What Is John Lennon’s First Son, Julian, Doing Today?
John Lennon‘s first son, Julian, followed in his father’s footsteps briefly in the 1980s, but his career fizzled out. Now, he’s returning to music and doing what he loves.
John Lennon’s son, Julian, said it was hard entering the music industry as a Lennon
Julian doesn’t think he was born to make music like his famous father. He fell in love with acting in school. However, once he picked up a guitar, the rest was history.
Julian released his debut album, Valotte, in 1984. Four other albums followed, but Julian dropped his music career after Photograph Smile in 1998.
During an interview on Larry King Live, Julian discussed leaving his music career behind. It had been 15 years since he’d entered the recording studio, mostly because he’d never had a great relationship with the music industry.
“It’s just been a tough road,” Julian said. “I’ve been bashed a lot, you know?” He explained that it had been a lot harder than easier. Having a music career and the Lennon name was challenging.
“When people don’t take you personally seriously as an artist but just only want to know you because of your father,” Julian explained. “They want to know you because of your father, and that’s it, and that’s a tough one to ride.”
People saw Julian just as John Lennon’s son for most of his life. Even at every new school he attended, they’d introduce him as John Lennon’s son. How could he make a name for himself when everyone just wanted to be close to him because of his father?
John Lennon’s son, Julian, has started making music again
Julian gave up his music career entirely. However, he continued to work on various projects outside the music industry, which were just as rewarding. He got into photography and film for a while too. In 2009, Julian created a partnership called theRevolution, LLC.
Through the company, he released a tribute song, “Lucy.” According to Song Facts, the song honors the memory of Lucy Vodden (née O’Donnell), the little girl who inspired the song The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” All the proceeds go to fund Lupus research.
The pull to music was strong, and Julian returned with 2011’s Everything Changes. After another 11-year hiatus, Julian returned to music with Jude. On the 2022 album, Goldmine wrote, “With his new album, the first in 11 years, Julian advances his body of work that has always simultaneously explored personal and global themes, but for the first time in his life, he’s embracing his inner status as someone’s son: He named the new album Jude.”
Julian explained that the album is a “weird one to encompass.” He continued, “You almost need a lifetime to talk about it. The content came from over three decades of songwriting. The themes and issues mostly being the same, generally about the wars within and the wars without, and coming to terms with certain things in life and finally feeling like one knows who one is to a certain degree, more than ever before. Obviously, that’s with age and experience.”
Julian also recently covered his father’s famous song, “Imagine,” for Global Citizen’s Stand Up For Ukraine.
The singer-songwriter is also a philanthropist
Julian recently changed his name. His father and mother (John’s first wife, Cynthia) named him John Charles Julian Lennon. Legally named John Lennon was tough, but now he goes by Julian Charles John Lennon, and it’s a whole other world.
However, that doesn’t mean he’s cut ties with his father. Julian has come to terms with being a Lennon and John’s son. Jude is proof of that. However, he realizes he can have his own life outside his father’s shadow. He honors John’s legacy and supports him by attending various Beatles events, including the premiere of Peter Jackson’s documentary, The Beatles: Get Back.
Julian is a Beatles memorabilia collector and has written a book about his collection, Beatles Memorabilia: The Julian Lennon Collection. The singer-songwriter has also honored his father in his philanthropic work.
In 2007, Julian founded The White Feather Foundation to address environmental and humanitarian issues. He named the organization after something his father once told him. “Dad had said to me that if there was a way of letting me know that he was going to be all right, or that we were all going to be all right, it would be in the form of a white feather,” Julian told TODAY Parents.
Oddly enough, when Julian toured Australia, he met with some aboriginal leaders who “asked him to use his voice and fame to bring attention to their plight.” They presented him with a white swan’s feather, and Julian got goosebumps.
In 2021, Julian posted a picture of a white feather on the anniversary of his father’s death. “Only love today,” he wrote. Julian has had his struggles in life, but he’s come out of all of it stronger than ever. It’ll be interesting to see what he does next. He’s already mastered pretty much every art form. John would be proud.
