Trying to launch a musical career as the child of a rock star has its benefits and pitfalls.

On the one hand, it comes with instant name recognition and an angle that could be mined for marketing purposes when looking to distinguish one's self from the rest of the pack. On the other, there can be unreasonable expectations from the public to live up to the artistic and/or commercial standards of the famous parent.

Julian Lennon is possibly the perfect example of this dichotomy. The oldest son of John Lennon burst on to the scene with Valotte in 1984, only four years after his father was killed. The fact that he looked and sounded a lot like the late Beatles star undoubtedly helped Julian get two singles into the Top 10. But subsequent attempts to define his own sound were met with diminishing commercial returns.

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Some, including the children of John Bonham, Ringo Starr and Bob Dylan have made considerable careers for themselves. Others, like the sons of Eddie Van Halen and Phil Collins, began their careers in their fathers' bands, playing to packed arenas while still in their teens. And Calico Cooper has been an integral part of her father Alice Cooper's stage show for years, and also fronts her own rock band.

Of course, being the offspring of a famous parent is no guarantee of success. As you'll read below, there are plenty of acts whose musical careers haven't quite taken off, with only a handful of little-heard singles or albums to their names.

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