On the Lennon tribute programme a BBC guy - Tim Brock? - attributed "my friend Jonathan King" with tipping him off that John had been shot in New York. And not a negative adjective used.

Indeed - www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11926898

I've always liked him, he seems like a decent sort as well as a good reporter.

finger on the pulse - as ever

Where did you hear the news from, JK?

Like a lot of people, I know where I was the moment I heard about it. I was a Independent record Retailer. (Remember them?). I rushed to work and got on the phone to WEA to order up multiple boxes of the Double Fantacy album (K99131 - yes I remember the catalogue number!), and bulk stock of all the EMI titles. Simon Bates was on the radio that morning and dedicated his "Golden Hour" slot to Lennon and Beatles records.

It doesn't sem like 30 years ago.

I was in bed in my NYC flat and a news flash came on local CBS-TV; I put two and two together (Dakota building; shooting) and phoned Tom Brook, waking him up. "I have a horrible feeling about this", I told him, "and I think you should get up and get down there". I was due to have lunch with John the following Thursday - he'd phoned me and said "we're both living in this city; we ought to catch up". He and I always got on very well.

I have to avoid hearing his music even now, much as I love it. It's still too upsetting.