There all Dark Horses

 George with Dark Horse recording artists.  It always blows my mind a little that Henry McCullough left Paul and Wings and went to George with Dark Horse 

Dark Red Horse shirt

 

George Bounces Back

August 24, 1975
 

Houston '74

 November 24, 1974 - Houston, TX

Harrison Has Music Together

 

Harrison Has Music Together

By Raymond Teague

Forth-Worth Star Telegram

November 23, 1974

George Harrison, who says he's finally gotten his life all together since discovering religion in India, showed here Friday night that he's definitely gotten his music all together, too.

The 31-year-old former Beatles member charged a stacked Tarrant County Convention Center with an electrifying, eclectic show - his 1Pth [sic] stop in a current 27-city tour in the United States and Canada.

 Although Harrison may not rock today with the full voice and swift jumps remembered from the 1960s 1970 style, Harrison is still a musician to excite, whether pounding out Beatles Goldies on one of several spangled electric guitars, sing his own hits, such as "Something" and "My Sweet Lord" (the message laden show closer) or introducing new tunes, notably "My Love" and "Dark Horse." 

Harrison told the audience that he is content to "melt into" his band, (becoming himself a backup man), and that synthesis resulted in the best moments of the concert as the headliner accompanied India import Ravi Shankar and current rock phenomenon Billy Preston.

 A large percentage of the 10pm audience obviously had come as much to hear Preston as Harrison, the black dynamo, poured his soul into his hit singles, "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from Nothing," and brought the house not only to its feet but up onto its chairs. 

Preston and Harrison joined for a hilarious dance during the second half of the show, most of which was devoted to the two. Acclaimed sax and woodwind artist Tom Scott, an exceptionally accomplished talent in a genuinely impressive band shone in several spots in the second half. 

Harrison himself opened the show (a featured artist rarely does so in rock concerts these days), but the first half mainly was turned over to Shankar and his band. Shankar music blends Indian melody with contemporary rock to create a hypnotic, pleasing sound, although it became repetitive.

The tour marks Harrison's first concert appearance since the fame concert for Bangladesh in 1971 and his first American tour since 1966.

Dark Horse Records: A Book Review

 

George with Dark Horse artists Splinter

George with Dark Horse artists Stairstep

If you ever wanted to learn about George Harrison's Dark Horse label, then the book  Dark Horse Records: The Story of George Harrison's Post Beatles Record Label by Aaron Badgley is the book for you. 

This book is all about George's solo years and the history behind his Dark Horse Record label, which he started in 1974. George wanted a small record label to highlight different styles of music.  His focus was not on record sales or chart success but on exposing the world to music.  He signed artists such as Splinter and Stairstep.  Really, none of the groups he signed onto his label with had huge success.  While the music might have been good, Dark Horse didn't promote it well, or it was just not the right style of music for the popular disco-loving audience of the 1970s.   George might not have been concerned about record sales, but the record company associated with Dark Horse did.  Badgley goes through all the ups and downs of Dark Horse with A&M and Warner Bros.   

He also examines in depth each of the artists signed to the label, the singles released, and all of George's solo albums from 1974 to today.  

I found the book to be very well-researched and interesting.  I admittedly did not know a whole lot about Dark Horse Records, so this book filled a void in my knowledge. I also learned quite a bit about how record companies in the 1970s worked and how George ran the label.   I found myself most interested in the information about George Harrison's solo albums from 1974 on because I am familiar with the music.  While the parts about Splinter and the other groups were interesting to a point, I found my mind wandering while I read it because I did not know those songs and had no connection to them.  I did like reading about Henry McCullough signing with Dark Horse right after leaving Wings.  I knew his solo album was on the label, but I didn't know the story behind it.  

If you are a George Harrison fan, this is a must-read book. If you are interested in how the record business worked in the 1970s, you'd be interested in it as well. If you are a casual George fan, you might want to skip this one. This is the only book about Dark Horse, and it is well-researched, so if you want a book on this topic, don't pass it up. 

https://amzn.to/4fnyRkX

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Dark Horse Press conference

 

October 23, 1974 

The Long-Haired Dark Horse

 

May 23, 1974 

Raiding Oakland

November 8, 1974

The Dark Horse Bed-in

Jerry Moss and George in Paris

Dark Horse in a silk jacket

Que Pasa New York?

I will tell you what is happening in New York February 7-9, 2014!   The Fest for Beatle Fans!!  In a whirlwind of a decision and some smarts on my part, I have decided to take two personal days from work and attend the 2014 50th anniversary celebration of the Beatles in New York City!

This is going to be a once in a lifetime event and I am so excited that I will not be missing it.   I have been asked to speak on the women's panel again about this blog, as I have at the past 2 Fests in Chicago.   

So who else is going to be there?   I hope to meet a lot of readers at the Fest.   Remember that I am a bit awkward and shy at times, but if you come speak to me I will be thrilled.  

For those of you who aren't able to celebrate with us, that is okay.   I will have a full report after the Fest.

I hope to see many of you there!

In the 1970's this "Dark Horse" was on loan to Beatlefest in NewYork from George Harrison to be displayed.   Afterwards it was returned to George and was in his office.   The "Dark Horse" now belongs to Dhani Harrison and he has it in his office.  

Dark Horse and A&M

This photo is from May 1974 and it is George with Jerry Moss and they are announcing Dark Horse joining with A&M Records.   

Dark Horse PC

Dark Horsing around at the Fest

Mark and Carol Lapidos at a Los Angeles Beatlefest in 1976 with a "Dark horse" donated by George Harrison. photo:  Mark Lapidos.

So friends, I will be offline for several days.   I will open the comments section and I apologize right now for any craziness that may occur.   If I am not responding to emails or messages, it isn't because I am blowing you off, it is because I am in Chicago for the Fest for Beatles fans and I have decided not to lug my old and huge laptop with me.  

One last reminder:   I will be speaking on a panel along with other ladies who write and research the Beatles.   I will be talking about this blog!   I would love to meet anyone who is a viewer and get a photo to post on the blog.   Doesn't that sound like fun?   Please come up and talk to me before or after the talk.  And please come hear me!   I am getting scared that I will be all ready to talk and my mom will be the only person to hear me (thank goodness for my mom!).   So if you are there please see me at 7:45pm on Saturday (look in the Beatlfest booklet when you get there for the exact location).

What did / do the Beatles themselves think of us crazy fans having conventions?  Here is what Mark Lapidos (founder of Beatlefest) said about talk to John Lennon about having it prior to the first one in 1974,

I wasn’t going to do the convention without the Beatles’ permission. I didn’t think that would be right. On April 28th, 1974, I met with John Lennon in his New York City hotel room, told him my whole idea of a Beatles Fans Convention, with Special Guests, Live Concerts, Films, Art Museum and Art Contest, Flea Market, Discussions, Look-Alike and Sound-Alike Contests, Auctions, and a Charity Raffle. John’s exact response was “I’m all for it. I’m a Beatles Fan, too!” It is a moment I will never ever forget. He said he had a guitar in his attic that he would sign and donate for the Charity Raffle, which he did. John chose Phoenix House, (a drug rehab center in NYC) as the charity. All the Beatles contributed signed items to that raffle and to our amazement, we made the cover of Rolling Stone, October 24, 1974!