The Beatles Kids: Your Gonna Carry That Weight
Ever think what it must be like to be the offspring of The Beatles? Talk about Instant karma! But, despite the instant fame and success with doors that open, nearly all of the Beatles' kids has had a rough time dealing with their famous, legendary Dads. Just think how any of them must feel when strangers, old enough to be their parents, come up and ask for autographs, questions about their dad, how they were idolized back in the day, how many times are they approached by a stranger trying to be their friend or propose some sort of business thing via them to their dad?
All of their male kids are now adults, the youngest is now 30 yrs, the oldest, 47yrs. Genetics is so interesting, how genes and physical looks carry from the parent to child. With the Beatles, it is all very uncanny. All of them are musical and have tried to be respected for their own music, none have been very successful.
Lets look at them.
Paul McCartney- he was four of his own. Stella, Mary, and James, and the most recent, Beatrice. Heather was not Paul's child, but Linda's from a previous marriage. Of the Beatle kids, only Stella has had modest success as a fashion designer, but hardly on the par of her dad. James, 30, is a dead ringer of his dad but with blond hair from his American mom, Linda. He is an uninspired architect and decided to "get lost" from his famous name and looks by moving away from the good life and live like a pauper, waiting on tables at a restaurant. Musically, he has played guitar since he saw Michael J Fox in Back to the Future. He has played on a few of his dad's LPs, but was uncomfortable with it. There was a real dispute between his kids and Heather Mills, ex -wife. None of his kids liked her one bit. His marriage to her ripped his family apart.
Thus far, James has not done much with his life, which is why he and his dad have agreed to make an LP together. Details are sketchy but those who know James indicate his music is like Nirvana at times and soft like his dad's. Paul is beaming about working with his son in music, but think about how poor James must feel in the shadow of his dad. If we know anything about the Beatle's kids when they try music is that the burden is so great because they will be compared to their great fathers and usually will fail.
John Lennon- John had two sons, Julian, born in 1963 (with Cynthia) and Sean in 1975 with Yoko. Both men look like their dad in many ways, but it was Julian that eerily looked and sounded like him. Paul McCartney was like an uncle to him as Julian grew up because John was not around, in fact, The Beatles smash hit of 1968, Hey Jude, was written for Julian when John and Cynthia were splitting up. It was Julian's artwork that inspired John's memorable songs on the Sgt. Pepper LP, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and Good Morning, Good Morning.
Yet, Julian, like his dad, never felt much love from him (John never really new his father as his parents split up when he was five). Julian tried the records and concert stage when around 18 or so. His first LP was well received because he sounded so much like John, but despite this, the inevitable comparisons turned against him and his songs. The critics drew comparisons and were harsh. Julian tried again with another LP, this time, crashed. Critics called it rubbish and Julian was no John. By the late 80s, his attempt was done. Julian continued to play in his band for he loves music and remains releasing periodic LPs, but remains largely unsuccessful.
Sean, followed along similar footpaths as Julian, facing the same harsh critics that drew comparisons to his dad. He has released a few CDs and were forgotten rapidly. Even though some of the cuts were actually good, because he was a son of a Beatle, the expectations the public had precluded any success either could have. Both are successful in a much more minor way than their dad, both very good guitarists.
George Harrison- George had only one child, Dhani in 1978. Again, a dead ringer for his dad at age 20. He was educated in physics and became a aerodynamicist but despite the best schools, turned to music, which he now pursues. Dhani has his own band, thenewknow2, and helped his dad with his last LP in 2001. Dhani's first CD with his band came out this year called, You Are Here. He was instrumental in getting Paul and Ringo involved with The Beatles: Rock Band video release.
Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey)- Ringo has three sons by his first wife, Zac, born in 1965, was a drummer for the popular band Oasis and has played with former members of The Who. He continues to be in music and you guessed it, he resembles his dad in some way, but not is a dead ringer of him. Ringo's other sons did not follow the music trail.
Being the son or daughter of any celebrity is a tough road to hold. But the burden of the Beatles kids is far worse made by they look like them. All seemed to have tried to deal with their famous dads in their own ways, all failed to rise to the occasion because it is impossible for any of them to measure up to them because they came from different times and backgrounds. All of the Beatles kids had the good life. None of the their dad's ever had that life while growing up, all came from lower middle,struggling class families with only one parent. What made the Beatles was their poverty, their angst, their jealousy of those who were rich, the loss of their moms and the loss of love. Their best music reflects this pain, it is what drives an artist to the top. Their kids never suffered like they did and it reflects in their music, which pales in comparison. For them, the best thing to do is to come to terms with that and move on to create whatever success they deserve. I am sure they must feel it is more of a curse because they will always be in their father's shadow.
