As one of the founding members of The Beatles, he would grow up to be one of the world's most influential musicians -- one who is still missed two decades after his brutal murder in 1980.

Young Lennon's love of music wasn't always encouraged. His aunt Mimi famously remarked, 'The guitar's all very well, John, but you'll never make a living out of it.' He did make a living out of it, of course, and a rather good one at that. By the time The Beatles had taken over the world, John had begun to be looked upon as an oracle of sorts, influencing generations of youth pretty much everywhere on earth.

Apart from his music, John Lennon also left the world his message of peace. So committed was he to the cause, that he -- along with wife Yoko Ono -- once called a press conference to announce the formation of a state called Nutopia, which was to have no land, boundaries or passports, only people, all of whom would be ambassadors!

The Sunday after he was shot dead outside his home in New York, millions the world over paused for 10 minutes of silence to remember John Lennon. About 30,000 people gathered in Liverpool, and more than 100,000 came to Central Park, close to his home, to pay tribute.

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