It is impossible to overstate the impact that John Lennon has had on modern popular culture. As a member of what was arguably the most successful musical act of all time and later as a major celebrity in his own right, Lennon forged the way for performers with a social conscience to express themselves through their art. Beginning in 1964 with his famous "more popular than God" remarks, Lennon was the first pop musician to find his words being taken seriously by the press, with ramifications undoubtedly beyond his expectations at the time, but within a few short years, Lennon, along with his partner and wife Yoko Ono had become a master at utilizing the media to spread his statements of political and social awareness. Of course, this was possible in no small part by being a member of the Beatles, one of the few rock bands to not only be the most successful in their field, but to also be its main innovators and the best at what they did. The Beatles, of course were a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts and Lennon never achieved the musical heights that he did during the 1960's, but he remained a highly visible and vocal celebrity throughout most of the 1970's lending his name and credibility to many radical causes and fighting an ongoing and highly publicized effort by the U.S. government to deport him. He was gunned down in 1980 by a deranged fan as he was enjoying a recent musical comeback.