Today marks the 30th anniversary of John Lennon’s murder. He was gunned down by Mark Chapman outside his apartment in Central Park, New York with Yoko Ono by his side.

Chapman is still in jail and despite six requests for parole he is still incarcerated.

John Lennon’s death for those of my generation I think was of enormous significance as it brought home to us all how fragile life is. This man who was responsible for so much of our musical influences was so cruelly taken from us and it took many of us a long time to come to terms with his passing.

There had been other leaders like JFK and Martin Luther King who had also been murdered but I don’t think we were old enough to understand the significance of those losses.

His songwriting is something we will always have but I must admit that a world without John Lennon is not a better place.

That other great talent Leonard Cohen has just toured Australia and I would love to sit in an audience one more time to hear John Lennon perform.

John Lennon rest in peace.