Rock Star Sons

Ringo Starr and Zak Starkey

 In the seemingly male dominated world of rock, you are more likely to hear about sexy rock star girlfriends, wives or daughters. But being in flip of that...you feel a bit left out. I remember that in High School, the big thing was to have your binder covered in pictures. The guys had theirs covered in Sports Illustrated beach babes, most girls had the teen heart throb of the day or simply cute baby animals. I was representing with my binder covered in Beatles and Monkees shirtless and poolside pictures.

 I remember it confused fellow students, but practically every thing I did was confusing to them (and sometimes me). I knew I was old school and that these dudes I was pining for were older than my mom, but I didn't care...they were babes when they were young. Talented babes. I had a friend growing up who was my Star Wars/Monkees/Beatles buddy. She loved John, and I Ringo. She loved Peter and I was into Davy. She liked Luke Skywalker while I was into cocky Han Solo. She was a great writer even at a young age and she wrote some fantastic Monkees fan fiction.

Handsome Nick Simmons

 In our teenage universe, we wrote stories about being born way earlier and getting to experience the 60's and date rock stars. One thing I easily became fixated on was the offspring of rock stars. Though I find their daughters interesting...it was their sons I found myself having crushes on. For example, I'm not really into Kiss BUT I think Nick Simmons is a babe. He's got the Joey Ramone thing going on with the tallness and long dark hair. Rocker dad, model mom, and what's best about Nick Simmons is his sense of humor. I don't know if you've seen the reality show "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" but Nick is witty and sarcastic. He strikes me as real, genuine and fun to be around. Of course this is all projection, but that sort of thing is attractive.

Keith Moon & Zak Starkey

 I was fascinated by rock star's offspring, whether they looked like their parents or were an artist themselves. Before long I was wondering if my guys Davy and Ringo had any sons. Davy had a gaggle for girls, but Ringo had two sons and a daughter. I would wonder, did their kids get their talent? I don't necessarily believe it's a genetic trait, but when you grow up with that influence you have to wonder. Another neat thing is that Ringo's first son Zak was taught how to play drums by Keith Moon. Zak later became the drummer for The Who and went on tour with the remaining members.

 Other than landing the rock star himself, their son is the next best thing, perhaps better. They're closer to me in age and different from their parents in that they are their own person. Many of the offspring of rock stars feel the pressure to follow in their parent's foot steps in some form. While others naturally find themselves drawn to music. I think in the case of rock star offspring, the sons are more under pressure to create music and "be like their dads" than rock star daughters. Culturally we except rock star sons to become musical, while it comes as a complete surprise when their daughters do.

Daughter like Father: Lisa Marie and Elvis

 For example, both of Gene Simmon's kids Sophie and Nick are into making music (granted it's nothing like their dad's music but they are clearly musical people). On the show "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" press and fans often brought up Nick's music career but neglected to touch on Sophie's. It was always Gene and and his wife Shannon Tweed saying "Hey, our daughter makes music too." Maybe this is a symptom of how women can be invisible in the world, even the music world.

 Think of how much pressure Lisa Marie Presley has been under since birth to make music and somehow be like her father. Let's say Elvis and Priscilla had a son instead, can you imagine the pressure he'd be under? On the same token, he'd be more likely handed the world on a silver platter, while Lisa Marie has struggled to be taken seriously as an artist. Expectations like that are wildly unfair, but that seems to be how society is. If you were famous and you have kids, your kids would be forever compared to you in one way or another. Especially if you happen to be someone like Elvis.

Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono and Julian Lennon

 Take Julian Lennon for example, he is clearly very talented and is the spitting image of his father. But Julian has struggled to be taken seriously throughout his whole career. It's like we say "No, you can't be as great as your father" when they aren't even trying to say that. Often times they feel a natural propensity to music. It's hard enough being taken seriously in the music industry, I'm sure it's double hard when you are expected to follow in the foot steps of people like John Lennon.

At the end of the day, I'm into dudes and I love rock and roll, so liking rock stars and their sons is second nature to a creature like me. How could I not be kinda fascinated by them?

Check out my other blog entries for further reading:

Rolling Stone: Children of Rock

When did rock and roll become "a guy's thing"?