He went on stage the evening of the day they died, saying that the energy and love he felt from the audience helped him deal with the emotions. If anything, it's likely their death sped up the release rather than hindered it.
And if you listened to any modern music stations at all a year or so ago, you heard the song 1985-its the one with the lyrics mentioning all the 80s bands "There was Springsteen, Madonna, way before Nirvana. There was U2 and Blondie and music still on MTV. Her two kids, in high school, they tell her that she's uncool, because she's still pre-occupied, with 1985."
If you haven't heard it, head over to Yahoo Launch and watch the video, it adds alot to the song.