Please consider registering
Guest
sp_LogInOut Log Insp_Registration Register
Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
sp_Feed sp_TopicIcon
Cool/Funny/Lovely Stories About George
10 February 2014
4.56pm
Avatar
meanmistermustard
Thankfully not where I am.
Moderator
Members

Reviewers


Moderators
Forum Posts: 24950
Member Since:
1 May 2011
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

fabfouremily said
Ah, come on. It’s not that bad, is it? Everyone wants to have their 15 min of fame, apparently…

Doesn’t mean we have to fulfil that longing.

It seems to be getting more tedious the links to the Beatles stories: ‘Mrs E Trip once was in Liverpool for 3 minutes at the same time as The Beatles in 1963, before she realised she had taken the wrong turn off and turned round. She never met them, was within 1/2 a mile of them or cared who they were, but here is her exclusive 5 page story of that moment in her life’.

The following people thank meanmistermustard for this post:

Matt Busby

"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)

10 February 2014
4.59pm
Avatar
fabfouremily
Sitting in an English garden
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 2929
Member Since:
3 May 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

^^ Yeah, some of it is really quite bad. Point taken a-hard-days-night-john-1

Moving along in our God given ways, safety is sat by the fire/Sanctuary from these feverish smiles, left with a mark on the door.

(Passover - I. Curtis)

17 March 2014
8.11pm
Avatar
AppleScruffJunior
Sitting here doing nothing but procrastinating...
Apple rooftop
Reviewers

Members
Forum Posts: 7583
Member Since:
18 March 2013
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
George Harrison had a big bar of Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut and he gave pieces to me, Pete Clarke and Derek Taylor. Paul McCartney walked in and saw us all eating chocolate and wanted some. George, very deliberately, put the last piece in his mouth. (Laughs) It’s childish, and I’ve done things like that in the Merseybeats, but Paul was really annoyed that George didn’t give him his last piece of Fruit and Nut. (Laughs)”
— Billy Kinsley of The Merseybeats, BBFC’s Harrison Exclusive (2011)
 
 

 

INTROVERTS UNITE! Separately....in your own homes!

                 ***

Make Love, Not Wardrobes!

                ***

"Stop throwing jelly beans at me"- George Harrison

6 January 2015
6.35am
Avatar
bewareofchairs
London Palladium
Members
Forum Posts: 166
Member Since:
18 December 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I apologise for neglecting this thread for so long! This was an interesting read I recently came across. It’s about the My Sweet Lord case, told from the perspective of a lawyer:

“To all,

Bob’s recollection of the mini-concert by George in my office triggered some further thoughts. The trial had just ended on February 25, 1976 — George’s birthday! Bob and I didn’t know that but our female employees did. Bob, remember Anahid, our paralegal? They brought George a cake with candles and birthday cards. He was quite touched and happy the trial was over, so he sat on the floor of my office and played his guitar. Naturally, that was one night we had no trouble keeping our employees there at night!

George found a bottle of extremely fine Armagnac which a French client gave me after we won a major trademark infringement trial the month before. (1975-1976 saw my small litigation department (3-4 people) handle 7 major trials in 2 yrs. for Freddie Prinze, George Harrison , copyright infringement of the song “Dueling Banjos”, a securities fraud case for Diners club, the trademark case to obtain clearance for the sale in the US of the World’s most expensive perfume, and Bob’s trials – the New York Jets and another involving a movie. Bob and I still laugh about those two years “being a blur”. Indeed, I am impressed Bob’s recollection of the Harrison trial and the lead-in is so accurate.

I agree with Bob that George was a gentle and unassuming man. When I met him in the mid-70s I had no idea what to expect. I was immediately impressed how down to earth he was, and how modest and intelligent. He was nobody’s fool. We walked to his deposition and, of course, the female employees at the law firm made the usual fuss. In the middle of George’s deposition we were interrupted by a huge man coming in to serve a summons against George on behalf of Allen Klein, his former manager, suing the Beatles for millions for breach of contract etc.. 20George kept his composure and did quite well in the deposition.

Afterward, we went for coffee at a coffee shop on Madison and 42nd. We sat and talked for quite some time. George said I must have some knowledge of music because of comments made at the deposition. I said I studied music and played in a small dance band which was “somewhat less successful” than the Beatles.. George said he admired anyone who could read music because he couldn’t. When I showed my surprise he said none of the Beatles — even Paul and John — could read or write music! He testified at the trial they were all “jungle musicians” who composed by ear etc.. He testified he composed one song (I don’t remember which) from listening to the sound of a water pump outside his hotel room in Algiers . Then he asked if I thought he should take formal musical lessons. Taken aback, I said the first thing I could think of — “Whatever you are doing, don’t change it” – i.e. “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

I couldn’t believe a musical genius like George asked me that question! Over the next 20 years we were in litigation, I never did find out if he was kidding. George had a great sense of humor – ( Barbie mentioned the Christmas card with a marijuana leaf on the front, which he knew I wouldn’t recognize). I now believe he was really having me on.

Bob was right about Judge Owen’s expertise in music. I had several music copyright trials but this one was quite unique. At one point, a musicologist was testifying and Judge Owen completely took over his examination. I and my opposing counsel just sat down and watched him for quite a long time. I have never had a judge do that at trial for that length of time. My opponent and I didn’t mind. The Judge was doing a great job, so we just sat back and enjoyed it.

The day George testified=2 0the Courtroom was packed to overflowing — all the clerks of the Judges in the Southern District. They heard George testify how he composed “My Sweet Lord ” and demonstrate it on his guitar. It is the biggest audience I ever had for a case! George testified quite well and quite convincingly, which was the main reason we were able to convince Judge Owen that any infringement was innocent and subconscious. That was extremely important for the damages awarded.

At some point George returned to New York and played a concert at Madison Square Garden . Our firm, of course, had tickets and Dori and I attended. It was so crowded and the smoke so thick we could hardly breathe. We noticed people kept ordering ice cream sandwiches and other sweets. When George came onstage the first thing he said was — “Is marijuana legal in New York ?” The aftermath of that incident might be why he sent me that “marijuana Christmas card”. Actually, all the cards I received from George were made by Olivia Harrison. Those were the ones Barbie saw when she came to visit.

Meanwhile, re Allen Klein’s action against the Beatles, John Eastman, Paul McCartney ’s brother-in-law (also a lawyer) and I were asked to find a law firm to represent the Beatles against Klein. We interviewed several of the big Wall Street firms, including one firm with a junior lawyer named, Amalia Kearse, an African-American woman who was a Bridge champion, and now on the Circuit Court of Appeals in New York — 1 step below the US Supreme Court. Kearse was a likely candidate for the Supreme Court when Clinton was in office, and could be now. John and I interviewed the firm that eventually got the case — Cleary Gottlieb — where one of the lawyers was an HLS classmate of mine, Albert Pergam. Stan, wasn’t Al on Law Review with you? Anyway Albert was a good man whom I enjoyed working with who, unfortunately, passed away.

Bob mentioned Allen Klein’s, in effect, purchasing the judgment won by Bright Tunes against his former client. We moved to disqualify Klein. What was a routine damage proceeding on the exact amount owed by George to Bright Tunes became, instead, a hotl y contested litigation on Klein’s breach of fiduciary duties to George. Indeed, as much else involving Klein, it was a new experience for me — and likely any other litigator. Since Klein’s attorneys prepared George’s answer to the Bright Tunes complaint, Klein, in taking over for Bright Tunes, was actually the “author” of the complaint and the answer in the same litigation!

We argued this to Judge Owen. When we served that motion in late 1978, I was leaving the firm to start my own firm. I thought I was done with George Harrison and the “My Sweet Lord ” litigation. When we won the motion in March, 1979, I was notified that George wanted me to handle the trial, which I did with litigation associates at my former firm. The 1979 trial was epic — Allen Klein testified and so did George. In preparing George, we sat in my conference room (August) in our undershirts, because it was so hot. During the trial, I called the juxtaposition of George Harrison and Allen Klein “beauty and the beast”. It did not hurt our case that Klein had just been nailed by the Federal government for not paying taxes and was subject to criminal penalties — a point I eagerly “set before the king”.

We went up to the Second Circuit when we won the trial and Klien appealed. We won went back for a third trial in 1986 and won again. Klien appealed to the Second Circuit and we won – finally ending this marathon litigation! Bottom line – George got to keep “MSL” and also gained possession of the original Bright Tunes song – “He’s So Fine”. It is the only case I know where someone was found liable for copyright infringement and wound up retaining his song and taking possession of the plaintiff’s song as well. I believe this case has been discussed widely in law schools as well as throughout the music industry. 

George’s company still receives royalties from both songs. I am gathering notes for a book on my most prominent cases and the George Harrison case will get a chapter, along with the Freddie Prinze case, the others mentioned above etc.. 

When George was diagnosed with cancer I wrote him to wish him well and told him of my MS. I was quasi-retired then (late 90s). George sent me a nice long letter to wish me well and give me advice on how to cope with everything. He later sent me some tapes of the Eastern religion he was studying. One Christmas he sent us a tea set from Harrod’s. He was very thoughtful right to the end and I was greatly saddened by his death. I will send this and Bob’s recollections to Olivia Harrison. 

I recently sent her a cartoon I found in my file of George ascending to Heaven to see “My Sweet Lord ”. I wondered how he would have reacted to that cartoon. I think he may have had a good laugh about it.

Joe Santora”

Originally posted here

The following people thank bewareofchairs for this post:

parlance, Matt Busby, all things must pass
6 January 2015
12.46pm
parker2011
St Peters Church
Members
Forum Posts: 11
Member Since:
5 January 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

bewareofchairs said
One of the reasons George is my favorite Beatle is because there’s so many cool stories about him, and yet, being the mysterious/private guy he was, most people don’t know about them. The ones I’ve read really give a sense of what a wonderful, generous, fun and interesting guy he was, so I thought it might be nice to compile them all into one thread. :)

I have to go study though, so for now these are two nice fan ones I saw on the Huffington Post and tumblr:

orsojo: “I have a friend that worked at the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center in Lancaster, MA who met George when he went there in the 90s for panchakarma treatments. He said that you wouldn’t know that George was a celebrity by the way he acted and interacted with the staff. My friend was a amateur guitar player and when Harrison learned about this young guy’s love of playing, he asked if after dinner one night he would like to get together to play. They did and just sat together enjoying the sounds they made. My friend said that looking back on it, it was surreal in a way to be sitting and playing guitar with “one of the Beatles,” but that it seemed more like just meeting a nice guy who shared your love of playing the guitar.” – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..91876.html

niceboulder: “So my friend Nicole told me a story of how she used to work in the pub where George Harrison would bike to regularly and how one christmas instead of tipping all of the waitresses there like usual he bought every single one of them a small diamond necklace. They were all so stunned and thankful and oh my god so happy and he hugged them all and he said his wife helped him pick them out. And oh my god how can you not love this man.” – http://niceboulder.tumblr.com/…..of-how-she

Really nice story! George is my secret favourite!

The following people thank parker2011 for this post:

Matt Busby, Beatlebug, all things must pass
6 January 2015
12.56pm
Avatar
Ahhh Girl
sailing on a winedark open sea
Moderator

Moderators

Members

Reviewers
Forum Posts: 22213
Member Since:
20 August 2013
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

George said he admired anyone who could read music because he couldn’t. When I showed my surprise he said none of the Beatles — even Paul and John — could read or write music! He testified at the trial they were all “jungle musicians” who composed by ear etc.. He testified he composed one song (I don’t remember which) from listening to the sound of a water pump outside his hotel room in Algiers . 

This part of the story immediately made me think of the lines from Paul’s song Save Us.

Got a feeling there’s a
Jungle rhythm beating in me
When I’m close to you

Was this theme of “jungle musicians” joked about among The Beatles when they were together as a group?

The following people thank Ahhh Girl for this post:

bewareofchairs
9 January 2015
9.39am
Avatar
bewareofchairs
London Palladium
Members
Forum Posts: 166
Member Since:
18 December 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Ahhh Girl said

George said he admired anyone who could read music because he couldn’t. When I showed my surprise he said none of the Beatles — even Paul and John — could read or write music! He testified at the trial they were all “jungle musicians” who composed by ear etc.. He testified he composed one song (I don’t remember which) from listening to the sound of a water pump outside his hotel room in Algiers . 

This part of the story immediately made me think of the lines from Paul’s song Save Us.

Got a feeling there’s a
Jungle rhythm beating in me
When I’m close to you

Was this theme of “jungle musicians” joked about among The Beatles when they were together as a group?

That’s funny – I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t recall them ever mentioning it, but George made the same comment in an interview from 1976.

This is a good one from MeetTheBeatlesForReal:

Sara: Tonight I have a story to share with you from the George Harrison chapter of the Beatles fan club. The newsletter was called the “Harrison Herald” and this story was written by Val, the London correspondent for the fan club. The story appeared in the April 1971 edition of the newsletter, so the events in the story took place the end of February through March. At that point in Beatle history, the Beatles had been broken up officially for about a year and they had been going to court and things were looking pretty ugly between Paul and the other three. The fans weren’t sure what to think about all of this. And it is hard for me to put myself there in early 1971 when it was going on. I know the outcome of everything. But reading about the Paul suing the other three in the newspapers must have been somewhat of a shock to the fans. So the fans in this story did what fans do…they started a petition.” 

Writing On

By Valerie

Harrison Herald – April 1971

So much has happened since the last time my column was printed in the newsletter. Consequently, I’m going to just tell you about one of the best times I’ve been to George’s. I was at his house twelve times in the past month. Anyway, the last time I saw him was the best. I went up there with my friend Carolyn. We first went to John’s home, really gorgeous, and then to George’s. I had this wild idea of a petition in support of the partnership, etc. and I wanted John, George and Ringo to be the first three to sign it. John loved it and signed right away, with a very pleased look in his eye. The petition reads, “We the undersigned, present this petition in support of keeping the partnership from being dissolved.”    

Anyway, George was next. I was afraid he’d be angry with me for coming up so often (I’ve been labeled by all as the only Henley Scruff), and I really regretted going up to him until he came over. He and Pattie and some other guy were pulling branches off a dead, overgrown tree when he spotted us walking up the road. He squatted on the ground to look to see who it was, under the branches. He didn’t look too pleased and started to stab the ground with a stick. I wanted to leave then, but Carolyn had to call him. I was really frightened of his yelling at me, because I didn’t want to spoil my great relationship with him. But, he was so sweet and gentle. When he came over I casually pulled out the petition and explained about it, and that I didn’t expect it to help or hinder the decision, etc, but it was more or less just to show them that we, the fans, still care. Contrary to public opinion. He read it and almost burst out laughing. I felt like such a fool. But being such a nice person, he didn’t laugh, but smiled greatly and to avoid breaking up he stuck out his tongue and fell back on his other foot. He then looked right into my eyes and said, “But you see this won’t help one way or the other. See it’s a legal matter, and this won’t make any difference.” I agreed but looked disappointed all the same. He said, “Don’t worry about it girls, because we’re all looking for a solution. And if Paul wants out, there’s nothing to hold him in. We’ve all gone through so much these past two months that we just want an end to the whole thing. And anyway, Paul won’t come out any better than the rest of us. He’s in it just as far as we are. All he wants is for a new receiver to be in (the new receiver had been okayed by the judge two days before). Then, we all said together, “And it looks like he got that!” We all laughed over this and George said “So this is a very sweet idea, and we appreciate it, but my signing this wouldn’t help, and it wouldn’t be good for me. Do you understand?” One thing I love about George is that he must get his point across, and wanted us to understand why he didn’t want to sign. I said yes I did, but Carolyn said, “But don’t you care, being he was one of your best friends?” George looked at us both for a moment before saying, “Sure I care, we all do. But we have to leave him to sort out his own life.” Carolyn then said, “Then you think Linda is to blame? Or rather has a lot to do with it?” He quietly said, “Yeah, sure” and looked down at the ground as though to say, “end of discussion.” 

I changed the subject by saying “Working hard?” as he was working on the grounds. He smiled, relieved perhaps, and said “Uh, just clearing the grounds here and there. A few things need doing.” I had a poster of him, which I had just made up from a small photograph of him that Carolyn took. She had given him a copy of the photograph a long time since. I asked him if he’d mind signing it and he said, “Oh, of course.” I held it up and he wrote on the top, “To Val, with Love from George Harrison .” I was so pleased. I guess he knows my name. Anyway, I suggested to Carolyn that we let him get on, and I said, “Well, thanks so much for being so nice to us. I really appreciate it.” He said, “Yeah, well thanks for everything, Tarrah then.” Then we left. 

One other time we were visiting him, I asked him about hitting the policeman. He said “Well, I got off lucky. Of the crime I was charged with, I was guilty. But I had no other choice.” He said that there was traffic in the back of him all blowing horns to get through. The light changed just as he was in the middle of the intersection. The cop tried to make him go back but other cars were already in back of him. He had no choice but to drive slowly. The cop backed away and walked into his car, which was slowly moving and this happened three times. George said the way the court worded it, he had no choice but to plead guilty. He doesn’t care much, as he can always have friends drive him around. Oh, nearly forgot another thing he said about the split up, “But in any case WE won’t be dissolved. It’ll take two-three years to legally dissolve the partnership, and by then it’s 1973-74, and the thing ends in ’77, so it’d hardly be worth Paul’s trouble.” Also on his birthday, I took a cake (chocolate) up to his house. Well, I guess that’s all for this time!

28 January 2015
4.49am
Avatar
parlance
Slaggers
Apple rooftop
Members
Forum Posts: 7111
Member Since:
8 November 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Two stories on related subject:

From the Apple Scruffs blog:

In the hospital George asked the nurses to put fish and chips in his IV. The doctor – thinking he was delusional – said to his son “don’t worry, we have a medical name for this condition.” “Yes,” said Dhani, “humor.”

Eric Idle

From the Love from George FB page:

There’s a lot of laughter in my family. My family is a bunch of wise guys – my dad and I were like a double act, and after he died I found myself surprisingly less funny for a very long period. He was friends with a lot of racing drivers and a lot of comedians, all of which liked a good old joke or shared a propensity towards silly-ness in general. It was a very funny scene over at my house growing up.

– Dhani, Filter, Fall 2011.

parlance

The following people thank parlance for this post:

meanmistermustard, ewe2, Matt Busby, Beatlebug, all things must pass

Beware of sadness. It can hit you. It can hurt you. Make you sore and what is more, that is not what you are here for. - George

Check out my fan video for Paul's song "Appreciate" at Vimeo or YouTube.

1 February 2015
1.38pm
Avatar
ewe2
Inside the beat
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3025
Member Since:
8 January 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

David Dalton, in a memoir I found whilst searching for information on a Beatles book recalls several George stories but here he is with Richard DiLello and a tricky job:

A few days later George had another little job for us. He wanted us to get him a pound of hash for his Yule celebrations. A pound of hash! Nobody outside of yer actual criminal element had ever seen such a thing. Nevertheless, in the way you talked to royalty, we assured him it was no problem. Easy as pie! We’ll be back tomorrow morning with your hash, man.

Now, what were we going to do? The only people we knew who had that kind of quantity were some truly scary Jamaicans down the Portobello Road. We entered this den of thieves and cut throats, ganja smoke so thick you could hardly see across the room. “Show us the money, mon, and we talk.” We pulled out the big fat five-pound notes. “Er, man, can we see the hash?” we asked hesitantly. “There ya go, mon,” said he, and handed us a long piece of hash wrapped in linen. But was it a pound? Richard and I looked at each other. We were dubious. “Is there a problem with it, mon?” They laughed darkly. We slid out of the room. Back at the house we weighed it. Omigod, it was barely 13 ounces. Yikes! Now what were we gonna do? Oh well, at least rock stars don’t actually kill you when you f**k up—they probably just make you leave (a fate far worse than death). We’d never be made men now.

Next morning up at Apple, George ushers us into a side room. We nervously unwrap the slab of hash. Tense moments tick by—we’re about to trot out our lame excuses when George beams. He’s ecstatic. He’s like a child on Christmas morning. He calls in Derek and Ringo. “Come in here, you gotta see this, man!” Everyone is duly impressed. George goes into the kitchen, gets a carving knife, cuts off a huge chunk and hands it to us. “Merry Christmas, guys!”

The following people thank ewe2 for this post:

Matt Busby, vonbontee, bewareofchairs

I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe.  This has been true for 2016 & 2017 Sig-Badge.png but I may have to get more specific in the future.

aus-flag-v-small.png

11 February 2015
4.19pm
Avatar
parlance
Slaggers
Apple rooftop
Members
Forum Posts: 7111
Member Since:
8 November 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Kevin and Bean are interviewing Mark Hamill about Kingman, and he told a story about meeting George on the same flight. He’d passed a note to him through a flight attendant, and George passed back a message that he could come over to say hi. And Mark managed to choke out how grateful he was to George and the band for their music, to which George replied, “You’re not so bad yourself.”   :-D

parlance

The following people thank parlance for this post:

ewe2, bewareofchairs, all things must pass, all things must pass

Beware of sadness. It can hit you. It can hurt you. Make you sore and what is more, that is not what you are here for. - George

Check out my fan video for Paul's song "Appreciate" at Vimeo or YouTube.

11 March 2015
5.11am
Avatar
parlance
Slaggers
Apple rooftop
Members
Forum Posts: 7111
Member Since:
8 November 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Something Else article on Gary Wright’s collaboration and friendship with George.

parlance

The following people thank parlance for this post:

ewe2, bewareofchairs, all things must pass

Beware of sadness. It can hit you. It can hurt you. Make you sore and what is more, that is not what you are here for. - George

Check out my fan video for Paul's song "Appreciate" at Vimeo or YouTube.

11 March 2015
8.36am
Avatar
ewe2
Inside the beat
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3025
Member Since:
8 January 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

It’s great that some of these unknown collaborations are coming to light and there’s musical evidence :D

The following people thank ewe2 for this post:

parlance

I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe.  This has been true for 2016 & 2017 Sig-Badge.png but I may have to get more specific in the future.

aus-flag-v-small.png

13 March 2015
4.23am
Avatar
bewareofchairs
London Palladium
Members
Forum Posts: 166
Member Since:
18 December 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

This is long but a really great read. Olivia must have so many amazing videos and tapes of George playing with fellow musicians.

Image Enlarger

Image Enlarger

An Evening With…George Harrison

by Night Glare with Dan Griffin

Just as everyone in any civilized country, I found December 8, 2010 a somber reminder of a loss not just to music but also to the world. Every newscast, even Al Jazeera, made note of the three decades that have passed without John Lennon . I was sitting in a car outside a friend’s house and we were discussing the strengths and weaknesses of John & Yoko’s Double Fantasy  LP when his mother walked out of the house to let us know John had been shot. We were almost too stunned to turn on the radio to hear the news. The local FM station was playing the song “No Reply ” when my friend’s mom walks out again to tell us the chilling news that John had died.

His day of loss as well as his birth, much like Elvis, will be celebrated and mourned for many decades to come. I could not help but take note that there is also another Beatle no longer with us – George Harrison . I understand that, from the beginning, John was more the face of the public Beatles, socially and politically, more so than Paul. Perhaps it was the way they each died, a homicide and a dreaded disease that set John and George apart in the reminiscing world. I didn’t catch a single mention of the nine years without George on November 29, 2010. For his birthday on February 25, other than a few “Celebration of George” nights at local pubs, little in the media will be mentioned about the man who influenced so many. I plan on inviting some of my closest friends to come to dinner where we will watch videos and listen to music featuring George and I will remember the afternoon and evening I spent with him 12 years ago and how touched I was by his inner peace and spirit.

I had the good fortune/torture of working closely with Scotty Moore, D. J. Fontana (Elvis’ original guitarist and drummer), along with a host of Sun Records-related artists, for 14 years. I take partial credit, along with Carl Perkins, in bringing Scotty out of a 24 year, self-imposed exit from the music business. By 1999, Scotty had been back in the public eye for six years. Scotty had seen his autobiography That’s Alright, Elvis published and had garnered a Grammy nomination for the All the King’s Men CD and, thanks to my badgering RCA for years, finally received gold and platinum records for the many Elvis songs on which he added integral guitar tracks. He had also agreed to tour the UK with D. J. and a seasoned band of British musicians.

We started in Glasgow on our spring 1999 tour of the UK and played all over Scotland, England, and Wales. By the time we got to the south of England, Scotty, D. J., and the band were incredibly tight and the audiences large and wild. The Saturday night show at the renowned Mean Fiddler was something akin to Beatlemania – even down to sneaking though alleyways to a waiting car. The following day, I accompanied D. J. to the BBC Radio London Studios for an interview with the great Joe Brown. Scotty had to bail on the interview because of overexertion from the travel and too many handshakes and autographs. During the interview the producer, Geoff Barker, tapped me on the shoulder and said I had a phone call. He said it was George Harrison . I played along with what I was sure was a joke but much to my surprise it actually was my favorite Beatle.

Joe Brown was George’s closest friend and, when he learned that Scotty and D. J., two of his earliest heroes were in town, George and his wife, Olivia, wanted to invite them to their home for dinner. We had only one night off that week and would have to drive from the middle of nowhere in Wales back to London overnight to make the date. We did.

Initially, the invitation was for Scotty and D. J. only. Joe Brown explained that George did not like managers! Despite the dejection, I knew how great it was for them to meet him. Joe casually mentioned to George that I had worked with Carl Perkins and Sam Phillips and that changed his mind. I was thrilled to be invited along and was equally thrilled when George called to ask if it was OK if his neighbor, who wanted to meet Scotty, joined us for dinner. The neighbor was Alvin Lee, another of my early guitar heroes. Most of our one day off was spent recuperating from, as Jackson Browne sings, too many shows in a row, and the grueling drive back to London from Wales.

George sent a driver in a town car to pick us up at our London hotel and we had a nice 40-mile ride to the little village of Henley-on-Thames. It was only while driving through the gate to the enormous estate that it finally hit me that I was about to actually be in the presence of a Beatle – at his own home. As we pulled to a stop, a golf cart rounded the back of the house and I saw the “quiet Beatle” with a beaming smile on his face. I will never forget the welcoming look on his face and was taken by how he embraced all of us as Joe introduced each. George seemed genuinely excited to meet two of his own heroes.

I was taken by the lack of servants on hand to usher us into the castle, but it was nice surprise to have George, alone, invite us into the kitchen to sit around a small table while he made tea and coffee. Yes, George made the tea and coffee. It was later in the same year when the crazed person broke through that very kitchen window and stabbed George until Olivia and their personal assistant, Rachael, beat him to a pulp. I couldn’t help but think that, ten years earlier, I never would believe I would be sitting at a table with Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana sipping tea with George Harrison .

Just above Scotty’s left shoulder on the wall was one of the original Elvis, Scotty & Bill promo photographs in the Western shirts. The 8×10 had been autographed by all three and George was thrilled when Scotty, the only living expert, verified the signatures. It was especially rare in that Elvis had signed his name only with no other notation. Olivia had given this to George for their anniversary and now it was a verified unique gift. They had just returned from the US where he had received a clean bill of health from his throat cancer treatment and enjoyed visiting their son, Dhani, in Boston. George sat with us around the table and seemed, against type, to be bubbling over with conversation and questions.

George offered to take us on a tour around the estate but Scotty was still tired from the late night trip back to London. I did get a chance to glance into the back where the gnomes from the cover of All Things Must Pass  lay in the grass. Once again a rush of disbelief hit me. When we came back inside we were introduced to the lovely Olivia Harrison and, shortly afterward, Alvin Lee arrived. We sat in a very comfortable living room where lodged the legendary multicolored jukebox which George programmed for his favorite song, “Barnacle Bill the Sailor.” I was impressed how George maintained control of the conversation and made sure that each of us participated, as opposed to him focusing entirely on Scotty. That would come later in the evening when the guitars were taken out of their cases.

George wanted to know about my all too brief work with Carl Perkins and told us of his experience going to Carl’s funeral. He and Olivia had wanted to quietly pay their respects to his old friend but the circus atmosphere took them by surprise. He made a point of expressing his displeasure of having a guitar shoved into his hands by Billy Ray Cyrus and of being lead to a basement room where he was joined by, (his words), “that guy in the hat, (Garth Brooks), and that “big woman,” (Wynonna Judd). He couldn’t see how they fit into the service other than to make themselves part of the spectacle and he was not comfortable being expected to perform for an audience that included Johnny & June, Sam Phillips and Jerry Lee Lewis. Scotty had gone to the wake the night before but sensing the Nashville-ized nature of what would happen, he opted out of the service. Good-natured George complied and played a moving rendition of Carl’s “Your True Love.” He also told us of the bizarre occurrence as the pallbearers were taking Carl from the church. Just as they got to the aisle seat held by Sam Phillips, they stopped and a puzzled Sam placed a hand on the coffin and they moved along. George’s recollection to us was in no way mean-spirited, he was more confused at the ritual.

Olivia and Rachael had prepared a wonderful Southern-style dinner and I was beyond excited to be sitting between Mr. & Mrs. Harrison. The conversation remained strong through dinner and at one point George asked Scotty & D. J. if they had to sign autographs at shows. We explained how we sat up a table after the performance and they signed until every fan had their token for the evening. George smiled and said, “Wouldn’t you like to strangle the person who began that tradition?” I figured there would be no Beatle autograph in my future. When the conversation turned to Alvin and Joe, Scotty and D. J., I had my chance to talk music with George and asked what he was working on. He told me of the jam sessions and songwriting he was doing in his music room and studio with any friends who would drop by including Gary Brooker, Alvin and Joe and many others in his circle. I commented that he was my favorite slide guitarist and I decided to give up my attempt at the craft when I realized I could never be as good as him. He seemed to actually be nicely embarrassed by the compliment. It was also very sweet that during the entire evening he only referred to the Beatles as, “my old band.” I asked Olivia if he was always this open and genial. She said it was rare for him to feel immediately comfortable with a group of new people but as it was his early heroes along with his two best friends, he was comfortable and fully open.

I knew Scotty was very tired and was afraid he would ask to leave as soon as the meal was over. To my surprise, he lightened up when George asked if we wanted to go into his music room/studio. As we entered, I had to keep from being overly enthused about standing beside a wall of every guitar George played with the Beatles and on his solo and Wilbury’s material save for one, his cherry red Gibson SG which he gave to Delaney Bramlett in 1970. This was the guitar he used in the Revolution video and the reason, as a kid, I wanted that exact guitar for my first good instrument. He showed me around the room and pointed out all the different guitars and stringed instruments. There was one given to him by Bob Dylan and the one he saved his money and rode his bicycle to the docks to buy from a drunken American sailor. He also showed me a cushioned bench where sat a small group of puppets surrounding what I assumed was a Charlie McCarthy replica. He told me it was not not a replica but the real one and that it was one of his prized possessions. He seemed to be as proud of that piece of Americana as any of his instruments.George let Scotty pick out the guitar of his choice, as did Alvin and Joe. D. J. and I just stood around waiting for the show to begin. I was taking pictures and film with George’s camera when he broke out a Balalaika, a Russian guitar, and proceeded to play and sing “Trying To Get To You,” my favorite Elvis song. Scotty knew it well from the set list of the tour so he and Alvin played a wonderful rendition with George’s singing so beautiful – thankfully Olivia has the film. George asked Scotty if he could play him the solo on “Too Much” a song from the Sun Sessions. Scotty told him he had not played it since they recorded it and couldn’t remember it. George said, “That’s OK, I can’t remember “A Hard Day’s Night” either.

While the heavenly jam was going on with Joe singing old Elvis songs with George, Scotty and Alvin, I had a look around the music room and studio, which was covered in tapes of all formats, scattered about. Some were labeled and some not but the ones labeled contained titles like “Jack Bruce & Alvin” or “Gary Brooker, Steve Winwood,” “Bob” whom I figured was a jam with Mr. Dylan, practically everyone who came to his house got the music room treatment. I was thrilled to see Scotty and D. J. having such a good time but George’s face showed his thrill of playing with his heroes and friends – and loving every minute.

The following people thank bewareofchairs for this post:

parlance, C.R.A.
13 March 2015
4.40am
Avatar
bewareofchairs
London Palladium
Members
Forum Posts: 166
Member Since:
18 December 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

ewe2 said
David Dalton, in a memoir I found whilst searching for information on a Beatles book recalls several George stories but here he is with Richard DiLello and a tricky job:

A few days later George had another little job for us. He wanted us to get him a pound of hash for his Yule celebrations. A pound of hash! Nobody outside of yer actual criminal element had ever seen such a thing. Nevertheless, in the way you talked to royalty, we assured him it was no problem. Easy as pie! We’ll be back tomorrow morning with your hash, man.

Now, what were we going to do? The only people we knew who had that kind of quantity were some truly scary Jamaicans down the Portobello Road. We entered this den of thieves and cut throats, ganja smoke so thick you could hardly see across the room. “Show us the money, mon, and we talk.” We pulled out the big fat five-pound notes. “Er, man, can we see the hash?” we asked hesitantly. “There ya go, mon,” said he, and handed us a long piece of hash wrapped in linen. But was it a pound? Richard and I looked at each other. We were dubious. “Is there a problem with it, mon?” They laughed darkly. We slid out of the room. Back at the house we weighed it. Omigod, it was barely 13 ounces. Yikes! Now what were we gonna do? Oh well, at least rock stars don’t actually kill you when you f**k up—they probably just make you leave (a fate far worse than death). We’d never be made men now.

Next morning up at Apple, George ushers us into a side room. We nervously unwrap the slab of hash. Tense moments tick by—we’re about to trot out our lame excuses when George beams. He’s ecstatic. He’s like a child on Christmas morning. He calls in Derek and Ringo. “Come in here, you gotta see this, man!” Everyone is duly impressed. George goes into the kitchen, gets a carving knife, cuts off a huge chunk and hands it to us. “Merry Christmas, guys!”

I’m kinda surprised by this. I read an article by David Dalton about George, and it was weirdly passive-aggressive. He’d write as though he was being really positive, but it was basically all about how much of a bitter, miserable jerk he thought George was. I feel like a lot of what he says is embellished too.

This is it: http://www.gadflyonline.com/12…..eorge.html

13 March 2015
7.12am
Avatar
ewe2
Inside the beat
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3025
Member Since:
8 January 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

bewareofchairs said
This is it: http://www.gadflyonline.com/12…..eorge.html

Yeah that’s the same article :D Those who’ve read The Longest Cocktail Party will know how complex George was, particularly with the day-to-day of Apple. DiLello called the stress of it ” being Beatled” and everyone was conscious of not putting them in that situation, even the Press Office (and you’d think that was the PA’s job really!). DiLello had a similar beginning with George, but got on well afterwards. Don’t forget there was a boundary of employer/employee as well.

The following people thank ewe2 for this post:

Beatlebug, bewareofchairs

I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe.  This has been true for 2016 & 2017 Sig-Badge.png but I may have to get more specific in the future.

aus-flag-v-small.png

13 March 2015
11.32am
Avatar
meanmistermustard
Thankfully not where I am.
Moderator
Members

Reviewers


Moderators
Forum Posts: 24950
Member Since:
1 May 2011
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

In that article is written 

During the Let It Be  sessions there was a tense moment. George was wailing on his Gretsch, happy as a clam, when Yoko suddenly began wailing along with him. For a while George just looked non-plussed. The madwoman of Tokyo screamed louder and louder, and George’s head started to lower—ominously. He raised up his guitar like a sacrificial victim and hurled it to the ground. Did I mention that George loved Gertsches? He played them in honor of his idol, Chet Atkins. George loved country music; Carl Perkins was his favorite. His songs always had a country lilt to them. Anyway, there’s the Gretsch, writhing and seething on the ground like a thing alive, and there’s George walking out the door. After he’s gone, there’s a pretty cold conversation between John and Paul about what to do if he doesn’t come back. “I hear Eric isn’t doing too much these days,” says Lennon with chilling matter-of-factness.

Is this refering to George quitting  as on the short excerpt that we have (the complete film roll is missing) from the 10th January George is very calm when he is leaving and announces his leaving whilst someone (John(?)) is riffing ‘I’m Talking About You’?

The following people thank meanmistermustard for this post:

Starr Shine?, Beatlebug, bewareofchairs

"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)

5 April 2015
4.55am
Avatar
bewareofchairs
London Palladium
Members
Forum Posts: 166
Member Since:
18 December 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

ewe2 said

bewareofchairs said
This is it: http://www.gadflyonline.com/12…..eorge.html

Yeah that’s the same article :D Those who’ve read The Longest Cocktail Party will know how complex George was, particularly with the day-to-day of Apple. DiLello called the stress of it ” being Beatled” and everyone was conscious of not putting them in that situation, even the Press Office (and you’d think that was the PA’s job really!). DiLello had a similar beginning with George, but got on well afterwards. Don’t forget there was a boundary of employer/employee as well.

I noticed that when I re-read it, haha. I have no doubts George and the other Beatles could be moody, but several of the stories Dalton referred to sounded to me like he was expecting AHDN George and wasn’t prepared for how brutal their sense of humour actually was. And as MMM said, the part about George leaving didn’t happen the way he described it (maybe a case of stories being spread around Apple?). 

Besides all that, it seems like that article was written right after George died, so I don’t get why his idea of a “tribute” was to paint George in a mostly negative light. 

The following people thank bewareofchairs for this post:

Beatlebug
3 August 2015
11.32pm
Avatar
C.R.A.
Land of the Rising Sun
Carnegie Hall
Members
Forum Posts: 509
Member Since:
5 February 2014
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

It’s fun to read these stories.  I’m thinking all Harrison ever wanted was to be George Harrison .

It’s heartening reading about people meeting and interacting with him and the thrill they felt, or the genuine appreciation he gave, to whatever they met him for.

I got a bigger kick out of the the Scotty Moore story, where the thrill was all Harrison’s.  That was pretty cool.

But, by far, Michael Palin’s diary (thank you @bewareofchairs) was the best.  Between 1972 and 1979, you can literally read how Harrison became important to this man, not just as a business associate or because of his fandom for all-things Python, but because of his friendship.  It’s probably just me, but I projected an air of cynicism in his early entries, where he discusses Idle and the changes he sees, and the importance Idle places in Harrison.  By the end, he clearly understands why.

There were a couple of things I picked up, regarding his relations with the other Beatles post-breakup, and they caused my mug to crease a smile.

Thanks, everyone, for all the great posts!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?…..CRfKbmdEhY

The following people thank C.R.A. for this post:

Ahhh Girl, Beatlebug, all things must pass
10 October 2015
6.25pm
Avatar
AppleScruffJunior
Sitting here doing nothing but procrastinating...
Apple rooftop
Reviewers

Members
Forum Posts: 7583
Member Since:
18 March 2013
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Pardon me I’ve just melted, what a sweetheart!

 

“When I was about 12, George he lived quite away from me. But he used to be there after school and he would carry my satchel home for me. Things like that and he had a guitar he used to play He could only play one song and it was ‘Those Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Ole Gang Of Mine” and he would sit there on the arm of the couch and play this song. And he was really into me, or so I thought, but I think the main reason he was, was he was trying to get into me brother’s group. But my brother would say ‘Sorry son you are a bit young, come back in a few years time and you can play a bit more”

My brother opened a skiffle cellar called The Morgue where he let me go and work in the cloak room. Where George would help me. Going into The Morgue this night, it was the first night and I was so excited  I got the eye blue on and a little lipstick and the cotton down my bra. And off I went, I was in the cloak room. The very first night it opened  we had a group on call, called, I think it was called Long John and The Silver Beatles then  The show went on and at the end of it, my brother got on the mic and thanked everybody for coming and this was the first night and  thanks this and thanks that and thanks to our Iris in the back, in the cloak room because she’s done so well and she’s got real cotton down her bra.

That was the worst thing in the world that could have happened! And I just ran out of the place and ran down Oakle (sic) Park in absolute hysterics and I could hear these footsteps behind me and I was running full speed when all of a sudden it caught up to me, turned me around and it was George and that was our first kiss.

And I could, nobody has ever, that was the best kiss ever in my life. And to this day, I still remember that feeling in my tummy. Nobody ever kissed me like that. It was beautiful. “

– Iris Caldwell, Beatle Stories

The following people thank AppleScruffJunior for this post:

Beatlebug, Merch, all things must pass

 

INTROVERTS UNITE! Separately....in your own homes!

                 ***

Make Love, Not Wardrobes!

                ***

"Stop throwing jelly beans at me"- George Harrison

12 October 2015
7.57pm
Avatar
Beatlebug
Find me where ye echo lays
Moderator

Moderators
Forum Posts: 18181
Member Since:
15 February 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
100sp_Permalink sp_Print

Feeling the Georgelove. heart 

([{BRACKETS!}])
New to Forumpool? You can introduce yourself here.
If you love The Beatles Bible, and you have adblock, don't forget to white-list this site!
whiteheart.png
avatar_creative_signature_Hmm.pngStarSpangledBanner.png

Forum Timezone: Europe/London
Most Users Ever Online: 700
Currently Online:
Guest(s) 1
Top Posters:
Starr Shine?: 16105
Ron Nasty: 12534
Zig: 9832
50yearslate: 8759
Necko: 8043
AppleScruffJunior: 7583
parlance: 7111
mr. Sun king coming together: 6402
Mr. Kite: 6147
trcanberra: 6064
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 88
Members: 2859
Moderators: 5
Admins: 1
Forum Stats:
Groups: 3
Forums: 44
Topics: 5509
Posts: 380343
Newest Members:
frankc, viv@nelsontraining.co.uk, bornhairyman, frankkilmore123@gmail.com, onlyanorthernsong
Moderators: Joe: 5691, meanmistermustard: 24950, Ahhh Girl: 22213, Beatlebug: 18181, The Hole Got Fixed: 8410
Administrators: Joe: 5691