George Harrison Said There Was a Misconception About Who Was the Most Successful Beatle
George Harrison said there was a misconception about who was the most successful Beatle. When the press and the fans saw one of the Fab Four releasing music and being present in the public eye, they thought they were the most successful Beatle. However, being present didn’t constitute success.
The former Beatle said he didn’t need to keep releasing music to survive
George never pursued a solo career. However, after The Beatles split, he had a stockpile of songs he’d hoarded throughout his time in the band. He’d only got about two songs on each album. George had to release the songs, or else he couldn’t move forward with his life. So, he unleashed a triple album, All Things Must Pass, which had a track called “My Sweet Lord,” the first No. 1 single by an ex-Beatle.
George stayed in the public eye, even though he didn’t want or need to, for a couple more years. He released six albums throughout the 1970s, organized the Concert for Bangladesh, embarked on a heavily criticized 1974 American tour, and started his own record label, Dark Horse Records.
Into the 1980s, George lost momentum partially because he was sick of the music industry and fame (…again). He released Somewhere in England and Gone Troppo in 1981 and 1982, respectively, and then went into apparent seclusion for the next five years.
However, just because he wasn’t as present doesn’t mean George had retired. He produced films for his production company, HandMade Films, and recorded music here and there. It became evident that George didn’t need to release music for money.
In 1979, he told Rolling Stone, “It’s not for the money that I do what I do; it was never for the money really. We hoped we’d make a living out of it when we [the Beatles] were teenagers; we hoped we’d get by [smiling], but we weren’t doing it for the money.
“In fact, the moment we realized we were doing it for money was just before we stopped touring, because we were getting no pleasure out of it. Then we found out we weren’t even getting the money. The Americans were keeping it all, and we were paying so much tax—ninety-five percent or more.
“So it’s never been for the money really, although it can be nice to have some money. I mean, there’s nothing worse than standing at a bus stop in the pouring rain, wishing you had a car.”
George Harrison said there was a misconception about who was the most successful Beatle
George didn’t view success in the same way that the press, fans, or his fellow musicians did. He told Rolling Stone that it wasn’t a big deal if his 1979 album, George Harrison, became successful. If it was a hit, it would only make him want to make another one. That’s it.
“Not really,” George said. “It would be nice, but I’m not into the competitive type of thing with the record business anymore. It would be nice just because there are a lot of records out that sell a lot that are no better—put it that way.
“Also it would be nice to have a hit because it would make me feel more like doing another one. But if it’s not, I won’t be in tears or be upset.”
Success wasn’t George’s priority. However, he realized that fans thought of success in terms of how much an artist kept in the public eye. Since one Beatle was doing more in public, people thought of them as more successful than the other Beatles.
George said, “But the thing is, the general public thinks if you have a hit and you’re on the TV and in the papers, then you’re more successful than if none of those things are happening. Out of all the ex-Beatles, that is most evident with Paul, because Paul is continually making records, films of himself onstage and more records keeping in the public eye.
“And to the public that constitutes success. In the record business that is success. Whereas I choose not to be on TV so much or that much in the public eye, and so therefore my record sales must suffer because there’s less exposure.”
George was the gardening Beatle
George wasn’t always in the public eye, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t as successful as Paul or any other Beatle.
He just chose to keep to himself. “I stay home and dig—not so much with a spade—but I dig the garden, putting trees in,” George said. “I like gardens; I like the pleasure they give you. It’s like a meditation in a way—you can get everything out of your mind groveling in the soil! I spend a lot of time with the wife and the baby.”
After five years off, many thought George had his comeback with Cloud Nine. However, he didn’t see it was his comeback; he’d never left.
