Sean Ono Lennon has spoken poignantly about the importance of ensuring the musical legacy of his father, John Lennon, and passing it on to new generations.
Over recent years, Lennon’s estate, involving Sean, has re-released many albums from his solo career as part of the Ultimate Collection series. Earlier this month, the late musician’s fourth album, Mind Games, was released as part of a new expansive boxset featuring previously unreleased outtakes, unadulterated versions, instrumentals, stripped-down mixes, and conversation recorded at New York City’s Record Plant studios in 1973.
In total, there are six different mixes of Mind Games which culminate to create the Ultimate Collection. Each variation of the album focuses on a separate element, such as vocals and instrumentation, which allows the album to be enjoyed in a number of new ways.
While this may seem by some as a cash grab, during a new interview with The Times, Sean has explained how dearly his father’s music means to him, and why he feels it’s a necessary step to ensure it doesn’t become consigned to the history books.
Sean told the publication: “One thing that distinguishes my dad’s solo career is how personal his lyrics became. It is like a diary, and it is my duty to bring attention to my father’s music. Not just my duty to him, but a duty to the world.”
The musician continued: “With the world as it is now, people have forgotten so many things that I never imagined could be forgotten. I refuse to let that happen to this music — it means too much to me.”
Although Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are still here to spread the word about The Beatles, Lennon’s solo career is a different proposition, hence why Sean has taken it upon himself to ensure it remains in public consciousness.
In the same interview, Sean also discussed his parents’ relationship, stating, “Their story is a love story. They found each other across a great divide and certainly struggled through ups and downs, but never doubted their love. It is important we remember them as an example. Even through rough patches, you can see my father thought about my mother. They were simply, irrevocably intertwined.”
Meanwhile, in April, Sean teamed up with James McCartney, son of Paul McCartney, for the collaboration, ‘Primrose Hill’. The second generation Beatles teamed up to create the ballad after McCartney returned from an eight-year hiatus with ‘Beautiful’, a track he co-wrote with his father.
