Legends

The recent death of George Best was another reminder to me of the generation gap that will exist between Oliver and I. Here was a footballer - perhaps the greatest in the world, ever - and yet only a fraction of his talent has been caught on film and it is hard to convey the excitement he caused as a player and the affection in which he was held. Perhaps the images of his funeral, where thousands turned out to bid him farewell, might start to convey it.

And today I was given another reminder of a talent who touched my life and yet wil mean little to Oliver. It is 25 years ago today that John Lennon was murdered in New York. I woke up to the news on the radio and was faced across my room by the cover of Rubber Soul which I had been playing the previous evening. I was 16 years old, a Beatles fan, a music fan, a John Lennon fan. But of course it was more than just his music that endeared him to his fans. Despite a darker side that many ignored (including tales of violence against his first wife Cynthia). it was his desire for peace in the world and his charismatic way of publicising this desire that touched millions. It is a testament to his greatness that 25 years on his death makes the evening news.

Sadly, to Oliver, these will be distant legends.

George Best obituary (BBC)

John Lennon - 25 years on