Rolling Stone publishes John Lennon’s last interview

The editors at the Rolling Stone magazine have said that the nine hours of discussion between John Lennon and journalist Jonathan Cotte represent the last interview given by the British musician and published in a printed version. John Lennon was assassinated in front of the building where he lived, on December 8, 1980, at the age of 40.

The Rolling Stone magazine published excerpts from the interview shortly after the death of John Lennon, but Jonathan Cotte has only recently transcribed audio recordings of all nine hours of discussion with Lennon.

“Earlier this year I was cleaning up to find some files in the recesses of my closet when I came across two cassette tapes marked ‘John Lennon, December 5th, 1980,’” the American journalist said.

“It had been 30 years since I listened to them, and when I put them on this totally alive, uplifting voice started speaking on this magical strip of magnetic tape,” Cott said of the tapes.

In that interview, John Lennon attacked the fans and his critics who had “hunted” him systematically during the five years of musical break he had imposed on himself in the late ’70s.

“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,” he said. “I cannot be on the way up again. What they want is dead heroes, like Sid Vicious and James Dean,” he added in an eerily prescient screed. “I’m not interested in being a dead f—ing hero … so forget ‘em, forget ‘em.”

Also, Lennon talked about the possibility of going back on a world tour.

“We just might do it,” he said. “But there will be no smoke bombs, no lipstick, no flashing lights. It just has to be comfy. But we could have a laugh. We’re born-again rockers, and we’re starting over. … There’s plenty of time, right? Plenty of time.”

Yoko Ono, Lennon’s wife, wh was with the musician when he was assassinated, participated in the publishing of the full interview to commemorate 30 years since the death of the former Beatle.

This issue of Rolling Stone magazine will be available on newsstands starting Friday.

[Image source: Rolling Stone magazine]