1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you are listening to Here's 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: the Thing from iHeart Radio. My guest today is a 3 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: Grammy nominated musician whose records have topped the charts in 4 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: the US, the UK, and Australia. He is also a 5 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,479 Speaker 1: world class photographer whose work has been exhibited in the 6 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: US and abroad. He is also the son of one 7 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: of the most famous musicians of all time. Julian Lenin's 8 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: current photography work is on display in the recently published 9 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: book Life's Fragile Moments. In addition, Lenin is the Chief 10 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: Visionary Officer of the White Feather Foundation, which partners with 11 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 1: philanthropists and charities around the world to support various humanitarian projects. 12 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 1: Julian Lenin is kind, talented, and enormously generous, and despite 13 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: growing up in an unimaginably famous family, Lenin has made 14 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: a name for himself through his various creative and humanitarian endeavors. 15 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: It's a career that demands an impressive work ethic. 16 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 2: I'm pretty full on really when it comes to work, 17 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 2: and you know, if I have started something, I have 18 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 2: to finish it. 19 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 1: You know. 20 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 2: It's just it's just this driving purpose that I have 21 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:22,559 Speaker 2: inside to get things done, to two books like this, Yeah, 22 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 2: because it just makes me feel like I'm worthy of something, 23 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 2: you know, And initially that's really to prove it to 24 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 2: myself that I'm not just a lazy piece of shit, 25 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: but that I have worth. And so doing all these 26 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 2: things has been very, very even more important in my 27 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 2: position because you know, I really felt like, especially over 28 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 2: the last five ten years, that I needed to lay 29 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: a foundation down of all the things that I'm interested 30 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 2: in and all the work that I want to do 31 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 2: where nobody could deny the fact that I've actually am 32 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 2: capable of these projects, you know, from whether it's from 33 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 2: the White Feather Foundation, whether it's from Yes, whether it's 34 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 2: working on documentary projects, whether it's writing children's books, environmental 35 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 2: humanitarian stuff, whether it's you know. Now, photography has been 36 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 2: the main stay because I've just fallen in love with it. 37 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 2: And also that thing of being behind the camera, which 38 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 2: is I don't mind and I've said this before being 39 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 2: a bit of a goof in front on occasion, but 40 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 2: again I really get that anxiety being in. 41 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 3: Front of the camera. Did you say, goof yeah, goofball. 42 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:42,519 Speaker 1: I wonder where that, if your personality comes from well, yeah. 43 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, no, certainly that was. He was a complete 44 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 2: nut job, you know. I mean I'm so jealous of 45 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 2: his days with Peter Sellers, you know, and obviously George 46 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 2: with the Monty Python crew, because I mean I grew 47 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: up on that stuff. You know, I absolutely adore and love. 48 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 2: You know, that is number one for me, that kind 49 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: of humor, that kind of twisted, slightly English, you know, 50 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 2: left of field approach, and they were goofballs beyond the luck. 51 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, among the best, Yeah, for sure, for sure. 52 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 3: So I always say that's the difference. 53 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 2: It's a pleasure to watch them in the old movies, 54 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 2: you know, just the quirks, the comments, the wit, you know, 55 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 2: the speed of that wit as well. From the old days. 56 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: Lester knew he just like I mean, Lester. I always 57 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: say that Lester was a genius. He just got out 58 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: of their way, just film to put a camera on 59 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: and do whatever the fuck they wanted to. 60 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 3: But we don't like we'll throw out or we like. 61 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 2: That's the best thing you can do. 62 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 3: Now, I want to talk. 63 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: About your mom, and I want to talk about her 64 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: because of course you're raised by your mom. Your dad 65 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: was off doing his thing, and your mom, who is 66 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: always seems like this really really like beautiful, stoic figure. 67 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: She was somebody who accepted how she was treated and 68 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: how she was dealt with and moved on to raise 69 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: you. You're only her only correct. She had one child and 70 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: she raised you correct. 71 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 3: Yeah. 72 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, And what was that like for you in terms 73 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: of I don't want to say in a broad sense, 74 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: but what was that like for you in terms of 75 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: your life and the reverberance of this other valley over 76 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: there of something else as well. 77 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 2: No, reverberance didn't really affect me at all. I mean, 78 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 2: that didn't exist in my life as a young kid. 79 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 2: It really didn't know, not at all. I mean when 80 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 2: Dad left when I was about three or four or whatever, 81 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 2: it was apparently I used to have nightmares about it 82 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 2: because obviously he was dad at that point in time. 83 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 2: But once, you know, other people filled that void. 84 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: You know. 85 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 2: My first stepfather, who was Italian, was like an older 86 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 2: brother to me, another nutjob and someone who I looked 87 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 2: up to massively, and we continued that relationship until his 88 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 2: death about twenty years ago. But yeah, it was just 89 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 2: Mom and I, you know, and I think I am 90 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 2: the way I am truly because of her and because 91 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 2: well how she dealt with the situation she was left 92 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 2: in that she had no choice. You know, she could 93 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 2: have screamed and shouted about it, but she didn't. I 94 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 2: felt that she just had dignity and grace and moved 95 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,919 Speaker 2: on with her life as best she could, and you know, 96 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 2: survived it pretty done well. And I carried that, and 97 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 2: I definitely feel I carried that. And without question, this 98 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 2: is one thing she said to me, and I certainly 99 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 2: took it to heart when I was a bit more 100 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 2: rough around the edges, which was that I was very 101 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 2: much like Mum in the week and Dad at the weekends. 102 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 2: So that the other way that was true to form 103 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 2: back in the day, no question about that. Not so 104 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 2: long ago, but long enough. 105 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 3: You run. 106 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I had a few runs, and I had 107 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 2: runs in Europe. I had runs in New York, runs 108 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: in LA runs back in Europe. But now you know, 109 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 2: I actually likely and I like waking up feeling good. 110 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,599 Speaker 2: I like working, I like all the projects that I do, 111 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 2: and I enjoy life, you know, and I do everything 112 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 2: now that I possibly can to maintain and live a 113 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 2: longer and better and healthier and happier life. 114 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: Well, I say to people, I said, I realized that 115 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: drugs are like a toy, like when you're a kid. 116 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 3: But eventually you got to put it down like other toys. 117 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 3: And I'm glad, I you know, for me, I just 118 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 3: had to put it down. Now. 119 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: The thing that I'm think again about your mom is that, 120 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: I mean, nothing has seeped in more lore and bullshit 121 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: than your whole family and the whole situation. 122 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 3: No, but I mean people making up shit. Oh yeah, 123 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:38,239 Speaker 3: we have the fact. 124 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: But I remember this story somebody tell me, were like, 125 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: they're all running to get on a train, You're left behind. 126 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 1: That was a metaphor for the whole thing. They're all 127 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: going where they're going, and I'm not going with them. 128 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 3: That was real. 129 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 2: That is real, absolutely real. She was left on the 130 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 2: stage train station. Oh yeah. And it was only after 131 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 2: the train gone that she was you know that they realized, 132 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 2: or site Brian realized, really because he kind of took 133 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 2: care of mom as best as he could, you know, 134 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:10,119 Speaker 2: because obviously she was not supposed to be around either. 135 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 2: You know, back in those days, none of the boys 136 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: were supposed to be married or had girlfriends, you know, 137 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 2: kids or kids. Thank you very much out of here. 138 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 2: Yeah sure, so, yeah, she was left on this train. 139 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 2: There's actually a picture of her standing on that train 140 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 2: station on her own after the train left the station. 141 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 2: You want to talk about representation, Yeah, well that's it 142 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 2: right there. 143 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 3: Now. 144 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: The thing I find interesting when you talk about it 145 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: or this is my take, so forgive me if i'm 146 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: and that is one of the things that was lost 147 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: in his life, your father, because of his success, because 148 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: of his preternatural no one lived that life before them, 149 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: and because of all that shit with your father, what 150 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 1: was robed from him was a chance to be something 151 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 1: I think he would have been pretty good at, which 152 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: was a dad. 153 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, for sure. He began to be that with 154 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 2: Sean for years and during Sean's upbringing as well. And 155 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 2: that's why I love him so much. And because of 156 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 2: what I went through, I don't want to see him, 157 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 2: you know, go through the same kind of crap that 158 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 2: I did. And you know, he's certainly gone through what 159 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 2: I did, and if not worse, you know, having me 160 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 2: as another element to contend with. But he's made his 161 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 2: way through. He's a talented mofo. And yeah, I saw 162 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 2: him the last two nights and we rarely get to 163 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 2: see each other, but we just hang and we order 164 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 2: in and we just talk about life and where we're 165 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 2: at and how we're doing, and we're still here thankfully, 166 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 2: and that we love each other, and that's the most 167 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 2: important thing in the world, regardless of our positions or 168 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 2: where we ended up. 169 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 1: When you were a child, you picked up musical instruments 170 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 1: to play them, at least within a thought of being 171 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:48,559 Speaker 1: serious about it. You know, one thing to be three 172 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: years old, But another thing, when did it really start 173 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 1: to kick in for you? 174 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 3: When you were How old your music? Well? 175 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 2: I well, the thing was, I think I started playing 176 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:59,680 Speaker 2: a little bit in school about the age of eleven 177 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 2: or two of thirteen. And it was actually my best friend, 178 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 2: Justin Clayton, who's still my best friends from since we 179 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:07,959 Speaker 2: were eleven years old and I still work with him 180 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 2: to this day. He co produced the last album Dude 181 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 2: with Me and co wrote a lot of stuff. It 182 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 2: was actually him that would go to these guitar lessons 183 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 2: to learn how to play rock and roll with the 184 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 2: guitar teacher who had one of those da haircuts. Sorry, 185 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 2: he was a gym teacher. He was a pe teacher 186 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 2: who had a da you know, ducks on grease back haircuts, 187 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:32,560 Speaker 2: and whenever there were breaks, Justin would go and I'm going, 188 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 2: where are you going? What are you doing? And you know, 189 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 2: he'd be there with a few other friends learning puff 190 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 2: the Magic Dragon at first, but then Johnny be Good 191 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 2: and I started getting interested in that. I started playing that, 192 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 2: and then Dad heard about that, and so when I 193 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 2: actually went to visit him in New York when I 194 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 2: was about eleven, I think it was about that time. 195 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 2: You know, he would start teaching me a couple of 196 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 2: basic chords on guitar too. But I actually had an 197 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 2: interest in acting, I believe it. I know I was 198 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 2: going to get before that. Before yeah, before I got 199 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 2: a serious interest in music. Yeah, because I did a 200 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 2: fair amount of I did the year end plays that's 201 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 2: in school, and I had an offer for the Shakespeare Company. 202 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 2: They were scouting and I was picked out as one 203 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,839 Speaker 2: of the potentials. But then I learned how to play 204 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 2: four chords and the girls got up and screamed at. 205 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 3: You for you know. 206 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that was the end of it, you know, 207 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 2: But I guess I really got closer and closer to it. 208 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:36,439 Speaker 2: Justin and I we got heavily you know, as kids 209 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 2: to teenagers, do you start listening to stuff that you love, 210 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 2: whether it's the Beatles or led Zeppelin or a CDC 211 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 2: or Peter Frampton or Keith Jarrett. You know, so steely Dan, 212 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 2: You know, I really fell in love with music in 213 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 2: that regard. And again after learning how to play a 214 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:55,199 Speaker 2: couple of chords and starting to sing a little bit, 215 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 2: that's really where that kind of took off. And he 216 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 2: just in a nice I died writing songs about fifteen 217 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 2: sixteen seventeen. 218 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,839 Speaker 3: Was the acting before that week? Yeah? The was before then? 219 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 3: Why didn't the acting last? 220 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 2: I mean I did enjoy it, and I always thought 221 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 2: I'd be an actor later on in life. Still do 222 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 2: still did well, I don't know about do because I 223 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 2: always loved the older actors like Albert Finney, you know, 224 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 2: that deep emotional dark side of acting. 225 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 3: Do you did it for that brief period then you 226 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:26,440 Speaker 3: walked away because of music? Yeah? 227 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I just fell head over heels for the music. Also, 228 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 2: one of one of the problems that I still endured 229 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,439 Speaker 2: to this day is that I have a terrible memory. 230 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 2: So remembering lines was a big thing for me, and 231 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 2: even remembering lyrics and songs these days as a problem 232 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 2: for me. 233 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 1: When you started to make your music, were you just 234 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: really conscious of just doing what you wanted to do 235 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: when you're what you felt, let the echoes fall where 236 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: they may, and you didn't really care exactly right? 237 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 2: Well, I mean I cared, you know. I was concerned 238 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:00,439 Speaker 2: about the responses I was going to get. But it 239 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,319 Speaker 2: was just a question of enjoying the moment and going 240 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,680 Speaker 2: through it and plowing on. And that's what I did, 241 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:07,679 Speaker 2: you know, And. 242 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 1: Did you have your George Martin, somebody who said with 243 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: you and saying do this, don't do this, this is better, 244 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 1: this is weaker. 245 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 2: I would have to say that a lot of the 246 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 2: earlier stuff was being pushed around a lot. I mean, 247 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 2: I you know, I went with the flow, but I 248 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 2: did follow the rules back then. I think it was 249 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 2: when I started not following the rules that I was. 250 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 2: I became a diva and the difficult one, and I 251 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 2: started getting dropped by management, dropped by record companies. 252 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 3: Because you wanted to do what you want to do. 253 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 2: Now, I just didn't want to do that what they 254 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 2: wanted me to do anymore, and I just said no, 255 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 2: I'm not you know, I feel for the kids these days, 256 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 2: because I mean, if we thought we had a lot 257 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 2: to do on the promotional front back in the day, 258 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 2: there's you know, one hundred gazillion times more things to 259 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 2: be done these days. You know, where you can't even breathe, you. 260 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 3: Want Johnny Carson when you were twenty one years old? 261 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean that was fabulous. 262 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 3: I mean, Jesus Christ, how much more pressure can you have? 263 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 3: Twenty one? 264 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 2: But I know it was all a bit of fun 265 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 2: back there, you know, I mean, no, yes, anxiety, but 266 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 2: it was you know, I was with the band. I 267 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 2: always considered that I was with the band because that's 268 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 2: where I felt comfortable. It's like a lot of the 269 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 2: TV shows that I ended up doing throughout Europe and 270 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 2: America too, that they'd always want to put me on 271 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 2: this podium or platform way in front of the band 272 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 2: and the band behind me. I'm going, no, no, no, no, 273 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 2: no no. You're lining me up with the band so 274 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 2: I can react with the other players that I'm singing 275 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 2: and playing with. I want that, I need that. I 276 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 2: don't feel like this solo artist that should be just 277 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 2: standalone way up in the front there. Although there were 278 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 2: occasions that I had no control over. But for the 279 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 2: most part, I would always try to have the band 280 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 2: be inclusive of whatever scenario I was going through, because 281 00:13:56,679 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 2: that was the camaraderie. That's where I felt a little 282 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 2: safe for part of a part of and where the 283 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 2: boys joke around. You know. It was a familiarity to 284 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 2: what I'd seen, you know, in the Beatles films and 285 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 2: all of that stuff, where you know, it was this 286 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 2: the lads having a bit of fun, you know. But 287 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 2: don't get me being solo, you know, on your own 288 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 2: in front of all that, with the rest of that 289 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 2: kept away from you. There were a few occasions like 290 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 2: that that with the management. I just I can't be 291 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 2: like that. 292 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 3: Julian Lennon and the Hurricanes. 293 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 2: I know, I had to be in it, you know, 294 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 2: in it with the boys. 295 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 3: Wow. 296 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: Musician, photographer, and philanthropist Julian Lennon. If you enjoy conversations 297 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: with the most creative minds in music, check out my 298 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 1: episode with radio Heads Tom York. 299 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 4: There's always really exciting music being made. It's never not 300 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 4: being made. It's a question of whether you're going to 301 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 4: get to hear it or not. I mean, I kind 302 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 4: of knew the game was up a few years ago 303 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 4: when one of our sort of team of people came 304 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 4: in saying, Nokia wants to offer you, did it are 305 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 4: millions of pounds because they want content for their phones? 306 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 4: And this is like in two thousand, I don't know, 307 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 4: early two thousands, and you're like content, what you know? Content? 308 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 4: What do you mean music? 309 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 1: Yes to hear more of my conversation with Tom Yorke, 310 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 1: go to Here's the Thing dot Org. After the break, 311 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: Julian Lennon shares his thoughts on the music industry today 312 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 1: and what he enjoys listening to in his downtime. I'm 313 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing. Julian 314 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: Lenin has released seven albums of his own music since 315 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty four. He's an artist with a rich and 316 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: diverse background of life experiences to draw inspiration from. I 317 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: was curious about Lennon's thoughts on current music and what 318 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: the son of a beatle and enjoys listening to in 319 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: his free time. 320 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 2: There's a few new artists that I love out there 321 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 2: that are fusion and jazz orientated. There's a band called 322 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 2: Snarky Puppy. I don't know if you know those down 323 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 2: Snarky Puppy. They can be between up to at least 324 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 2: twenty people in the band, and they're all soloists in 325 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 2: their own right. They have their own albums and they 326 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 2: do their own tours independently, but they also work as trios, 327 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 2: quartets and as this kind of eighteen twenty piece group, 328 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 2: and they come together several times a year to do 329 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 2: an album or two and they tour all together as well. 330 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 2: A friend of mine who actually played on this album. 331 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 2: Two of the founding members of Snarky Puppy, Michael leegh 332 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 2: is an incredible multi instrumentalist bass player, and Bill Lawrence, 333 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 2: who did some piano with me. And we've written a 334 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 2: few things that will come out down the road. But 335 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 2: there's a couple of radiotions I listened to in particular 336 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 2: that play independent stream interesting. Yeah that while I'm while 337 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 2: I'm editing photos, I'm doing stuff like that, or just 338 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 2: working in general, I'll have that music on in the background, 339 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 2: and every time I catch something I like, I'll you know, 340 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 2: shizam it and put it in. 341 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 3: A standing on chairs and restaurants. 342 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 2: But I'll just be able to you know then and there, 343 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 2: put my phone up and go and I'll have a 344 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 2: Shazam playlist, which is about two or three hundred songs 345 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 2: now that I'll just rotate in between listening to one 346 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 2: or two of those radio stations. 347 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:45,359 Speaker 1: In my mind in the way that we experience music, 348 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: all the music that goes into your brain in your youth, 349 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 1: and the things that helped to shape you in terms 350 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: of your emotional fragility. Like I run out the door 351 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 1: and I see to myself. I got to make as 352 00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: much money as I can. My father had no money, right, 353 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:02,720 Speaker 1: Having no money destroyed my father. He died when he 354 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 1: was fifty five years old. He had cancer, rabid form 355 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: of cancer. And I look at my dad and I 356 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 1: go my father working as hard as he did, not 357 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:10,959 Speaker 1: having any money as were killed him. 358 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:11,400 Speaker 3: Right. 359 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 1: He had six kids, no money, his school teacher, and 360 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: I said, I can't. I mean, I remember like walking 361 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: around LA when I was first. Don't end up like dad. 362 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: Don't end up like that. Don't end up like dad. 363 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: I started working when I was twelve, So as you 364 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:25,879 Speaker 1: get older, I can only listen to that music to 365 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 1: soothe me. 366 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 3: Yes, that's my music. 367 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:29,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a safety in it. 368 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a part of me. Yeah. 369 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 2: Well, you know, I agree. I fell in love with 370 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 2: that kind of all the variations of that kind of 371 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:42,639 Speaker 2: music back in the day, and they and half of 372 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:46,440 Speaker 2: the stuff that I still listened to was certainly at 373 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 2: a relatively relevant point in my life, different moments in 374 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 2: my life that I went through where I was growing 375 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:56,879 Speaker 2: up that I can go, you know very much, or 376 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,479 Speaker 2: a reminder of a time and a place which I 377 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 2: don't today's music necessarily does, and the same manner at all. 378 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 2: You know, there's certainly a level of emotion that's disappeared 379 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 2: and depth of quality. 380 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 1: No, but I mean you're like, you sit there and 381 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,160 Speaker 1: you go father Mackenzie wiping the dirt from his hands 382 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:17,119 Speaker 1: as he walks from the grave. 383 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 3: No one was saved. You sit there and go, who 384 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:20,400 Speaker 3: the fuck's going to write that? Now? 385 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 2: Maybe Tom York, Maybe Tom New York. 386 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 3: He did our show. 387 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know he did. I listened to the show 388 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 2: that's why. Yeah, that's what made me want to come 389 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 2: on that and I went, yeah, that was a great show. 390 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 2: So actually one of the first times I've actually heard 391 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 2: him speak and be comfortable and natural on the show. 392 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 3: We've been people in here. We just really love them. 393 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: Now since you're twenty one years old, officer, even before 394 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: you're surfing in between. In terms of music, you have 395 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 1: a music career and you start making films. You made films, 396 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: directed and produced. 397 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 2: Well, no, what happened was now, and this was much 398 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 2: later in life. It was over twenty five years ago, 399 00:19:57,560 --> 00:19:59,919 Speaker 2: that's for sure. But I had a song called salt Wa, 400 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 2: which was an environmental and humanitarian song that pretty much 401 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 2: was top ten, top five worldwide except for America, where 402 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 2: I had a really shitty record company that did no 403 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 2: promotion whatsoever. But I was number one in Australia. So 404 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 2: I went over there and I was touring, doing promo 405 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 2: tour and playing live at the same time, and I 406 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,120 Speaker 2: was this was the birth of the White Feather Foundation 407 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 2: as well. We were number one in Australia. I was 408 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 2: hosting all kinds of shows. Saltwater was playing all over 409 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 2: the place. I was invited by the hotel down to 410 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 2: the lobby who said, you know, we've got an indigenous 411 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:40,560 Speaker 2: drive down here that want to talk to you. And 412 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 2: I said, You've got to be kidding, right, You know, 413 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 2: on the road you get these pranks people have played. 414 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 2: So I'm thinking, yeah, sure, sure, going to be hanging 415 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 2: out in the lobby, but they were and with several 416 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 2: news crews, and so I went downstairs. Elevator door opened, 417 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 2: and I don't know thirty forty fifty, I couldn't tell 418 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 2: how many people, you know, It was a bit fuzzy 419 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 2: on the outside of the vision, and there was this 420 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 2: little platform and I stepped up and Indigenous people there, 421 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,680 Speaker 2: and this woman who is the elder called Iris sadly 422 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 2: passed a year or two ago from quite possibly the 423 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 2: oldest Indigenous you know, group of people survives in the world, 424 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 2: you know. And she walks up to me in the 425 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 2: middle of the semicircle, hands me this male swan's white 426 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 2: feather and says, you know, can you help us? You 427 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:39,640 Speaker 2: have a voice, can you help us? And I'm like, oh, 428 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:42,920 Speaker 2: you know, do I just continue to be a rock 429 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 2: and roller or do I kind of step up to 430 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:48,399 Speaker 2: the plate. I mean, you know, the song, which is 431 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 2: number one, is about humanitarian and environmental issues. But he's 432 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:57,479 Speaker 2: clincher on this one. And I've told this many times before, 433 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 2: but every time it still affects me too that Dad 434 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 2: had told me that at some point in my life. 435 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,640 Speaker 2: And I cannot tell you when or where, but it happened, 436 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 2: and I thought it was peculiar at the time because 437 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,919 Speaker 2: I thought this is a weird thing to say to me. 438 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 2: But he said, if something happens to me, the way 439 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 2: that I'll let you know that I'm going to be 440 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:21,919 Speaker 2: okay or that everything's going to be okay will be 441 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 2: in the form of a white feather. So when they elder, 442 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 2: this woman from the oldest indigenous tribe on the planet 443 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 2: hands me a white feather, you know, the goose. I 444 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 2: get goosebumps every time I'm going I'm sorry. Whatever you 445 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 2: believe in, this is undeniable, absolutely undeniable spiritual connection. And 446 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:49,440 Speaker 2: so I went, okay, right, that's it, step up, get 447 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 2: on with it. So I spent ten years with the 448 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:55,639 Speaker 2: director Kim Kindersley as a dear friend of mine, making 449 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,920 Speaker 2: a documentary about them, called Whale Dreamers. Not only about 450 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 2: the Moaning Tribe, eighty other tribes, indigenous tribes around the 451 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 2: world who were suffering the same fate, the same plight 452 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 2: as the indigenous in Australia and being thrown off their 453 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:13,719 Speaker 2: land for nuclear testing da da dada onto warring tribes 454 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 2: lands and ongoing you know, the lands had been stolen 455 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 2: from them. We're still fighting with them now to get 456 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,679 Speaker 2: their land back, you know, and we're winning at the moment, 457 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 2: So knock on wood, that continues again. We weren't supported, 458 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 2: we didn't have backers. It was just a little independent film. 459 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 2: We won eight International Independent Film Awards, so we did 460 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 2: quite well. But with the advent of the Internet, I 461 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 2: decided to put a website together so I could sell 462 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:45,399 Speaker 2: the film because I said that, you know, if this 463 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 2: film makes any money in any way, shape or form, 464 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 2: I wanted to go back to the Morning people, the 465 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 2: Mirning tribe m I R N I. 466 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:57,400 Speaker 3: N G mourning, Mourning, urning. 467 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,200 Speaker 2: But the only way I was told that that point 468 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 2: in time to be able to do that was to 469 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 2: start a foundation. So henceforth, the White Feather Foundation was 470 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:12,239 Speaker 2: born purely as a vehicle to get money from the 471 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:16,640 Speaker 2: sales of the film to the Morning Tribe. Then, over 472 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:19,880 Speaker 2: the course of time, I'd start getting these emails going, well, 473 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:21,639 Speaker 2: can you help us? And can you help us? And 474 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 2: I'm going, well, listen, I'm not really a foundation as such, 475 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 2: you know. But then I thought, you know, I am 476 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 2: in a position to try and help. So I started 477 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 2: looking at things that personally I would like to help 478 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 2: with that affected me obviously, indigenous cultures around the world. 479 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 2: That was number one on the list, with you know, 480 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 2: buying back their land and preserving their land and their 481 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:47,919 Speaker 2: culture and their heritage. 482 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 3: And then you. 483 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,400 Speaker 2: Know, there are many many organizations out there that deal 484 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,919 Speaker 2: with clean water, but that's still a necessity. So we 485 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 2: still you know, and I guess you could say how 486 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 2: we are. We're a small group. There's only a few 487 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:05,640 Speaker 2: people in fact, me, you know, to do others. But 488 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 2: we live on donations by the public. So it's public 489 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 2: that really help us help them, you know. And I 490 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 2: guess our position, or at least what I've felt about it, 491 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 2: is that we're trying to catch the ones who fall 492 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 2: between the cracks of the big organizations that can't take 493 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:26,119 Speaker 2: care of everybody. So it's the little people and the 494 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 2: little problems that happen here, there and everywhere that we 495 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 2: try and save and help. 496 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 3: So apart from. 497 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:36,639 Speaker 2: That, the other elements are health and education for girls. 498 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 2: And I started a scholarship in my mother's name after 499 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 2: she passed because I felt it was a wait to 500 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 2: honor her, you know. So it's the Cynthia Lennon scholarship 501 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 2: for girls. 502 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:47,640 Speaker 3: Yeah. 503 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I'm proud of that. We've helped a lot 504 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:53,640 Speaker 2: of girls go through the college and university to come 505 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 2: back again and protect their families and their towns and 506 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 2: their people, yeah, their cultures. So I'm very proud of that. 507 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:04,439 Speaker 3: Have you done many benefit by performances. 508 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,400 Speaker 2: We did one gala once. It was in Monaco, actually, 509 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 2: but the stress and the cost of putting it on 510 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 2: was more than it was worth at the end of 511 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 2: the day, to be honest with you, and walked away 512 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:21,199 Speaker 2: exactly exactly. So that's my preference. It's just you know, 513 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 2: I'll keep shaking hands and trying to get some donations 514 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 2: brought in, but the whole gala thing, I mean, I 515 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:31,199 Speaker 2: myself became a little sick and tired of going to 516 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:34,439 Speaker 2: those kind of things. You know. What happens in my 517 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 2: circumstance is that with everything that I do, whatever hat 518 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 2: I'm wearing, a good proportion of what I earn goes 519 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 2: to the White Feather Foundation. Whether it's from the books, 520 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,919 Speaker 2: whether it's from music, whether it's from the documentaries or 521 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:50,160 Speaker 2: you name it. 522 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 1: Now, you lived in places in the United States for 523 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: periods of time, Yeah, New York and La, I would imagine, 524 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:57,919 Speaker 1: and you were different for years. 525 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 2: I was in New York in the late eighties and 526 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:06,159 Speaker 2: I thought I might die here because the party scene 527 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:09,360 Speaker 2: back then in the late eighties was quite serious, robust. 528 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, the Limelight Arena and you know, and everybody 529 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 2: was out, I mean everybody was on the town every night, 530 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:19,200 Speaker 2: you know. And then I went out to LA and 531 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 2: a friend of mine picked me up in an old 532 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:25,760 Speaker 2: convertible and drove me along Mulholland and I went, ah, 533 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 2: this is nice. And then of course, you know, most 534 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 2: bars close up, you know, the last orders at one 535 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,360 Speaker 2: thirty two o'clock, and you think you're safe. No, you're 536 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,880 Speaker 2: not safe, because that's when everybody goes back to everybody 537 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 2: houses and it's worse than New York and so you know, a. 538 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 3: Chef that makes dinner everything right there. 539 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, No, it was very I mean I 540 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 2: did enjoy it. I had one of the best times 541 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 2: of my life in LA because I became part of 542 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:57,120 Speaker 2: a brat pack biker crew, you know, with Harley's and 543 00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 2: you know the likes of me and Billie Idol, and 544 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 2: every sun day, regardless of our condition, we'd be off 545 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:07,160 Speaker 2: bike riding down the Angelus Crest and oh yeah, but 546 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 2: it was a fabulous time, an enjoyable time back in 547 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 2: the day. I had a good probably five six years there, 548 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 2: and then the seventh and eighth year I became a 549 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 2: little numb, and that's that's when I ended up back 550 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:26,679 Speaker 2: in Europe. I actually went back to see a film, 551 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 2: the film premiere of Backbeat, which is about the Beatles 552 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,679 Speaker 2: early days in Hamburg, and I met a friend of 553 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 2: a friend who was a line producer, and he said 554 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 2: to me, you've ever been to Monico before? And I 555 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 2: said no, And he said do you like the Grand Prix? 556 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:43,840 Speaker 2: Do you like Grand Prix? I said, I don't really 557 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 2: care one way or the other. He said, well, what 558 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 2: are you doing this weekend? I said, well, going back 559 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 2: to La to be numb. Why he said, well, listen, 560 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 2: you know I've got a spare room apartment down in Monaco. 561 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 2: I know everybody'd been living there for years. Why don't 562 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 2: you come down. I'll take care of you. Daddy, Daddy da. 563 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 2: So we go down and I find myself on the 564 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 2: very famous Rascass Corner, which is where they come shooting 565 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 2: down after the tunnel coming at you at about one 566 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 2: hundred and eighty miles an hour while you're eating a 567 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 2: shrimp cocktail and all you've got is chicken wire fencing 568 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 2: between you and the car, and I'm going, this is great, 569 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 2: you know. So I spent the summer there and again 570 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 2: it was one of those moments. I had one of 571 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 2: the best times of my life. And I just I 572 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 2: had a little bungalow up on Mulholland and Cold Water, 573 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 2: and I had a caretaker, and I just said, pack 574 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 2: up the house, I'm not coming back. And I just 575 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 2: lived in what I call a Miami vice apartment in Monaco, 576 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 2: which was just this bare room that was kind of white, 577 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 2: marble mirrors, yeah, yeah, yeah, with a little TV on 578 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:55,640 Speaker 2: a chest, a trunk, a couch from the floor, in habitat, 579 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 2: a mattress on the floor. And I lived like that 580 00:29:57,880 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 2: for a couple of years until I figured out what 581 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 2: I was doing. Again, and you're still there, I'm actually well, 582 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 2: the thing was, I didn't become a resident at that point, 583 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 2: so I do now. I became a resident. Yeah, and 584 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 2: I work with Prince Albert and his foundation with White 585 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 2: Feather as well. We've were looking at a few projects. 586 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 2: So but yeah, I find it. I just it's a listener. 587 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:25,959 Speaker 2: It's a beautiful location. Italy's twenty minutes away, you know, 588 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 2: and I love Italy because of my Italian stepfather, Roberto Bassanini. 589 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 2: And you know, France is beautiful too, Spain's just down 590 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:39,320 Speaker 2: the road for me. Location, location, location, It's just And 591 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 2: I'm a biker now still, So whether it's in a convertible, 592 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 2: little mini or Catholic, is that so? 593 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 3: Yeah? You come back? 594 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 2: So yeah, when I have time, I get on the 595 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 2: bike and I go and that countryside throughout Europe is 596 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 2: just jaw dropping and I, you know, forever in love 597 00:30:59,320 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 2: with that. 598 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 3: Julian Lennon. 599 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 1: If you're enjoying this conversation, tell a friend and be 600 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 1: sure to follow Here's the Thing on the iHeartRadio app, 601 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 1: Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. When we come back. 602 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 1: The Story of the Real Life Princess on the cover 603 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 1: of Julian Lennon's new photography book, Life's Fragile Moments. I'm 604 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:38,960 Speaker 1: Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the Thing. Over 605 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 1: the past two decades, Julian Lennon has amassed and impressive 606 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 1: portfolio of work behind the camera, looking through his recent 607 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: book of photography. I was so moved by the images 608 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 1: he captured. I was curious about when he first began 609 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 1: pursuing photography and what inspired him to start taking it 610 00:31:57,600 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 1: seriously as an art form. 611 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 2: When I actually came to see Dad when I was 612 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 2: about eleven again and maybe even earlier than that, he 613 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 2: had this camera called the Polaroid ssex seventy lamp camera, 614 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 2: the ones that flipped up, folded, and I love those. 615 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:19,479 Speaker 2: I was just fascinated, more so because of the instant 616 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 2: gratification of having the pictures come alive right in front 617 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 2: of you like it is now. Yeah. So I tried 618 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 2: being a real photographer with film, but I made mistakes 619 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 2: all the time and screwed the film bah blah blah. 620 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 2: So I kind of gave it a rest until digital 621 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:41,680 Speaker 2: photography really came into play. And then when it did, 622 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 2: I vowed to myself. I said, well, well I would 623 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 2: like to do and I'm self taught all the way 624 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:52,800 Speaker 2: down the line music, photography, whatever, documentaries, you know, children's books. 625 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 2: You know, I just want to do the best that 626 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:57,760 Speaker 2: I can do, and so I challenged myself to try 627 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 2: to make the digital photography as good as film photography. 628 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 2: And what happened was I did an exhibition in Amsterdam 629 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 2: ten years ago maybe where it was all brit pop 630 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 2: kind of thing. Couple of photographers and musicians doing this exhibition, 631 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:19,360 Speaker 2: and I was cornered by this elderly American photography critic. 632 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 2: And I'm quite shy and quite reserved most of the time, 633 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,440 Speaker 2: and I can be quite shut off, and she had 634 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:31,120 Speaker 2: me in the corner I couldn't get out and yes, okay, 635 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 2: and I was trying to be as polite as possible. 636 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:35,479 Speaker 2: And then at the very end of it, she said, 637 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 2: so tell me do you shoot with film or is 638 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:43,360 Speaker 2: it digital? I went, you tell me and that was it. 639 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 2: That's when I went, all right, I'm doing a good job. 640 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:48,719 Speaker 2: And I think I'm doing a good job from and 641 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 2: that's when I just went, yeah, all right. But how 642 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:53,800 Speaker 2: a lot of this came about was when I went 643 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 2: on journeys on behalf of the White Feather Foundation to 644 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:02,880 Speaker 2: Ethiopia with a charity, Water, Scott Harrison Charity Water, who 645 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:06,720 Speaker 2: were an incredible organization. I think they provided more fresh 646 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:10,840 Speaker 2: water to people worldwide than any other. He invited me 647 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:13,719 Speaker 2: to go along to Ethiopia and I it was my 648 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 2: first trip to Africa, and it was mind blowing, and 649 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:21,880 Speaker 2: so I thought, you know, take my camera, you know, 650 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 2: just purely as the point of cataloging and making note 651 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:31,319 Speaker 2: of the moments and times I was going through, not 652 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:35,280 Speaker 2: as a professional photographer by any means. That same trip, 653 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:38,640 Speaker 2: I'd gone to Kenya to schools and health clinics and 654 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:40,960 Speaker 2: a few other things like that. That's where a lot 655 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 2: of the White Feather stuff was born, out of visiting 656 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:48,440 Speaker 2: these places trying to help these plans. That's very importantiation, right, yeah, yeah, no, 657 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:52,040 Speaker 2: absolutely absolutely. So anyway, I started taking a lot of 658 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 2: pictures of all of that stuff, and then when I 659 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 2: had a few moments back home, I put him on 660 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 2: a big screen and I'd start looking at stuff and go, well, 661 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 2: this is really quite beautiful or quite poignant, or quite 662 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 2: you know, deep and dark, and you know, maybe people 663 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:10,880 Speaker 2: should see some of this stuff, you know, or even 664 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:14,360 Speaker 2: the happiest stuff, or just the landscapes. 665 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:13,960 Speaker 3: You know. 666 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:17,320 Speaker 2: And so I started just editing that kind of stuff 667 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 2: and putting it all together into these little collections, and 668 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:24,080 Speaker 2: so that's how that kind of began. But on the 669 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:26,279 Speaker 2: other side, there's another side to it too, which is 670 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:28,200 Speaker 2: when I used to go on the road and do 671 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:30,799 Speaker 2: world tours and all that, you know, back in the 672 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:35,919 Speaker 2: day on TWA and the big old Boeing seven for seven, 673 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:40,280 Speaker 2: so you know, you used to we're talking forty years ago. Whenever, 674 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 2: you know, they'd have a projector of one film if 675 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:45,880 Speaker 2: you were lucky, and then you have a bite to 676 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:48,440 Speaker 2: eat and go to sleep on these long hauls flights, 677 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:51,280 Speaker 2: and I could never go to sleep, so I'd always 678 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:55,280 Speaker 2: be staring out the window. And I just became fascinated 679 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 2: with clouds. I mean, the first my first exhibition was 680 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:02,040 Speaker 2: initially just going to be because I fell in love 681 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 2: with them. I fell in love with the shape, the color, 682 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:08,640 Speaker 2: their form, sunsets, sunrise, and it became a moment where 683 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:11,120 Speaker 2: I'd look out the window and I'd go I'd either 684 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 2: think of nothing at all, just empty my mind and 685 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:17,280 Speaker 2: just be in the moment, or I think about everything, 686 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:21,520 Speaker 2: and I just noticed that the clouds only lasted a moment, 687 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:24,400 Speaker 2: or the light or the shape only lasted a moment. 688 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:27,440 Speaker 2: So it was all fleeting, really fleeting, And so I 689 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,600 Speaker 2: started relating that to my life and what was going 690 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:34,359 Speaker 2: on and everything else. And so that's what became important 691 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 2: about photography for me is just trying to catch those 692 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:40,640 Speaker 2: moments that are not set up, that are not lit properly, 693 00:36:40,719 --> 00:36:43,040 Speaker 2: that are not you know, and there you go. 694 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: I love these pictures, thank you. And I'm a photography freak. 695 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 1: I love books of photographs, but a lot. 696 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:56,600 Speaker 2: O well, I certainly take that very kindly, sir. That's 697 00:36:56,719 --> 00:37:01,279 Speaker 2: Charlene Whitstock, who became Princess Charlene of Monarica. I was 698 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:04,399 Speaker 2: ten minutes before she was getting married. There's a whole 699 00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 2: story behind that. 700 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:06,879 Speaker 3: Tell me, okay, all right. 701 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:09,880 Speaker 2: So mutual friend calls me up the day before the 702 00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:13,359 Speaker 2: wedding and goes, listen, Charlie likes your photographs. I'd met 703 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 2: her once or twice and she just liked what I did, 704 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:18,719 Speaker 2: she said, He said, she wants you to come and 705 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:21,320 Speaker 2: shoot just before the you know, behind the scenes, before 706 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:23,320 Speaker 2: she gets married tomorrow. 707 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:24,320 Speaker 3: I'll go. 708 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:29,400 Speaker 2: Really not my kind of thing. Really, I didn't really 709 00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:32,360 Speaker 2: know what I was in for. So I say, okay, 710 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:35,359 Speaker 2: all right, I'll do it. I'll break through the fear. 711 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:35,680 Speaker 3: Go. 712 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:39,360 Speaker 2: So there's about three or four security checkpoints to get in. 713 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:42,040 Speaker 2: That was a nightmare to start with. Then finally get 714 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:44,160 Speaker 2: to the hotel where she is. She's got all her 715 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:46,160 Speaker 2: friends dancing around like lunatics. 716 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 3: Backpack. 717 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:54,799 Speaker 2: I arrive at the hotel before I see them, and 718 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:57,480 Speaker 2: I'm in the lobby just there with my little backpack. 719 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:00,520 Speaker 2: And then walks you know, Patrick to my Shelly a 720 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:05,239 Speaker 2: with the hotel trolley's with equipment after equipment. I'm going, 721 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:09,840 Speaker 2: I'm screwed. How am I going to even anyway? 722 00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:11,040 Speaker 3: So I go in. 723 00:38:11,160 --> 00:38:13,680 Speaker 2: I'm the only one allowed in the inner sanctum, which 724 00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:16,320 Speaker 2: is great. So I'm in a room probably about the 725 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:19,000 Speaker 2: sides of the studio. She's in front of the mirror. 726 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:22,880 Speaker 2: You got the hairdresser, the hairdresser's assistance, the assistant's assistants, 727 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:26,279 Speaker 2: the makeup, twenty people in a tiny little room and 728 00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:30,520 Speaker 2: she's just looking forward, numb, staring into the mirror and 729 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:32,520 Speaker 2: she's going, jewels. I don't know if I can do this. 730 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:37,040 Speaker 2: And I'm going, what are you talking about? And she said, no, 731 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:39,480 Speaker 2: I can't do these photographs. So I don't think. I 732 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:42,839 Speaker 2: said I'm here. I said, listen, I'm really. This is 733 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:45,960 Speaker 2: a this is historic, this is a You're going to 734 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:49,360 Speaker 2: become a princess for me too. This is a magical 735 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:51,640 Speaker 2: moment to capture I said, listen, I don't know what 736 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,080 Speaker 2: I'm going to get, not a bloody clue. But at 737 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:56,640 Speaker 2: least i'll be a fly on the wall. I'll be 738 00:38:56,719 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 2: out of everybody's way. We've only got eight minutes left, literally, 739 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:03,840 Speaker 2: and so I shoot as much as I can. I 740 00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:06,600 Speaker 2: don't even know what I'm getting not getting. You know nothing, 741 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:09,120 Speaker 2: I don't have a clue. I get a message from 742 00:39:09,239 --> 00:39:13,200 Speaker 2: Vogue dot com. They want a picture from de Machellier, 743 00:39:13,239 --> 00:39:15,920 Speaker 2: they want a picture from me to go online. Immediately 744 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:19,040 Speaker 2: after she's where did? And so I go back to 745 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:21,440 Speaker 2: my place, put all the pictures up on a screen, 746 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:23,080 Speaker 2: and I look at them and I go. 747 00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:26,120 Speaker 3: I've got nothing. I've got nothing. 748 00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:27,880 Speaker 2: This looks like crap. 749 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:29,160 Speaker 3: It looks like shit. 750 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:34,880 Speaker 2: The one thing Vogue said, we want to see her smiling. 751 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:38,759 Speaker 2: I had two pictures with her smiling. One of them 752 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 2: was the one you pointed out. But the one thing 753 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:44,279 Speaker 2: that she said to me before the shooting was that, 754 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:48,319 Speaker 2: by the way, whatever you do, do not have a 755 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:52,560 Speaker 2: picture of me with a cigarette or alcohol in my hand. 756 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:56,160 Speaker 2: I'm going and I find that one picture that you 757 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:58,040 Speaker 2: pointed out, and I'm going, oh, here we go. 758 00:39:58,120 --> 00:39:58,680 Speaker 3: I'm screwed. 759 00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:00,880 Speaker 2: Now I'm not a photo show kind of guy, but 760 00:40:01,120 --> 00:40:04,080 Speaker 2: I managed to remove the cigarette, and I'm looking at 761 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:05,600 Speaker 2: the picture, going, well, how am I going to deal 762 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:09,200 Speaker 2: with the with the champagne? And I think, okay. With 763 00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 2: every collection I do, it has its own version of 764 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:15,799 Speaker 2: a desaturation. So it's never black and white. As you know, 765 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:18,080 Speaker 2: people say that's black and white. No it's not. It's 766 00:40:18,080 --> 00:40:21,760 Speaker 2: a level of desaturation and jews and I work and tones. 767 00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:23,560 Speaker 3: You can see the gold. 768 00:40:23,960 --> 00:40:27,600 Speaker 2: So first I convert the picture to black desaturated too, 769 00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:30,160 Speaker 2: a close to black and white, and then I crop 770 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:32,120 Speaker 2: it a little differently, and I look at it and 771 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:37,280 Speaker 2: I go, oh, my god, Princess Grace. You know, the thirties, forties, 772 00:40:37,360 --> 00:40:41,839 Speaker 2: fifties black and white, classic high contrast, edited in such 773 00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:44,279 Speaker 2: a way like you know, like a Time magazine or 774 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:48,360 Speaker 2: Life magazine, you know, photo shoot. And so I began 775 00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:51,879 Speaker 2: to crop all of the pictures like that, and that 776 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:56,440 Speaker 2: was my saving grace. It changed everything. And now that 777 00:40:56,640 --> 00:41:01,080 Speaker 2: i'm they're probably some of my most faith pictures of 778 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:03,520 Speaker 2: anybody that I've shot. And the fact that she let 779 00:41:03,560 --> 00:41:07,440 Speaker 2: me have the cover of her, with that last glimpse 780 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:10,440 Speaker 2: of her looking at herself before the wedding on the 781 00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:13,840 Speaker 2: front of the of the book, you know, forever thankful 782 00:41:13,880 --> 00:41:17,120 Speaker 2: for that. One of the really important things that happened 783 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:21,000 Speaker 2: to me in my relationship with photography and the images 784 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:24,239 Speaker 2: was that I would I would have people write to me, 785 00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:27,720 Speaker 2: which I really didn't consider or think about earlier at all. 786 00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:31,960 Speaker 2: Was that you'd have people that couldn't financially afford to 787 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:35,960 Speaker 2: travel the world or go anywhere, couldn't or were disabled 788 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:39,279 Speaker 2: and couldn't travel the world or go anywhere. And what 789 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:41,600 Speaker 2: they had all said to me is that you bring 790 00:41:41,719 --> 00:41:44,760 Speaker 2: these stories to us, You bring the truth, You bring 791 00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:48,719 Speaker 2: life to us of cultures that we would never necessarily 792 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:51,680 Speaker 2: know anything about. You do it in such a way, 793 00:41:52,239 --> 00:41:55,960 Speaker 2: without an agenda, without just laying it on, just putting 794 00:41:56,040 --> 00:41:59,240 Speaker 2: it in front and showing you what is, what exists. 795 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:02,040 Speaker 1: Take people to the world that they can't see. 796 00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:05,879 Speaker 2: And I tried to do that in music as well. 797 00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:09,080 Speaker 2: I tried to do the same thing, but photography really 798 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:11,680 Speaker 2: does allow me to do that. I have empathy for 799 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:13,560 Speaker 2: people on the other side of the world that you'll 800 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:16,880 Speaker 2: never ever meet, but you'll at least have some understanding 801 00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:18,879 Speaker 2: of what their life is and what they went through 802 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:20,560 Speaker 2: or are still going. 803 00:42:20,320 --> 00:42:30,600 Speaker 1: Through my thanks to musician, photographer, and philanthropist Julian Lennon. 804 00:42:31,120 --> 00:42:35,399 Speaker 1: You can learn more about his humanitarian work at Whitefeatherfoundation 805 00:42:35,640 --> 00:42:39,960 Speaker 1: dot com. His photography book Life's Fragile Moments is now 806 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:43,880 Speaker 1: available for purchase, and his most recent album, Jude, is 807 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:49,399 Speaker 1: streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon and YouTube. This 808 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:53,320 Speaker 1: episode was recorded at CDM Studios in New York City. 809 00:42:53,680 --> 00:42:57,800 Speaker 1: Were produced by Kathleen Russo, Zach MacNeice, and Victoria de Martin. 810 00:42:58,120 --> 00:43:02,080 Speaker 1: Our engineer is Frank Imperial. Our social media manager is 811 00:43:02,200 --> 00:43:05,040 Speaker 1: Danielle Gingrich. Here's the Thing, as brought to you by 812 00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:06,320 Speaker 1: iHeart Radio