George Harrison Said He Wasn’t ‘Brilliant’ at Taking Care of His Career
George Harrison said he wasn’t “brilliant” at taking care of his career. Maybe that was because he never considered himself in one his whole life. George never pursued a solo career.
He released All Things Must Pass as a reaction to leaving The Beatles. He had so many songs stockpiled that he had to release them just to move forward. When the triple album did well, he continued making music on his schedule. He didn’t like making music just because the record companies and fans wanted him to.
However, after releasing several albums through the years, George couldn’t deny that he had somewhat of a career and realized he wasn’t good at keeping it afloat.
George Harrison confessed he didn’t have a career even though he released music
To fans, it might’ve looked like George had a successful solo career. However, he didn’t see it as one. He released music at will, and if the fans liked it, that was a bonus.
In 1992, George told Timothy White (per George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters) that he didn’t have a career.
“You invented your own job with a freshness and a heartfelt originality that made it so much more rich than a mere career,” White said.
George replied, “See, I never really did much [as] far as a career. There’s a lot of people out there who really plan what they’re doing. They got their publicists and their managers and they plan their tours like a Desert Storm campaign. But mostly it’s just me…. It’s all just been haphazard.”
George said he didn’t take care of his career
The former Beatle continued to have a haphazard career. However, at least he started considering it a career when he spoke with Rockline’s Bob Coburn in 1992 (per George Harrison on George Harrison). George said he was struggling t decide what to do next. If it hadn’t been for Eric Clapton, who’d persuaded him to come on a 12-show tour of Japan the year before, George probably would’ve stayed in his rut.
George said, “At this point, you know, some people in the record company said, ‘Well, maybe you should wait and just do an album, put that out, and then tour off of the album.’ I don’t know, I’m trying to make that decision. I’m talking to my agent.
Coburn said, “That’s a tough one to make. Go out on the road now? Make a new record? What do you do?”
George replied, “Well I think, you see, had Eric’s band been available after this new year, the beginning of the new year, I probably would have just continued straight on with that situation, but it was always put to me as a situation that was just for, like, November-December, when Eric was free.
“But having had this break, I’m now lapsing back into the old kind of, you know, forgetting what it’s like to be on the road. I don’t particularly … you know, I’m not brilliant at taking care of my career. I’m not very career-minded, you know?
“And touring is something which I can take it or leave it, and I think I need that push. If I was in a band it would be easier, but I need the push, and that’s why I thanked Eric for actually getting me this far.”
George didn’t care if his music wasn’t on record store shelves
The former Beatle’s attitude toward making new music didn’t change, and it often surprised George’s son Dhani. Dhani talked to his father about putting something out, but George never seemed overly excited.
“When my father passed, he didn’t have a record deal or any records in the stores,” Dhani told Guitar World. “He didn’t care. I said, ‘Dad, you know you really should get your record in stores. A.) How are you going to make any money? And B.) People should hear your music. People want to hear your music. You shouldn’t just leave the world hanging with no record.’ He was like, ‘Well, I suppose so….’
“And so I’ve taken that on as my job, from when he passed away. OK, let’s get everything back on the shelves, in perfect order. Obsessive compulsive. In the same-sized boxes, with the lyrics and the photographs. Then maybe in 20 years time I can go on being me, and carry on with my life. But it’s gonna take me 20 years!”
George planned to fill his days with jamming, only if he felt like it, and release an album once in a while to be able to live. Making music filled his time until he was ready to leave this Earth for something better.
