4 December 1968: George Harrison invites Hell's Angels to Apple

On this day George Harrison circulated a memo at Apple to tell staff that he had invited a group of Hells Angels from California to stay at 3 Savile Row.

Hells Angels will be in London within the next week, on the way to straighten out Czechoslovakia. There will be twelve in number complete with black leather jackets and motor cycles. They will undoubtedly arrive at Apple and I have heard they may try to make full use of Apple’s facilities. They may look as though they are going to do you in but are very straight and do good things, so don’t fear them or up-tight them. Try to assist them without neglecting your Apple business and without letting them take control of Savile Row.

George Harrison

Harrison had met the Hells Angels while in California in October and November. He had been staying in Los Angeles while producing tracks for Jackie Lomax’s debut LP, Is This What You Want?. The Hells Angels did indeed stay, arriving later in December 1968.

Last updated: 26 November 2018

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Latest Comments

Ms. Lane Monday 4 December 2017
It’s been said (in The Longest Cocktail Party, I believe) that it later fell upon George to disinvite them when they wrecked sufficient havoc at Apple, where they allegedly tore a Christmas turkey asunder and threatened to punch John Lennon in the face.
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Geri Messina Tuesday 4 December 2018
LOL – I’m sure John Lennon had been punched in the face many a time by that point, but I would imagine the threat felt more than a mere punch in the face – it could have gotten ugly no doubt. It sounded to me as though George was more or less coerced into “inviting” them. Interesting …
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Colin Timothy Phillips Thursday 12 March 2020
I am pretty damn sure that if a Hell’s Angel attempted to punch John Lennon in the face in 1968, that John Lennon would have lost his mind and strangled the guy to death.
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