Close to George

Made to the Sao Paulo Hilton

Photo by Paulo Fernades 

Photo taken February 2, 1979 during George's trip to Brazil.   I love the guy in the blue Beatles t-shirt.   Whoever originally owned this photo wrote on the back "I'm the girl beside George!"  (with a heart in the o of the word George).    A day these fans will never forget.  

Beach Bums

Okay--I admit it---I only posted this photo because I came up with the perfect caption for it!

When my baby smiles at me I go to Rio De Janeiro

Photo taken by Astrid Mirando Leaol

George in Rio De Janeiro on February 7, 1979

Beatles Unlimited

George is signing copies of the Fanzine "Beatles Unlimited" in Brazil in 1979.  

Somewhere over the Rainbow

Don't rock the boat

Do you spot George Harrison standing on top of that boat?    This was taken during George 1979 trip to Brazil.

George comes to Brazil

Superstars

Welcome to Brazil, George

Richy is Rockin' in Brazil!

I am so happy for all of our friends in Brazil and Mexico that have been able to see Ringo in concert recently.   I really think his current All Star Band is outstanding!   And it just makes me happy knowing that Beatle fans in other countries besides my own get to share in the experience of seeing one of the Beatles live.

Christine meets George

A big huge THANK YOU goes out to our friend, Lizzie Bravo, who kindly sent this story,  of a friend of hers that met George Harrison in Brazil in 1979.     I am sure that I speak for all of us when I say that we are so thankful to Lizzie for all of the wonderful stories she shares with the Beatles community.   So little has been written about George's visit to Brazil, that any information we have is a treat!   Thank you thank you!

Christine Corrêa meets George Harrison in Rio de Janeiro (as told to friend Lizzie Bravo)

A week before he arrived, I read in Jornal do Brasil (newspaper) that George was arriving in Brazil with Jackie Stewart for the Formula One races in São Paulo.

I felt sad since he was going to be so close and I couldn’t see him (Christine lives in Rio). I was very, very sad, but I sort of got over it after a few days.

On the day – February 7th, 1979 – it was 2:00 pm, I had to go to the gym but was still at home and decided not to go to the gym.  The phone rang;  it was my friend Regina (huge George fan) and she said get over here quick because HE is here.  I hadn’t seen Regina in years. I became quite tense, took a shower, looked for my best outfit and got dressed rather slowly, thinking there wouldn’t be enough time.  Then I got in a taxi and went to the Warner Brothers offices, a house at the Jardim Botanico (Botanical Gardens) section of town.

When I arrived at the front of the house there were a lot of fans and I thought I wouldn’t be able to get in.  Meanwhile, I spotted Frederico (Frederico Mendes, well-known Brazilian photographer and Christine’s ex-boyfriend) who was there to photograph George.  I told him, “Frederico, I have to get in!”.  He said stay close to me and come in with me.  If anyone asks, you say you are Isabel, my wife.  We got in, and so did Regina.

I arrived at the second floor, in a hallway with 3 or 4 closed doors and Frederico told me George was going to get out of this door and get into the door in front of it.  There was a large table in this hallway and I sat on it.

A while later the door opened, George came out and got into the other door as planned.  Andre Midani from Warner Bros. was with him.  Frederico got in and I was hypnotized.  They kept walking, I got in after Frederico and the door closed behind me.

George was relaxing between interviews, reading a magazine, having something to eat and drink and I was just looking at him.  What I found most amazing was the color of his skin. The real person had a skin tone that no photo could reproduce. That was what most got my attention. 

Frederico said for me to go talk to him so he could take a photo of us together.  I thought – “What can I say to this man, I am already so happy to see him in person!”.  But I did go.  The only thing I could talk to him about - since I am an astrologer - was astrology.

I asked him at what time he was born and he said there was some confusion since he had been born around midnight but wasn’t sure if it was before or after the hour. He was also unsure because apparently they were on daylight savings time because of the war.

George talks to Christine

We talked about that, he signed two autographs for me, one of them on an envelope I got from his mother, but I was too shy to point that out to him.  As you can see in the photo, for those brief moments he was concentrated on talking to me, which was so very special.  

The other autograph is on a page I tore out of a book.

My English turned out really good.  It seemed I had left England that day…  I spent 10 to 15 minutes in that room.

He then started another interview and I stayed and watched.

I left the building by myself, walked down a hill to the main street, got on a bus and stopped for a Coke before coming home.  That's when it started to hit me, that I had met my idol, my dream had come true... and it made me shiver inside.

P.S. From Lizzie:  at that time, I was an assistant to a major Brazilian musician.  His office was very near the Warner Bros. location, I could have walked there.  When I got to work, I told him George would be there that day.  He said, as a joke “Do you want to sit on his lap?”, then he said he could cal Mr. Midani at Warner Bros. and ask him to let me in.  I went into a slight panic and said, no thanks.

I was still “traumatized” by having spent so many days standing outside EMI, Apple, Paul’s house, etc. and I thought George would be upset to see me.  When I think back, that was a totally STUPID idea.  Why would he be upset?  I was in my city, would have been a guest of the Warner Bros. CEO at the time.  You know when you wish you could turn back time and do the right thing?  I do!

Geoge comes to Brazil

Out there winners

I am not sure what the story is behind this and I hope to find out soon.   So far what is known is that a contest was held after the soundcheck during Paul's Brazil concert yesterday and 9 people were chosen to meet Paul!!   This is the first I have ever heard of any fans meeting Paul like this at a concert and it bring a whole new excitement level for me.   If this is a regular thing, I might reconsider never buying a Hot Sounds package again.

A big congratulations goes out to the 9 Brazilian fans that won!!  Way to go! 

We need protection

George in Brazil

Nancy in Brazil

These two girls spotted Nancy all by herself at one of Paul's concert last week in Brazil.   They went up to her and asked for a photo, and since no one else recognized her, she said yes.   They said she was singing along to "My Valentine."   Will I be on the lookout for Nancy when I am up front at the Paul concert on the 26th?  Yes.  Yes I will.  

I read the news today oh boy

George in Brazil in 1979. 

Hands up!

George in Brazil

This "Write Thing" article is from the April/May 1979 issue. It was written by Brazil resident, Henrique Filho about when he saw George during his trip to Brazil in February 1979. It was reported that George arrived on January 31 by the Concorde at the International Airport in Rio de Janeiro. He went to an apartment in Flamengo. Later at night he went to a famous restaurant in Ipanema. On Feb 1st he went to the city of Sao Paulo where the Interlagos Grand Prix was to take place on Feb 4th. He came with his friend Jakie Stewart and without Olivia.

Another fan reported that as soon as George appeared at the main gates of the airport in Rio, he was frightened by what he saw. Screaming girls crying his name and the constant flashing bulbs really scared him. Later on he declared to the press, "Never thought I was famous here." He gave several interviews, also talked to many disc jockeys and was always very polite when answering questions. He talked about the Beatles, religion, sports, his new album and about Brazil. He only got bored with the photographers who did not let him in peace, to which he said, "you should photograph the cars there are more important than me." After the race, he went to Emerson Fittipaldi's house in Guaruja. There he was about to relax at the beautiful beach near the house. Emerson was the one who invited George to come to Brazil for the Grand Prix.

George gave a press conference at the WEA offices here on February 7, 1979, at around 2 pm in Rio. My wife and I managed to be present and were lucky enough to record his interview, take some photos adn film him in super 8mm. Here is the interview George gave to a local TV station:

Q: how do you feel about the constant approaches regarding a Beatles reunion?

George: I think it's a waste of time.

Q: Because of your involvement with the Hare Krishna movement you've influenced a lot of youngsters everywhere. What do you think about that?

George: I think it's very good because first of all Krishna is one name for God. So there's only the same God, it's like what we call Buddha, Allah, Jehovah, Krishna, so there are many names. Krishna is the divine energy we should plug in and so you chant Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama and if you chant it millions of times you feel great.

Q: What do you know about the Brazilian people and its music?

George: I don't know too much about the music other than what I've about the Carnival on TV. I've heard about samba, rumba, you know, this sort of thing and about the fields. It's very much like India, the same hot (at this he shook his shirt), smell and the same flowers, trees, fruit, vegetation, you know, very similar.


Q: Please tell us something about your new album and the song, "Faster", is it really dedicated to J. Stewart?

George: One of the songs on the new album is "Faster", inspired by Jackie Stewart and Niki Lauda, you know Formula 1 motivates it and the song is also in the memory of Ronnie Peterson. All about the Formula 1 circus and what happens to people.

Q: Is there any real possibility of some concerts here, in Brazil?

George: Maybe, because on reason I came ...used the Grand Prix as the excuse to come and see Rio and little bit of Brazil, you know, it's like a treat to come and see what is is like and I didn't realize it was so interesting. So I think it's a good place to come and maybe I'll come take this year or next year.

On the same day George returned to Europe by the Concorde. During the press conference George was wearing jeans, a white shirt and arrived with his glasses on. All the time he was very ncie and gentle. He signed some records for us and we gave him a present for Dhani. It was great to see George and talk to him. Late that night we remembered it was Feb. 7th, the day you were completing your 15th Beatles anniversary special, the same day we saw our first Beatles here in Brazil!