Lennon

"Men have called me mad, but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence." So said Edgar Allen Poe, when questioned about his mental illness. A contemporary artist who may have had the same question thrown at her is singer/songwriter Lennon.

Upon first seeing her pale but beautiful features, dark hair, and black gothic-style clothes, many parents might be intimidated; and, of course, many teenagers and young adults might be attracted. This seems to be the perpetual mystery about rock stars: who are they? Are they crazy? Are they depressed?

"I get all my inspirations from my own life," replies Lennon to these reactions. "I get accused of being an angst-ridden, angry girl; usually it's just when I'm bored." Some of Lennon's songs, which are inspired by her struggles, may have brought on such questions. Luckily for her, she has a creative channel in which to pour her frustrations.

Yes, she is named after John Lennon, as many have asked; however, she admits that she isn't a huge Beatles fan. "I probably would've asked him about his artwork more than his music," she says about the possibility of meeting the Beatle. Ironically, she is still in the throes of a legal battle with Yoko Ono over the use of her name as an artist.

"They had to rewrite their suit against me," she explains, "...everything's in my favor; it's a pain in the ass. [Yoko] figured she could scare me into giving it up. She would've been better coming to me personally." If anything, the legal rigmarole is giving her more cannon fodder. For a time, she considered going with Devil's Gift as a new stage name (after her metal side project), but finally decided to stick with Lennon. "I've been trying to get rid of it for years," she says of the name, but it seems that hasn't worked out.

Very recently, Lennon has made her albums available on John Galt Entertainment, where users can download MP3s for any price they want, even for free. "We want everyone to be albe [sic] to enjoy, even those who can't afford to pay. Keep in mind, I am far from Radiohead or Trent; any amount you are able to to contribute is very much appreciated." On the site at the moment are the albums Career Suicide and Damaged Goods, as well as Beyond the Warped Tour.

Lennon herself has become disenfranchised with the music industry, saying that it isn't the paradise it's made out to be. "The industry is the biggest shithole in the world," she seethes, "I knew what I was getting into...[people are] getting signed for having 200,000 fans [on Myspace.]" Myspace users may or may not be aware of this situation; a great number of independent artists have gotten their start on Myspace, but clearly, not all of them have what it takes to go out and make it in the business.

Lennon has also come to life on YouTube, through such videos as "Shadow Never Ending," the distorted, anger-infused creation with cinematography reminiscent of Marilyn Manson's "The Beautiful People" and Nine Inch Nails' "Closer."

Yet, if this is all you've heard of Lennon, the logical next step would be to look up songs such as "5:30 Saturday Morning," the gentle, piano-backed ballad that shows her at her most vulnerable.

Fans and critics will be hard pressed to nail down Lennon into a genre, as with many of the most talented artists these days. Career Suicide is more along the lines of a goth/industrial album, while her more recent work is straight-up metal. Lennon says that even if you may have discovered her music online, you are still likely to find her albums in record stores. "Maybe not Wal-Mart," she jokes, "but the major stores."

Enthusiasts of sites like Deviant Art will appreciate the fact that Lennon is a Suicide Girl. For those who've never seen the website, Suicide Girls features women from all across the world, usually with goth/punk imagery, in sexually suggestive photos. Most of the models, however, do not look at their work as pornography, but rather art. "I got months worth of shit for it," says Lennon of the photos; ironically, this happened before she had even posted them. Once her pictures had actually been put up, the fans quieted down.

More on the mainstream side, Lennon has been featured three times as "Girlfriend of the Day" on Maxim's website. Their description of her: "Lennon rocks like Alanis Morrissette would have if Dave Coulier had killed her cat before breaking up with her." Their photos, while seemingly typical of the magazine, are still true to Lennon's rock star image. They feature her in sheer lingerie or sometimes a simple tank top, usually staring into the camera with a lean, seductive look.

Contrary to what you might think from her photos, she is an extremely down-to-earth, approachable person, and no matter what media attention or fame she might garner, she is the type of artist you'd want to walk up to after a concert. If you've ever attended one of Tori Amos' "meet-and-greets," you would most likely be drawn to Lennon.

So, readers: you may be a rock fan, or a goth fan; you may blast heavy metal, or chill with acoustic folk-rock. Lennon is, at different times, all of these; and no matter what you might have heard about her in the media, she is certainly someone you'll want to listen to...and perhaps even join for coffee.