Julian Lennon Comes Of Age

Julian Lennon Comes Of Age

FEATURES

Liz Derringer

THE LENNON LEGACY

It is a brisk November day and the Hard Rock Cafe is bursting with wall-to-wall anticipation. He comes in unnoticed at first, surrounded by bodyguards. It isn’t until he reaches the balcony and turns to say hello that everyone realizes he has arrived. To many, it is as if John Lennon has been reincarnated before their eyes. He looks like John, speaks like John and has many of John’s mannerisms. But he isn’t his father—he is John’s first-born son, John Charles Julian Lennon.

John Lennon was a musician, an artist, perhaps even a philosopher...but he was also a father. Now, his oldest son—the one old enough to remember something of his father’s astonishing success—is a musician himself, and a fairly successful one at that. His debut album, Valotte, proves that—in addition to inheriting the vocation of his father—he has the potential to be a creative force able to stand on his own merits.

Obviously wise to the ways of the world, Julian has had his own struggles growing up under the constant scrutiny of the press. He appears to have woven himself a protective cocoon where he can exist with his personal fears and regrets, as well as any pain he may feel regarding his father’s tragic passing. While he comes off as a shy and seemingly-fragile boy-child, the lyrics to his songs indicate there’s more going on behind his reticent facade than his conversational standoffishness. And, if people want to know what makes Julian tick, they’ll have to be satisfied with their own interpretations of those lyrics. Julian himself is keeping relatively quiet.

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“Enjoy my music, but don’t bother trying to read anything too much into Valotte,” he cautions. “The record is about the kinds of feelings and relationships we all go through. Just enjoy it for what it’s worth.” On the other hand, the curious can’t help but speculate that the lyrics to “Well I Don’t Know” are about his father.

Looking up at the light there

Feeling the presence of the dead...

I hear you, do you here me

There’s something I gotta ask

Are you part of my family tree?

A BIT OF HISTORY

Back in the late ‘60s, Julian formed a friendship that was to become a catalyst for his musical career. While attending Kingsmead School in Hoylake he became friends with schoolmate Justin Clayton. Julian had enrolled in the school to polish his guitar playing and it wasn’t long before he and his friend had put a band together. Lennon and Clayton shared a common interest in old rock classics like “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Rock Around The Clock”... the same music that had brought Lennon’s father and Paul McCartney together years before.

The chemistry was right between the friends and their nameless band soon played their first gig for a social function at school.“I played a Les Paul copy that my father had given me for my 11th birthday,” Julian reminisces. “At the time it was too soon for us to think about a definite musical future.” Still, the connection had been made and the friendship survived, even though the two went on to separate schools.

When he was just 17, he and Justin sprang back into the music scene, this time jamming with a variety of local musicians. The British press was bursting with anticipation at the idea of Julian making music. And Julian was getting his first taste of experiences similar to these his father had in his own early days.

FATHER AND SON

Beatlemania had long since come and gone and the time was right for a father and son to catch up on a relationship that had—for years—suffered at the the hands of all the crazy transitions that fame, fortune and divorce had wrought. John and Julian had become closer and their relationship was growing stronger with time...only to be terminated on December 8, 1980.

Afterwards, the British press took to exploiting Julian’s so-called escapades. According to Julian, “My behavior was blown out of proportion with the reality of the situation.” But, being John Lennon’s oldest son, he was hot copy.

FOR THE RECORD

In 1981, Julian resumed playing piano and sought solace within his music. One might think that record companies would’ve jumped at this chance to sign Julian to a record deal. That was not the case. “Some people didn’t want to know because of the name. They were afraid of the reaction that might come along with it,” explains Julian. But he felt music was in his blood and he had no preconceived notions about relying on his father’s laurels to make it. “No one can top what my dad did, especially me,” Julian says. “But I knew I had to keep the Lennon name singing, writing and playing.”

To help him along he enlisted a long-time friend his own age—Dean Gordon. They had become friends several years before when Julian found himself committed to a deal that wasn’t right for him. “That was when I was a bit younger,” muses Lennon. “You could say that Dean rescued me.”

When he was good and ready, Julian had Dean send a demo to Tony Stratton-Smith, chief executive of the United Kingdom’s Charisma Records. Smith was immediately intrigued and quickly signed him to an exclusive recording and publishing contract. Soon after, his introduction to Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records proved equally fruitful.

In preparation for recording, Julian and fellow musicians Justin Clayton and Carlton Morales took off to Valotte, a French chateau nestled within the town of Nevers. Julian’s surroundings inspired his writing—and the album was named after the castle where he and his friends resided.

INSIDE TRACKS

Upon meeting Julian, his cautious and introspective nature prevails. His music projects a certain sensitive sophistication, like himself. (When he discusses his musical influences he names a very well-rounded and startingly diverse list of bands and artists: “I listen to Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers and Keith Jarrett,” Julian says. “I’m also fond of the newer bands from the Police and Prince to U2.”)

Julian will discuss Valotte in only the most elusive ways. “I consider myself lucky to have worked with (producer) Phil Ramone. I admired his work. He was a great help when it came to gathering auxiliary musicians for the record...I didn’t really know anybody in the business. I’d say to Phil, ‘OK, I think this song could use a sax part,’ and he’d know who the best player was. I trusted his intuition."

Julian wrote or co-wrote nine of the LP’s ten compositions. “Some of the songs are about my relationship with my girlfriend,” he says. “ ‘Space’ was written when I was up around four in the morning. I was playing a bass riff and my girlfriend said that sounds like outer space or whales. I chose to work it out as ‘Space.’ Obviously, there are parts of the album that are very personal to me.” And, if Julian has his say, they’ll stay that way.

On the inner sleeve of Valotte, Julian takes great care to thank a long list involved in the project’s success. To his mother, Cynthia, he extends a thanks for all she’s had to cope with. “It just means I thank her for being there,” Julian says. “If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t be here.” He continues by proudly informing us about his mom’s latest ventures. “She’s having great fun hosting a TV show in the north of England.”

REFLECTION

“I’m really glad to have made this record,” Julian says. “It’s a relief to know that people are listening to it and enjoying it. I think people approach my music out of curiosity and then stay interested once the music takes over. People actually like the record because it’s good. Or at least they think so,” he chuckles.

When he ponders his musical destiny he reflects: “Had the circumstances been different I might not be a musician. Who knows? If my dad had been a carpenter I might’ve been one, too.” Yet he jokes about just what dad might’ve said about the business of rock ‘n’ roll. “ He’d probably have said, ‘Go ahead and do it, but don’t blame it on me.’ ”