Customer Reviews

Before He Was Fab : George Harrison's First American Visit

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was fortunate enough to purchase a copy of this book from George Harrison's sister Louise Harrison, at Liverpool Days in Pasadena this year. I must tell you that she fully endorsed the book as being true by offering it up for sale. I had a chance to talk with her at length and louise is a forthright, humorous woman. After reading the book (being a 53 year old woman who is a die-hard Beatles fan) I felt I had a little more understanding of the times and of George's vast curiousity of the US. Ultimately I became a huge admirer of George's for his belief of a higher power and his quest to know more. I would highly recommend this book for a little peek into this most private man's early life. The goodness and kindness of this man should never be forgotten. I think he was always FAB, he just didn't know it at an early age.

Mr. Kirkpatrick does a fine job of describing George Harrison's first U.S. visit. Hearing about Harrison's first impressions of American culture and people is interesting. That the author was able to locate and interview so many people from 1963 is impressive. The pictures and illustrations in this book are also helpful. That "the polite young Englishman with long hair and sandals" got along so well with the people of southern Illinois is nice to hear.

I live in Benton, I know everyone that was in the Four Vests and talk with them often. This is a great peice of history about a young Englishman that visited a small town not unlike Mayberry on Andy Griffeth. No one at the time, Harrison was in Benton, knew anything about him except that he was a musician and was from England. Everyone said he was really a nice guy, very polite, and quiet. This book is an attempt to capture some of the history of the visit. It is an interesting read and completely true. I have lived in Benton my entire life and would like to state for the record that the events described in this book took place and it is NOT an attempt to separate Beatle fans from their money as one of the previous reviews described. We in Benton take offence to that.

As the writer for the film adaptation of Jim Kirkpatrick's BEFORE HE WAS FAB, I have found the work to be an invaluable resource. The book is well researched and written with a fresh, direct perspective that chronicles the first U.S. visit by a Beatle before America even heard of The Beatles. It's charm rests on the fact that it is a true story!
BEFORE HE WAS FAB does an admirable job of reporting facts, eliminating fantasy and capturing a special moment in American heartland history. Tucked within the pages, you'll meet some colorful characters who befriend this mop-haired lad who just happens to play guitar for a pretty good British rock `n roll band. The book is a solid bet for the Beatle aficionado. Don't pass it up!

This is an amazingly interesting book for covering two weeks in the life of George Harrison (although, actually, a lot of the book deals with follow-up events). I was impressed to find I'd been in some of the towns George visited in Illinois. His sister Louise really helps the author a lot, so it's "from the horse's mouth". It is also quite well written. The fascinating thing about the book is it's George in the USA only 5 months before the Beatles were to explode in the USA. He even does some minor publicity for the group, and, believe it or not, Ringo was going to come with George until he learned Louise was preparing some publicity things for George. And Ringo just wanted a straight vacation. So George's brother Peter came to the USA instead of Ringo. A really fun book to read.

Being a Beatles fan from southern Illinois who enjoys quirky Illinois history, I thought this book was a perfect fit for me. Granted, it delves into minutiae that only the most obsessed Beatles or Harrison fans will appreciate, so casual fans be warned. Jim Kirkpatrick did a splendid job on such a specific topic, and had access to Louise Harrison, who was more than willing to share the stories from September 1963. I also enjoyed the firsthand recollections from other people whose paths Harrison crossed when he was still a nobody in the U.S. Out of the 25+ Beatle-related books I own, this is one of my favorites.

This is truly a delightful book. Beatle George Harrison's sister, Louise offers a lot of personal and interesting information about her famous brother and her other brother, Peter. Louise has founded the Beatles' Museum in Illinois where she had lived for some years and her contributions of Beatle facts and memorabilia is invaluable and greatly appreciated by many.

In September of 1963, George and his older brother, Peter visited their sister who had by then emigrated to the U.S. At that time, George was the only Beatle to have made a transatlantic trip. His sister Louise provides a fresh voice, humor and delightful additional input about her famous brother and the people such has herself and their brother Peter who, undoubtedly helped influence George. I like the way she included a map of the Benton area and a list of places George got to visit during his trip. I also like the way she encouraged local radio stations to play the Beatles' then current hit, "She Loves You," which is one of MY favorite songs.

What adds to the appeal of this book is the loving tone in which it is written. The youngest of four children and the youngest of four Beatles, George was plainly well loved. One feels drawn into a loving vortex when reading this work. This book is very soothing and delightful; it is a book that will engender good feelings when read. This delightful book will be treasured from the inveterate Beatles' fan to people becoming familiar with their musical, artistic and cultural influence. I love it!

George was ALWAYS a first-class person, artist and Beatle. I think George was ALWAYS fab!

This work deserves a hearty YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!

For the true Beatles fan, "Before He Was Fab: George Harrison's First American Visit" by Jim Kirkpatrick is delightful. It's a small book - just over 100 pages.

In September 1963, George Harrison visited his sister, Louise, in a coal-mining town in Illinois. Beatlemania was already going gangbusters in England, but America would not meet The Beatles for another five months. Kirkpatrick sets the background by describing what was going on in the world that month, how much things cost at the corner store, and who was on the television and radio.

It's a carefree trip back in time, a charming account, filled with local color, of the visit of a "polite young Englishman with long hair and sandals." It's a fun addition to any Beatles fan's memorabilia collection.

I read this book for two reasons. The first is that I am a Beatles fan. The second is that at my school, "White Pines College," in Chester, NH, the new president was in the band "The Egyptian Combo," which is mentioned in the book. President William Nevious has been known to say that his band had told George Harrison's sister Louise that they did not allow anyone to "sit in" and play with their band. It was circa 1965 and the combo was apparently the hottest high-school band in the Benton, Illinois area. The story goes that Louise asked the band if her brother, who was going to be visiting from England soon, could sit in and play guitar with them. According to President Nevious, the band declined Louise's offer, and I cannot help but wonder if they might otherwise have become the next "Badfinger". I guess we will never know...
The band later signed up to work with Uncle Sam's recruiting efforts, but instead of touring the States they evidently hadn't read the fine print and ended up in Vietnam entertaining some already recruited troops.
Anyway, Rock and Roll's loss is White Pines College's gain. Enjoy this unique look into the early/mid-American sixties. I did. (And still am!)

"ANY SERIOUS BEATLE FAN SHOULD OWN THIS BOOK !"

MR.KIRKPATRICK TAKES A LOOK AT A SIDE OF GEORGE HARRISON FEW PEOPLE HAVE SEEN, WHEN HE WAS A REGULAR GUY WITH A DREAM, BUT WHEN HIS DREAM CAME TRUE IT WAS ON A SCALE EVEN GEORGE HARRISON OR THE REST OF THE BEATLES WOULD HAVE NEVER THUOUGHT OF . WITH SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AS A BACKDROP, YOU SEE GEORGE AS A YOUNG MAN ON VACATION DOING WHAT ANY MUSICIAN WOULD DO, HANG OUT WITH OTHER MUSICIANS, GO CAMPING, CHECK OUT THE LOCAL MUSIC STORES

AND GET OUT TO HEAR THE LOCAL TALENT . WE HAVE SO MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THE BEATLES DURING THEIR YEARS AS A GROUP. AND DURING THEIR LIVES, AND DEATHS, AFTER THEIR BREAKUP. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF MR. KIRKPATRICK COULD DO BOOKS ABOUT PAUL, JOHN AND RINGO, BEFORE THEY WERE FAB !

DOUG LINTON

THE EGYPTIAN COMBO