Meet the Beatles for Real

This fan story was written by David Lustgarten about when he met George Harrison in Los Angeles, California in Los Angeles on May 28, 1983. It originally was published in Beatlefan magazine in the Oct/Nov 1983 issue, so at the time he wrote it his meeting with George had recently occurred.

Of all places to meet a Beatle, I never thought it would be here in Los Angeles. George Harrison rarely seems to be sighted outside of Henley, but I luckily got to talk with him and get his autograph.

My friend Vadom and I were at Second Time Around Records on Melrose Avenue, just three blocks from my house, when around 1:30pm Vadom said to me, "Isn't that the Beatles guitarist?" I quietly said, "shut up" and glanced over to see who he was talking about. I looked at George and I didn't even recognize him at first. He had short, wavy hair, a dark blue fluffy army jacket, jeans and brown suede Nikes with think moonwalker type soles. He looked very spiffy and when I got a clear look at his face I finally knew it was him.

I watched him but two Lenny Bruce albums, "The Sick Humor of Lenny Bruce" and something like "Lenny Bruce Live." He walked out leaving his friend, who I believe was Derek Taylor, buying two shirts -- a John Lennon Rock and Roll shirt and a Pretenders shirt. Taylor was also looking for old Little Richard records on the London label. I believe he might have been buying these things for George. After they left we told our friend who runs the store who he had just waited on and he was amazed. HE didn't recognize Harrison either.

Vadom and I took albums from the store and headed up the street to find George. We walked up Melrose checking in all the sops until we go tot Flip of Hollywood, a huge used clothing store specializing in '50's and 60's type garments. We didn't see him and were going to head home when he seemed to appear out of nowhere and walked out of the store. He was now wearing dark sunglasses and still nobody had recognized him. He was freely walking around alone (I don't know what happened to Derek) and browsing about.

On the corner of Curson and Melrose I called his name twice and he turned around. HE looked very surprised that we recognized him and must have thought it strange that we had followed him down from the record store.

I said, "Thought I recognized you, could you sign these for us?" George looked at us slightly awe-struck and then led us across the corner street and said, "sure."

I asked what he was doing in L.A. and he said, "Just hanging around." HE said he'd just been down in Long Beach. I knew he liked racing and asked, "For the Grand Prix?" He said, "Yeah" I held out the "George Harrison" album and as he signed it he asked, "Why don't you have the new album?" I smiled, "Oh, I got it at home but we just came from the record shop."

"Which new record is it?" he asked. I don't think he believed me. "Gone Troppo," I answered. This seemed to perk him up and he said, "I don't think it's been getting much radio play out here." I said, "No" and he grimaced with disappointment. Vadom handed him the Beatles Rock n Roll Music album that the record store wanted signed and George almost chuckled and said, "You want this signed too, eh?"

We thanked him for the autographs and he smiled and said, "Bye" We watched him continue down the avenue alone to check on some more shops.

George was nice and didn't mind talking to us at all. He looked healthy and had a suntan. Perhaps he'd been to Greece recently. This is one day I will remember forever. It's funny but I even have the pen that he used to sign our albums. Meeting George Harrison was a real dream come true!