark David Chapman shot him in the back four times killing him in New York City, thousands of Brazilian mothers have named their newborn sons after him.
With shocking regularity though, young men named after John Lennon turn up on Brazilian police blotters.

[tamiele]

Just reading that auction listing again. I am guessing that record was never played either if Chapman had only just purchased it during those days he was camped out front of the Dakota. It says finger prints on the cover and dust jacket so he must have opened it. I guess it would be hard to autograph the plastic cover. I wonder what it is worth? Nothing I could afford but it would certainly be an interesting collection of items to have. I think they belong in a museum myself but maybe the general public don't want to see those sorts of items.

[Introvert]

I actually went to a Yoko Ono concert last week in London, and will be doing the same tomorrow evening during a one-off show where Yoko and special guests will perform Double Fantasy in its entirety. But then, I am in the minority that considers Yoko a talented an able musician.

Aside from Yoko - Sean Lennon is an exceptionally talented man, and has inherited his fathers wit. His long-term partner is also very, very beautiful!

But what of John? He died a decade before I was even born, but people like him are rare and I don't see him being forgotten for a long time. A pointless, unnecessary death. However I do find the CIA conspiracy rather intriguing - particularly that of the doorman at the Dakota and his shady and well-covered past as a trained assassin involved in CIA plots to kill Fidel Castro. Even Sean himself once said in an interview that he considers those who believe the "lone nut" line are, in his words, "naive". I've always found something Yoko Ono says at the end of The US vs. John Lennon very interesting as well. She says something along the lines of: "Well, they tried to kill John but in a way they didn't because his memory lives on," that isn't verbatim but something along those lines. The use of "they" stood out. Don't put me down as one of the foil-hat brigade, mind, but it jumped out at me as a bizarre chapter in one of pops' darkest days.

At the start of Yoko's concert last week, they showed a retrospective of her life in four stages. The third, set to the music of one of my favourite Yoko tracks "O'oh", showed her and John blissful in New York City, but as the song ended it faded into that photograph of John's bloody glasses and the glass of water. The atmosphere was rather heavy at that bit, I can tell you.

[stephenmiller]

I like to think of John as he was. The wisecracking, talented, visionary Beatle. Any comments on his "Lost Weekend" in LA in 1973-74? That must have been quite something in those days.

[Darrianne]

Photos from last summer when I was in New York. The Dakota entrance, a shot of the side and the mosaic that is in Strawberry Fields.

[cindyt]

Imagine a John Lennon clone.

http://blogs.ajc.com/news-to-me/2013...e-john-lennon/

[theotherlondon]

Imagine a John Lennon clone.

http://blogs.ajc.com/news-to-me/2013...e-john-lennon/

John Lennon is my Hero.
I can still remember the night he was killed.

Watching Monday Night Football.(all those years ago)

[cindyt]

John Lennon is my Hero.
I can still remember the night he was killed.

Watching Monday Night Football.(all those years ago)

I remember that night too. I had just moved into an apartment on Lake Sidney Lanier. I was doing something or other and hadn't wath TV and a friend called and said "One of the Beatles is dead! I forgot which one!" So I flipped on the tube. John Lennon. I was so shoked.

[modette]

I became a Beatles fan in June 1992 - when ITV here in the UK showed A Hard Day's Night and Help! to celebrate Paul's 50th. I LOVED them... and right from the start John caught my heart There's camcorder footage of me singing Help! on our family holiday in August 1992, ah memories. I was 9 then, and maybe because I was young my family didn't want to tell me John was dead, I only found out when going through one of my sister's Beatles books - and it said he'd been assassinated. I was so sad
John almost seems like a mythical creature, one that people pass down tales about - I can't believe we were robbed of him. I dream of being able to travel to NY and meet him, or maybe he might have even come back to the UK, who knows? :-) That some little nobody with a complex could wipe him out, hurts terribly.

I was looking at the bodybag pic, couldn't help myself being a DH. Why does the skin around John's face/neck look so loose? It's very odd looking.

[neilmpenny]

Imagine a John Lennon clone.

http://blogs.ajc.com/news-to-me/2013...e-john-lennon/

God, you wouldn't wish that on anyone.

[cleanskull]

Yoko might want to purchase one.

[atomicbettie]

What an idiot. That article was funny though. The only problem I have with cloning is the fact that people think it would be the same person that was cloned and put that expectation on that person. I personally would love to have a clone made from my DNA just to have a child of my own. People who think a clone is going to be the same exact person are morons. Totally forgetting the nurture part and all the life experiences that turn a person into who they are beyond DNA.