Apple holds a launch party for Radha Krsna Temple

Apple Records threw a party for Radha Krsna Temple, the day before the release of their debut single Hare Krishna Mantra.

The single had been produced by George Harrison, and he played harmonium and bass guitar on the recording. It was released as Apple 15, with Prayer Of The Spiritual Masters as its b-side.

Harrison and various members of the Hare Krishna movement attended the party, as did several bus-loads of journalists and photographers. Vegetarian Indian food was served inside a marquee in the gardens, but there was no alcohol.

In August 1969, Apple released Hare Krishna Mantra, without knowing how the public would react to a Sanskrit prayer which was backed by a rock rhythm. Nearly one hundred reporters and photographers gathered at a press conference convened by the Apple Corporation on the manicured lawn of an elegant country house in Sydenham.

The party was held at The Wood, a large country house at 16 Sydenham Hill in south London. Apple rented the property from owner AJC Lyddon, and also held the company’s first birthday party there.

I’m completely at ease now. I know everything’s all right and getting better. I just get happier and happier. You have control of your mind, rather than your mind having control of you. The higher your consciousness goes, the more you are able to see, and you are able to stop things like temper.

It’s helped me; it can only get better for me. I’m interested in this because the Krishna scene is the same as several others, a lot of branches on the same tree, and I’m involved in a lot of them. The thing they have in common is to get back to God, and to get consciousness. With the Krishna consciousness people, there are probably more people I can identify with, because there are younger people, and they’ve been through different scenes like we all have. They’ve been drunkards at one time or another.

I never stop chanting the Krishna mantra. I chant for about three-quarters of an hour in the mornings. To go to an ordinary church is okay, it’s a nice feeling, but they don’t show you the way to Christ consciousness.

After the party, Harrison and his wife Pattie travelled to the Isle of Wight to meet Bob Dylan, who was due to perform at the Isle of Wight Festival on 31 August 1969.