Prophetic words in last interview by Lennon

John Lennon exclaimed that he did not want to be a "dead hero" - just three days before he was murdered by a demented gunman.

The former Beatle's last interview, with its eerie reference to the way early death can restore the fame of a fading star, was published in full for the first time this week to coincide with the 30th anniversary of his murder.

During his conversation with a journalist from Rolling Stone, 10 years after the break up of the Beatles, Lennon railed against the way critics treat old megastars whose fame has waned. "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 interested in being a dead f***ing hero. So forget 'em, forget 'em."

He also expressed concern that Bruce Springsteen - who was then the new wonder boy of American rock - would be the next to receive the treatment: "And God help Bruce Springsteen when they decide he's no longer God. They'll turn on him, and I hope he survives it."

The interviewer, Jonathan Cott, did not listen to the full three-hour conversation until a few months ago, when he was clearing out a cupboard.

"On a strip of magnetic tape, it was sort of a miracle that first of all, the tape had not degraded after 30 years," he said. "All of a sudden, this guy's voice, totally alive ... just made me feel so inspired that I felt that I should really transcribe the whole thing."

Lennon, who had recently turned 40, was upbeat about his future. "His words are totally joyous and vibrant and hopeful and subversive and fearless," Cott said. "He didn't mince words."

Lennon implied that he might consider a Beatles reunion with Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. "We just might do it. 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."

At another point in the interview, he added: "Give peace a chance, not shoot people for peace. All you need is love, I believe that. I'm not claiming divinity. I've never claimed divinity. I've never claimed purity of soul. I've never claimed to have the answer to life. I can't live up to people's expectations of me, because they are illusory. "The hardest thing is facing yourself. It's easier to shout 'revolution' and 'power to the people' than it is to look at yourself and try and find out what's real and what isn't, when you try pull the wool over your own eyes and your own hypocrisy ... that's the hardest one."

Three days after he uttered these words, on December 8, 1980, Lennon was shot dead outside his home by deluded gunman Mark Chapman.

- INDEPENDENT