Sean Lennon: "Dad used to dance with me a lot." How the sons of the musicians of the legendary group "The Beatles" look now

John Lennon's son - about dancing with his father, meeting with Michael Jackson and the music of Claude Debussy

How have your musical tastes with time?

I remember I was sixteen years old when The Clash singer Joe Strummer said he wouldn't have made music if he hadn't heard The Beach Boys. I've always found this band boring because my brain refused to process their sometimes rather complex melodies. I regret that at the time I was not smart enough to understand Strummer's words. Now I begin to appreciate much of what was inaccessible to me a few years ago. For example, I finally got into the records of Captain Beefheart.

Your father had a jukebox. What records did he listen to?

Yes, we had an old Wurlitzer that stood in game room home on Long Island. Dad loaded it with forty-five Elvis and the Everly brothers. The only contemporary song he listened to was "The Tide Is High" by Blondie. When I hear this thing now, that's how I see him - unshaven, in shabby denim shorts, hair pulled back in a ponytail. Dad often danced with me to the beat of the music.

As a child, you once dated Michael Jackson. Tell me how it was.

Have you seen the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Here's something like that.

Tell us about the photographs that are hung on the walls of your house.

I have a beautiful portrait of Serge Gainsbourg. Above the piano, I hung a photo of me and my dad in the Hit Factory studio. My father was recording "Double Fantasy" at the time. This card was given to me famous photographer Bob Gruen.

What do you feel now when you listen to John Lennon records?

I played his albums very often as a child, so now there are very few surprises left for me in my father's records. Perhaps the song "A Day In The Life" inspires me more than others.

What is your ex girlfriend, actress Bijou Phillips, is thinking about your new album - the soundtrack to the movie "Friendly Fire"?

I can't speak for her. Bijou starred in this picture, was an integral part of the sound recording process. I think she's proud of it, as am I.

name five the greatest composers twentieth century.

This is not easy to judge. My list is: Claude Debussy, John Lennon, Cole Porter, Phil Spector, Gershwin.

Other than John, who is your favorite band member?

Members The Beatles were the wheels of the same car. You need to have all four wheels to drive. ©

Sean Lennon
The album "Friendly Fire" is already on sale.

RS HELP

1. Sean Ono Lennon was born in New York on October 9, 1975.
2. At the age of six, Sean participated in the recording of Yoko Ono's album "Season Of Glass".
Z. In 1997, Lennon Jr. starred in episodic role in the series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer").
4. Sean Lennon's godfather was Elton John.

John Lennon children- sons Julian and Sean, like their father, became singers. They were born with a big difference in age - twelve years, and were born thanks to two different women. The eldest, Julian, was born to John by his first wife, Cynthia, with whom he had been married for six years. Cynthia Lennon met at art college, they started dating, and when the girl told John that she was expecting a baby, he proposed to her. Their family life ended after Lennon met the Japanese avant-garde artist Yoko Ono, who came to London with an exhibition of her paintings.

Pictured: Julian Lennon

When the musician divorced Cynthia, the first of John Lennon's children was only five years old. Julian inspired his talented father to create the songs "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Hey Jude". Lennon's eldest son has been passionate about music since childhood. After school, he made a living washing dishes in a bistro, and in the evenings he composed simple songs. Later, he decided to try his hand at the studio, and he succeeded. In composing songs, Julian was inspired by the work of his father, and he learned a lot from John.

Pictured: Sean Lennon

The youngest of John Lennon's children, Sean, was born by his second wife, Yoko Ono. John loved his younger son, and his birth turned Lennon into an exemplary family man. Yoko was a strict, tough housewife who turned the former rebel John Lennon into a model spouse. He was engaged in raising his son, fed him, performed family duties. The musician was so happy that he released new album with songs about happy family life which, unfortunately, was not successful with the public. When Sean was five years old, his father died from a bullet fired from a pistol by a schizophrenic maniac Chapman.

In the photo - adult children of John Lennon

Cynthia Lennon was far from happy in her marriage. And many have known about it for a long time. Sin, as her ex-husband John once called her, did not want to show the painful position in the family in public. Despite all this, she managed to instill in her son an immense respect for his father ...

Dream is to become an artist

Cynthia Lennon was born in 1939 in the northwest of England to the family of Charles Powell. My father worked for GEC. And his daughter was last child in the family. She had two older brothers.

When Cynthia was very young, the whole family moved to Hoylake.

As a twelve-year-old teenager, she began to study at Primary school arts. However, the girl had long dreamed of the profession of an artist, so her dreams began to come true within the walls of this educational institution.

Fateful meeting with John Lennon

In college, Cynthia focused on graphics. At the same time, she began taking calligraphy lessons. It was here that the girl met student John Lennon. The future "Beatle" never had drawing tools with him, so he began to borrow them from Cynthia.

John had an unenviable reputation. He was a real bully and studied disgustingly. Music was his top priority. Sometimes a young man took his guitar with him to lessons. Once he sang a song for Cynthia. Despite this, the girl did not like him very much. She said that he exuded rebelliousness and danger. However, over time, it was these qualities that attracted her the most. In a word, Cynthia fell under the spell of the future musician.

Beloved Sin

Cynthia Lennon was pretty when she was young attractive girl. She constantly wanted to attract the attention of her beloved classmate. So, having learned that Lennon prefers blondes, the girl bleached her hair without hesitation. Incidentally, before last days she remained true to her then image. Well, then John was greatly amazed by her unexpected transformation.

They started love story. Her lover called her "Miss Powell" or "Miss Howlake". And over time - just Sin.

According to Cynthia, their early relationship almost always consisted of sexual pleasures. True, later Lennon said that he was interested in his wife primarily as a representative of the weaker sex, and not at all as a person.

The Beatles era

In the late 50s, John met Paul McCartney. Both musicians began to fruitfully collaborate and write songs. They began to perform in small towns and after concerts often used the services of "groupies". At this time, John tried to forget about the existence of his beloved girl, who at that moment was faithfully waiting for her beloved at home. In truth, John, despite his sexual adventures, demanded fidelity from her and wrote her hundreds of letters with declarations of love.

Meanwhile, Cynthia continued to study, and musical group Jonah was already playing much better. The guys dreamed of recording and wanted to translate their material on vinyl. After some time, these tasks were realized, as they met the greats Brian Epstein and George Martin. Soon the musicians became The Beatles - a legendary band that won recognition all over the planet.

Long-awaited wedding

In 1962, Cynthia confessed to John that she was pregnant. At the same time, she told him that she was able to raise her firstborn on her own, alone. John categorically dismissed such a possibility immediately. He believed that an acceptable way out of a delicate situation was only a wedding.

As a result, the couple signed in August of the same year in Liverpool. On the solemn ceremony was George Harrison and Paul McCartney. And Epstein was the best man. By the way, they celebrated their marriage in the same restaurant where John Lennon's parents celebrated their wedding celebration 24 years earlier.

After the wedding, the newlyweds began to live in Epstein's apartments.

In the bosom of the family

After a while, Lennon bought a large house where they used to live famous performers Cliff Richards and Tom Jones. They already had not only servants, but also drivers.

And when John Lennon's wife was able to get the rights, her husband immediately presented her with a Mini, and then a Porsche.

In a word, in financial terms the newlyweds were more than provided, since the Beatles were on the crest of success.

In 1963, Cynthia Lennon experienced the joy of motherhood. Children are what makes a family stronger. The couple had a son. They named him Julian. By the way, John was at his speech when the heir was born.

The son was baptized in one of the Hoylake churches, and godfather was Epstein.

Lennon's heirs

Unfortunately, after the birth of the child, the family did not become stronger. The young dad had very little contact with his son. According to the recollections, if John was free from concerts, then he first of all scolded the boy and lectured. Actually, all this, sooner or later, was reflected in the character of Julian.

A few years later, when the family broke up and John had new family, he gave his paternal attention to the second son from Yoko Ono - Sean. It was as if he wanted to cut not only Cynthia out of his life, but Julian as well.

The status of the great "Beatle" totaled about 250 million pounds. At first, he allocated 400 pounds a month for the maintenance of his first son. True, at the very end of the 70s, John suddenly decided to restore relations with Julian. But already in 1980, Lennon was shot dead. In memory of him, Sin gave her son four portraits ex-husband which she drew herself.

Julian Lennon followed in his father's footsteps and also became a musician and singer.

The beginning of the end of a relationship

Meanwhile, in the first half of the 60s, a real "Beatlemania" began. The band's management insisted that the musicians always talk about their loneliness for the media. Apparently, this could attract more young fans. Xing had to play by those rules. For this reason, the marriage and the birth of a son were not advertised at all. John Lennon's wife rarely went on tour with her husband.

As a result, John has changed internally. He became cruel and sullen. And his marriage to the woman he once loved has become an unbearable burden. Repeatedly, the husband deliberately insulted his wife, brought her to tears. Nevertheless, Sin endured bullying and forgave everything to her husband. She really loved him very much and tried to change him for the better. The girl devoted her life to the family, abandoning her talents and ceasing to develop as an artist.

When the next tour ended, the studio life began. John plunged into the world of rock and roll, psychedelia and drugs. There was no place in this world for a son or a wife. She finally understood this when the musicians were going to go to India ...

Razluchnitsa Yoko

On the eve of her visit to the country, Sin found a personal correspondence between her husband and Yoko Ono. John strongly denied any connection with this woman and claimed that she was just a crazy artist. He said that she was just looking for a sponsor. That is probably why she repeatedly visited Kenwood and called there constantly. Yoko Ono herself in those days worked hard and was very fruitful in her business. She met John in 1966. Perhaps Lennon was more interested in living with this woman. She, apparently, understood him and in fact was ready to share not only a joint life, but also a passion for art.

Be that as it may, the Beatles went on a planned trip to India. When he returned under the influence of drugs and alcohol, he told his wife about his relationship with a huge number of women around the planet. Then he sent Sin to Greece to rest. But she returned ahead of schedule and saw her husband with his mistress in the most unattractive form. Unable to stand it, Cynthia Lennon, whose biography was very difficult, left immediately to her friends.

A few days later, John seemed completely normal when Cyn finally arrived home. The husband tried to prove his sincere warm feelings for his wife and son. However, they never spoke normally again. And the husband himself went to the residence of Ringo Starr.

After some time, John sent a guide who informed Xing that her husband intended to get a divorce. They say he tried to accuse his wife of treason. He also wanted Julian to stay with him. This idea turned out to be unfulfilled.

In November 1968, John and Cynthia Lennon officially ceased to be husband and wife.

Life after divorce

Lennon paid only £100,000 to Cynthia. She didn't ask for more, because she still loved him.

And the lover Yoko always tried to prevent the possible meetings of the ex-spouses. That is why Sin practically did not see John.

In 1973 they took place last meeting, and seven years later Lennon was killed. After some time, Cynthia tried to take some of John's personal belongings from Ono in order to give them to Julian as a memory of his father. But she answered with a categorical refusal. As a result, the son bought them at auction.

"My Husband John"

In 1970, Sin remarried. Her chosen one was the Italian Roberto Bassanini. He owned a luxurious hotel. Unfortunately, this marriage lasted only three years.

A few years later, Cynthia once again went down the aisle. Her union with Lancashire engineer John Twist lasted seven years. After the divorce proceedings, Sin decided to take back the Lennon surname.

For sixteen years, Cynthia Lennon, whose personal life could not get better, was the wife of a certain Jim Crist. Well, her last husband was the owner of one of the nightclubs, Charles Noel. Their relationship was formalized in 2002.

Xing managed to release two books. Both works were written by Cynthia Lennon about John Lennon. In 1978, she published a work called "The Lennon Twist", and twenty-eight years later - "My Husband John".

Xing passed away in April 2015. She died suddenly at her mansion in Mallorca, Spain. The woman was sick with cancer. This battle with cancer was very short-lived. Julian was always at his mother's bedside.

John Lennon (at birth John Winston Lennon, later changed to John Winston Ono Lennon; English John Winston Ono Lennon, October 9, 1940, Liverpool, UK - December 8, 1980, New York, USA) - British rock musician, singer, poet, composer, artist, writer. One of the founders and member of The Beatles, a popular musician of the 20th century.

John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 at 6:30 am, during a German air raid on Liverpool. His parents are Julia (en: Julia Lennon 1914-1958) and Alfred Lennon (eng. en: Alfred Lennon 1912-1976). John became their first and last child - soon after his birth, Julia and Alfred separated.

When Julia Lennon found herself another man, four-year-old John was taken in by his maternal aunt Mimi Smith (eng. en: Mimi Smith 1906-1991) and her husband George Smith, who had no children of their own. Mimi was a strict teacher, and Lennon often resented this. Mimi did not approve of his passion for the guitar. John was distinguished by rare wit and malice. When he was learning to play the guitar, Aunt Mimi grumbled: “The guitar is a good thing, but it will never help you make a living!”

Later, at the height of his success, John bought his aunt luxurious mansion on the coast and decorated the hall with a marble plaque with the words of an aunt. But Lennon found mutual language with an uncle who replaced his father, but in 1953 George died. Then John became close to his mother Julia, who lived with her second husband and two children from him.

Lennon couldn't stand the routine school life, therefore, despite a sharp mind, from the category best students slipped into the worst. But at school he managed to reveal his Creative skills- Lennon sang in the choir and published a handwritten magazine, which he illustrated himself. His favorite books at the time were Alice in Wonderland and The Wind in the Willows.

In 1952 Lennon was in high school Quarrybank (Eng. en: Quarry Bank High School). In his studies, he did not achieve much success here either, quickly finding himself in class C for the most backward students. At the same time, Lennon regularly violated discipline and drew caricatures of teachers.

In the mid-1950s, following the release of Bill Haley's "Rock around the Clock", the rock and roll craze began in Liverpool. The new hobby did not pass by Lennon, and in 1956 he, along with his school friends, founded the group The Quarrymen, named after the school where they all studied. Lennon himself played guitar in the Quarrymen.

On July 6, 1957, Lennon met Paul McCartney and accepted him into the Quarrymen. After Lennon failed final exams at school, he managed (with the help of the headmaster) to enter the Liverpool College of Art. There he befriended Stuart Sutcliffe, whom he also attracted to the Quarrymen, and met his future wife Cynthia Powell.

In 1958 (July 15) John's mother died. She was hit by a police officer while she was crossing the road. Julia's death was a severe shock for Lennon. Later, he dedicated several songs to her - "Julia", "Mother" and "My Mummy's Dead". The death of his mother greatly affected him in the future. Since Lennon was very attached to Julia, he looked for his mother in almost all women.

The Quarrymen ceased to exist in 1959, when the name appeared - first Silver Beetles, then - The Beatles. In 1960, the Beatles went abroad for the first time - to German Hamburg, where they performed in the clubs of the Reeperbahn, the center nightlife cities. In Hamburg, Lennon tried drugs for the first time.

On August 23, 1962, John Lennon married Cynthia Powell. On April 8, 1963, John and Cynthia Lennon had a son, John Charles Julian Lennon. It was named after Julia, John's mother.

In 1963, Lennon "showed his teeth" for the first time, speaking to the royal family. Announcing the next number, he exclaimed with mischief:
- Those who sit in cheap seats, please applaud. The rest can be limited to the jingling of their jewelry!

Scandalous fame only contributed to the growth of the group's popularity. If in the spring of 1963 they were well known only in Liverpool, then in October of the same year the whole country knew about them, and in 1964 world fame came to the Liverpool group.

In addition, Lennon tried himself as an actor. Apart from the films created by the Beatles, he once starred in the movie: it was the film "How I Won the War" (Eng. "How I Won the War" (1967). The film was not a success with either the audience or the critics.

In March 1966, Lennon, in an interview with the London Evening Standard newspaper, dropped a careless phrase, saying the following: “Christianity will go away. It will disappear and dry up. No need to argue; I am right and the future will prove it. Now we are more popular than Jesus; I don't know what will disappear first - rock and roll or Christianity. Jesus was nothing, but his followers are stupid and mediocre. And it is their perversion that destroys Christianity in me.”

In the UK, no one paid attention to this phrase, but when, five months later, the phrase taken out of context that The Beatles are more popular than Christ was placed on the cover of the American Datebook magazine, a scandal began in the USA. In the south of the country, whose inhabitants are known for their religiosity, Beatles records were publicly burned, radio stations stopped broadcasting their songs. Even in the Vatican, Lennon’s statement was condemned (in 2008, however, the Vatican forgave the musician, saying that his phrase could be regarded as “witty”.

Lennon was threatened with death: in Memphis, someone called The Beatles and said that during the concert he (Lennon) would be killed. After these tours, the Beatles decided to abandon the concerts. They never performed on stage again.

In 1967, under the influence of Timothy Leary's book The Psychedelic Experience, Lennon became addicted to drugs. He began to move away from the rest of the group and refused the role of its leader. The appearance of Lennon, like the rest of the group, has changed a lot. The Beatles stopped dressing in neat suits, grew long hair, mustache and sideburns. In the image of Lennon, for the first time, the famous round glasses appeared.

Lennon met avant-garde artist Yoko Ono in 1966 when he visited her exhibition in art gallery"Indica". Them living together began in 1968 when Lennon divorced his first wife, Cynthia. Soon, she and Yoko became inseparable. As Lennon said then, they are not John and Yoko, but one soul in two bodies, John and Yoko.

On March 20, 1969, the marriage of John Lennon and Yoko Ono was registered in Gibraltar. After his marriage, Lennon changed his middle name Winston to Ono, and now his name was John Ono Lennon. Relations within the Beatles finally soured in 1968. In 1969, Lennon and McCartney had already announced that they were leaving the group. Lennon and Yoko Ono formed a band called the Plastic Ono Band.

Since September 1971, Lennon and Yoko Ono lived in New York. After a long struggle with the US immigration authorities, who refused to allow the couple to enter because of a drug scandal in 1969, the Lennons still received the right to reside in the United States. John Lennon never visited the UK again.

On October 9, 1975, Lennon's thirty-fifth birthday, his son, named Sean, was born. After that, Lennon announced that he was completing musical career and dedicated the next 5 years to his son. In all these years, he only appeared in public once - when he was finally given official permission to live in the United States. This happened in 1975, also on October 9th. He was also invited to a private reception by U.S. President Jimmy Carter along with Yoko.

Lennon's next album was released only in 1980. It was called "Double Fantasy" and received good feedback critics. This disc was destined to be the last in the work of John Lennon, whose life was cut short a few weeks after the release of the disc. Yoko Ono co-wrote the album.

On December 8, 1980, John Lennon was killed by US citizen Mark David Chapman. On the day of his death, Lennon gave his last interview to American journalists, and at 10:50 pm, when John and Yoko were entering under the arch of their house, returning from the Hit Factory recording studio, Chapman, who earlier that day had taken Lennon's autograph on the cover of the new Double Fantasy album, which was released in three weeks earlier, fired five shots into his back, four of which hit. Lennon was taken to the Roosevelt Hospital in just a few minutes by a police car called by the doorman of the Dakota. But the doctors' attempts to save Lennon were in vain - due to a large loss of blood, he died, the official time of death was 23 hours and 15 minutes. He was cremated in New York and Lennon's ashes were given to Yoko Ono.

Chapman is serving a life sentence in a New York prison for his crime. He has applied for parole six times already ( last time in September 2010), but each time these applications were rejected. Yoko Ono sent a letter to the New York State Department of Liberation in 2000 urging Chapman not to be released early.

John Lennon's posthumous album Milk and Honey was released in 1984. The songs were recorded in recent months Lennon's life. It mainly consists of sessions for "Double Fantasy".

Monument in Havana.

Interesting fact:
* Throughout his life, John Lennon was aware of the significance of the number 9 for himself. He was born on October 9, 1940, his son Sean was born on the same day, October 9, 75. The Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, first came to see the guys at the Liverpool club CAVERNA on November 9, 61, and their first contract with EMI was signed on May 9, 62. John met Yoko Ono on November 9, 66, John and Yoko's apartment is located on West 72nd Street (seven and two total nine), and the number of their first apartment was also 72. Interestingly, in student years, in Liverpool, John traveled to art school on the number 72 bus. Among John's songs there are several that include the number 9 in their titles: "Revolution Nine", "Dream Number Nine" and "Following 909". He wrote these songs at his mother's house, 9 Newcastle Road. His aunt Mimi's address was 126 Panorama Road (one two and six add up to nine). John even joked that one of his most significant songs, Give Peace A Chance, has nine main words in the chorus. In the names "John Ono Lennon" and "Yoko Ono Lennon" the letter "O" occurs nine times, finally, John was killed at 10.50 New York time on December 8, 1980, in the UK at that moment it was five hours more, there It's already December 9th. John's body was taken to the Roosevelt Hospital, located on Ninth Avenue.

And Yoko Ono's daughter from Kyoko's first marriage, she is adopted daughter John Lennon. this concert was one of the biggest John Lennon three children: son Julian from his first marriage to Cynthia Powell, son Sean from the second year the group recorded John Lennon three children: son Julian from his first marriage to Cynthia Powell, son Sean from the second Mumiy Troll in the USA

John Lennon's sons Julian and Sean were warmed to varying degrees by their father's attention and love. Sean Ono Lennon was the most fortunate in this respect, he was the favorite son of his parents. Nevertheless, both boys, having matured, made a musical career and achieved success.

Photo of Lennon's children

In 1975, the only and most beloved son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sean Ono Lennon, was born. It is noteworthy that he was born on the same day as his father - October 9th. FROM early childhood he was surrounded by quivering love, his father adored the child, spent a lot of time with him. Little Sean's godfather was Elton John.

Sean was endowed musical talent, his parents supported this trait in him and tried to develop it in every possible way. Already at the age of 9, he took part in the recording of his mother Yoko Ono's single "Every Man Has A Woman".

Sean studied at the Swiss School and then entered Columbia University. The craving for music turned out to be stronger than the thirst for knowledge, and after a couple of semesters, Sean leaves the university to start a career as a rock musician. First, he took part in the recording of the Lenny Kravitz album, and then organized his own group "IMA", with which he accompanied the performances of Yoko Ono, and also recorded the album "Rising". Later, Sean Lennon became interested in alternative music and began his collaboration with the duet "Cibo Matto" .

In addition, in 1988, Sean Lennon starred in the Michael Jackson film Moonwalker. For himself, he appreciated the experience of working with Michael as very useful. Later, he appeared in an episodic role in 4 more films, including the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Sean's musical career was much more fruitful. He has 3 albums and 4 singles to his credit. Sean Lennon traveled to Moscow and St. Petersburg in 2007 as part of his world tour in support of the Friendly Fire album.

Photo by Sean Ono Lennon

John Lennon's son from his first marriage, Julian, who was born on April 8, 1963, was much less fortunate than Sean. famous father, carried away by his new girlfriend Yoko Ono, completely forgot about him, and the boy so lacked his father's attention.

His feelings for his father ranged from adoration to hatred. He was terribly angry with his father because the peace and love that John Lennon sang about in his songs mysteriously bypassed his own son.

While still at Julian School with his best friend Justin Clayton began to compose music. It was easy for Julian. He just sat down at the piano, and the idea immediately came to his mind. new song. His hobby was contemporary jazz lyrical rock ballads.

Currently, Julian Lennon has released at least seven solo albums excluding singles.

Photo Julian Lennon