Sean Lennon Biography

by Stephen Thomas

As the son of John Lennon, perhaps the most beloved Beatle, and avant-garde musician Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon was a celebrity before he had even begun his recording career. That may be the reason why he didn't choose straight-ahead pop as his musical vocation, like his half-brother Julian did. Instead, he cleverly positioned himself between pop and experimental, taking his cue from such kaleidoscopic '90s multiculturists as the Beastie Boys, Beck and Cibo Matto. To many ears, his 1998 debut album, Into the Sun, had unexpectedly eclectic roots and a laid-back vibe, earning him positive critical reviews and securing a modest place in the post-alternative hierarchy.

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Son Rising
Sean Lennon Shines On Into The Sun



by Matt Ashare

There are plenty of excellent reasons to approach Into the Sun (Grand Royal/Capitol), the debut album by Sean Lennon, with a certain degree of wariness or skepticism. For starters, there's Matthew Nelson, Gunnar Nelson, Jason Bonham, and the Wilson-Phillips gals, who loosely constituted the first disappointing wave of rock progeny who attempted to follow in their famous parents' footsteps. Then there's Julian Lennon, Sean's older half-brother, whose rather cheap bid for pop stardom in the mid '80s (remember his eerily perfect impersonation of daddy titled "Too Late for Goodbyes"?) was as about as cloying and annoying as they come.

But 23-year-old Sean, John and Yoko's only son, is different. Yes, he's an independently wealthy 23-year-old who could easily afford to spend the rest of his life calling the Home Shopping Network. Yes, his family name and connections pretty much ensured that he'd get a record deal of some kind regardless of his talent. And, yes, I've checked in with several psychologists who assure me that it's normal to feel some measure of resentment, jealousy, and/or inferiority when confronted by these facts, so don't worry. Of course, Sean paid a dear price for being born into celebrity: he was only five when he father was murdered and, as he's told several reporters, he grew up fearing that he and his mother were next. The moral here is: be thankful for what you've got. To quote Sean, "Having celebrity status because you're someone's kid is really a double-edged sword."

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