I had no concept of how I'd react here. Just a simple email tipped me off... "George Harrison of THE BEATLES died of brain cancer, figured you'd want to know."
I'm sitting here now... Beatles music pounding out of every speaker I have in this room. The second I heard this late last night, I put the music on... and had to sleep. I couldn't handle simple tasks. I just wanted the BEATLES to carry me away. 3 feet in front of me is John, Paul, Ringo and George from YELLOW SUBMARINE... Those amazing McFarlane toys, and as I stare at George I hear him tell me, "IT's ALL IN THE MIND," while smiling in that secret hidden joy.
That's been one of my 'phrases' that I repeat every single time reality sucks... "IT'S ALL IN THE MIND" The man behind that... is gone.
I imagine as my day unfolds and I begin to emerge from this musical cocoon that I've wrapped myself up in, I'll venture out back to my screening room... watch A HARD DAY'S NIGHT and YELLOW SUBMARINE in 16mm. Hear that optically warm music... pumping out of that mono speaker... a bit of tint to the sound.
Now for many of you that don't know, George was a helluva film producer as well as being a musical genius and icon. I'll mention just 3 of the films he produced. Why 3? Well watch...
MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN... Yeah, LIFE OF BRIAN, the film that was probably the hardest for Monty Python to get the financing to make... To make a comedy, a farce and a satire of the whole Jesus story as told by that 'other kid born that night'.
Terry Gilliam's TIME BANDITS... Long before MONSTERS, INC the power of my bedroom closet was revealed to me by this film. Again another film that needed a champion... someone that could THINK of the possibilities.
The astonishing WITHNAIL AND I.... brilliance.
You add that to his own Beatle film work.... music contributions... the songs he wrote, sung and played a part of... Part of my brain. Bringing the eclectic sound to the Beatles with the Indian influences contributed directly to the amazing transforming new sound that songs like ACROSS THE UNIVERSE had that just shook everything in music up for my little ape brain.
With George and John gone, the sound and soul of the Beatles have left. With Paul and Ringo remaining, we have the voice and the beat remaining. God this hurts. Be well all...
Click here for George's contributions to the world of Cinema...
And just click here to find a list of his currently "in print" contributions to ROCK...
Father Geek, age 56, will say good bye to an old friend here later today, after I've collected my thoughts... Check back this evening...
In the mean time go to these locations if you feel so moved...
Father Geek, age 56, will say good bye to an old friend here later today, after I've collected my thoughts... Check back this evening...
In the mean time go to these locations if you feel so moved...
hate news like this, aint cancer a bitch.
Link for CNN Just go here
For his bio and pics, here. Click now
Later, Rich
