“To Describe George, I Can Say That I Was Really Shocked At How Thin He Is. His Face Looked Just About

thinking about how one of the first big moves george makes post-breakup is to run away to new york to record the dylan sessions

George Harrison and John Lennon talking about their recent holiday in Tahiti. The Beatles press conference in Sydney, 11th June 1964

1970

Paul McCartney & George Harrison in Tokyo, Japan | July 1966 © Robert Whitaker

“The musicians crowded around center stage for final bows, cheers washed up in waves from the audience, and even Dylan was swept up in the euphoria. Backstage, Dylan picked George up and squeezed him. ‘God,’ Dylan said, ‘if only we’d done *three* shows.’”

— Joshua M. Greene on the Concert for Bangladesh, Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison

A letter to Alistair Taylor from George Harrison, and the photo in question; images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

“Sometimes, being the Beatles resident Mr Fixit didn’t seem such a great idea. Like the day George sent me a note from America. I’m not sure exactly where it was from, but then neither was he. The address was given as ‘Somewhere in America’ and the date as ‘Sunday the something’. George told me he had seen a great picture of him in the US papers taken in an unguarded moment when he was pulling an angry face and flashing a well-known two-fingered salute. George thought this was the most hilarious photo of him ever taken. He enclosed a scrap of a newspaper with this image on and my task was to track down the original. He wanted to buy the negative, have a lifesize print made of it, and have it mounted on hardboard and have it screwed on the outside of his front door. There are a lot of photographers in America and tracking down the one who had taken this particular snap took a great deal of time and effort. But eventually a friend in Fleet Street provided a vital contact and I managed it. George was delighted with the result, but the lifesize image was so alarming he did relent enough to switch it to his bathroom door. And he had them printed on the front of his Christmas card with the seasonal greeting ‘Why don’t you…?’ George always did have a rather individual sense of humour. George wrote, ‘To Al and Lesley, without whom it would not have been possible.’” - Alistair Taylor, With The Beatles (2003)

This might connect with another anecdote:

“The Beatles don’t collect pin-up photographs of themselves, but love anything a bit off-beat. In the spare bedroom, next to George and Patti[e]’s, there’s a massive 6-ft. high photograph of George, propped up against a wall, looking as though he’s about to hit somebody. George thinks he’s getting a bit tired of it, though, and might throw it out.” - The Beatles Book, January 1967 (x)

george suggesting bob dylan should join the beatles was like when a couple opens up their relationship to try to save the marriage

Photo by Bill Zygmant.

The Harrisong “Sour Milk Sea” was recorded by Jackie for his album Is This What You Want? (as George recalled in I Me Mine, the song was “really about meditation.... I used ‘Sour Milk Sea’ as the idea of — if you’re in the s***, don’t go around moaning about it: do something about it.”) Also while in California, 55 years ago… “Because he knows exactly what Jackie is after on his records, George is the ideal producer for him. They share a lot of feelings together and have this great musical sympathy as it were. George spent a lot of time with orchestras doing arrangements whenever these were necessary.” - Mal Evans, The Beatles Monthly, January 1969 “George was a champion. He made time for me and was protective even, inviting me to his home. I felt really privileged. It was incredible. To have my name associated with The Beatles – what better thing could happen to a budding artist?” - Jackie Lomax, Apple Records website After George’s passing, Jackie wrote and recorded the song “Friend-A-Mine” in his honor; it appears on The Ballad of Liverpool Slim. (x)

Miss O'Dell: Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton / Romeo and Juliet; Dire Straights / If Not For You; George Harrison and Bob Dylan / George Harrison for Creem magazine; 1987 / Tom Petty for Rolling Stone; 2002 / Romeo and Juliet; Dire Straights / Bob Dylan for Rolling Stone; 2001

John Lennon & Eleanor Bron during a press conference in Salzburg, Austria | 13 March 1965 (II)