JOHN LENNON - LENNON: 'SPLIT WITH ONO MADE ME INSANE'

Late legend JOHN LENNON felt he was losing his grip on sanity during his year-long separation from wife YOKO ONO in 1974.

The former BEATLE, who was shot dead in 1980 by MARK CHAPMAN, found the experience of being apart from his wife traumatising because he was convinced he would enjoy being single again.

In a 1975 interview with New York City-based Capital Radio which has only recently resurfaced, Lennon says, "Yes, I am back with Yoko. It's rather nice. I feel a bit sane again.

"It's a bit traumatic when something happens to you. Our failure was the separation and it was a tough year.

"It's alright wondering what life is like on the other side and that's one of the lessons of life, I guess - always thinking what it's like to stand on your head and do it.

"The things one learns in life, the magic of life, is so subtle that it's always in peripheral vision.

"If you turn your head towards it, it goes away. I, like many other people, consciously look, whip my head round and find out I've banged my head into a wall."