Living in the Material World

[H2O Man]

Martin Scorsese's documentary on George Harrison – “the Quiet Beatle” – is featured on HBO tonight, starting at 9 pm/est. It should be of interest not only to older forum members, who came of age when the Beatles burst upon the scene and changed American culture, but also for younger folks who are curious about the role that group played in influencing today's society.

Most people probably have a general understanding of George's role in the Beatles. He was the lead guitarist in a group that featured the best song-writing duo in modern history. Both John Lennon and Paul McCartney were uncanny vocalists, too. The group had tried several drummers, before settling on Ringo Starr, who would show the strongest acting skills when the group made two hit movies.

As a result, George was limited in his contribution of songs on the group's albums, and would not have any hit singles until the band's later stages. More, on stage Harrison tended to be overshadowed by Lennon, McCartney, and Starr. This didn't mean that George was somehow overlooked – he was wildly popular – but his influence would increase dramatically when he began to explore eastern religion and expand on the instruments he played when the Beatles stopped touring, and became a studio group.

The number of “Harrisongs” on the group's albums would increase with the release of their 1968 double-LP “The Beatles”(aka the White Album). The “Anthology” CDs document that, by the third collection, George had reached the same level as John and Paul. But the ever-increasing tensions between the four young men would keep a number of his songs from being released on the group's albums.

George, like Ringo and John, actually quit the Beatles before Paul “officially” split. Both George and Ringo would return; Lennon was convinced to not make his “divorce” public. George and John would release solo LPs – George's an instrumental work, and John's being “experimental” works with Yoko. However, after Paul's quitting, George would release his triple-album “All Things Must Pass,” that included outstanding songs that had not found spots on Beatles albums.

George's career after the Beatles included the benefit Concert for Bangladesh – another triple album, since released on DVD – and that infamous garage band, the Traveling Wilburys.

I'm looking forward to watching this film tonight. I hope that other forum members will be tuning in to it, too.

[Kurovski]

1. Thanks for the heads up, H. K&R

[pipi_k]

2. I always thought he was underappreciated....

Anyway, one of my favorite GH songs...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTu6o1IU8i8


PS...because it's from the last of my innocence, and bittersweet for its memories...

[LibDemAlways]

3. Thanks for posting this. I don't get HBO but plan to get the

film when it comes out on dvd next week. You've done an excellent job summarizing George's contribution.

As an aside, my daughter chose George Harrison as the subject of her "Historical Figure" project in high school world history class. She put together a 15 minute biographical film using snippets of concert and other footage gleaned from the internet and other sources. Her research on the Concert for Bangladesh inspired her to support a music-based charity called Music Saves Lives. She earned an A+ for her efforts and the teacher kept the film to show future students. George continues to be influential. I hope Scorsese's documentary is widely seen.

[Lint Head]

4. Thanks for the reminder. I saw the Beatles when they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show

the first time. We had a black and white TV and my mother asked me, "Are they wearing helmets?"

[H2O Man]

5. kick

[gratuitous]

6. Wanna feel even older?

Consider that when the Beatles broke up in early 1970, with an oeuvre of work that many artists will never achieve, the oldest of them was . . . 29 years old. Just damn.

[PufPuf23]

7. George Harrison was the only Beatle I saw play live.

George Harrison, Ravi Shankar, and Billy Preston on the Dark Horse tour at Oakland Coliseum in mid 70s.

Shankar and Preston (Nothing from Nothing was new then) played opening sets and then played with George's Band (including Shankar's percussionists).

It was a concert that should have never ended.

[malaise]

8. Thanks for this Waterman

Will watch :hi: