George Harrison Interview in Chicago, Illinois (1965, August 20)
| This brief but intriguing chat with George Harrison was conducted immediately following the Beatles performance at Chicago's White Sox Park during their 1965 American tour. Q: "We have with us George Harrison in the basement of Comiskey Park in Chicago. George, at the taping last week of your show, I was concerned about whether you would do one song - 'Help!' and you did it. and the quality of the song in-person, in contrast to the recording, was just so fantastic. I just couldn't believe it. Did the Beatles have problems perfecting a stage sound?" George: "No. We've never had much trouble, because right from the beginning when we started recording we used to just record in one take, you know. Things like 'Twist and Shout,' and 'I Saw Her Standing There,' which are all on our first album in England - we just turned the recorder on, we got a sound balance in the studio, just put the tape on, and did it like that. So we never did any of this overdubbing or adding orchestras or anything like that. and only recently where we've been using a bit of overdub stuff, we've added things like tambourine which you don't notice. You know, because we still like to think we can get basically the same sound on stage." Q: "You have, in actuality, two personalities - You're a Beatle, this is your job, your profession. You're also George Harrison, the guy who at first was not a Beatle, and has a family and everything else. Which life do you prefer best?" George: "Well, now the two personalties have sort of merged into one. I definitely couldn't go back to, you know, the thing that was going before Beatles. You know, it's just become me. This is my life. If I was taken away from records and guitars and crowds and everything... But my personality, I think, has broadened since we became famous because you can't be inferior in our position. You know, you've got to meet people, you've got to talk, and you've got to be what they expect you to be. So naturally you come out of a shell. That's one thing I think - Ringo - it's more obvious with him than with me, say. Because he was very introvert when he joined us, but now he's as extrovert as all of us." Q: "This is the last question, because this is right after the show and I don't want to keep you long." George: "Actually, I don't mind all you fellas because you get... with being on the plane and seeing you every day, it feels as though you're sort of part of the group, rather than on the other side, you know." Q: "Do you have any individual plans for further songwriting in the future?" George: "Umm... Well, I'm still trying to churn out a couple. You know, my main problem is trying to write lyrics. and I don't think it's worth writing songs and getting somebody else to do the lyrics, you know, because there's no point - You don't feel as though you've done it, really. So I've written a few more songs I've got taped at home, but I don't... If I get something going then I'll tape it, and I'll leave it for about five weeks and I'll suddenly remember. and then I'll add a bit more to it. and so probably it will take me about three months before I've really finished one song. I'm so lazy, you know, it's ridiculous. But I'd like to write more." Q: "George, thanks alot for talking with us, and I hope you have a great vacation out in Hollywood." George: "Oh, thank you." Source: Audio copy of original interview |