CONCERT FOR GEORGE is edited by Olivia Harrison & Brian Roylance and features an Introduction by Paul Theroux.
This remarkable book tells the story from the rehearsals, the soundchecks, to the stage and beyond. It's told in 34,000 words from the mouths of those who were there, and who knew George.
CONCERT FOR GEORGE is more than the story of one concert however. Eric Clapton talks about George's contrariness while Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Ringo Starr reveal a quiet, social recluse who loved company and couldn't shut up. Sam Brown remembers his ruthless honesty and compassion, Klaus Voorman his desperate anger at the state of the planet and Ravi Shankar his dedication to meditation and the sitar.
Tom Petty recalls the time he spent as a Traveling Wilbury, along with Jeff Lynne who is just one of many to comment on George's unusual songwriting. Tom Hanks and Andy Fairweather Low tell of high-speed rides in 'The Rocket' and Jim Capaldi and Terry Gilliam remember George's love of laughter. Most poignantly, Olivia and Dhani Harrison recall a husband and a father.
CONCERT FOR GEORGE is an intimate blend of laughter and tears; a personal insight into one of the Twentieth century's best-loved songwriters.
Text written by: Tanmoy Bose, Gary Brooker, Joe Brown, Sam Brown, Mike Campbell, Jim Capaldi, Eric Clapton, Ray Cooper, Lee Dickson, Claire Ferguson, Terry Gilliam, Tom Hanks, Dhani Harrison, Olivia Harrison, Jools Holland, Eric Idle, Jon Kamen, Jim Keltner, Katie Kissoon, Albert Lee, David Leland, Andy Fairweather Low, Jeff Lynne, George Martin, Tessa Niles, Michael Palin, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Emil Richards, Alan Rogan, Brian Roylance, Anoushka Shankar, Ravi Shankar, Ringo Starr, Paul Theroux, Klaus Voormann.
MICHAEL PALIN: 'The opening speech was Terry’s idea. I wrote it up and tried it out on him and it seemed quite funny and the best thing to do because we were constantly thinking of George up there and what he would have wanted and wouldn’t have wanted. It sort of dealt with what the evening was.
'It absolutely wasn’t about people saying, ‘This man who changed my life, this wonderful person, this God, this saint,’ which would have been completely wrong. There was a love of George and a love of his music and the love of his friends but no-one actually got up and said, ‘I loved him more than… I thought he was brilliant because of this that and the other.’ George would have hated that. So I thought, I’ll write all these things that would really have made George squirm and then we can undercut them and go into ‘The Lumberjack Song’.'
'George once said to me, "If we'd known we were going to be The Beatles, we'd have tried harder."' Eric Idl
DHANI HARRISON: 'Eric’s very intense because he’s the big show leader, keeping everything moving as well as singing and playing all the great guitar solos. Then there’s Mark (Mann) who has some really complicated slide parts. So I was just sitting there between those two guys. You know they’re not going to look at you and laugh and have a joke because they’ve got so much to do. I was more into enjoying the evening – that was what I was trying to do – but not mess up at the same time.'
OLIVIA HARRISON: 'On the eve of the Concert For George, the usual pandemonium and nerves were in the air. I remember saying to Dhani, ‘Imagine the number of concerts these musicians have played between them and remember who they are. They will be great and so will you.’ And not only were they great, but their combined love for George and loyalty to his music, fulfilled our desire for that evening; which was to send George the message that he will always be one of the most loved and respected persons of our generation.
'Each note and lyric of George’s songs was treated with reverence and of course, his words became a constant dialogue to us. Especially lines like:'
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.
OLIVIA HARRISON: 'The time together in rehearsals was humbling for us all and I learned first-hand why George had such fondness for each person there. Eric Clapton became the unsuspecting authority figure from whom each musician was happy to take inspiration and instruction. His early decision to organise a musical tribute was assurance that the hard work ahead would produce the results George deserved. Eric’s place on the stage being the family hearth, we looked to him in much the same way we once did George.
'In life’s usual strange way, it seemed that George had to leave before the individuals in this particular gathering could assemble. He would have gladly given Eric what would have been his own guitar part in Ravi’s band just to see his friend immersed in the music he himself so loved. It was an exotic soundstage with the music, culture and friendship of East and West mingling – new to some but to George a way of life.'
RINGO STARR: 'We were kids and when we were playing he was the baby. We bumped into each other in Liverpool but we really became friends in Germany. They were my favourite group even then. Late at night when the medication had kicked in I’d sit there requesting songs, hanging out with them in those Hamburg clubs. That’s how we got to know each other, and when the drummer they had couldn’t make the gig, Brian [Epstein] asked me to play, and play again, and then he asked me to join. But George was the main instigator of that because he and I were friends. In The Beatles we would only ever have two hotel rooms and he and I always shared but then he would be backing off so I had to hang out with the other two a bit more at first.'
ALBERT LEE: 'The highlight for me was ‘Isn’t It A Pity’ where Billy Preston comes in and starts singing. I got chills, and each time I watch it I get chills. The other bit for me is Paul doing, ‘Something’ à la George Formby, and then when the band comes in it’s just fantastic. I thought it worked so well on film. It was great to be invited to the premiere in Los Angeles and I had no idea that so many people would be there. Paul was there, and Ringo and Tom Petty and the band. It was on the Warner Bros. lot and there were lots of executives and celebrities. People were coming up to me saying, ‘We’ve seen it eight times already at the office.’ That was a special night.'
