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If you have
to live in someone's shadow, John Lennon's isn't so bad. It's unlikely
that Julian Lennon has ever had an article written about him that did
not at least mention his famous father. Saturday night at the Odeon, his
first Cleveland appearance in more than 10 years, the younger Lennon put
on a show that would have made his dad proud. The new Julian Lennon, a
butterfly finally out of his cocoon after 7 years of introspection, seems
more at ease with himself and his kinship with that other guy.
"After years and years of hearing critics compare me to my father over
and over again, I wrote this song," he said before launching into "I Don't
Wanna Know" from his "Photograph Smile' CD. "That means it was the best
mid-1960s Beatles song I could write and I sang it in my dad's nasally,
grunge voice." "I did it so I could say to the critics, 'There, it's done,
now can we get on with it?" We sure can. "I Don't Wanna Know" is a perfect
Beatles song that would have fit nicely on "Revolver" or "Rubber Soul,"
but people got the point. This Lennon is his own man. He may be genetically
predisposed to sounding a lot like John, but no one can fault him for
that.
Lennon is calm and confident onstage, even though he said that he was
always nervous in the beginning. He had a very solid 5-piece band behind
him, with lots of guitars, and about 500 fans who hung on his every word.
Most of the songs, more than 20, were from the new CD, the one Lennon
regards as his true "first" work (even though it is his fourth.) He also
sang "Too Late For Goodbyes" and a rousing version of "Stand By Me" as
a final encore. Standout songs were "Day After Day" and the unexpected
"Saltwater," from his underrated 1991 CD "Help Yourself."
He sat on the side of the stage, backed by a minimum of music, and sang
the ballad which tenderly asks how people can be happy while children
starve. Lennon, who has some abandonment issues to work out himself, has
walked into the dark tunnel of his mind and come into the sunlight. He's
fresh and focused, with a great attitude. He said this small tour of America
is just a way of saying "Hi, I'm back" to his loyal fans. Next year comes
the good stuff. "I'll be performing in major cities with a full orchestra,"
he said. "And the money from the shows will go to a specific children's
charity in each city." When asked how much of the money will go to charity,
Lennon said "almost every bit of it." "Look, I play music because I enjoy
it," he said. "I've got plenty of money, how much money does someone need?
The idea is wherever we play we find out the worst problem children have
in that city and a damn big chunk of the money will go to that charity.
I'll feel good, the audience will like it and children will be helped."
He said his current tour finale on Sept. 1, yet to be announced, will
be televised and sponsored by McDonalds and will raise millions for children's
charity. After that, Lennon said he will be back in the studio later this
year to prepare the follow-up to "Photograph Smile," which was released
on his own label, Music from Another Room. He has already recorded enough
material for two more CD's. "I'm writing more and feeling good about it,"
he said. "This is my music the way I want it to be, not some record company
executive. If it makes it, that's great. If not, it's all my fault."
Mike
Sangiacomo
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