Grab Bag: Nepo Babies

Good genes. Industry access. A lack of initial meritocracy. These artists reaped the benefits and pitfalls of simply being the children of some of the most famous musicians of all time. It's NEPO BABIES week, grab bag style!

We start off nepo week in style with Nancy Sinatra performing a stone-cold classic on Ed Sullivan in 1966 with an array of groovy back up dancers. Ziggy Marley leads a nepo baby band at the height of his powers sounding exactly like his Dad. It's nepo baby mania in 1990, with Wilson Phillips and Julian Lennon performing two months apart on Letterman. The guys unearth the odd cultural relic of Z, a short-lived Zappa family band that combines guitar virtuosity with a nonsense grunge aesthetic. Jakob Dylan, not satisfied to be only upstaged by his father, performs with Bruce Springsteen on the VMAs in 1997. And MTV pushes Kelly Osbourne onto the music world, and the world politely declines.

Want to watch along with us? Check out the links below for the performances discussed this week!

Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made for Walking, 2/27/1966 on The Ed Sullivan Show

Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers - Tumblin' Down, 2/7/1989 on Late Night with David Letterman

Wilson Phillips - Hold On, 4/24/1990 on Late Night with David Letterman

Julian Lennon - I Get Up, 6/18/1990 on Late Night with David Letterman

Z - My Beef Mailbox, 2/28/1994 on Late with Conan O'Brien

The Wallflowers with Bruce Springsteen - One Headlight, 9/4/1997 on the MTV Video Music Awards

Kelly Osbourne - Papa Don't Preach, 6/1/2002 on the MTV Movie Awards