The Red and the Blue

 

The Red and Blue

 September 9, 1993

The Red and Blue albums were some of my first avenues into The Beatles' music.  My favorite is to listen to disc 2 of the Red and disc 1 of the Blue.  

Red, Blue and George

The red and the blue

This story was found in the Tokyo Beatles Fan Club Magazine (Issue 35) and it is a story written by Horacio Daniel Dubini about his fan club, "The Apple Corp" from Argentina.  In the story, he tells of the surprise of seeing George Harrison in 1993.

Photo by Horacio Dubini

As the president of the club, I went to England in 1993 to attend a party to promote the Red and Blue CD release and Paul's World Tour.  The sites which touched me most were 3 Savile Row and The Cavern in Liverpool.   At the Red and Blue launching party on September 9, 1993, inside Studio No.2 at EMI, we had the chance to meet Sir George Martin and Ken Townsend.   But it was the unexpected visit of George Harrison which took our breath away.   I was speechless and could only take two photos.  He stayed there only for some minutes and told us "the '60's were magic and all you need is love" before joining George Martin for photos.

The Red and the Blue

Those who were in attendance for the Red and Blue CD release in 1993, where in a for a treat!   (You can find a story about one such person on this blog already...look in the 1993 tags).    They went to Studio 2 of Abbey Road studios fully expecting to hear George Martin present the Red and the Blue CDs.   And let me say, that in and of itself would have made for a very exciting day.    Going into Abbey Road Studios and sitting there with George Martin himself narrating some of the Beatles best songs.   Yeah....sounds amazing!   But......to everyone's surprise that day, George Harrison showed up and helped George along with the songs!    I am not sure exactly what George said in this presentation for the press.  He did answer questions from those in attendance.   So I am not sure why George is showing us double peace signs in this particular photo.    Was anyone who read this blog at this press conference/ listening party?

An Encounter at Abbey Road Turns out just as Hoped for

This fan story first appeared in the Jan-Feb 2002 issue of Beatlefan magazine (this was the George Harrison tribute issue). It was written by Ken Sharp. The photos go with the story, but were not from the magazine.

They say you should never meet your heroes because they are destined
ultimately to let you down. Having had the treasured opportunity to meet George
Harrison, I can safely say that he proved to be anything but a
letdown.


Let me share a story...

My personal encounter with George happened in September 1993 inside studio
Two at the famed Abbey Road Studios. I was part of an international gathering of
journalists attending the press launch of the Red and Blue Albums. Tipped off
the day prior by George Martin that "the quiet Beatle" might make a surprise
appearance, I kept my eyes open for a sign of L'Angelo Mysterioso. Believe me,
just to be spending time inside Studio Two where the Fab Four recorded such
legendary tracks as "Help", "While my Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Here, there and
everywhere" was a real treat, but the chance to encounter a Beatle on his own
home turf was immensely exciting.



The event kicked off with a 30-minute video show comprising various Beatles
promotional films. The lights quickly dimmed and the videos began to roll. Early
into the proceedings, I noticed a security guard briskly walk down the aisle
towards the entrance of the studio. Eminently curious, I followed his
trail.


Immediately, I noticed Neil Aspinall and Derek Taylor languishing in the
studio's hallway. Looking around, I caught a glimpse of George speaking to
someone. Having waited for this opportunity my entire life, I decided to open my
conversation with George with a question he certainly had not been asked over
and over again. After shaking hands with me, George asked where I was
from.


"Philadelphia," I told him. Then I said, "George I know that you have
been asked this time and time again but do you think The Rutles will ever get
back together?" I knew that George was a major Rutles fan, too. The real "Stig"
let out a hearty chuckle and the ice was broken. For the next 10 minutes, I
talked with George about everything form The Rutles to electric guitars, Bob
Dylan to Badfinger.


Relaxed and smiling, George couldn't have been friendlier. He freely spoke
to me like a friend, devoid of any pretense or artifice. I also distinctly
recall that throughout our conversation George held a burning stick of incense,
its exotic smell wafting through the hallowed halls of Studio Two. George
graciously signed the Red and Blue album press kit for me, too. Later, before
George was introduced as a surprise guest by George Martin, I grabbed my trusty
tape recorder to ask him a few questions about his guitar playing more to
crystallize my chance encounter with the reclusive star than anything
else.



Now that George is sadly gone from this mortal coil, I feel eternally
blessed to have shared a few small moments in time with such a gracious and kind
soul. Long may this dark horse run....