Uncomfortable Anthology Moment

[Cologne girl]

Thanks for the info. Do you mean to say there was something like "American Idol" then? I thought that was a more recent invention...

[Mini]

I haven't seen this but I found George's comments in the Anthology to be the most interesting regarding John's "bigger than Jesus" comments and about John and Paul having big egos when Apple was launched and the track selection for the White Album. I wonder how much of it was censored for the official release.

Also in 1987 or 1988 when Cloud 9 came out George wasn't saying nice things about Paul either. I'm surprised that there was still abit of touchiness even up to Anthology.

[mi]

Yes, I agree, George did look slightly uncomfortable in a couple of other moments as well, as if to be thinking "That Paul is still the same bossy SOB!"

Yes, Doctor, that's EXACTLY what I thought. I had come to think nobody else had seen this - except perhaps for Steve; he was the only one who agreed when I brought up the thing about the old resentments creeping up. Sometimes you could see George wanted to say something but almost simultaneously thought better of it, sort of like "I won't get my point across anyhow, so I'll just let the other one keep on talking his crap; it's not worth the effort" - almost like during the "Let It Be" sessions. Mind you, it almost made ME feel uncomfortable at times.

Yeah, but...after all it was George who said in the Anthology: "Yeah, we were tight, that's one thing to be said about us...we were reeeally tight as friends". "We" includes Paul, I suppose. Or doesn't it?

[Cologne girl]

Yes, I agree, George did look slightly uncomfortable in a couple of other moments as well, as if to be thinking "That Paul is still the same bossy SOB!"

Yes, Doctor, that's EXACTLY what I thought. I had come to think nobody else had seen this - except perhaps for Steve; he was the only one who agreed when I brought up the thing about the old resentments creeping up. Sometimes you could see George wanted to say something but almost simultaneously thought better of it, sort of like "I won't get my point across anyhow, so I'll just let the other one keep on talking his crap; it's not worth the effort" - almost like during the "Let It Be" sessions. Mind you, it almost made ME feel uncomfortable at times.

Yeah, but...after all it was George who said in the Anthology: "Yeah, we were tight, that's one thing to be said about us...we were reeeally tight as friends". "We" includes Paul, I suppose. Or doesn't it?

Of course, but your quote doesn't contradict what's been said about the uncomfortable "Anthology" moment. George says they were close then - if memory serves me, he was talking about those times when they toured the UK and went from gig to gig in small car and were literally very close because they had to sleep on top of each other sometimes. But later on things changed; they developed apart... Remember George said he could not imagine playing in a band with Macca again ever. George, being as sensitive as he was, had an acute sense of the ridiculous (even more than John), and he must have found scenes like the "Blue Moon in Kentucky" one simply embarrassing. He is not outspoken about it, but look at his "asides", for instance, when they get together with George Martin to discuss the making of "Tomorrow never knows" and Macca is playing around with the controls. It's very subtle (as was George himself), but it's there.

[mi]

Remember George said he could not imagine playing in a band with Macca again ever.

Yes, but in the interview that I've read he also said that it was nothing personal, "just a musical point of view". It's quite natural for people to get fed up with each other after spending so much time together.
From what I undestood, George also invited Paul to the Bangala-Desh concert in 1971, so he couldn't have been too pissed off with him.

[maccastheman]

I haven't seen this but I found George's comments in the Anthology to be the most interesting regarding John's "bigger than Jesus" comments and about John and Paul having big egos when Apple was launched and the track selection for the White Album. I wonder how much of it was censored for the official release.

Also in 1987 or 1988 when Cloud 9 came out George wasn't saying nice things about Paul either. I'm surprised that there was still abit of touchiness even up to Anthology.

That was also around the time of the Beatle's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - which Paul didn't attend because of legal issues with the others. There's no telling what was going on legally that fed over into some of the personal comments about others.

[Mini]

I haven't seen this but I found George's comments in the Anthology to be the most interesting regarding John's "bigger than Jesus" comments and about John and Paul having big egos when Apple was launched and the track selection for the White Album. I wonder how much of it was censored for the official release.

Also in 1987 or 1988 when Cloud 9 came out George wasn't saying nice things about Paul either. I'm surprised that there was still abit of touchiness even up to Anthology.

That was also around the time of the Beatle's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - which Paul didn't attend because of legal issues with the others. There's no telling what was going on legally that fed over into some of the personal comments about others.

I know what you're saying but I feel that Paul wants it both ways some times. He wants the kudo's and the acknowledgement but still be the good guy. It's more evident in Many Years from Now when George left. He said after their little tiff George had a previous disagreement with John and that's the reason he left.

I have a book that talks about the Rubber Soul sessions and the guy said something along the lines that he couldn't believe how George put up with Paul. I think that's when Paul started to become very bossy.

[james1985]

And not to mention George seemed to be really smiling and happy when he started playing 'Thinking of Linking'.

The reason I asked was because I remember picking up some George Harrison biography (Dark Horse or something), and seeing it mention George not enjoying his time on the Anthology when it came to Paul.

Yes, but on one of the songs they played together George said something like "but the short version, please", didn't he?

On the whole, George seemed to have a rather complex personality - on the one hand, he surely wanted to step out of the huge shadows cast by John and Paul and make it big(ger) himself, but on the other hand, he didn't want to be persecuted the way famous people are. He wanted fame (who would not?), but it didn't go well with his personality. It surely was a great relief for him to get into the Indian thing and to get to know Ravi Shankar.

And as complex as his personality in itself obviously was his relationship with Paul. I think when he "presented" Paul's performance of "Yesterday" we could see the first (?) signs. I often wondered why he was made to do it and not John, which would have been the normal thing. And what did he mean when he said (if I understood correctly), "opportunity knocks"?? Was there some resentment/jealousy, whatever, involved?

then, after Paul sings Yesterday, John says "Thankyou Ringo, that was wonderful" there must have been some jelousy that one of the group was on their own for the first time

[mi]

Being "bossy" was one of Paul's shortcomings, but he certainly didn't do it out of malice purpose of because he didn't appreciate George. Maybe he wasn't even aware of it at the time - at the famous scene from "Let it Be" he's trying to explain to George he's not trying to boss him but George isn't even listening. Sure, Paul had his faults, like the rest of mankind. But George was known for not being a VERY forgiving person. If I were him I'd probably react just the same - I hate to be bossed and no question about it - just ask my husband... I just hope, for his sake, that he managed to get over his anger before he died.

[james1985]

I think he did get over it - were'nt Paul and Ringo at George's bedside near the time of his death? A touching moment, and I think all water went under the bridge