Beatles Kids Join Forces on Trippy New Song

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Three sons of The Beatles have come together for a wild new track but don’t expect it to sound anything like the Fab Four.

Zak Starkey, James McCartney, and Sean Ono Lennon feature on the latest song from psychedelic supergroup Mantra Of The Cosmos called Rip Off.

It’s not the first time Beatles’ children have collaborated. Sean and James previously released a song together called Primrose Hill in 2024. But with Zak now in the mix, things have taken a more unexpected turn.

The band also includes Shaun Ryder and Bez from Happy Mondays and former Oasis bassist Andy Bell. If that sounds like a strange combination, it is and Zak wants it known that this isn’t a Beatles 2.0 project.

“No, it’s not,” he told The Telegraph. “It’s like Mantra Of The Cosmos with them in it. It’s Sean of the Cosmos and James of the Cosmos, it’s still my band.”

There were earlier rumors that Zak and Sean were forming a separate group after a picture of them together sparked speculation. Zak shut that down quickly.

He joked on social media: “If we had spent 3 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 seen?”

Rip Off follows the group’s previous single Domino Bones (Get Dangerous), which featured Noel Gallagher.

Away from the music, Zak’s been open about some personal struggles. Unlike other Beatles offspring, he says he hasn’t inherited a fortune. His mother, Maureen Cox, passed away in 1994 without much money, and Zak says he’s felt the impact.

“They’ve got loads of money because their dads are dead. James’ mum [Linda McCartney] is dead. Left him a lot of money,” he said. “My mum died skint with a whole desk-full of brown envelopes she never opened because she spent all her money on her friends.”

Things haven’t been smooth on the professional front either. Zak, 59, was let go from The Who earlier this year after a falling-out tied to his performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

“I watched the show and I can’t find any dropped beats,” he said. “What happened was I got it right and Roger [Daltrey] got it wrong.”

He also said Pete Townshend didn’t fight the decision because “Pete’s had 60 years of arguing with Roger.”

Despite being axed, Zak says there might still be a chance of returning. “Roger said, ‘Don’t take your drums out of The Who’s warehouse yet in case we need you.’ I said, ‘Best let me know.’”

In the meantime, he’s even written to Bob Dylan asking if he needs a drummer though he hasn’t heard back.

For now, Zak’s keeping busy with Mantra Of The Cosmos, and Rip Off is proof that the Beatles’ legacy is still sparking new, unpredictable music just don’t expect it to sound like 1964.

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Mia Brooks

Music Correspondent at T.H.E - Music Essentials

Mia Brooks dives deep into the beats and rhythms of the music industry, covering everything from chart-topping albums to underground artists. With a passion for discovering new talent and exploring the stories behind the songs, Mia keeps readers updated on all things music.

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