Dec. 8 marks 34 years since John Lennon's death

There was something in the way he moved us.

Dec. 8 marks the 34th anniversary of the night the legendary John Lennon was gunned down by Mark David Chapman outside his home in New York City.

Lennon was born on Oct. 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England. He would go on to change rock 'n' roll with The Beatles.

Brief excerpts of the former Beatles' last interview were released for a 1980 Rolling Stone cover story days after Lennon's death.

"His words are totally joyous and vibrant and hopeful and subversive and fearless," said writer Jonathan Cott in an interview with USA TODAY. "He didn't mince words."

He said of his critics in the interview:

"These critics with the illusions they've created about artists — it's like idol worship," he said. "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 (expletive) hero. .. So forget 'em, forget 'em."

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