I hadn't been long home when I heard a George Harrison song on the Simon Mayo show - singing about home, I think.

Tuesday, 2nd December

The Times published  three photos of three Beatles in today's paper (p19).  They were on holiday in Tenerife with Astrid Kirchherr in 1963. Rare colour pictures taken before Beatlemania and are "expected to fetch £6,000 when they are sold at auction". And the caption was "Yesterday when all their roubles seemed so far away"

I caught a little bit of Sweet Sixteen by Ringo this afternoon on Johnny Walker's show.  This week's guest was Captain Sensible who spoke about his early days touring explaining it was a "Magical Mystery Tour-like the Beatles film".

But my favourite reference was in The Times Saturday Review (p9).  In a review of a new book, "A history of the 20th century in 100 maps" I read the following sentence: "And the childhood haunts of John, Paul, George and Ringo are meticulously plotted on a 1974 map catering for the millions of Beatles fans making the pilgrimage to Liverpool". Great, eh!

I heard "Dream Weaver" by Gary Wright on R2 this afternoon.  Johnny Walker explained the song was based on a poem in a book that was given to the songwriter by George Harrison.

I went to the movies last night so missed "Strictly Come Dancing" so watched it tonight.  One couple danced the Paso to Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die". It was a good performance - got them second place on the leader board.

Saturday, 25th October

Caitlin Moran (my favourite journalist) devoted her regular column in The Times Magazine to discussing who's the best Beatle.  She started with Ringo, her writing as humorous as ever, but she finally chose - Paul McCartney. I think I agree.

Lazy morning  in bed reading yesterday's Times including an obit.: "John Gustafson. Bass player with The Big Three, a raucous Liverpool band who rivalled the Beatles as a live attraction at the Cavern Club". Gustafson once recalled that he played with the Beatles: "I went backstage to see them and John said, "You're on", George had the flu but his guitar was there and so I played the whole of their second set, 45 minutes" (p80). Shame The Big Three - by all accounts a very good live band - never made it, but Gustafson did go on to have a successful career in music.

Wednesday, 24th September

The cover of T2 today showed a picture of George and Olivia Harrison with the heading: Loving George: My Life with the Beatle.  Olivia recalls a hike up Machu Picchu - "just backpackers alone up the mountain, and two pan pipe players appeared playing Hey Jude.  I sent it to Paul on my phone, he said 'Ah, you see, you can't get away'". Beatlewatch's point exactly.

"Later" with Jools Holland started on Saturday.  I caught up with it tonight and to my surprise one of his guests was Olivia Harrison promoting a new box set of George's music!

I heard on Simon Mayo's show tonight as I did a bit of painting in the kitchen When I'm 64. 

I've put my brushes down now to watch "Oh You Pretty Things: The story of Music and Fashion" (BBC4) - It starts in the 1960s so I'm fully expecting to see at least one picture of The Beatles ... 10 minutes in there was a bit about the tailor shop "Lord John": there's a cape hanging on the wall, made for John Lennon but he never collected it. 

And in a segment about the "Granny takes a trip" shop there's a shot of George Harrison wearing a floral jacket - the very one shown in this photo.

A bumper crop of references this weekend.  I heard John Lennon singing on Smooth Radio in Hinckley's Mind Charity shop on Saturday; Wings on R2 in my summerhouse this afternoon.



Peter Prichard

I've read Peter Prichard's obit in yesterday's Times (p76) - the show business agent and Ed Sullivan's eyes and ears in Europe who made the famous Beatles booking that led to a record 73 million Americans tuning in to see them : "The Beatles' sensational performance at Studio 50 on Broadway ... would not have happened but for the cool showbiz acumen of a largely unheralded figure back in London: the agent Peter Prichard.

The Beatles also featured in Daniel Finkelstein's Notebook (p21): "I am reminded of George Harrison's remark about writing Something  and Here Comes the Sun.  He said he hadn't seen himself as a songwriter, "but then I thought, if John and Paul can write, then everyone can write"".

And a few moments ago whilst checking to see if there are any tickets available for Wolf Hall (unsurprisingly, there are not) I saw that there's also a play on about Brain Epstein.



Apparently today, is the day when John and Olivia married.   To celebrate, Chris Evans played Oh Sweet Lord - a song we all sung at Mike's funeral (which is just 7 days away from its 3 year "anniversary")

I turned on the Radio this afternoon and just caught Johnny Walker (Sounds of the 70s) introducing a group that George Harrison signed to his Dark Horse Records company.  But I wasn't on time to catch the name of the band or the song.

I  caught a little of dear old Desmond Carrington's show on R2 tonight.  His playlist included an old Liverpool song "Fair Maggie May" .  The version he played was by The Quarryman - and, of course, he didn't fail to mention that Harrison, McCartney and Lennon were former band members.

"A pine tree planted in LA 10 years ago in memory of George Harrison has died after an insect infestation" (Times, p13). 

I'm pleased to say that the tree, Mike's mum (Rachel) planted at their home on 12 Castle Street to celebrate his birth, is alive and well.  I made a point of checking it today because it's the eve of his birthday - so the tree will be 68 years old.  It was only when I got back home that I read about George's. 

First day of summer holidays.  No need to get up at 6.30 am today so set my alarm for about 8.00 am and caught a trailer for "Sounds of the Sixties - from the Beatles to Bowie" with Brian Matthews.  Mike and I always listened to this show, but it's rare that I catch it now - too sad. 

A few minutes later I had one of those coincidences that keep happening since Mike died.  I was thinking about the day ahead and going to the cemetery; a few seconds later Chris Evans played "My Sweet Lord".  The congregation sung along to this (with George ) at Mike's funeral - a special moment.

"Geoffrey Maitland Smith - Personal accountant to Paul McCartney ..." died last month and his obit appears in today's Times (p57).  It's an interesting read - with insights into the aftermath of Brian Epstein's death and the Beatles' break-up. He was also involved in an attempt to buy Northern Songs, the company with rights to the Beatles' songs in 1981 - but he failed: "marvellous songs, which people are still humming and will go on humming for years to come" he said.

George Harrison Jigsaw

I decided to buy Dad some jigsaws for his birthday.  Browsing  Puzzle      Direct I saw several Beatle ones including this one of George. 

I didn't add this one to my cart - but I did find the perfect present for him.

I got back from seeing "Edge of tomorrow" (very good) just in time to catch "Later ...".  Jools in conversation with Hank Marvin lists all the guitarists Hank has influenced including ... George Harrison.  Mike won a guitar signed by Hank (& Bert Weedon).  He was presented with it in Derby by the Barron Knights (I remember being kissed by the lead singer of the other band that played that night - Marmalade)! I sold it with some of his other instruments, kinda regret that now - but I'll always keep the two guitars he actually played: a Martin and an old red fender.

Pat came to see me tonight - back from his business trip to India.  Lots of tales to tell, including an evening out to a Hard Rock Café in Bangalore that was decorated with pictures of ... George Harrison.

I watched about 45 mins of last night's show - some good covers.  Paul and Ringo in the audience with Beatle family members and a host of celebrity fans. A bit too "sentimental" and "groupie-ish" for my liking but will "catch up" with the rest sometime.

I heard two more Beatles songs today.  The first was Jamie Callum singing a jazzy version of "Can't buy me love" whilst I had a picnic in the park (they play music over the bandstand speakers). More piped music in B & Q. I caught "Eight Days a Week" just as I was leaving the store with another tin of paint.