As the long period of celebrations in honor of the Beatles’ stateside arrival 50 years ago wrapped on this week, we’d seen Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon, Olivia and Dhani Harrison. But where was Julian Lennon? Not at any of these gala events, but instead about as far away from the Grammy-type hub bub as he could be — in Kenya and rural Ethiopia, working to help restore clean water to the region.
“To me, the last thing I wanted to do was stand in the audience with everybody else,” Lennon told Brooklyn Vegan, “clapping my hands and being filmed in front of millions while watching a Beatles karaoke session.” This water campaign is a key effort for Lennon’s White Feather Foundation, which is collaborating in Africa right now on various humanitarian and environmental projects with Millennium Villages and Charity: Water. Even if he wasn’t so busy, it doesn’t sound like Lennon is all that interested in hearing Beatles music as presented by half of the original lineup and a series of guest stars, anyway: “Give me the originals any day. I’ll listen or watch the originals any day, and that’s my cup of tea,” Lennon said. “That’s why I decided that I much more preferred to be in a state of reflection and appreciation and doing something much more subtle and much more heartfelt, in my mind, than the glitz and the glam of those kind of shows.”
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Something Else Reviews
I was very angry were not there but after reading this wonderful article Julian you did the right thing.
The Grammy Show as awful!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stay out of the limelight. Glad you were raised in England and not Hollywood with all the druggies.
You have grown to a very fine man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'missed Cynthia as well as you.
Sorry, I'll never understand why Yoko shows up. She had nothing to do with The Beatles success.
"I much more preferred to be in a state of reflection and appreciation and doing something much more subtle and much more heartfelt, in my mind, than the glitz and the glam of those kind of shows.”Well said Mr. Lennon! Well said!
I would have enjoyed watching you play with some of the other musicians- but I respect your decision.
I'm a long time fan and loved your first album Valotte. I would really like to see you and your mom on American TV for a recent interview; i.e. Piers Morgan or the like. He's British so he would treat you right.
You both deserve to be heard on your feelings on your dad. I know it's been done before but maybe in a different format.
Best,
Robin
Agoura Hills, CA