12/08/1980, a sad day

[Relic]

Sad day for music, and Beatles/Lennon fans in particular.
For those TB'ers old enough to remember, where were you when you found out John Lennon had been shot?

I was pretty young but was a rabid Beatles fan even back then.
I remember waking up for school, and walking into the kitchen for breakfast, it was still dark outside. The radio was playing some sort of newscast, and the lights in the eat-in kitchen where set very low (they had a dimmer switch). My dad was sitting at the table having coffee. As I was sitting down, he tells me. "I have some bad news, John Lennon's been shot." So ironic that he was the one to break the news to me as he , being "old school" had hated the Beatles and Lennon in particular, lol. It was crazy...like a ton of bricks had just landed on me. later that morning, I believe they announced that he had died...I went to school only half-believing it. Pretty much failed every test I had that day and spent the rest of the week in a funk. My guitar teacher at the time called in the evening, in tears, saying that he was canceling our lesson for that evening..I told him that I wasn't planning on going anyway. Tough day.
I absolutely cannot believe it's been something like 28 years !?? Wow.

What's your recollection?

[Stu L.]

I wasn't born until 1981, so I can't comment on Lennon. However, Dec. 8 2004 was the date of Dimebag's murder, and that is something that I still can't believe

[Relic]

Originally Posted by Stu L.

I wasn't born until 1981, so I can't comment on Lennon. However, Dec. 8 2004 was the date of Dimebag's murder, and that is something that I still can't believe

I should have mentioned that, thanks for bringing it up. That's another very rough one....
Dimebag's murder was even more brutal than Lennon's..ugh

[Georynn]

That really sucks, Lennon was a international symbol for peace, and although I don't necessarily agree with all his beliefs, I loved his music, and still wonder what would have been next musically from him.

There will never be another Dime... period.

[kesslari]

I was in college, working for a bakery delivering bread. I was in a warehouse and the news came over the radio. It was a natural foods warehouse so everyone was young and counter-culture.
The whole place just went quiet. Everything stopped.
Then in twos and threes, people started talking about it. None of us could make any sense of it.

[MakiSupaStar]

I remember this. I was 9. I had just started getting into the Beatles. My Dad had all kinds of records, and used to tell me stories about how he used to sneak into local London pubs to watch them play. He grew up in the same area as the Beatles. I remember getting into Magical Mystery Tour, and the record came with a kind of picture book of tripped out hippies and comic art. It was cool. Then I remember seeing on the news that someone shot John Lennon, and for the life of me I couldn't understand why. I wasn't really old enough to know who the people were in the band and what they did, but when he died I do remember seeing his name attached almost every single Beatles song. It wasn't until I put two and two together did I realize the significance of the loss. RIP John.

[MysticMichael]

I was in college at the time. I'd driven from Michigan down to Florida with my girlfriend to spend a few weeks at my mother's place during the holidays.

When the news hit, it put me in total shock. I cried off and on for three days, and was in kind of a stupor for several days more. I'd grown up with the Beatles, having seen them perform live on the Ed Sullivan Show during their American TV debut in February 1964, and had followed their career and bought several of their albums throughout the mid-to-late 60s.

Years later, having moved to New York City, I've had the opportunity to pass by the Dakota Apartments where John & Yoko had lived and outside of which Lennon had been shot, as well as to visit the nearby Strawberry Fields area of Central Park, which the city has set aside as a sort of monument to him.

It's hard to describe the influence John Lennon had on people of my generation. Despite his faults, many of us admired him for his remarkable honesty and personal integrity in speaking truth to power - in addition to his impressive artistic gifts...

MM

[Pilgrim]

I was 20...and it was big news. But to me, he was a famous musician, nothing more. Certainly the Beatles were a major influence on music, and on political thought and commentary. I'm sorry that we missed the many additional contributions he could have made.

[Gubna]

I was 8. I remember that I thought it sucked, but I was pretty young. I think I found out in school.

I think the only music I knew by then was the Beatles with my father taking my brother and I to see the Yellow Submarine - and their albums being played at his art studio.

[GregC]

When I became old enough to buy my own records in the mid-70s, I became a huge Beatles fan. My friends and I were drivng home from a concert (the Police, on the Zenyatta Mondatta tour, for nine bucks!) when the news of John's murder was announced on the FM rock station. We were completely in disbelief and thought it was a sick joke at first. I was so tired from the show and the news hit me so hard, that I stayed home from school the next day. I found out later that my English teacher wore all black that day.

Lennon's solo work has never had a strong pull on me, but at the same time, I've missed his presence and wonder what he would have had to say about the world over the past 28 years.

[bassrique]

Of all guys to shoot............... Lennon? Whaaaa? I'm still shocked.

[flipper_gv]

Originally Posted by Stu L.

I wasn't born until 1981, so I can't comment on Lennon. However, Dec. 8 2004 was the date of Dimebag's murder, and that is something that I still can't believe

I'm waiting with great sorrow December 13th

[Marcus Johnson]

I was in a recording studio in California, laying down guitard overdubs on somebody's project. Just myself, doing punch-ins. I remember I was still smoking cigarettes at the time. ... weird that I'd remember that. I took a break and turned on the radio, and they were talking about it. I think that was pretty much the end of the work day for me.

I read the news today, oh boy. Indeed....

[fo shizzle]

I skipped school that day and smoked 2 packs of Marlboros and listened to Beatle records (yes children, actual records) all day.

Still sucks...........

[Atoz]

I was watching Monday Night Football and heard the news from Howard Cosell.

[StanFan]

Originally Posted by Stu L.

I wasn't born until 1981, so I can't comment on Lennon. However, Dec. 8 2004 was the date of Dimebag's murder, and that is something that I still can't believe

I remember hearing about Dime the morning after. I went to check in on a forum I visited at the time right before an exam, and a banner popped up saying RIP Dimebag Darrel Abbott 1966-2004. I thought it was a joke at first. It was a great shock to me, eventhough I was practically done with Pantera at that point (never liked Damageplan). Even though I rarely even listen to Pantera at all anymore, his death is still a horrible memory for me.

[McHaven]

I wasn't born at the time, but if I was alive, and as big a Beatles fan as I am now, I'm sure I'd be devastated.

I remember hearing the news of Harrison's death, and went and asked my mother about cancer, and why it always seems to take the people I care about the most. (My great-grandmother had just died of cancer a week earlier)

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by Atoz

I was watching Monday Night Football and heard the news from Howard Cosell.

So was I. Patriots at Dolphins, I believe. Like the rest of the world, I was in shock.

[buzzbass]

I was @ a gig, Fountain Casino in NJ. We were in the middle of our set the DJ turned the lights on and made the announcement. I can remember it, like it was yesterday. All that joy, because we shared the stage with Zebra & Twisted Sister, and all that sadness.....just like it was yestaerday. Not to diminish John, but we also lost Dime on this day too.

[dinghy]

I wasn't born yet, but I asked my mom what she thought when she heard John Lennon had been killed.

"Oh well, that's too bad."