Monday, October 7, 2013

George Feared Being Shot and Hated Being Bullied by Paul

From The Daily Mail

Barely a week into recording what would become The Beatles’ final album Let It Be, George Harrison was ready to quit.

He was no longer willing to fulfil a subservient role in the band, and by lunch on January 10, 1969, things came to a head.

Having rowed with Paul McCartney over what to play, or rather what not to play, on the track Two Of Us – ‘Whatever it is that will please you, I’ll do it,’ said Harrison acidly – during a break he told his band mates he was leaving.

When? ‘Now. You can replace me. Put an ad in the New Musical Express and get a few people in. See you round the clubs.’

‘It was very uncomfortable,’ says Let It Be producer Glyn Johns. ‘To watch this begin and be there in the immediate aftermath was very unpleasant.’

Harrison and McCartney had had a fractious relationship since meeting at the Liverpool Institute.

The junior partner by eight months, George chafed at Paul’s domineering streak, and grew increasingly angry at being treated like a glorified session-man. Harrison’s friend and fellow guitarist Peter Frampton recalls being with Harrison in 1971.

‘I’d put on Paperback Writer and say, “I love the guitar on that,” and he’d say, “Oh, that’s Paul.” I put all these other Beatles tracks on: “Oh, that’s Paul.” It wasn’t until then I realised he had been stifled. It was very frustrating for George...’

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1 comment:

  1. No real secret that he was always regarded 'The Kid' and Lennon saw him a simpering little fawner who should know his place. People like to believe these guys were almost one person, but really it was Lennon and McCartney-Harrison/Starr separate sets of best friends until the red light came on. Horrifying to know George didn't play on Paperback Writer though. Must of been miserable in that band from the get go, and in the latter years it must of been a sweet moment for George when John turned on Paul and was left stranded without a close ally.

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