Julian Lennon
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| Julian Lennon | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Birth name | John Charles Julian Lennon | |
| Born | 8 April 1963 Liverpool, England |
|
| Genre(s) | Rock Indie Rock Pop |
|
| Occupation(s) | Singer-Songwriter, Writer | |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, Bass, Piano, Drums | |
| Years active | 1984 - 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993-1997, 1998-1999, 2007- | |
| Label(s) | Atlantic Records, Music From Another Room, Pinnacle Records | |
| Website | Official Website | |
John Charles Julian Lennon known universally as Julian Lennon, (born April 8, 1963 in Liverpool, England) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and first son of Beatle John Lennon and the only child of his first wife Cynthia Lennon. His godfather was Beatles manager Brian Epstein. His father's nickname for him was "JCJ". He was named after John Lennon's late mother, Julia.
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[edit] Early childhood
While it was rumoured that John refused to let Cynthia hire a nanny for their son, the truth is that she preferred to care for him herself[citation needed]. Growing up, Julian was kept away from publicity because of the explosion of Beatlemania.
He attended the set of The Beatles' film Magical Mystery Tour. He also made his musical debut at the age of 11 on his father's album Walls and Bridges playing drums on "Ya-Ya".
Julian Lennon has always lived in the shadow of his famous father, who split with Cynthia when their son was only five years old. Lennon has often been somewhat icy towards the subject of his father, and especially Yoko Ono and, to a much lesser extent, his half-brother Sean Lennon[citation needed], though it should be noted that both sons lost their father at an early age at separate times and for very different reasons.
As a child, Lennon directly inspired the title of one of his father's most famous songs, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", a description he gave to describe a picture he had drawn, a watercolour painting of a girl (a classmate named Lucy) surrounded by stars. Later, Paul McCartney wrote "Hey Jude" as a way of consoling him because of his parents' divorce. "Hey Jude" was meant to be "Hey Jules", but McCartney changed the name because he thought "Jude" was an easier name to sing.[1] Years later, McCartney bought the original manuscript of "Hey Jude" in an auction and gave it to Julian as a gift[citation needed].
"Good Night", a track from The Beatles' White Album, although sung by Ringo Starr, is a lullaby written by John Lennon for his son, causing tension with Cynthia, who thought it brought even greater distance between father and son to have Starr sing the song instead of Lennon.
[edit] Musical career
Julian Lennon has had an inconsistent career as a musical artist, becoming popular with his debut album Valotte and hit song "Too Late for Goodbyes" in 1984, and again in the late 1990s; at other times he has had disappointing sales and had a period of taking drugs and drinking. After 1991 he left the music business for a number of years.
Lennon's debut album Valotte was produced by Phil Ramone, who has also produced albums for artist Billy Joel. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Act in 1985, and produced two top ten hits, the title track "Valotte", and "Too Late For Goodbyes". This album was promoted with music videos made by legendary movie director Sam Peckinpah and producer Martin Lewis of these songs. Lennon's first-ever tour in the spring of 1985 was documented as part of the film Stand By Me: A Portrait Of Julian Lennon — a film profile started by Peckinpah and directed after Peckinpah's death by producer Martin Lewis.
Julian Lennon has always had cordial relationships with the other members of The Beatles, particularly Paul McCartney. McCartney and his late wife Linda McCartney visited him in 1974 to take photographs of him for John Lennon. When Julian Lennon released Valotte, Paul sent him a telegram wishing him good luck. In 1984 the two met up backstage at the New York studios of the TV show Friday Night Videos. In 1991, George Harrison and Dennis Tarczynski played on Lennon's album Help Yourself but were not credited. He also recorded the song "Because" which was made famous by The Dave Clark Five in England.
Due to his similarities in looks, singing voice, and style it had been speculated many times that Lennon would join Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr to form a band; none of the four had ever been known to endorse that idea, and the death of Harrison has precluded such a grouping. Many fans are hoping Julian Lennon, Dhani Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr resurrect The Beatles for a farewell tour.
Although Lennon has done some acting, he can be seen as himself in the videos The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (1996), Cannes Man (1996), Imagine: John Lennon (1988), and Chuck Berry Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll (1987).
His official website is currently going under a revamp - it will be back in 2007, concurrent with the release of his new album.
[edit] Miscellanea
- In the early 1980s, Lennon lived for a while with percussionist Ray Cooper.
- For a brief time John Lennon concealed the fact he was married and that he had a child, in keeping with the conventional wisdom of the era that female teenage fans would not be as enamored of married male pop stars, However when the British media discovered that Lennon was married and a father, it did not affect his popularity with fans. Julian then became the subject of some fan attention.
- Lennon now lives in Majorca and runs a restaurant called Reds in Portals Nous.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Valotte (1984) # 20 U.K, #17 U.S.Platinum
- The Secret Value of Daydreaming (1986) #32U.S.Gold
- Mr. Jordan (1989) #87 U.S.
- Help Yourself (1991)
- Photograph Smile (1998) #70 Japan
- VH-1 Behind the Music - Julian Lennon (2001)
Other releases: Dave Clark's Time (soundtrack album) — Time Will Teach Us All, Because, If you Only Knew.
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |||
| US Hot 100 | US Modern Rock | US Mainstream Rock | UK | |||
| 1984 | "Valotte" | #9 | - | - | - | Valotte |
| 1985 | "Too Late For Goodbyes" | #5 | - | - | #6 | Valotte |
| 1985 | "Say You're Wrong" | #21 | - | - | #75 | Valotte |
| 1985 | "Because" | - | - | - | #40 | Dave Clark's Time Soundtrack |
| 1985 | "Jesse" | #54 | - | - | - | Valotte |
| 1986 | "Stick Around" | #32 | - | - | - | The Secret Value Of Daydreaming |
| 1989 | "Now You're in Heaven" | #93 | #27 | - | #59 | Mr. Jordan |
| 1991 | "Saltwater" | - | - | - | #6 | Help Yourself |
| 1991 | "Help Yourself" | - | - | - | #53 | Help Yourself |
| 1992 | "Get A Life" | - | - | - | #56 | Help Yourself |
| 1995 | "Cole's Song" | - | - | - | - | Mr. Holland's Opus Soundtrack |
| 1998 | "Day After Day" | - | - | - | #66 | Photograph Smile |
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
- ^ Barry Miles (1997). Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. New York: Henry Holt & Company, 465. ISBN 0-8050-5249-6.
Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | 1963 births | English composers | English guitarists | English male singers | English musicians | English singer-songwriters | John Lennon | Living people | People from Liverpool | The Beatles' children
