Drummer Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, denied any chances of a supergroup forming with other children of The Beatles, including John Lennon’s son Sean Lennon and George Harrison’s son Dhani Harrison. Starkey’s responses came after he posted an image of himself hanging out with Sean Lennon in April 2023, and fans began proposing the supergroup idea.
“What a guy (although he looks completely insane here and he is and so are we),” wrote Starkey in his caption. “It was so great that Sean invited us to hang at the Dakota and actually get to know each other a bit. We had a gas, and I have to say being in the apartment … I experienced such an overwhelming feeling of love that we didn’t wanna leave.”
Starkey’s responses to fans pushing for the Beatles kids supergroup have been mostly light-hearted. “Would I love to see you, Dhani, and Sean do something together,” wrote one fan, to Starkey’s response “[You] mean a three-way right?”
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The same fan quickly elaborated “[I] was thinking more musical! You are all so talented and wonderful artists. I think your fathers knew each other, too.” The drummer quipped “If we had spent three years sleeping on flea-infested mattresses in the back room of a Hamburg club it might have chemistry, but we have been swaddled in silken robes in houses so big that it’s too far to go and make a piece of toast.”
Another fan also suggested Starkey get together with Paul McCartney‘s son James and John’s older son Julian Lennon, but the drummer did not respond.
Though it doesn’t sound like there’s a supergroup forming with The Beatles’ sons anytime soon, all have already established their own careers as solo artists, producers, composers, musicians, and songwriters.
Like his father, Starkey is also a drummer and has been playing and recording with The Who since 1996, along with previously working with Oasis. He has also collaborated with Ringo Starr and His Third All-Starr Band and his father’s solo albums, along with the late bassist of The Who, John Entwistle, Simon Townshend, younger brother of Pete, and Toots and the Maytals, among many other artists.
In 2023, Starkey also formed Mantra of the Cosmos, featuring Shawn Ryder and Bez from Happy Mondays and Andy Bell (Oasis, Ride).
Dhani Harrison recently released his second solo album Innerstanding, a follow-up to his 2017 solo debut In Parallel. The album features the single “Damn the Frequency,” featuring Blur’s Graham Coxon on saxophone.
In 2006, Harrison released his debut EP EP001 with Thenewno2, a collaborative project with Oliver Hecks. The duo released an EP and three albums together, and in 2010, Harrison also worked on the album As I Call You Down with Fistful of Mercy, a band also featuring Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur.
Along with scoring music for film and television throughout his career, Harrison has also collaborated with Prince, Annie Lennox, Pearl Jam, Wu-Tang Clan, Perry Farrell, UNKLE, John McLaughlin, and Regina Spektor, among others.
Also a songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Sean Lennon has released three solo albums from his 1998 debut Into the Sun through Friendly Fire in 2006, along with six releases with his mother Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band, and dozens of other collaborations.
Along with scoring music for film and television like Harrison, Lennon has also co-produced Plastic Ono Band albums, Lana Del Rey‘s 2017 album Lust for Life, the Black Lips’ Satan’s Graffiti or God’s Art? and a number of other artists for more than two decades.
[RELATED: 3 Songs You Didn’t Know Julian Lennon Wrote for Other Artists]
In 1984, Julian Lennon released his debut Valotte and his first hit “Too Late for Goodbyes.” In between transitioning more into philanthropy in the 1990s, he bookended the decade with Help Yourself, featuring the U.K. hit “Saltwater” in 1991, and Photograph Smile, released in 1998. Following a lengthy hiatus, Lennon, who is also a photographer, returned with Everything Changes in 2011 and his 2022 album Jude.
A guitarist and songwriter, James McCartney has also released two EPs and two albums, including The Blackberry Train in 2016. McCartney also worked on his parents’ albums, including Linda McCartney’s 1998 album Wide Prairie, and Paul’s 1997 release Flaming Pie and Driving Rain from 2001.
In 2012, McCartney teased the idea of forming a “next generation” Beatles group with Sean, Dhani, and Zak.
“I don’t think it’s something that Zak wants to do,” said McCartney. “Maybe Jason [Starr’s other drummer son] would want to do it. I’d be up for it. Sean seemed to be into it, Dhani seemed to be into it. I’d be happy to do it.”
Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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