He signed to Grand Royal at 22, collaborated with Flaming Lips and produced the Plastic Ono Band. But still people ask about his dad rather than his music. “That will never go away,” says Sean Lennon. “That’s life.”

Interview by Portrait by

t’s still New York!” saYs seaN leNNoN with a laugh as a voice suddenly starts hollering in spanish on the sidewalk directly in front of his ground-floor soHo rehearsal space. i’ve walked by this odd, two-storey building hundreds of times without ever noticing it, much less knowing that it had once belonged to John lennon and Yoko ono. on this sunny sunday morning, lennon is the perfect host, setting out cheese and nuts, worrying over coffee options, and dressed more for the stage than for a day indoors, in vintage shades of brown (jacket, striped shirt, patterned pants) and a wide-brimmed hat with red feather exclamation point. since his mid-’90s time served touring as guest bassist with NYC-hip ex-pat Japanese duo Cibo Matto, the release of his 1998 debut solo album, Into The Sun, on the Beastie Boys’ Grand royal label, and 2006’s Friendly Fire, concerning his break-up with actress Bijou Phillips, lennon has thrown himself into a wide-ranging series of musical projects: two records with strokes guitarist albert Hammond Jr, freeform improv freakout with Deerhoof drummer Greg saunier as Mystical weapons, and the acclaimed psych-pop outfit Ghost of a saber tooth tiger (Goastt), which he leads alongside his girlfriend of 10 years, model Charlotte kemp Muhl. He has also produced or guested on numerous albums down the years, and produced and played along side his mother as part of several Plastic ono Band projects. when we spoke, he was preparing for sessions with garage rockers Black lips, putting finishing touches on his Moonlandingz collaboration with his friends Fat white Family and the eccentronic research Council, and planning a recording date with childhood friend Mark ronson. Now 40, lennon is adding yet another new configuration, with Monolith Of Phobos, an lP credited to the Claypool lennon Delirium, a psych-prog duo formed with freakazoid bass wizard les Claypool of Primus. “i was really nervous going in, thinking that i would just suck,” says lennon. “But i think les is open to the outsider art version of drumming that i do because he’s spoiled for riches in terms of hyper-musicianship. Ninety per cent of the time it was just me and him in the studio and we hashed it out really fast and fun.” “Sean has had a life and an upbringing that 99.99 per cent of people couldn’t imagine, but he has an amazing perspective on things. He’s intelligent and curious with a wide-eyed sense of wonder. A lot of people that make music are frightened of things. He isn’t. He dives straight in and swims.”

Friendly and open, sean lennon speaks easily of the pressures he feels carrying his family name, but also of his boundless interest in exploring new music. the loss of his father seems to be a constant presence for him. “i often think about what life would have been like if we hadn’t moved to New York,” he says, “but every decision creates a new universe of possibilities.” Yet he has managed to turn this loss into an inspiration, rather than a burden. we spoke just a few days after Prince’s death, which followed the recent loss of lennon