Phillip Norman - Talks about book George Harrison:The Reluctant Beatle - Radio Broadcast 15/12/2023

[@Water_is_Sacred777]

Having it put on hold at my local library I waited months for my number to come up. I savored it as much as possible so as not to be selfish to the many others waiting for the measly 3 copies for a city of over 600,00 people. I finally decided to buy it so I can fully absorb the many pieces to the puzzle. The genuine man is presented not the sugar coated version. When the reader realizes the extent of his complexities and his many facets we begin to appreciate his imperfections as necessary components of his complex yet beguiling and admirable personality. I will never claim to be an expert on George. No one can except Olivia and Dhani therefore, Phillip Norman can't claim that place either but I can say buy his book if you love George. Really, it's a necessity if you love and admire anything George Harrison. It's a great read.

[@iainholmes2735]

Really interesting chat.

[@johndowling5850]

I would take anything PN says with a pinch of salt.

[@CamiloChaves-qk5wq]

why

[@superfuzzymomma]

George didn't have Lennon or Mccartney as a songwriting partner. He had God.

[@edwardmulholland7912]

As McCartney once said “Shout is shite” - the first edition of that book shits all over McCartney, there were obviously threats of lawsuits involved as later editions were different. Even Mark Lewisohn who did research for “Shout” called into question Norman’s book. I’m not saying that Norman is in the same league as Albert Goldman - however, anything Norman writes I take with a huge pinch of salt. Am I wrong Norman? I don’t think so.

[@mrfester42]

I don't think you're wrong either. There's a certain kind of low level sensationalism to Normans book that leads me to believe that he likely conducted a few interviews regarding different specific things that purportedly happened with the Beatles (in other words, things many take as gospel) and chose to go with whatever seemed to support all the sensationalist stories that many take as fact. That's very poor research. Lewisohn on the other hand approached his subject like an historian and not as a sensationalist reporter. Some of the detail in his book is almost excruciating in detail. He's said that he looked for triple verification from different witnesses before he claimed anything as factual. When he couldn't get triple verification he made it a point to say that in the book.

[@andydixon2980]

Am reading this book, and it's ok....but I doubt if I'll learn anything NEW about George Harrison. Personally I'm more interested in Mark Lewisohns next installment.

[@MarkBarna1]

The biography is needed, as George has been turned into a saint by guys like Deepak Chopra and a musical genius on par with Lennon and McCartney by fanboys. Clapton said it best: George was both saint and sinner (though George appears to lean more toward sinner; Clapton was being generous). In other words, George was us -- or at least someone who could easily have an affair with a great friend's wife (Ringo), fall into heavy drug use, never see that he owes a lot of his music career to a band he routinely trashes, etc. Patti Boyd says George was a nice guy until he started meditating, which made him mean and surly. I actually think Norman could have been harsher on George.

[@mrfester42]

You're completely wrong when you say that McCartney was paying lip service to meditation. He's been very low key about it but he has said more than a few times in interviews throughout the years that he's been meditating up to the present day since he came back from India all those years ago. He even brought his daughters to meet the Maharishi when they were older and spent the day with him. So, right off the bat you're making assumptions about what is fact regarding individual Beatles and you're simply wrong.

[@papercup2517]

He and Ringo also sponsored (and/or helped publicise) a scheme to teach meditation programmes in schools - and this was only in the last decade or so, if I remember correctly. I think he did say he doesn't do it daily but 'when he feels the need'. And the statement (also by the interviewer, who seems to get just about everything wrong) that maybe the Beatles only got involved with the Maharishi and meditation 'because it was the thing to do' is absurd. I can't recall anyone in the public eye talking about or practising meditation before the Beatles, or it being any sort of fashionable 'thing to do' prior to that.. They MADE it fashionable, especially after their highly publicised trips to Bangor and India..

[@trevorfromengland]

So many exaggerations and stories out of context