John Lennon's son Sean opens up about his dad, says it's his 'duty' to ensure his music isn't "forgotten"

24 July 2024, 13:36

Sean Ono Lennon talks about keeping John's flame alive.

You wouldn't think there's much risk of John Lennon's music being forgotten, but his son Sean Ono Lennon wants to make sure it stays in the memory.

And in truth, while his work with The Beatles has never been off the airwaves or the radio, aside from his debut, the Imagine album and the hits, John's solo work hasn't kept quite the same profile.

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Sean's work on his dad's back catalogue is doing its bit to reverse that trend.

While The Beatles' most recent reissues have received their fair share of complaints due to various omissions and differing opinions on Giles Martins' remixes, the response to the ultimate Lennon boxes have been almost unanimously well received.

As with the previous Imagine and John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band box sets, the recent Mind Games ultimate edition features not just a remixed version of the album and various raw outtakes, but special Elemental, Elements and Evolution Documentary mixes of the songs, giving a real insight into their genesis.

John Lennon – Mind Games- The Ultimate Collection unboxing

The so-called Ultimate mixes of Imagine and John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band were arguably brighter and fresher than the original, but still kept close to the sound of the original versions.

Sean has taken greater liberties with Mind Games, offering up a genuinely revelatory listen.

"One thing that distinguishes my dad’s solo career is how personal his lyrics became," Sean told The Times.

Aisumasen (I'm Sorry) (Ultimate Mix) - 1973 Portapak home video filmed by John Lennon

"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."

He added: "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."

As well as working on his dad's back catalogue, Sean Ono Lennon continues to be a musician in his own right.

He recently released a duet with Paul McCartney's son James, while his half-brother Julian teased the prospect of a collaboration between John's two sons.