John Lennon's last ever interview was broadcast online on Wednesday, December 8 to mark the 30th anniversary of his death. The Beatles legend gave an in-depth chat to journalists from RKO radio in San Francisco, California at his New York apartment on the afternoon of December 8, 1980.
Just hours after the radio crew left his home, Lennon was gunned down outside by crazed fan Mark Chapman - giving an added poignancy to the interview. In the chat, the iconic star discussed his life in the Big Apple and his plans for the future, ending the interview by telling programmer Dave Sholin, "I consider that my work won't be finished until I'm dead and buried, and I hope that's a long, long time."
The three-hour long interview was broadcast throughout the day on ReelRadio.com.
Lennon also gave an interview to journalists from Rolling Stone magazine on December 5, 1980, in which he slammed media commentators for their "worship" of tragic stars such as actor James Dean and Sex Pistols rocker Sid Vicious.
Just hours after the radio crew left his home, Lennon was gunned down outside by crazed fan Mark Chapman - giving an added poignancy to the interview. In the chat, the iconic star discussed his life in the Big Apple and his plans for the future, ending the interview by telling programmer Dave Sholin, "I consider that my work won't be finished until I'm dead and buried, and I hope that's a long, long time."
The three-hour long interview was broadcast throughout the day on ReelRadio.com.
Lennon also gave an interview to journalists from Rolling Stone magazine on December 5, 1980, in which he slammed media commentators for their "worship" of tragic stars such as actor James Dean and Sex Pistols rocker Sid Vicious.
In an eerily prophetic statement, he said, "These critics with the illusions they've created about artists - it's like idol worship. They only like people when they're on their way up... I cannot be on the way up again. What they want is dead heroes, like Sid Vicious and James Dean. I'm not interesting in being a dead f**king hero... So forget 'em, forget 'em."
The interview, released to the Associated Press, will be published by the magazine in full for the first time on Friday, December 10. An edited version was printed in the days following Lennon's death.