Hey Jules / Fan Issues
1.1 Who Does Hey Jules?
Hey Jules has a single webmaster... CJ Burianek. However, there have been
MANY fans over the years who have donated articles, photos, stories,
suggestions etc... As far as site design,
majority of the html is done using FrontPage. All graphics are created using
Corel PhotoPaint/Corel Draw/VideoWave.
1.2 Why have you disabled right click
on this site?
I have disabled right click because I got tired of seeing my graphics
show up on other sites. Two particular instances really bothered me. The
first was finding a graphic I had done with "Hey Jules"
prominently on it being used to promote a sale on eBay. The second was
finding one of my own photographs of Julian being used as the cover on a
bootleg album.
1.3 Can you send me an autographed
photo?
Sorry but no... The Official Site, http://www.julianlennon.com
does have a monthly competition which you can enter to win autographed
merchandise at times.
1.4 Can you give me Julian's
email/snail address?
Sorry, I do not have an address which I can give out for fans to write to or
send other items to Julian email or otherwise.
1.5 Can I contribute to this site?
If you'd like to contribute to Hey Jules email me via
my contact form...
I'm particularly interested in personal fan stories/photos as well as
articles and
items from countries around the world...
1.6 Where can I buy...?
I have listed numerous items on the site in the Music
& Memorabilia section as information for what is/has been
available... Hey Jules is simply a fan site and does not sell
merchandise.
The official website has started an online store offering
official T-shirts and Photograph Smile CDs - Go to www.julianlennon.com
Secret Value of Daydreaming
and Mr. Jordan are currently out of print
in the US... however, CDNow
carries the Germany import of Mr. Jordan
which has the bonus of "Johnny B. Good" which was not on the US
version for $14.99. I highly recommend this one to any Jules fan as his
version of "Johnny B. Good" on the piano is a lot of fun. All the others albums including some guest appearances like "Coles
Song" from Mr. Holland's Opus and "Ruby
Tuesday" from The Wonder Years Soundtrack can be
purchased at CDNow
as well.. They have a Japan import of Secret
Value of Daydreaming as well but it is high at $33.99... it is best to
check eBay or Gemm
for a used version of SV as well as any singles...
Career/Musical Issues
2.1 When is Julian releasing his next
album/when is his next tour?
I get asked this one A LOT and quite honestly, you're guess is probably as
good as mine... There has been talk of a "Best of Album" as
well as a new album... During the 1999 tour Julian also talked about doing an orchestra
tour as well as a tour in South America... no dates have been set for any of
these ventures and it is not known which if any Julian will actually
do... I heard Julian worked on some new material
with Gregory Darling and
Matt Backer the spring/summer of 2000... and that he is currently looking
for new musicians and producers to record some new music. He is also looking
at putting a studio into his home and perhaps releasing some music directly
through JulianLennon.com... again,
no actual dates are known... nor is it known what he will actually do...
This is actually typical of Julian to talk about new material and a new
album and bigger and better tours while on tour and in the public eye and
then once he has time to himself he tends to retreat and savor not being in
the public eye and having time to himself to explore his other interests
which include cooking and painting... He tends to come back from these times
of retreat more refreshed and with a stronger idea of who he is and what he
really wants to do which reflects in his music and his attitude towards life
in general.
It has also been asked if Julian has all of the unpublished material that
Bob and he said he had left over from "Photograph Smile" why
not just release that... well some thoughts on that...
It really isn't easy to just go and releasing a new album... the music
has to be recorded and mixed... CD art has to be designed and printed... the
music has to be "shopped" to get support and backing... promotion
has to be done so people know the CD is out there and actually buy it...
promotion and touring tends to be draining... you have to be away from home,
friends/ family for long periods of time... spend your days talking about
yourself to interviewers who tend to know very little about you and in
Julian's case are often more interested in talking about John, Yoko, or the
Beatles than Julian himself... fans & autograph collectors always asking
for autographs and photos... very little privacy and peace... When I talked
to Julian after his New Haven concert it was obvious the whole lot of it was
physically and emotionally draining on him... the need for constant
security... the vulgar words John idolizers screamed at him... After seeing
what I saw I don't know why Julian did come back to the spotlight... I am
very glad he did... and would like to hope he will grace us with more of his
music in the future but only Julian knows if that will happen... in the
meantime I pray his life is filled with happiness and peace...
2.2 What record label is Julian under?
Julian currently owns and runs his own indie label record
company, "Music From
Another Room" which was named after a
movie of the same name... For "Photograph Smile," his label
was carried by Pinnacle Records in England, Roughtrade Records in Germany,
Zomba Records in Asia, Sony Records in Australia, and Fuel 2000/Universal
Records in USA/Canada. Julian is no longer associated with several of
these including Roughtrade Records and Fuel 2000/Universal.
2.3 What type of guitar does Julian
play?
Julian prefers acoustic guitars and plays a 1957
Gibson, a 12 string Taylor and a CJ 32 Yamaha. "Acoustics are much
easier to lug around and obviously if you have an idea it's a lot easier,
for me, I feel like there's a whole sound there rather than the electric
sound, unless you're gonna carry another bunch of gear around to plug it all
in. Even the walkmans and stuff, I like the sounds of acoustic and I'm
mainly a rhythm player anyway. Occasionally I'll get a little wacky on demos
and get the electric out and do some very strange solos indeed, but more of
that later on." - 20th
Century Guitar
Julian's first guitar was a Les Paul copy his father gave him for Christmas
when he was eleven years old... His first drum set was given to him by his
father when he was five... it was painted white and thrown into the swimming
pool...
Julian taught himself how to play piano, concentrating on jazz and classical
music. While recording Valotte, he used a Steinway acoustic piano.
2.4 What were Julian's biggest hit
singles?
Julian's biggest hit songs include: Valotte
(#9 on Billboard's Top 40 in November 1984) and Too
Late For Goodbyes (#5 on Billboard's Top 40 in February 1985) from his
debut album Valotte. Stick
Around from The Secret Value of Daydreaming
(#32 on Billboard's Top 40 in April 1986) and Saltwater
from 1991's Help Yourself
2.5 What did Julian do in the 7 years
between Help Yourself and Photograph Smile?
During the seven year break between Help
Yourself and Photograph Smile,
Julian was a guest artist on the Mr. Holland's Opus soundtrack doing
the credits song Cole's Song... had a
cameo's in the movies Cannes Man
& Leaving Las Vegas... and was the voice of David in an
animated version of Charles Dickens's novel David Cooperfield Check
out Julian's Discography for info on other musical
and cameo appearances.
2.6 What is Valotte?
Valotte is the name of the manor/chateau near Nevers, France at which
Julian's debut album, Valotte, was written... Julian used a portable
eight-track recording studio while at the manor... Valotte took nearly a
year to complete and went platinum selling over 1 million copies. There is a
song called Valotte on the album as well and the opening lines refer to the
chateau... "Sitting on the doorstep of the house I can't
afford..." Click here for the rest of
the lyrics..
2.7 Who are Julian's
musical influences? / What does he listen to?
Julian's list of musical influences is fairly diverse, including Steely
Dan, the Doobie Brothers, Keith Jarrett, Prince, the Police, the Tubes and
off course the Beatles.
As far as what he listens to... in the July 1998 German
Rolling Stones Magazine (Thanks to Nina),
Julian listed his top ten albums as:
-
The Beatles: "Sgt. Pepper"
-
The Eagles: "Hotel California"
-
Keith Jarrett: "Köln Concert"
-
Steely Dan: "Pretzel Logic"
-
Donald Fagen: "The Nightfly"
-
Badfinger: "No Dice"
-
The Blue Nile: "Hats"
-
Led Zeppelin: "II"
-
Radiohead: "OK Computer"
-
Annie Lennox: "Diva"
2.8 Is there sheet music/tabs available
for...?
I do not know of any sites offering tabs for the songs currently. There
was one but the webmaster got overwhelmed with other projects and school... See the "Sheet
Music" section of "Music &
Memorabilia" to view items which have been released. No sheet music
for the songs on Photograph Smile have been released that I know
of... There was a sheet music book for Help Yourself despite the fact
it isn't listed. Sheet music books for Valotte, Secret Value of
Daydreaming, and Mr. Jordan can frequently be found on eBay
2.9 How many albums has Julian
released?
Julian has released 5 full length albums to date:
1984 Valotte
1986 The Secret Value of
Daydreaming
1989 Mr. Jordan
1991 Help Yourself
1998 Photograph
Smile
Check the Discography for information on
other releases.
Personal Issues
3.1 When was Julian
Born?
The son of John Lennon and Cynthia Powell Lennon (John's first wife),
John Charles Julian Lennon was born at 6:50am on April 8th, 1963 in Sefton General
Hospital in Liverpool, England weighing 6lbs 11oz. He was named John after
his father, Charles after Cynthia's father and Julian after John's mother
Julia.
3.2 Is Julian married? Does he have
children?
There are no children that I know of.. Julian is seriously involved with a
young lady Click here for more information.
3.3 Where is Julian
currently living?
Julian is currently based out of Europe and where he loves to sail,
cook, paint, sculpt and explore little villages and towns. He did have a
house in LA for a while however it was sold back in the late 90's.
Sorry but for Julian's security and privacy, his actual address and location
can not be given out.
3.4 Was "Hey Jude" written for Julian by
Paul McCartney?
"Hey Jude" - originally "Hey Jules"
-
was written for Julian by Paul McCartney while Paul was driving over to see
Julian and his mum, Cynthia, following his parents divorce. Paul
talked about this on the TV program Friday
Night Videos in November of 1984..
Julian didn't find out the full details from Paul until 1987
when he bumped into Paul in the Carlyle Hotel in New York... Julian recalled
this in a interview in 1998 saying "We hadn't seen each other for
years, and it was an indescribable feeling to find out the truth. It's hard
to imagine this man was thinking about me and my life so much that he wrote
a song about me. It's an honor knowing that someone was worried about your
well being and how you were going to grow up." It's some burden,
too. "If I'm sitting in a bar and the song comes on the radio, I
still get goose pimples." Julian bought the recording
notes scribbled by Paul anonymously for £25,000 on September 19th, 1996.
Incidentally, "Hey Jude" was the longest running number 1
single for the Beatles spending 9 weeks at number one starting in September
1968.
3.5 What is the story behind "Lucy In the Sky
With Diamonds"?
One
day in 1966 while living in Weybridge, Julian brought home a watercolor
drawing (pictured to the left) from Heath House Infants' School.
Julian recalls..., "I was trundled home from school and came walking
up with one of my watercolor paintings. It was just a bunch of stars and
this blonde girl I knew at school. And Dad said, 'What's this?' I said,
'It's Lucy in the sky!'" This became the inspiration for the
Beatles tune "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."
Later, another of Julian's drawings was used as the cover to the Beatles's
1968 Christmas Record. (pictured to the right).
3.6 During the Photograph Smile tour Julian wore
"4" and "B" charms. What do they stand for?
I did a bit of research on these... Click
here for more information.
People who have worked with Julian/ Julian has worked with
4.1
What happened to Justin Clayton?
Justin Clayton is probably the most significant of all of the people Julian
has worked with... Justin is Julian's best friend and has
co-wrote several songs with Julian as well as backed Julian up on the first
four albums and played on the 5th. The photo to the left graced the cover of
several singles for the Help Yourself album and shows Justin on
guitar behind Julian.
Justin toured with Julian on every tour with the exception of the 1999
tours. He missed the 1999 tours because he was working on and released his
own solo album entitled Limb on September 14th, 1999 on Ultimatum
Music. Julian and Justin met when they were 11 and took guitar lessons from their
gym teacher at Kingsmead School. Their first
performance was at a school function. Visit effortlesSimplicity
for more info on Justin.
4.2 Can you tell me anything about the
girl Gemma Hayes who sings with Julian on the song "Faithful"?
Well a little but not much. Julian and Bob Rose ran into
Gemma Hayes while recording parts of "Photograph
Smile" in Ireland. She came down to the studio, Bob and Julian
liked her voice and so they recorded "Faithful"
there and then. She has recently landed her own record contract. You can
find out more about her HERE
Thanks to Cass & Kalli for the link.
From doing a bit of research on the net, I've also found out
that the 22 year old is from Tipperary, Ireland and sings in clubs around
Ireland. She describes her influences as Red House Painters, Deus, American
Music Club, Papa M, The Blue Nile, Nick Drake, Gillian Welsh, The Frames and
Mogwai. She sang a song in the movie "A Love Divided".
4.3 Was Julian in a band called
"Quasar" back in the early 80s?
Practically all biographies list that Julian played drums for a band
named "Quasar" when he was 20. This actually is not true. "Quasar"
was a 3-piece heavy rock band consisting of Paul Inder (son of
Motorhead's lead guitarist, Lemmy), Pat McMillan and Les Warner. "Quasar's"
rehearsing room was simply near Julian's and so Julian and Justin Clayton
would stop in and jam with them occasionally.. at one of these jam sessions
a bunch of pictures were taken which is what lead to the Julian & Justin
were in the band rumors and subsequent press....
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