Monday, September 21, 2009

More George in Brazil







7 comments:

  1. I don't know if you read comments on your older posts but these were not taken in Brazil. :-) They were taken at the Long Beach Grand Prix in 1979, and backstage at the Hollywood Bowl when Monty Python played there. They are photos I took -- and I have no idea how they got out cuz I never sold them on Ebay and I never posted them on the web so it was quite a surprise to find them online -- but I like this site and so feel free to keep them up! :-) :-) :-)

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  2. Hello! Thank you SO much for allowing these great George photos you took to remain on this blog. If you have a story about seeing George you would like to share, I bet everyone would love to hear it! I THINK I found the photos on a George Harrison website called "Simply Shadi Hari" which has recently been taken offline.

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  3. Hi there Sara!! How exciting to get a response to my comments on a post you made so long ago! I don't know if anyone will see my memories of meeting George in such an old post but I am happy to share.

    Two of the pictures above are from when a friend and I went to the Long Beach Formula 1 Grand Prix -- this was either in 1978 or 1979. I am not sure of the year. My friend and I originally went to the Grand Prix in case we could see George but after we got there we found that it really was a very exciting race and a fun experience. After the particular race of that day -- we were in the enclosed auditorium where they bring in the cars. We ended up by the door where the cars were coming in slowly and we ran into George. He was very sweet and I asked him if he'd gotten a drawing I'd done of the Dark Horse Logo (painted on acetate) that I'd dropped off at Warner Brothers - but he said he hadn't gotten it. (That was a shame because I think he would have liked it -- oh well) At one point, George, Carol and I had to move a bit so a car could come in. We didn't talk long because I didn't want to bother him. He signed his autograph in the Formula 1 program, then he moved on and we left. I felt I'd remained fairly calm while meeting him but after meeting him I think the whole thing hit me like a ton of bricks and my legs collapsed! LOLOL My friend and I collapsed in nervous giggles and then decided to walk back around to the front of the building where we ran into George AGAIN! He was signing an autograph. My friend, backed up so SHE could get into the picture. (I wish SHE'D had a camera cuz of course I would love to have a picture of me with George! :-D).

    After signing the autograph, George walked over a bridge to get to his Limo which was waiting on a Long Beach side street. The pic of him going up those stairs was when he was going over that Grand Prix bridge. He was alone. I'm glad that he was able to go to these places and still be safe ...so different than nowadays.

    The other picture above was taken at a sort of outside tent thing that was backstage at the Hollywood Bowl when Monty Python played there. My friends and I have loved Monty Python for ages so it was so wonderful to be able to see them live. People were able to come right up to the backstage tent area -- and I saw George and Olivia there. No one else seemed to know who he was. At one point we were just a foot apart. He was wearing a beautiful silver necklace that had symbols of many religions on it. I told him I liked his necklace and he said "thank you" (in a shy, gentle voice)

    I'm a bit embarrassed to share the next thing because you and your readers may think me strange -- but I remembered an interview that George did in 1976 where he spoke of letting people know you care before it's too late. He said: "I don't want to die without having told me Dad I love him." That quote meant a lot to me when I first heard it and I have always remembered it. With that in mind, I just knew that I HAD to tell George that I loved him, even though he didn't know me at all - and even though he has probably heard the same thing from fans all over the world.

    So, I told him I loved him. I don't remember his response (darn it) but I am glad that I got that chance while he was still on this planet. :-)

    He was/is a very special, kind, loving man, and even though he was human like all of us and has made mistakes in his life, he still taught me a lot by his example and his beautiful music. The world is a lot better place having had a man like George Harrison (and ALL of the Beatles) in it.

    Thanks for letting me share, here, Sara. :-)

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  4. hi aurora, what a lovely story - thanks for sharing. i'm glad you got to tell george you loved him. i also had the guts to tell john i loved him and i'm glad i did. i don't know how i managed, as i was incredibly shy. all the best from rio de janeiro!

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  5. Hi there Lizzie!!!

    Thanks so much for responding to my post! I was feeling rather weird about it - so you helped me to feel better about it!! Thanks! Also -- You are famous in my book! :-D I think it is so neat how you were able to see so many of the Beatles so often and you know so much about other fan meetings too! I am honored you responded to my post. I am so glad you got to tell John you loved him too!!! I can sure relate to being shy! Do you have a post where you tell about your meeting John and telling him you loved him? I would love to read about it!

    All the best from Oregon, USA! ((((Hugsss))))

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  6. hi aurora, i haven't posted much about seeing the boys as i am doing a book about it. i copied all my diaries from those times as well as all the letters i wrote to my mother and friends at the time and they gave back to me. i have 100+ photos to go with the writing. i have been doing it for a long time but it is really getting closer to being ready. i am a perfectionist and that can be a pain sometimes... i also want to do another book with stories and photos from my friends. i might have to do more than one as i know so many people from those times! take care. you can e-mail me at lizzie.bravo@gmail.com

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  7. Oh neat!!! That is so wonderful that you are doing a book! When it comes out I will surely get it!! Put as many pictures as possible in it (Cuz I LOVE pictures) (grins)

    PS: Need any illustrations? I'm an artist and I've done some nice (if I do say so myself) drawings/paintings etc of the Beatles - together and separate) :-)

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