Maps of Music

Into the Sun (1998)

Where the lyrics of Into the Sun take you, and where it was really made.

The voice saying 'Goodnight, Sean' on the final track is often credited to John Lennon, but it belongs to Walter Sear, an owner of the studio where the album was recorded.

Key places

Sear Sound, where most of the album was recorded (1998)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — Most of Into the Sun was recorded at Sear Sound in New York. The track Queue was the one exception, recorded at another New York studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Into the Sun: debut studio album by Sean Lennon
• Released 8 May 1998 in Japan and 19 May 1998 in the United States
• Issued by Grand Royal, the label of the Beastie Boys
• Distributed by Capitol Records, a division of EMI and the longtime home of Sean's father John Lennon
• Thirteen standard tracks, all written by Sean Lennon unless noted; the Japanese edition adds two bonus tracks
• Several songs are co-written with Yuka Honda or Timo Ellis

Background

• Recorded during Sean's time performing with Timo Ellis alongside Yuka Honda
• Honda was Sean's girlfriend at the time and also produced and performed on the album
• Sean has said the album was inspired by his girlfriend

Recording

• Most of the album was recorded at Sear Sound in New York
• The track Queue was recorded at another New York studio, The Magic Shop
• Tom Schick engineered and mixed the album at Sear Sound
• Bob Ludwig mastered the album at Gateway Mastering Studios
• Guest players on the credits include Dave Douglas on trumpet and John Medeski on Hammond C3 organ for Queue

Cover

• Sean Lennon is credited for the artwork

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Artist

Formation

• Born Sean Taro Ono Lennon on October 9, 1975, in New York City, to John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
• Holds dual US and UK citizenship.
• Started his public career at age five, reciting a story on his mother's 1981 album Season of Glass.
• Co-wrote "All I Ever Wanted" with Lenny Kravitz at age 16 for Kravitz's 1991 album Mama Said.

Members

• Member of Cibo Matto, the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, and the Claypool Lennon Delirium.
• Has also played with his mother's group, the Plastic Ono Band.

Career

• Solo debut Into the Sun in 1998, produced by Yuka Honda; the single "Home" had a video directed by Spike Jonze.
• Solo albums: Into the Sun (1998), Friendly Fire (2006), Asterisms (2024).
• Worked as producer for artists including Black Lips, Lana Del Rey, and Lemon Twigs.
• Co-founded the Claypool Lennon Delirium with Les Claypool in 2015.
• Co-founded the record label Chimera Music.
• Co-led Artists Against Fracking campaign launched in 2012.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Chicago Tribune: says Lennon shows a fine grasp of pop conventions and delivers bright examples
• The Tribune points to the bossa nova-flavored title track as one of those examples
• The Tribune also picks out Two Fine Lovers, which it calls a breezy summer companion piece

Records

• Release dates: 8 May 1998 in Japan, 19 May 1998 in the United States
• Label: Grand Royal, the Beastie Boys' label
• Distribution: Capitol Records, a division of EMI, long the home of John Lennon
• Track count: 13 standard tracks, plus two Japanese bonus tracks, Intermission and 5/8
• Japanese jewel case edition: OBI strip on the spine and a Japanese lyric insert
• Copyright notice: 1998 Sean Lennon, under exclusion license to Grand Royal Records

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The voice saying goodnight at the end of Sean's Theme is often mistakenly credited to John Lennon
• The voice actually belongs to Walter Sear, an owner of Sear Sound
• Sean has said the closing track is a tribute to his father
• The closing lines echo the sign-off of John Lennon's own Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy), which he wrote for Sean
• Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori, both of Chibi Matto, took part in the recording
• The Japanese edition includes two bonus tracks, Intermission and 5/8

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org

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