Beingthe son of someone famous is a double-edged sword. Sure, it helps youcut through the clutter, but if you're not careful that sword can cutyou. If your father happened to be a Beatle, the blade is even sharper. Just ask John Lennon's sons Julian and Sean, who released records under their own names to mixed reviews and an incredible amount of scrutiny. Ringo'sson, Zak Starkey, may have had it a little easier, since he's not inthe spotlight, but rather behind the kit, although he has played withsuch high-profile acts as Oasis and the Who.
Dhani, the son of late, great Beatle George Harrison,acknowledges his surname "comes with a lot of baggage." It's for thatreason that Harrison and his mate, drummer Oli Hecks opted to record asthenewno2. Check out this exclusive performance ofthenewno2--joined by Jon Sadoff on keyboards and Jason Hiller onupright bass--performing "Give You Love," one of several fine tracksfrom the band's debut album, You Are Here. Be sure to hang in until the end when things get a little less like Dhani's father and the Beatles and a little more like Radiohead.
Interestingly,as you'll see in the interview below, Harrison doesn't refer tothenewno2 as a band, but as "a company." It may be the first you'rehearing of it, but the company already has some impressive credits forits graphic art, including album design for George's final album, Brainwashed as well as the Concert For George, The Dark Horse Years boxed set and the menu design for Concert For Bangladesh DVD.
As a musician, Dhani played guitar and added backing vocals on Brainwashed, working to complete it with producer Jeff Lynne following his father's passing. He also served as an honorary Traveling Wilbury, joining Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Lynne to perform "Handle With Care" at the tribute concert to his father, which was subsequently released on CD and DVD.
Ofcourse, all of those credits are well and good, but Dhani really wantsis for thenewno2 to be taken on its own merits for its music, which hesays is quite different than his father's. He acknowledges that hisfather is an influence. How can't he be? But still, he and his band aretrying to forge their own identity, as Dhani explains in the interviewbelow.
Do you think Dhani and thenewno2 will get a fair shake from the public? Or will they be forever dogged by comp-Harrisons?