George's Secret Passion

[Hari's Chick]

Leanin' on a Lamppost with a Ukelele??


Private passion for gardens and George Formby

BY ROBIN YOUNG AND MICHAEL HORSNELL

AWAY from the rock world, the private passions of the man known as the quiet Beatle ranged from restoring his historic garden to enjoying the works of George Formby.
The interest in the 1940s musical star enabled him to fulfil an ambition to appear on stage with his son Dhani without publicity. The two joined a crowd of members of the George Formby Society playing their ukeleles at appreciation weekends at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

Members of the society were sworn to secrecy about their attendance. At the conventions, members watch old Formby films and swop memorabilia but the highlight is always the mass sing-song.

Brian Crompton, a former Winter Gardens archivist who attended several of the conventions, said: “I can always look back and see how happy George was to be on stage with his son. They had a great time. There could not have been anything further from the Beatles than singing numbers like I’m Leaning on a Lamppost. It is sad to think those were the last live appearances he made before he became more reclusive and ill. There was one golden rule: we were to tell no one.”

At home in Friar Park, Henley, Oxfordshire, Harrison devoted much of his resources to restoring the garden. The house was commissioned in 1896 by a Victorian eccentric and plant enthusiast, Sir Frank Crisp, to whom Harrison the former Beatle dedicated The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp. The centrepiece of the rock garden had been a 30ft model of the Matterhorn built from 7,000 tons of Yorkshire stone.

Crisp claimed to be a scholar of the history of gardening and planted his large collections in plots designed as replicas of renaissance and medieval gardens. Crisp was also famous for having an unrivalled collection of garden gnomes, some of which survived to feature on the cover of All Things Must Pass, Harrison’s first solo album after the Beatles split.

After Crisp’s death, the garden had fallen derelict, his alabaster-topped Matterhorn devoid of plants. When Harrison bought the 120-room house, an extravagant piece of Gothic revival architecture with turrets, towers and gargoyles, for £200,000 in 1971, he set about restoring the 30 acres of gardens with their network of subterranean passageways, waterfalls, lakes and the five caverns where the gnomes were displayed.

He also spent £1 million on security although it was said that the thick shrubbery and trees in the gardens offered added protection to intruders.

Brent Elliot of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Linley Library said yesterday: “For understandable reasons, George Harrison was anxious to safeguard his privacy, but the big question now is what will happen to this historically important garden which he spent so much to restore.”

Harrison also had a rooftop garden on the £7 million Swiss villa he bought in August this year near the clinic where he was treated for cancer, and there was an extensive garden on his 63-acre property on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

Sir George Martin, the Beatles’ producer, said: “Creating beauty among his trees and plants was almost as important to him as his music.”
http://members.tripod.com/jimlilko0/harrison/Private%20passion%20for%20gardens%20and%20George%2 0Formby.htm


------------------
"Still Krishna after all these years" ~ George

[FPSHOT]

This is a great article, I didn't know he was into that and performed with Dhani.

Thanks.

“I don’t want to be in the business full-time, because I’m a gardener.
I plant flowers and watch them grow. I don’t go out to clubs and partying. I stay at home and watch the river flow.”
- George, 1980 (Harrison, 1980, 45)



------------------
“I understand the Beatles in many ways did nice things, and it’s appreciated that people still like them. The problem comes when they want to live in the past, and they want to hold onto something and are afraid of change.”
- George, 1974

[Hari's Chick]

A new George in our life? http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/wink1.gif Here are links about George Formby, the second one you can listen to a little bit.
http://www.georgeformby.co.uk/

http://music.barnesandno ble.com/search/product.asp?userid=0BKPGJ7WDM&sourceid=00393694014469351438&bfdate=08%2D14%2D2002+01%3A40%3A40&ean=727031785729 (http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?userid=0BKPGJ7WDM&sourceid=00393694014469351438&bfdate=08%2D14%2D2002+01%3A40%3A40&ean=727031785729)

------------------
"Still Krishna after all these years" ~ George

[This Message Has Been Edited By Hari's Chick On August 13, 2002 10:59 PM]

[Hari's Chick]

Wow! I would love to see those pics or the video! Hmm...maybe on some Fromby site?? http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/thinker.gif

------------------
"Still Krishna after all these years" ~ George

[FPSHOT]

I've sent an e-mail to the George Formby Society;

Dear Ladies/Gentleman,

I write to you as a George Harrison fan.

I know of George Harrison's love for the ukelele and about him enjoying the works of George Formby.

There is still a song which was written by Harrison in the late sixties, on a ukelele, called Dehra Dun, which never made it to an album till the Anthology series of albums were released.

Harrison once (or more) joined your Society together with Dhani, his son at Appreciation Weekends at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. I saw the pictures on your site and that must be a great event.

I understand that Members of the society were sworn to secrecy about their attendance.

You will know that Harrison has died and I am member of a worldwide Beatles Forum which still discusses daily the life and work of Harrison.

Do you know of pictures or video taken from those performances by the Harrison men, or are you willing to share with us the experiences with the Harrisons attending the event(s). It would be highly appreciated by many Beatles/Harrison fans.

General info on when they were there and what they performed is also of great help for our database.

Look forward to hearing from you.

In case you want some info about our Forum, I add a link to the discussion about what's described above. Feel free to scroll through the Forum. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000482.html#4

The Society's website is at http://www.georgeformby.co.uk/


------------------
She looks as an African Queen
She eating twelve chapattis and cream
She tastes as Mongolian lamb
She coming from out of Bahran
What a shame Mary Jane had a pain at the party

[SingingOm]

Around the time of George’s passing there was a two-page article in a Sunday tabloid about this, entitled ‘The Last Gig’, with some screen shots from a video of George playing the ukelele on stage. It also mentioned George, Dhani and Jimmy Nail playing songs like ‘My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock’ and ‘My Little Snapshot Album’.

Thanks for posting the article & link! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/thumbsup1.gif


------------------
"If people would just wake up to what's real, there would be no misery in the world. I guess chanting's a pretty good place to start." ~ George

[LuvLennon]

Those garden's and Friar Park sound absolutely beautiful. That's also neat that George had an interest in George Formby. I don't know a lot about him, but I have seen one of his movies, I can't remember the name, but it had something to do with a race horse, and it was pretty funny!

------------------
Claudia

[Beatlesgal]

[SingingOm]

"Well I don't think anybody who's been to George's house has escaped the ukelele and the George Formby routine." ~ Damon Hill

------------------
"If people would just wake up to what's real, there would be no misery in the world. I guess chanting's a pretty good place to start." ~ George

[SingingOm]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">Quote:</font><HR>Originally Posted By FPSHOT:


There is still a song which was written by Harrison in the late sixties, on a ukelele, called Dehra Dun, which never made it to an album till the Anthology series of albums were released.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Also, don't forget the 'turned out nice again' tribute to Formby at the end of 'Free As A Bird'.



------------------
"If people would just wake up to what's real, there would be no misery in the world. I guess chanting's a pretty good place to start." ~ George

[FPSHOT]

I know, but didn't want to make a long paged story of it.

------------------
She looks as an African Queen
She eating twelve chapattis and cream
She tastes as Mongolian lamb
She coming from out of Bahran
What a shame Mary Jane had a pain at the party

[FPSHOT]

I got the following answer from the George Formby Society by email today;

I have sent the enclosed pictures to Jerry asking him to put them somewhere for everyone to look at.

Dear Rob,

Thank you for the mail about George Harrison and George Formby.

I have attached two jpeg images from a home video which was taken at the convention which George Harrison attended in March 1991 together with his wife and son and also Jimmy Nail.

I am not sure about the secrecy story because George's appearance was reported by most of the national newspapers in the UK. I know that he spent the weekend chatting with members and signed numerous autographs. I believe that the members were supposed to respect his visit by not constantly photographing him - but one or two must have done although the only evidence of his visit that I have seen is the 8-second clip of home video from which the attached frames were grabbed.

Later that same year, George Formby was the subject of "The South Bank Show" which is a long-running and very popular arts TV programme in the UK. It documented George Formby's life and also showed the Society convention at which GH attended.

I believe (unfortunately I wasn't in attendance on that historic day) that George Harrison took to the stage to say a few words to the members and then sang "In My Little Snapshot Album" which of course was one of Formby's hits.

The News Of The World was the national Sunday newspaper that featured "George's Last Gig" and the images were the same as the ones attached although there was three of them in the article.

If anyone is interested in the recordings of George Formby, there are several complete songs in Real Audio format on the website, find them by clicking the "Sounds Of Formby" button.

On a personal note, as well has been a very big George Formby fan, I am also a very enthusiastic Beatles fan and bought all their albums as they came out in the 60's. Wonderful music, which just like the songs of Formby, still sound wonderful in 2002.

My best regards to all Beatles and George Formby fans everywhere.

Peter Pollard www.georgeformby.co.uk (http://www.georgeformby.co.uk)
The official website of The George Formby Society


------------------
She looks as an African Queen
She eating twelve chapattis and cream
She tastes as Mongolian lamb
She coming from out of Bahran
What a shame Mary Jane had a pain at the party

let us know where and when the pics go up!! as usual, the tabloids get it wrong..the person they quoted saying they were his last live appearances,and the whole "secrecy" thing is obviously just making it up..

------------------
"hope to get out of this place, by the lord SRI KRISHNA'S GRACE"

[FPSHOT]

From the Hari Scriff's website;

Mar 2 1991 George makes a surprise appearance at a George Formby fan convention in Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Onstage, George performs on ukulele. George Formby is the ukulele player alluded to at the end of the ‘Free as a Bird' video.

Mar 3 1991 George performs ‘In My Little Snapshot Album' at the George Formby fan convention. George's son, Dhani, makes his performing debut.

------------------
"we tried to get the vocals to sound like somebody's asleep, which is very difficult"
George, about I'm Only Sleeping, 1966

[FPSHOT]

I received feed back from the George Formby fanclub with this picture of George which is very very rare
http://www.beatlelinks.net/images/temp/georgeukulele.jpg

specially delivered here for our Crackerbox Palace by Peter Pollard of the official website of The George Formby Society


------------------
""Some of the happiest days of my life were spent in the studio with George."
Jeff Lynne

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">Quote:</font><HR>Originally Posted By FPSHOT:
I received feed back from the George Formby fanclub with this picture of George which is very very rare
http://www.beatlelinks.net/images/temp/georgeukulele.jpg

specially delivered here for our Crackerbox Palace by Peter Pollard of the official website of The George Formby Society


<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nice one FPSHOT!! I still have the news of the world paper from December 1st 01 and there are about 3 more pictures of him at that gig. What they did get wrong on that paper was that they said it was his last live performance http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/thinker.gif

If i'm not correct, wasn't his last live performance at Carl Perkins funeral.I'm probably wrong though http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/rolleyes.gif

------------------
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/allthingsmustpass/ - Yahoos largest (and best) George Harrison group.

http://wilburyboard.proboards10.com/index.cgi - formally the Yahoo Traveling Wilburys group.

[FPSHOT]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">Quote:</font><HR>Originally Posted By let_it_roll:
there are about 3 more pictures of him at that gig.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I received 3 pictures but they are rather identical, probably 1 second between taking each.

------------------
""Some of the happiest days of my life were spent in the studio with George."
Jeff Lynne

[Hari's Chick]

And yet each second holds within, it's unique Georgeous aestetic beauty~ and each a testamony to the wonders of 35 mm film.... http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/wink3.gif

------------------
"George was the kind of guy who wasn't going to leave until he hugged you for five minutes and told you how much he loved you." ~ Tom Petty

[FiendishThingie]

I knew about George's love of the ukelele due to Tom Petty's comments about how George would give him one & then another saying the new one was better than the first one he gave to Tom. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/laugh5.gif He also said that George used to keep one with him quite often. I don't doubt it. Ukelele's are very fun to play!

Fishy http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/wink3.gif

------------------
"Music always had a transcendental quality inasmuch as it reaches parts of you that you don't expect it to reach. And it can touch you in a way that you can't express. You can think that it hasn't reached you and years later you'll find it coming out." George Harrison

[beatlebangs1964]

Thank you for posting these delightful articles replete with fresh information! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/thumbsup2.gif

------------------
Then we will remember things we said today. Yeah.
-- Beatles, 1964

Read www.rooftopsessions.com (http://www.rooftopsessions.com) for high caliber Beatles fan fiction.

BB1964

[IAN TATERSHALL]

I remember seeing a little bit of the footage on some George Formby documentary. It was very short and very grainy as I recall.

------------------

[FPSHOT]

Well, seems that this Formby documentary has been seen by a few. A pity I haven't. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/cry2.gif

------------------
"George was a giant, a great, great soul, with all of the humanity, all of the wit and humor, all the wisdom, the spirituality, the common sense of a man and compassion for people.
The world is a profoundly emptier place without him."
Bob Dylan

[Hari's Chick]

This is interesting~ seems George is not alone in his love of Fromby! This is from Ray Davies & Guitar World~

GW: The music hall influence is the bit that gets left out of most rock histories. The party line is that the British Invasion groups just copied American rock and roll.

Davies: I think that's because music hall is, in rock and roll terms, quite an uncool thing to be associated with. It's hardly the most chic thing in the world, whereas the blues is. But music hall was undeniably an important influence. And I'd put someone [English comic singer and banjo-ukulele player] George Fromby right up there with [American bluesman] Big Bill Broonzy. I feel they're connected in some way--albeit only through me. Some of the acoustic guitar stuff I do resonates with the George Fromby style. And I'd also say that a lot of stuff Pete Townshend did was also Formbyesque.

GW: That's fast strum.

Davies: Exactly.


Kinda cool, huh?? http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/smile.gif

------------------
"George was the kind of guy who wasn't going to leave until he hugged you for five minutes and told you how much he loved you." ~ Tom Petty

[Hari's Chick]

Oooh! Look what I found! Here is a pic I have not seen before, and also you can listen to a *tiny* bit of George at the George Fromby Society Convention in Blackpool 1991. Don't be disappointed cuz it is soooo short! It's the intro to the song he plays.... http://www.banjoukulele.co.uk/

I have written to find out if we can hear more (the entire song!!) anywhere or if it is available to purchase. I'll keep you posted!

------------------
"I'd gladly kiss it all goodbye, stay ever in your company...."

[Hari's Chick]

forgot to mention...click on secondary site...

------------------
"I'd gladly kiss it all goodbye, stay ever in your company...."

[FPSHOT]

Typical George, defensive as so often. A pity the tape stops when George starts playing, so yes try to get hold of the rest.

Thanks for this FBI'ish work.

------------------
"If I don't get Brainwashed soon, I have to get myself Stuck Inside A Cloud"
FPSHOT

[FPSHOT]

Funny how some things seem to match after a while.

Some Bootlegs have the song "The Devil And The Deep Blue See" and on those bootlegs there is in most cases a reference to a Winter Gardens, Blackpool, London reference where is said that is comes from a Cab Calloway convention - March 3, 1991 (see Pirate Songs notes)

Now I read the following in the Dutch Beatles Unlimited Magazine (which is reliable);

March 2, 1991
Sunday, at the Winter Gardens, George performed at the George Formby fan convention. He participated in a ukelele group play-along that closed the day's event.

Musicians that participated were Jimmy Nail, Herbie Flowers, Ray Cooper, Joe Brown and Jools Holland amongst others.

The next day, March 3, 1991, that afternoon, Dhani played the ukelele, later at 11.30 PM George performed "In My Litle Snapshot Album" (from the film I See Ice 1938 G. Formby) on ukelele and vocals. Other songs were Mr. Woo, I'm Leaning On A Lamppost, Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea and With My Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock.

Also present Olivia, Joan and Derek Taylor & Brian Roylance of Genesis Publications.

It was broadcast in the documentary Mister Roadrunner by Channel 4 TV (UK) 0n June 6, 1992.


------------------
"If I don't get Brainwashed soon, I have to get myself Stuck Inside A Cloud"
FPSHOT

[This Message Has Been Edited By FPSHOT On September 22, 2002 02:23 PM]

[Hari's Chick]

Thanks!! That is very interesting! I have not heard back yet about the recording. Maybe we need to double team them..hehehe http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/wink.gif ?

It's also very interesting that George socialized with Brian Roylance. I was unaware they were that close. He is a very, very nice man~ I spoke with him on the phone before. (Eric Clapton thanked Brian also when accepting a grammy once!)

------------------
58 DAYS!!!!!

[This Message Has Been Edited By Hari's Chick On September 22, 2002 05:31 PM]

[FPSHOT]

I can see George walking through Friar Park, playing something on a ukelele - like Dhani said - which became Zig Zag.

------------------
"Sometimes I feel like I'm on the wrong planet..I feel great when I'm in my gardens, but the moment I go out of the gate, I think What the hell am I doing here"
George Harrison, probably 2001.

[Hari's Chick]

That's a lovely picture, FPSHOT. I think I will do a painting of that. Thanks~ http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/smile.gif

------------------
28 DAYS!!!!!

"Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest places if you look at it right." ~ Jerry G.

[FPSHOT]

OK, look forward to it.

Here is a link to a site you may have seen, which describes the links made in Free As A Bird - the video - and at the very end you can see George Formby, which must ALSO have been a Harrison influence in the whole Anthology project.
http://www.phaseshift.com/beatles/faab/

------------------
"Sometimes I feel like I'm on the wrong planet..I feel great when I'm in my gardens, but the moment I go out of the gate, I think What the hell am I doing here"
George Harrison, probably 2001.

[FPSHOT]

I was listening to a Let It Be tape from the movie, where George plays some songs for the first time to the 3 Lads (he refers to wanting to make an album, could finish it 'in a day') and then plays Isn't It A Pity - much faster version - and For You Blue, but it does sound like he plays it (like) on a ukelele.

------------------
"And in the rising sun you can hear you life begin
And It's here and there nowhere and everywhere
Though it's atmosphere is rare"
Rising Sun, 2002

[Hari's Chick]

And...were you inspired to go purchase one perhaps? http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/wink.gif

------------------
22 DAYS!!!!!
"Only thing that matters to me is to touch Your Lotus Feet..."

[FPSHOT]

well it does make me think about it. I've heard so many good stories about the Uke now, I may indeed buy one.

I was just going through an Introduction page Ukelele Lesson
http://www.st.rim.or.jp/~kunisige/eukulele.html

------------------
"And in the rising sun you can hear you life begin
And It's here and there nowhere and everywhere
Though it's atmosphere is rare"
Rising Sun, 2002

[This Message Has Been Edited By FPSHOT On October 28, 2002 09:32 PM]

[FPSHOT]

Here are all Ukelele chords
http://www.st.rim.or.jp/~kunisige/eukulele8.html


------------------
"And in the rising sun you can hear you life begin
And It's here and there nowhere and everywhere
Though it's atmosphere is rare"
Rising Sun, 2002

[taxgirl]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">Quote:</font><HR>Originally Posted By Hari's Chick:
Oooh! Look what I found! Here is a pic I have not seen before, and also you can listen to a *tiny* bit of George at the George Fromby Society Convention in Blackpool 1991. Don't be disappointed cuz it is soooo short! It's the intro to the song he plays.... http://www.banjoukulele.co.uk/

I have written to find out if we can hear more (the entire song!!) anywhere or if it is available to purchase. I'll keep you posted!

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Abbeyrd's Beatles Page announced there is an update on this. Dennis Taylor has put up the full clip of George's short performance.
Here's the link
http://my.genie.co.uk/dennis.taylor/Page_036_george_harrison_mbe.htm

------------------
Loneliness, empty faces,
wish I could leave them all in someplace else

[Hari's Chick]

Taxgirl~ Thank you so very much!!! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/clap2.gif I'm excited to hear it, though aol won't let me right now http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/cry4.gif ...

Thanks, thanks, thanks!!! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/smile.gif

------------------
11 DAYS!!!!!
"Only thing that matters to me is to touch Your Lotus Feet..."

[This Message Has Been Edited By Hari's Chick On November 08, 2002 06:58 AM]

[wildman3]

http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/king1.gif
Thanks for the link to http://www.phaseshift.com/beatles/faab/

The song posted near the pictures of Elanor Rigby's headstone blew me away.

The Wild Man


------------------
Trey Haltom
The Wild Man's Corner
http://members.cox.net/wildman3/

[Hari's Chick]

I feel it a duty to plug this CD, with it's version of "Here Comes the Sun" and all.... http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/wink.gif
http://www.georgeformby.co.uk/uke_serenade/review.htm



------------------
1 DAY!!!!!

"I see inside your eyes, the Baba's Sai,
The reasons why I love you..."

"I know I'll never get over you"

[Hari's Chick]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, Sans-Serif">Quote:</font><HR>Originally Posted By taxgirl:
Abbeyrd's Beatles Page announced there is an update on this. Dennis Taylor has put up the full clip of George's short performance.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That is amazing! It's so hard to believe that george was just learning and yet ~ oh, my gosh!!!~ that solo was fantastic! The whole thing was remarkable, "living room George", just him & the uke!!!

It's a cute story about Dhani~ already was a uke player, too. http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubb/smilies/images/icons/smile.gif Runs in the family!


------------------
1 DAY!!!!!

"I see inside your eyes, the Baba's Sai,
The reasons why I love you..."

"I know I'll never get over you"

[Hari's Chick]

Here is an interesting bit about a uke in George's collection~
http://freespace.virgin.net/dennis.taylor/Page_07_George_Formby's_Ludwig.htm

[Hari's Chick]

And info on George gifting a uke~
http://users.powernet.co.uk/lampost/usgb.html

[Savoy Truffle]

Thanks for those links HC! In fact, I've enjoyed reading all the posts here on this topic. All very interesting!

I agree totally with you on George's performance of In My Little Snapshot Album. What a treat to hear! I got my version from WinMX(the first and only time I'd seen it listed there).

I liked when George said that he wasn't really an entertainer, but of course went on to totally entertain, and then his little hey! images/icons/smile.gif just before he really got into the solo!

[SingingOm]

Originally Posted By Hari's Chick:
Here is an interesting bit about a uke in George's collection~
<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Thanks for the link HC, very informative. graemlins/thumbsup1.gif

[ Mar 16, 2003, 01:36 AM: Message Edited By: SingingOm ]

[FPSHOT]

I was reading in the Rolling Stone book "Harrison" and it has a page on pictures and the photographer Mark Seliger writes;

"The shoot almost didn't take place, he was still upset about the pan his album Dark Horse had received in the magazine 18 years earlier, I had just shot Tom Petty (photographer talk - FPSHOT remark) and he said "Ïf you really want to get on George's good side, have a couple of nice ukelele's there".

"For the third setup, we photographed him with the ukelele. After the last shot, he started playing these Hawaiian ballads, song after song, for twenty minutes straight. The entire entourage just sat there - it was the Beatles voice on those quirky little Hawaiian songs! It was nothing you'd ever heard before, but strangely familiar - one of those rare, pognant times as a photographer when you meet greatness"

"After the shot he started walking out with the ukelele saying "you don't mind if I keep tis one?"

[Savoy Truffle]

That is such a great story. One of my favourite ones from the Harrison book. The picture of him there with the uke at this shoot is beautiful too. I would have loved to have been there to hear these ballads.

It reminds me of one of Dhani's interviews where he talks about coming home from school and finding George standing in the doorway with the uke in his hand.

[FPSHOT]

This may be nice to read again.

You can hear George sing a song playing a uke at a George Formby Society Convention in the Winter Gardens, Blackpool.

It's 3.08 minutes long 'In My Little Snapshot Album' which finishes with a fairly difficult solo on the Banjo Uke. He admitted that he was only just learning to play and because the song had so many verses, he asked the audience to help him with the words if he forgot them.

As George, he begins rather shy but during the performance and even when the audience starts to sing along you can hear his shy part fades away - like we all experience with being shy I guess - and he is really enjoying it.

The link is in post 23 or somewhere round there I think but here it is as well. It is still working.

http://www.banjoukulele.co.uk/

[ Oct 10, 2003, 04:03 AM: Message Edited By: FPSHOT ]

[starchild01]

Here's a pic of him and the uke:

http://www.the-sun-kings.com/images/george/george10.jpg

What a dear, huh? graemlins/inlove5.gif

[FPSHOT]

Nice hat graemlins/smile1.gif

It's the pic from the Pirate Songs bootleg.

[beatlebangs1964]

This is a heartwarming story about George sharing a large part of his talent. I like the reverence he had for his muse, Music.

I think George was a very intense person and I think that intensity was never more apparent than when he was playing and discussing his music and his beliefs. The two segued into one another; one was an expression of the other and George was not one to compromise his beliefs. That's one of the many reasons I love George and what he had to offer. Hari's Chick, Rob, thank you for the links and the information. This kind of thing makes you feel a link to George's work, which will remain forever cherished.

The pirate sketch IS funny...the 1975 classic had me laughing my head off. I saw it at the Fest in Boston in 2002 and laughed so hard people were probably wondering...George had a brilliant, underscored, droll and sometimes acerbic wit. I absolutely LOVE listening to him and I think he would have been an OUTSTANDING story teller.

[ Oct 31, 2003, 05:54 PM: Message Edited By: beatlebangs1964 ]