Harrison (Editors of Rolling Stone) [Hardcover]

Editors of Rolling Stone (Author), Olivia Harrison (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: Editors of Rolling Stone | Publication Date: April 23, 2002

Here, the editors of "Rolling Stone" magazine draw on their extensive archives to celebrate the life and career of one of the most talented, most respected and most admired musicians in rock 'n' roll. George Harrison's untimely death saddened millions of rock fans who fondly remember him as the Beatles' lead guitar player, and also recall his solo albums after the Fab Four's break-up. Always known as the 'quiet Beatle', Harrison's contributions to popular music will never be forgotten. This book features articles and interviews from more than three decades, as well as hundreds of photographs.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

George Harrison once half-jokingly referred to himself as an "economy-class Beatle." Many music fans and writers took that label to heart, recasting Harrison as little more than a serviceable sideman. Harrison's death last year has prompted a reevaluation of his contributions to his former band's artistry, as well as his often dismissed solo career. Rolling Stone magazine does its part with this tribute, which includes a lengthy biographical essay, reprints of Harrison interviews and articles dating from 1968 to 1987, an annotated discography, and eulogies by Bob Dylan, Yoko Ono, Elton John, Mick Jagger, and Keith Richards. The text was put together by some of the magazine's most accomplished writers, with Harrison's widow, Olivia, supplying the foreword. It is pleasing enough, but the book really triumphs with its wealth of stunning, career-spanning photographs many of which have seldom or never been seen. Occasionally, the writers unnecessarily revise history in Harrison's favor. Also, the haste in preparing the book is evident in incorrect photo captions, some amateurish misspellings, and the perpetuation of debunked myths. On the flip side, there are many insightful and moving moments, and ultimately the book succeeds in giving Harrison just recognition for his innovations and unswerving artistic integrity. Recommended for most popular music collections; libraries may also want to check out Marc Shapiro's Behind Sad Eyes: The Life of George Harrison, also released in May. Lloyd Jansen, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This handsome, oversize volume celebrates the life of George Harrison. He may have been known as the Quiet Beatle, but his accomplishments speak loudly. Singer, songwriter, movie mogul, accomplished musician, spiritual seeker--Harrison made his mark in many fields. The text is centered on interviews and features taken from Rolling Stone, but there are also new pieces. The introduction by Harrison's wife, Olivia, is particularly intimate and touching. Naturally, photos are a big part of the book. Although the matte format occasionally does not do justice to the pictures, for the most part, the grainy look seems quite suitable. Fans will appreciate having so much material in one place, including a discography as well as the stories behind the songs. A fitting tribute to a rock legend. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (April 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743235819
• ISBN-13: 978-0743235815
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #912,472 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Living With Good & Bad, I Always Looked Up To You, June 29, 2002

By 

Joseph Kimsey "Fareastnibelung" (Pac NW) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harrison (Editors of Rolling Stone) (Hardcover)

Unlike nearly every other book on George Harrison, this is of the highest quality & doesn't wander off into gossipy corridors. George's memory is well-served by the book's mature analysis of his wonderful music and its respectful portrayal of George as a human being. I feel compelled to say that when I heard of George's passing, I was extremely upset. Not only was George an amazing songwriter and guitarist, he was also (from what I gather) an extremely gentle person. The world is a much poorer place due to his departure.

The book is finely illustrated with many rare pictures; I was delighted that it didn't gloss over George's neglected solo career. Another particular delight is the introduction penned by Mrs. Harrison. Like her husband, Mrs. Harrison is a very dignified, articulate person and I wish her the very best. Pictures of George's son (who looks just like him, by the way) are also included. Thank you for the music, George.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars So far, one of the better Harrison tributes......, April 21, 2002

By 

Michael Mcgrath "troppo67" (macondo) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harrison (Editors of Rolling Stone) (Hardcover)

After the passing of this great musician, there were a lot of tributes to harrison...This book is an expanded hardcover edition of the magazine tribute to Harrison, by the editors of Rolling Stone...i still cherish the copy of the magazine i purchased last year..so far i think it's one of the better tributes i've seen thus far...this book has even more...
and is an absolute delight...perhaps what made me pick this volume up right away was the forward by olivia Harrison...it contains so far from what i've read her most in-depth thoughts about her husband...she has some amusing short ancedotes to tell, specially about harrison whistling disliked tunes to see if he could get them into his her head before finding another tune...also she writes about her husband's last unfinished recordings, left on every tape machine in the house...hopefully she will share these recordings with the world one day...a world which needs music of harrison's calibre more than ever now...picking up this book was special for me...it is full of photos, some of which i've never seen before...there is a rare family photo-harrison and olivia were a nice looking couple, and more so in their later years; they look so close to one another...and over the years olivia proved herself to be just as brave as she was beautiful...
...what brings my rating down a notch is i would have liked to see more in depth reviews of harrison's solo work. Also i must confess that i'm a bit tired of seeing beatle photos (there are plenty of volumes with those on the shelves, including the mammoth beatles anthology-which is an excellent source for harrison fans as well), i would have preferred a volume that would have shown more photos of solo harrison; although i should not complain; so far this is the best volume that a harrison fan pick up. I often turn through the pages whilst listening to his music...personally, i would love to see a book written by olivia harrison-her writing style is very appealing..perhaps an update of " i me mine' would be nice, covering the dark horse years from her perspective...alot went on afterwards- "all those years ago"...

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE CONFLICTED ONE, January 4, 2004

By 

Sesho "www.sesho.libsyn.com" (Pasadena, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harrison (Hardcover)

Harrison is a coffee table book put out by the editors of Rolling Stone as a tribute to the late Beatles guitarist. What you have here is mostly pictures but there is text in the form of a short biography that scans over George's whole career. It features photographs from the 60s when Beatlemania was at its height and even offers commentary by the people who took those pictures. It also has pictures of his post Beatle career. It also has musical documentation of all of Harrison's output on his and other artist recordings. All of his interviews in Rolling Stone magazine are compiled in this book.

The picture of George that emerges after reading this book is of a man who ideally lives his life according to certain religious precepts but nevertheless has to live in the material world. Left to himself, George would have painted himself as a purely spiritual being. The pettiness of the Beatles in their breakup and how shamefully they all acted, including George himself, shows that no divine being can exist in human flesh. It seems he was always conflicted between being an entertainer and being somewhat of a divine monk. I don't think he ever reconciled the two.

An especially poignant moment is when an interviewer asks him about his relationship with John Lennon right before he was shot to death. George says that he felt John was trying to reconnect with him. He went to see him in New York and he could tell John wanted so badly to restart a relationship with him but because of his circumstances, probably Yoko's possessiveness of him, he could not communicate what he wanted to say.

It was also apparent that time heals most wounds and that George was at peace with his Beatles past, a past which at one time he hated. He seemed resentful that all his life was judged by a span of 7 short years. Remember, he was only 27 years old at the time the Beatles broke up. Paradoxically, he missed his old band, just like John, Paul, and Ringo did. Beneath all their spats in later years, they knew they had a good situation. They were the best band on the planet.