November 29 and george

 george-not-neccesarily-the-quiet-one

=====

 

“People always said I am the Beatle who changed the most … but really that is what I see life is all about.

You have to change.”

 

—-

 

George Harrison

=========

 

Today in 2001 George Harrison died.

 

Cancer claimed him at 58 leaving behind songs, memories and friends. Oh. And george-on-time-magazine-2words. While known as ‘the quiet Beatle’ he was certainly not. He was thoughtful, a music craftsman and dedicated to music <his job> and not fame <the public>. This decision, as it does for anyone who makes it, drove many misperceptions of who and what he was.

 

All I can say is …

 

Listen to the songs he wrote.

Listen to the way he plays his guitars.

Listen to what his friends say and have said.

And maybe judge him by his songs, his words … and the friends he had.

 

I admit.

 

I didn’t appreciate George for far too long a time.

 

I imagine I was not alone.

Playing alongside some bigger than life personalities, Paul, John & Ringo, as well as playing along with possibly two of the best pop songwriters of all time <Lennon/McCartney> made him easy to overlook.

 

What I do I do know is that Rolling Stone magazine placed him #11 on their all-time guitarist list.

Heck.

I don’t know about that.

 

What I do know is that one of his best friends, who he played guitar with, was george-1 george-2 george-3 george-4 george-5 george-6Eric Clapton – a guitar playing God. As anyone with any particular spectacular skill will state … the best like to play with and against the best.

‘nuff said on that.

 

What I do know is he was underrated as a song writer.

 

If you listen closely to Beatles songs as the Beatles lead guitarist he always seemed to find the right thing, and way, to play <albeit … they all seemed to have that knack>. That knack seemed to elevate a pop song to something more. That, my friends, is a song writing knack.

If you listen closely to his solo albums you will hear music and songs never played on radio that you will play over and over again.

 

While certainly known for Here Comes the Sun, Something, and While My Guitar Gently Weeps … everyone should listen to the opening guitar on What is Life and maybe cruise through his first solo album after the Beatles “All Things Must Pass” <which, I would note, was a 3 album  release>. Heck.

Just pick up any of his solo albums. They all seem to have a wistfulness and simplicity and … well … cleanliness <musical people will understand> which is difficult to find in today’s music.

 

What I do know is that Harrison was a musical historian and craftsman.

As Tom Petty mentioned … he knew every obscure Elvis solo and could play songs from his rockabilly influences – Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Chet Atkins, Scotty Moore.

 

=========

 

“… how many Rickenbacker 12-strings did that guy sell? That was a whole new sound too – Roger McGuinn got the idea from George, and then Roger took it to his own place with the Byrds. When he moved over to the slide guitar later in the Beatles’ career, it was a really beautiful thing to hear him play that. He once said to me, “I think modern guitar players are forgetting about pitch,” and that was something he really cared about.

He was very in tune when he played, the slide was very precise, and just a beautiful vibrato on it. It really sounded like a voice, like a very distinct, signature voice that came out of him. Just listen to those records. They’re so immaculate, so inventive. He was a guy who could just add so much.

 

Tom Petty

=======

 

Not only did Harrison help make the slide guitar more mainstream, but he also popularized the 12-string Rickenbacker guitar. It was because the Rickenbacker sound on A Hard Day’s Night that it became popular.

 

It has taken me a long time but I am a big George fan. george-sipping-tea

RIP George.

You actually seem like you were one of the good people. Which, alone, makes you worth remembering.

 

Oh.

My favorite George thought?

 

 

As long as you hate there will always be someone to hate.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Written by Bruce