Sean Ono Lennon
BY HIS OWN RECKONING, SEAN LENNON IS FAMOUS MERELY FOR BEING THE ONLY CHILD of Yoko Ono and her husband, the late John Lennon. But he’s been a busy and prolific musician/producer in his own right, and is celebrating the release of South of Reality, the second album he’s made with Les Claypool of Primus, under the name the Claypool Lennon Delirium. “It’s an epic, prog-psychedelic album for the modern person,” Lennon explains. “It’s rooted in King Crimson and Utopia and Yes, but the subject matter is very contemporary. It’s a good record to sit and reflect upon the strange surrealism of the modern world.”
Why do you live where you do?
I was born and raised in New York, so I’m a New Yorker more than anything else, even though my parents were immigrants. But I think the main reason is because my mom lives here. She likes New York, and I wouldn’t feel right if I left the city she lived in, because she doesn’t have a lot of family to take care of her.
What has been your most memorable or inspirational gig and why?
I got to see the second run of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” tour when I was young. I think that was my favourite show of all time. The other show I saw that blew my mind was Prince on the “Purple Rain” tour. It’s hard to say, but honestly, I liked “The Wall” better. I’m more of a Pink Floyd fan.
What have been your career highs and lows?
I don’t know what my career high is; I don’t think I’ve had one yet. But one of the worst ones was [partner] Charlotte [Kemp Muhl] and my band the Ghost, we got hired to play a movie opening party at the film festival in Cannes. At the time, we were acoustic and we didn’t realize they were booking us as some sort of circus sideshow where they’d gawk at us. We just stood there and tried to sing and play, but no one could hear us. It occurred to me on stage that they obviously just wanted me there because of my dad, and her because she’s a model. But we were forced to play for a good hour without being heard while a DJ played techno music.
What’s the meanest thing ever said to you before, during or after a gig?
I think it was my first show for this record I made when I was young,
Into the Sun, a solo record I did. I’d just been playing in Cibo Matto, I was a bass player, and I didn’t think about what it would be like for me on my own. The front row was — let’s just say they were much older than my main fan base. I don’t think they knew whether I was Sean or Julian or even Stella McCartney, they just knew I was a child of a Beatle. The whole show they were heckling me, like, “Why aren’t you playing ‘Yesterday?’” between every song. The funny thing is they only called out Paul songs. I realized it was going to be a long haul, my music career.
What advice should you have taken, but did not?
Pretty much all the advice. It’s so hard when you’re young and adults tell you something. I think, as human beings, until we touch the flame, it’s hard to understand what hot is.
What was the first music you ever bought with your own money?
I used to get money for my teeth from the tooth fairy. I saved those all up and I went and bought a Human League LP — the one with that song “Fascination” on it. That was my favourite song ever at the time.
If I wasn’t playing music I would be…
Definitely a visual artist or movie director. In fact, I think I’m way better at drawing than I am at playing music, which is weird because I should do that then, but I think it’s just too lonely. My mom is very good at drawing. [My dad] certainly was. I started to draw because of my dad for sure. All of our magazines would be covered with little UFOs and guys running around. He would draw on photos and National Geographic and stuff, and he’d like to do collages and cartoons. He used to do drawing games with me — he’d start a drawing and I’d finish it and vice versa. It was fun, but then I think I got more serious about it when I was older because of my mother.
What makes you want to take it off and get it on?
Well, I’ve got a very low threshold man. Just gimme a box of Manischewitz and I’m down. I’m naked right now. No, no, I’m wearing socks. Not on my feet though. You’re getting hot, aren’t you?
Who would be your ideal dinner guest, living or dead, and what would you serve them?
It would probably be Einstein. I heard that he had very plain taste in food. I’m a big science groupie. I try not to say I’m a science nerd, because that would imply that I actually understand science and I don’t. I really love scientists and I love thinking about those subjects. I’d want to ask him about time, basically.
What does your mom wish you were doing instead?
Probably making her dinner or something or hanging out with her more. She definitely prefers when I’m around. So, I always feel guilty if I don’t spend enough time with her.
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
Do I really want people to be super depressed at my funeral? Do I want to inflict them with crying while listening to Mozart’s “Requiem” or do I want to just make it easy for them and let them listen to an Andrew Dice Clay comedy album? I’m not really sure. I feel like my instinct would be to play something really beautiful and sad, but then that just feels kind of narcissistic, like, “I hope you’re super sad now.” Though the other part of me wants to not make a big deal about it. And I think the truth is, I don’t really care what happens after I die so much. I’m a lot more focused on what happens while I’m alive.