• John Lennon: Remembering the 'Imagine' Singer with 10 Inspiring Quotes [PHOTOS]

    John Lennon had established himself as a superb solo artist by the time 1980 rolled around. The Beatles disbanded a full decade earlier, and Lennon had found a way to captivate listeners without his writing partner Paul McCartney. He released five LPs in the '70s, including his debut, "John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band" and his masterpiece "Imagine." There was a five-year hole in his recording career from 1975-80, but in November 1980 Lennon came back with "Double Fantasy."It was the former Beatle's final album. Lennon was shot by Mark David Chapman 34 years ago today, Dec. 8. It is a loss that still perplexes fans and admirers to this day. Even the singer's killer has awakened from his delusional haze, telling the parole board in July, "I am sorry for being such an idiot and choosing the wrong way for glory."This year's anniversary is not a milestone. It is not a nice, rounded-off number like 30 or 35, both of which are far less important than 25 and 50. But while Lennon's death left a void in popular music, it also robbed the world of a truly beautiful mind that never hesitated to comment on the state of the world. He did not just say, "War is bad," he opted for the positive and tried to spark a movement from that: "Give peace a chance."So, yes, 34 means little. But it is difficult to look at 2014 and not think about what kind of wisdom Lennon could offer if he were still with us. What would he tell us about unrest stemming from the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases that we are missing? What insights could he offer on gay marriage rights? And do not forget the NFL. There is no shortage of moral problems and quandaries in today's social media society. Would Lennon even bother with Twitter?We will never know the specific answers to those questions. Thankfully, Lennon spoke his mind often during his 40-year stay on Earth, and those snippets of wisdom remain a guiding light for fans of peace, creativity and love.

  • Paul McCartney Reflects on John Lennon's Death: Beatle Calls Mark David Chapman the 'Jerk of Jerks' [WATCH]

    Tomorrow, Dec. 8, will mark the 34th anniversary of John Lennon's death. The Beatle and iconic pacifist was shot by Mark David Chapman in New York City.Bandmate Paul McCartney recently reflected on Lennon's death on "The Jonathan Ross Show," saying that he and the "Imagine" singer were on good terms prior to the shooting. He also called Chapman the "jerk of jerks" in the interview."There was acrimony in The Beatles. But when he got killed we were friends. We used to call each other up and swap bread recipes," McCartney said, "The Mirror" reported."I was at home when he died. I got a phone call. It was so horrific. I could not take it in that he was gone. It was a very big shock. I was so sad that I was not going to see him again," he said.The cordial McCartney held back on Chapman, though, offering an insult fit for television."And the guy who did it was the jerk of jerks. He was not politically motivated," he added.

  • Thirty Seconds to Mars' Jared Leto Will Play The Joker in DC's 'Suicide Squad,' Alongside Will Smith And Tom Hardy

    After weeks of speculation, Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto has officially signed on to play The Joker in DC's upcoming villain movie, Suicide Squad. Will Smith also confirmed his involvement as Deadshot and Tom Hardy, who played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, will take on the role of Rick Flagg, 'Deadline' notes. Warner Brothers also announced that the film will be released in 2D and 3D.

  • The Flaming Lips Reunite With Yoko Ono For Cover Of John Lennon's "Merry Xmas (War Is Over)" [LISTEN]

    A few weeks ago, The Flaming Lips released their 14th studio album 'With a Little Help from My Fwends,' a full-length tribute to the Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' and today, Nov. 20, the psych-rockers have shared another tribute: a cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Christmas classic "Merry Xmas (War is Over)," which you can check out below. As can be expected from Wayne Coyne and his crew, the track is a psychedelic reinterpretation of Lennon and Ono's original, replacing the acoustic guitars with synthesizers, and even features Ono herself on backing vocals.

  • Ryan Adams Wrote Music For Upcoming Al Pacino Film 'Danny Collins'

    Over the last few months, Ryan Adams has already released a full-length album and a few seven-inches for his Pax-Am single series, and it looks like he'll be adding a film score to his impressive resume. According to Film Music Reporter, Adams has teamed up with composer Theodore Shapiro to write the original music for an upcoming film titled Danny Collins, which stars Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner, Bobby Canavale, Josh Peck, and Christopher Plummer.

  • 7 Artists Who Have Released Two Albums at Once: Guns N' Roses, Bruce Springsteen and More

    Recently, pop legend Prince returned with not one album, but two new albums — "Art Official Age" and "PLECTRUMELECTRUM" — both of which were released Sept. 30. Though this is typical Prince eccentricity, he is far from the first artist to do this. Here are seven other artists who have released two albums in one day, including Guns N' Roses and Bruce Springsteen.

  • Debbie Harry, David Johansen To Perform At John Lennon Tribute In December

    asdThe 34th annual John Lennon Tribute Concert will take place on Dec. 5 in New York City, and today, the concert’s lineup has been announced, Rolling Stone reports. Among the headliners are Debbie Harry of Blondie, David Johansen of the New York Dolls, and Kate Pierson of the B-52s. Rock photographer Bob Gruen, who photographed Lennon during the ‘70s, will be honored at the event with the first ever John Lennon Real Love Award.
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