We hear more about nepotism now than ever before. There are obvious reasons for that. The children of famous faces, actors and musicians, are of an age where they can prepare to enter careers tailor-made by the links of their parents. Maya Hawke may be “comfortable with not deserving” the career ahead of her, as she revealed in a recent interview, but there are those whose paths are already lined up before they have much of a say. Case in point, the children of the Fab Four. The Beatles’ offspring appear to be inevitable candidates for careers on stage, but few have, so far, shown any grasp of the fundamentals which made their fathers’ music so strong. They likely never will. Nepotism was their foot in the door, and it exposed their weaknesses too.
Sean Ono Lennon, Julian Lennon, James McCartney and Dhani Harrison. The four are resigned to repeating the footsteps of their fathers and remain overshadowed as they do. Zak Starkey had the good sense to become The Who’s drummer in 1996. His links there are equally as questionable as the wannabe songwriters from the other three Beatles. Ono Lennon has already described remixing the tapes of the late John Lennon as like a “therapy,” and though this serves him well as an individual, it does little for the artistic range of either artist. What do we, rather selfishly, get? Constant references to what shaped him as a person, in his music and other interests, always return to parental guidance. In each case, it feels like the sons are attempting to replicate the status of their fathers.
Taking to Twitter/X with the rumblings of a middle-aged man and the faux gospel appeal Lennon had in his protest era, Ono Lennon follows suit. Instead of bed protests for Vietnam it is boxed wine as a description of the soul. Ono Lennon has repeatedly slammed PC Culture on the social media platform yet has nothing to worry about as those who he claims are peddling such a shift are not interested in his work. Few are, beyond those obsessed with The Beatles and all that is associated with them. Therein lies the problem. Do these wannabe balladeers lean into the already made-up audience or drift off and form their narrative? Each has tried the former with little success, and some have moved to the latter
Even the acclaimed achievements are tied closely to the work of Yoko Ono and Lennon Sr. War is Over! may have netted Sean Ono an Academy Award but it is based on the Christmas track which still captures listeners once a year. Their best works are imprinted with the influence and cultural relevancy of their fathers, and it seems there is no escape. Genuine attempts at removing the genre expectation are found on the recent Sean Ono record, Asterisms, but fall short of anything monumental or impressive.
Therein lies the problem. Not with the artists at work but with the audience, who are expecting qualities of The Beatles because of a bloodline. Fair? Not at all. We play the hand we are dealt. The benefit of immediate access to recording studios highlights not everyone should have it. Moving away from John, Paul and George is all well and good, but when their sons speak frequently of them in the press or try and replicate the sounds which made The Beatles and the later solo careers so successful, it is inevitable.
Take the Julian Lennon cover of Imagine. Few would remove the right of a son to cover the work of his father. But for commercial gain? To rip at the fabric of a song which will outlast the output of Julian Lennon? His album, Jude, plays up the obvious Hey Jude. Is this a familial reference point or a chance to hang their hat on Let It Be? It could be either. That is where it starts to feel a bit cold and ruinous.
McCartney’s son, James, has fared the worst of all. Primrose Hill hears him collaborate with Sean Ono on an ultimately twee, dire track which promises all the hopeful location-based memories of The Beatles’ Penny Lane. No such luck for the next generation though, who seem flummoxed by basic instrumental principles. McCartney Sr. promoting the song by sharing a few posts on Instagram has the feel of an art installation attended by a pressured aunt.
McCartney Jr. had at least tried to form a musical basis away from his father’s influence. “I had to serve my time as a musician and wait until I had a good body of songs and for a time when both myself and my music were ready,” he said in 2013. Now the attempts at being on stage without the help of a recognisable name are over. McCartney can continue peddling the same noise he made in the early 2000s but with considerably more eyes on it. Opinions have not changed, but the presence of his work in Spotify weekly roundups has.
Yet some good can come from being the son of a musical genius. Dhani Harrison considered this when he brought together an envious collection of musicians at the Concert for George. His extracurricular endeavours have far outshined his musical output, which ranges between Harrison-like rips or complete genre departures which are equally as dissatisfying. Graham Coxon collaborations are not for the faint of heart. He was upstaged by the Blur guitarist on Innerstanding. Each of The Beatles’ offspring has tried and failed to leave a cultural mark. Their issue is considering where their strengths lie. When they have access to all areas, they are going to start with what interests them, not what they are best at.
Musical talent or writing abilities are not a birthright. To assume so takes away the chance for any of The Beatles’ offspring to reach their cultural landmarks. Doing so is unlikely, but there is still a chance. They are to blame as are we. Listeners will forever paint them with the same brush as the ultra-success of musicians who changed the listening landscape. It is not as though Sean Ono, McCartney Jr, or Dhani are actively trying to be The Beatles. They have made it clear it is quite the opposite. Sean Ono put it best when speaking of Primrose Hill. “I’ve noticed that people kind of assume we’re trying to start something or we were doing it to fulfil something for the Beatles fans,” he said.
The shortcomings of their work are under the spotlight because of their relationship with members of an iconic group. Their work would not have improved or ebbed in quality had their fathers been part of a successful band. Thankfully, for all those involved in the attempts at moving the sound on, there is still time for growth. Dhani and Sean Ono are striking out with new movements of music and sound. Yet still there is the association, moved more by the artist than the audience.
