Sean Lennon

Born October 9, 1975, Sean Taro Ono Lennon is the son of musicians and peace activists John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Kyoko Chan Cox and Julian Lennon are his half-siblings. After Sean’s birth, John became a house husband, doting on his young son until his murder in 1980. Sean was educated at the exclusive private boarding school, Institut Le Rosey (which Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, King Albert II of Belgium, Dodi Al-Fayed as well as Strokes members Julian Casablancas and Albert Hammond, Jr. also attended) in Switzerland, and earlier at New York’s private Ethical Culture Fieldston and Dalton Schools.

His first appearance on record was on Ono’s album Season of Glass (1981), reciting a story that his father used to tell him. At the age of 9, he performed the song “It’s Alright” on the Yoko Ono tribute album Every Man Has A Woman (1984). In 1988 Sean was featured in the cast of Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker. He has recalled working with Jackson as a positive experience. Later in life, his initial efforts as a serious musician came as collaborations: he appeared on Lenny Kravitz’s album Mama Said (1991) and formed backing-band IMA for his mother’s album Rising (1995).

In 1997 Lennon (along with fellow IMA member Timo Ellis) joined New York-based Japanese duo Cibo Matto (Miho Hatori & Yuka Honda) for their second EP, Super Relax. Through his association with Cibo Matto, he was approached by the Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch, who expressed an interest in his music. Lennon’s debut solo album, Into the Sun, was released in 1998 on the Beastie Boys’ record label, Grand Royal Records. Regarding Grand Royal, Sean has said, “I think I found the only label on the planet who doesn’t care who my parents are and what my name is.