Beatlerama Canada 1994 - Cynthia Powell Lennon
John Lennon's first wife on son Julian Lennon and Yoko Ono
Part Three: From a panel discussion from Beatlerama 1994, in Toronto Canada, accompanied by Beatle Peoples; (1st Beatle drummer) Pete Best, (late Beatles bassist Stu Sutcliffe's sister) Pauline Sutcliffe, (Beatles first manager) Allan Williams, and (George Harrisons's sister) Louise Harrison, Cynthia Powell Lennon discusses the pressure her son Julian had to endure in the shadow of his Famed Father, her take on The Ballad of John and Yoko, why John Lennon had such universal appeal, and her preferred Fab Four song.
Suite 101: How did Julian handle being perceived as the next John Lennon.
Cynthia Powell Lennon: " Oh, he‘s got a good head on his shoulders and his experience in life has not been easy. He’s had to come to terms with what’s gone on and what hasn’t gone on – what is said and what it is repeated to him and he’s got a very sensitive and understanding attitude and that will serve him well in life. Julian can handle it".
Suite 101: John Lennon shared his pain with the whole world… where did he get the guts to do that?
Cynthia Powell Lennon: " Well I think because he was a performer and had the talent to attract an audience and because he was honest, and because he was rude. He did and said all the things that a lot of people would love to do but haven’t got the guts to … and all along the way he paid for it. But he did it."
Suite 101: Why didn’t Allan Williams manage The Beatles after Brian Epstein died?
Cynthia Powell Lennon: "They were unmanageable. Who could step into Brian’s shoes? Brian wasn’t just a manager, he was part of their life, and he transformed their lives and I think once Brian died, no body could, in fact, nobody did step into Brian’s shoes – even in separate areas."
Suite 101: Did you travel with the boys a lot? What did you do when you got off and plane and heard …. “ahhhhhhh…
Cynthia Powell Lennon: "I was lucky enough to go on the first trip to America and that was fantastic. We had got to that stage then because it was already happening in England but we were not expecting it to happen in America especially at the airport and it was just wild, hard to describe, and it was just bizarre."
Suite 101: I am just going to come out and ask this and you do not have to answer it if you don't want to. What you do think John saw in Yoko?
Cynthia Powell Lennon: "That is a difficult question .. John saw want he wanted to see as John would, especially at a time when he had gone through a period of drug taking LSD, the Sgt Pepper album, the complications, the loss of Brian and as John said, he met a woman who was more like a man than a woman, whereas Yoko was what John personally needed at the time. Whether you agree, or I agree, or anybody else agrees, that was his choice and his life."
Suite 101: Did you two ever become friends?
Cynthia Powell Lennon: " With John? Noooo. It was impossible because John and Yoko left for America and all communications were virtually gone. Then in the early 70's John and Yoko split and he was living with May Pang so I decided because I couldn’t get through with Julian to his father before that, I thought well, now I am going to. So I arranged it that I would take Julian to America to see John and that’s the first time he had seen him in four years. From that time, John started phoning and Julian went on holiday and so the relationship began again. John had terrible guilty feelings about Julian and he couldn’t face his guilt so somebody had to face his guilt for him. It wasn’t easy."
Suite 101: You are a graphic designer and a visual artist. Are you painting these days?
Cynthia Powell Lennon: "I am not really pursuing my art .I am taking it quite easy, and when I am not pursuing Beatlerama, I tend to fill my day travelling, observing and not really dedicated to one single thing at the moment. I am enjoying life. "
Suite 101: What music are you listening to these days?
Cynthia Powell Lennon: " I can never remember the names of who I am listening to – a terrible thing about getting older. I know it sounds corny but I do enjoy The Beatles music and I do listen to it a lot."
What’s the most powerful Beatle song for you?
Cynthia Powell Lennon: " In My Life. I always feel that because the words are so beautiful and it applies to all of us. It’s not controversial – and out of all the controversial ones, I love them all really... but if I was to sit down and want to be relaxed, and be nostalgic I would listen to that."
Next in the series - Pauline Sutcliife disccuses the music and art of her late brother Stu Sutcillfe.
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