anyone catch it? i feel cnn does a great job with their news docs in general. for me i was not born yet so being a sports fan and sports broadcast historian i had always known that mnf was on and howard cosell broke the news of lennon's death on the broadcast...found this interesting in the doc, because chapman was not a ny state resident he could not buy bullets in the state, he is next up for parole hearing this coming august
killing john lennon on cnn
- Thread starter NYShoreGuy
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pretty tragic. Imagine if Lennon was still alive today what could have happened over the last 35 years? Beatles reunion tours, who knows what kind of music he could have done on his own. McCartney never really did anything of any additional musical value after the early 80s, so I think it would have been highly likely there would have been additional Beatles music, tours, etc..
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anon_4htvdezyfe7k9
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Didn't catch it. I did have the opportunity to visit the R&R hall of fame years ago when they had the Lennon exhibit out. The still-stained glasses he was wearing were on display and there was a phone in the corner that apparently Yoko would call occasionally.
I remember watching the game with my Dad when Cosell reported the shooting. It was an emotional Cosell, a call that was chilling to me yet appropriate and not over the top, as Cosell could sometimes be. It was and is a piece of history, a rarity when sports (MNF) intertwines with the larger culture.
Not many years earlier, Cosell had a radio afternoon spot on ABC and it was one of the few places to get 10 minutes, if that, of sports in the early to mid 70s, the ESPN and blog (opinion, and heavy opinion w Howard) of its day. It was fitting he made the Lennon call in that Cosell was not afraid to discuss the social and cultural issues as they related to sports--his opinions on Muhammad Ali stick out as one example.
Interesting question 91 raises regarding "what if" with the Beatles, Lennon etc. Chris Hillman of the Byrds in an interview not too long ago said he thought the Beatles were their musical best between 1965 and 1967. One man's opinion, but he may have a point. The Beach Boy's Pet Sounds came out in '66 and is considered by some as the greatest album of all time and a huge influence on the Beatles.
Not many years earlier, Cosell had a radio afternoon spot on ABC and it was one of the few places to get 10 minutes, if that, of sports in the early to mid 70s, the ESPN and blog (opinion, and heavy opinion w Howard) of its day. It was fitting he made the Lennon call in that Cosell was not afraid to discuss the social and cultural issues as they related to sports--his opinions on Muhammad Ali stick out as one example.
Interesting question 91 raises regarding "what if" with the Beatles, Lennon etc. Chris Hillman of the Byrds in an interview not too long ago said he thought the Beatles were their musical best between 1965 and 1967. One man's opinion, but he may have a point. The Beach Boy's Pet Sounds came out in '66 and is considered by some as the greatest album of all time and a huge influence on the Beatles.
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anon_4htvdezyfe7k9
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Unfortunately, there's a pretty good chance Lennon wouldn't have replicated the quality of music he created during the Beatles hey-day. Just my opinion, but wasn't a huge fan of a lot of his post-Beatles solo stuff, and anything he collaborated on with Yoko. Rock artists tend to lose their "edge" as they get older and the quality of the music seems to reflect that. Trying to think of some exceptions to that rule (maybe Bob Dylan?).
I'm from the "grunge" era and can say the bands that made the era great aren't putting out anything of note now. (of course a lot of them aren't with us anymore).
Slightly off-topic, but for any Nirvana/ Cobain fans, check out Montage of Heck (HBO Go) and Soaked in Bleach (On Demand). The former is a pretty good (albeit depressing) documentary about Cobain's childhood, the latter is a documentary that makes a fairly compelling argument about the possibility that he was murdered.
I'm from the "grunge" era and can say the bands that made the era great aren't putting out anything of note now. (of course a lot of them aren't with us anymore).
Slightly off-topic, but for any Nirvana/ Cobain fans, check out Montage of Heck (HBO Go) and Soaked in Bleach (On Demand). The former is a pretty good (albeit depressing) documentary about Cobain's childhood, the latter is a documentary that makes a fairly compelling argument about the possibility that he was murdered.
The Starting Over album was his best work in years. Maybe he found his mojo again. I agree most writers cant keep it up. I add Springsteen to Dylan, as Bruce is still pumping out good songs at a ridiculous clip.
I thought the loss of Kobain was a huge blow to music assuming he could keep going. He had the gift of melody, lyric and acid in his songs. Of all the guys who died young, I think we miss him and Buddy Holly the most.
I thought the loss of Kobain was a huge blow to music assuming he could keep going. He had the gift of melody, lyric and acid in his songs. Of all the guys who died young, I think we miss him and Buddy Holly the most.
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anon_4htvdezyfe7k9
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Thought someone might reference Springsteen 
Never got into his music so don't have much of a frame of reference for him. I know his concerts are supposed to be tremendous and that he hasn't missed a beat there, just don't know a lot about his newer songs.
Yea, I think Cobain had some more great albums in him. He was only 27 (I believe Lennon was 40) infamously joining the "Forever 27" club of Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. (Amy Weinstein was also 27).
His suicide note, according to Washed in Bleach, was supposedly a traced amalgamation of a bunch of different letters, journal entries, etc. that were later found in Courtney Love's bag, and were potentially traced. (not saying I believe any of that, but it's worth a look for any Nirvana/ conspiracy theory fans).
Never got into his music so don't have much of a frame of reference for him. I know his concerts are supposed to be tremendous and that he hasn't missed a beat there, just don't know a lot about his newer songs.Yea, I think Cobain had some more great albums in him. He was only 27 (I believe Lennon was 40) infamously joining the "Forever 27" club of Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix. (Amy Weinstein was also 27).
His suicide note, according to Washed in Bleach, was supposedly a traced amalgamation of a bunch of different letters, journal entries, etc. that were later found in Courtney Love's bag, and were potentially traced. (not saying I believe any of that, but it's worth a look for any Nirvana/ conspiracy theory fans).
on the 30th anniversary grantland did an oral history, i believe a wabc 7 producer was in a motorcycle accident being treated in the same hospital when lennon came in and that is how mnf got the news
Mike, you remember the significance of the word "truculent" in Cosell's world?
"This is Howard Cosell...speaking of Sports", words guys my age heard many, many times.
I have always been surprised at the dearth of unreleased songs from the Beatles. Of course, you have Harrison's All things must Pass, with many of those songs from the Beatles times I assume. But not any Lennon McCartney stuff, like one after 909 which was written earlier, forgotten, then included on one of the later albums. There was that song that had Bird in the title that was found and the three living Beatles added to John's vocal. Oh well.
I like Pet Sounds and know the Beatles, specially McCartney wanted to outdo it, but comparing it to Sgt Pepper, well, they don't compare, imo, as music and specially as a cultural influence. Back in the 60s, the media was limited, and everyone saw and heard the same things, and the Beatles were the kings. You go to school after them or the Stones or Doors were on Ed Sullivan, and everyone was talking about it. Not sure if that shared experience exists anymore.
Had to look it up, but Sgt Pepper's was released in '67--I was all of 7 years old. Bought a copy of Pet Sounds when Brian Wilson made his comeback 10 yrs or so ago, Dick. I had never really heard it as one body of music, really special. Sgt Peppers same or more so. Won't argue it's a not a better work.
I had a transistor radio and would listen to Cosell while delivering my papers, The Asbury Park Press and would have the coveted West Coast scores in my bicycle racks, as the afternoon paper was the only game in town. Everyone wanted to know the UCLA score from the night before. If they lost, that was big news. I had that info. Talk about understanding clout at an early age.
I had a transistor radio and would listen to Cosell while delivering my papers, The Asbury Park Press and would have the coveted West Coast scores in my bicycle racks, as the afternoon paper was the only game in town. Everyone wanted to know the UCLA score from the night before. If they lost, that was big news. I had that info. Talk about understanding clout at an early age.
Hey, I was an APP paperboy too. I held the bag on my forehead so it would not hit my bike tires and I could reach back and grab a paper and wing it. Some old bag called up the cops and said it was dangerous and they would stop me if they saw me doing it...gotta love the small town mentality...that was the biggest crime in Avon all week...lol
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