BEATLES - LENNON RESENTED IMAGINE

THE BEATLES star JOHN LENNON resented critics labelling his hugely successful solo album IMAGINE as the best he would ever produce, because he believed he would live long enough to pen a superior record.

Speaking in a recently discovered radio interview dating from 1975, the late rock legend - who was shot by schizophrenic MARK CHAPMAN just five years later (80) -

did not agree with fickle reviewers who claimed he had reached his peak with the hit 1971 LP.

He says, "How can somebody with any sanity in their mind pin down Imagine and decide it will make the best album I will ever make? I'm 34 and, apart from acts of God, will be around for another 60 years or whatever.

"I get hurt if people just attack me personally like some reviewers do. I get hurt because the guy doesn't like me - but too bad. Up his.

"I'm doing it as long as I'm enjoying it and I'll be doing it until I drop."

Title track Imagine has since been hailed as the greatest single ever released.