In a candid interview with The Guardian, Julian Lennon, the 61-year-old son of Beatles legend John Lennon, revealed his disconnected relationship with the band's legacy and activities, stating he remains an outsider to the Beatles' world.
"It's news to me half the time," Julian said, referring to recent Beatles projects and documentaries. "I'm not part of the inner circle – I never have been."
The musician and photographer explained that after his father left when he was between ages three and five, he and his mother Cynthia were completely separated from both John Lennon and the Beatles. "It was just mum and me, and we had nothing to do with the Beatles or Dad. I visited him on the odd occasion, but we were very much on the outside," he shared.
Despite feeling distant from the Beatles' sphere, Julian maintains a close relationship with his half-brother Sean Ono Lennon, John's son with Yoko Ono. "I'm thankful that Sean and I get on like a house on fire – we're best buddies and he tells me what he can, but things are pretty secret on the Beatles front," he noted.
While acknowledging the situation feels "extraordinarily strange," Julian expressed no bitterness about his outsider status. Instead, he credits his mother Cynthia's positive approach for his healthy perspective. "I think it was Mum, watching how she handled what she was dealt with love and grace and positivity. I saw that that's the only way forward," he reflected.
Julian has carved his own path as a Grammy-nominated musician, children's author, documentary filmmaker, and photographer. His latest project is a fine art photography book titled "Life's Fragile Moments."