Lennon's Family Secrets

02/04/1999 at 12:00 AM EST

Julian Lennon says his father John Lennon would have resented his son's musical career had he lived long enough. "Knowing his insecurities, I think he might not have liked me doing well," Lennon, 36, claims in this week's Hello! magazine. "That was one of his problems." Julian's mother, Cynthia, agrees. "It's very sad he isn't here," she says of the late Beatle, who left her when Julian was 5. "On the other hand, if he had still been here, it may be -- and this is a terrible thing to say -- that John would have ended up overshadowing Julian." Julian recently relaunched his career after a break of several years, with the single "I Don't Wanna Know." John was gunned down in 1980.