Bootleg George
For "Ten Years On", 29th november 2011, we needed a "Solo" George and we did a little rummage on youtube. We were knocked out by Andre's sense of humour but thought we would never manage to get him to play for our Concerts as we could not afford even a single "Bootleg Beatle"! We asked anyway, and to our amazement, Andre said he would love to because he would like to give something back to the man who meant so much to him...
The Concerts were a huge success and it was obvious how much George meant to Andre. We chatted after the Concerts and caught up with him again after a hugely successful show in Poland playing to 2000 fans and before The BB's next tour (including an appearance at The Royal Albert Hall on the 5th March). Andre mentioned that he had seen George perform at The RAH in 1992. We are so delighted to share an interview with Andre on the occasion of what would have been George's 70th Birthay.
How did you find yourself as "George" in a Tribute Band?
Way back in late 1979 a friend of mine called me about a mysterious ad in the NME that wanted ‘Beatles’ but it didn’t say exactly what it was for. I’ve never actually seen the ad that changed my life– even to this day – but I took down the details from him and figured it must have been for ‘Beatlemania’, an American production that had just opened in the West End, who were looking for an English band. It was surprising how many people went to those auditions as ‘all purpose’ Beatles. I’d written to them saying that I could play and sing specifically like George, so I sent in some pictures of me in a cobbled together collarless jacket and a hastily cut fringe and got the job. I did Here Comes The Sun solo at the first audition and the played solo from Can’t Buy Me Love with the band. The production lasted about four or five months, playing at the now demolished Astoria Theatre, and then when it closed the four of us out-of-work English lads decided to form our own Beatle band – The Bootleg Beatles. If only we’d known what we were starting!
There was no such thing as ‘tribute’ back then; no re-issue guitars, no handy shops selling Shea Stadium jackets and only one incredibly expensive old firm in London (Anello & Davide) that still sold Beatle Boots because they’d never discontinued making them from the first time round! All you had to work from was your scratchy records and the odd showing of Help! at Christmas.
At the Ten Year On Concerts in Liverpool in 2011 it was obvious you care very much about George ~ What draws you most to him.
There are so many things: his musicianship, his sense of humour; the fact that George was always seeking something new whether it be musical or philosophical.
I remember I was about seven when my father took me to see A Hard Day’s Night at the pictures. Girls were actually screaming at the film! Anyway, I recall the scene when George wanders into the fashion office, ‘Dead grotty’ and ‘Cokerama’ and all that, and I was so knocked out with his voice and his calm, confident vibe – I know he was speaking lines but he just came over so naturally. And he looked pretty magnificent too!
It’s strange to think that a large part of my musical life is all about replicating, whereas with The Beatles it was all about creating something new and then moving on – I think George was a big part of that. And although George was labelled the ‘quiet one’ I imagine that he was not so quiet if he didn’t agree with the way something was going! Although I feel he was the most charming Beatle I don’t think he suffered fools gladly and I like that about anyone.
What is your favourite tune by George ~ and of course why?
It’s probably a cliché, but I’ll go with My Sweet Lord. I know that the record caused a lot of legal and financial hassle for George because of the Chiffons thing, but it’s an incredible, unique recording and superb song. I can’t think of another record that sounds like it. I love the acoustic guitars at the top of the track. The slide guitar break is just one of the greatest hooks ever and the key change when the rhythm section comes in is totally inspired. From my point of view it’s a fabulous vocal to work with and hopefully do justice to. I actually bought the single at the time and it still hits me the same way every time I hear it. Another big favourite is ‘I’d Have You Anytime.’
You were fortunate enough to meet and converse at some length with George himself ~ please can you share how this came about...
When, where, who was he with etc...
It was back in February ’96 and the Bootleg Beatles were booked to play Dave Gilmour’s (Pink Floyd) fiftieth birthday party. He’d booked the Fulham Town Hall and the place was done up like a Turkish brothel! We were there in the afternoon, soundchecking and the like, and someone showed us the guest list…and it was an unbelievable who’s who of British rock. Jagger, Kate Bush, Queen, Procul Harum. Bryan Ferry, Bob Geldof and so on…but also on it were George and Olivia Harrison.
How long did you talk for and how did he make you feel?
Well, we all looked at each other and said ‘he’ll never show up’.
So just before the gig we were getting ready to go on stage and the agent came in and marched over to me and said grimly ‘He’s here.’ And I thought to myself ‘Oh, blimey, the moment of truth has arrived!’ I have to admit that I was really nervous; I think we all were, but I guess the onus was on me more – just a little bit! Anyway, I decided not to be coy about it and definitely not to act ‘cool’ while we were performing – I said to myself do ‘George’ 100% and whatever will be will be.
Once we’d got back into civvies I said to Paul (Cooper – BB former Macca) let’s go and see if George is still out there. And there he was - chatting with Terry Doran (the man from the motor trade) and we introduced ourselves and straight away he came out with the great line, ‘Who’s the Bootleg Brian Epstein, ‘cos he’s got all the money.’ And that was it – we spoke to George on and off for an incredible four or five hours. He was so friendly and so easy to talk to – they say never meet your heroes because you’ll be disappointed but the reverse was true with George – but he was just great. I read in Patti Boyd’s autobiography some years later that the only people George ever trusted without question were musicians – maybe that had something to do with his openness with us.
Please will you share some of these wonderful moments with us
So we started talking and then George said, ‘So you’re supposed to me are you? Well you’ve got my eyes,’ (no one ever believes that he said that - but it’s true!) and then he introduced me to Tim Rice, who was getting a beer and said, ‘Here he is, the new singing sensation, Bootleg George, singing all my hits from ‘Don’t Bother Me’ to the present day.’ He was very happy that I did the ‘Liverpool leg’ in my mimic! He mentioned Monty Python and Bob Dylan, just free flowing conversation. I told him that I loved the ukulele on the coda of Free As A Bird and he said ironically, ‘That wasn’t just me, that was me and Paul.’ Then George turned round and said, ‘One of you played a wrong chord on Free As A Bird,’ and he proceeded to tell us the whole chord sequence…’A Major, F sharp minor, F major seventh,’ then he left a gap and smiled as if he were telling us some long lost secret, ‘E suspended seventh!’ You could tell he really loved John’s composition. We still play it at the end of our shows as the audience is leaving - the slide playing on that number is mind blowing.
What struck you most about George during this meeting (eg was he at ease with you, did he seem happy and relaxed)
He was so relaxed with us - our ‘John’ cheekily asked if we could have a picture with him and he said, ‘Sure, when we know each other a little better.’ He said ‘You probably know the chords better than I do – I only played most of these songs once and then that was it.’ At one point he wryly commented to us that, ‘This dressing up like us – it’s all a bit silly!’
Then we left George, just so happy to have met him, thinking how fantastic he was and that that was it. About an hour or so later I was going to go and I thought I’d say goodbye to George and just say ‘thanks’ for not just going ‘hi, bye – see you later,’ so I went over to him and he was with Olivia, Patti Boyd and her partner and Terry Doran.
And then, out of the blue, he invited me into his circle, asked my name and introduced me to everyone, ‘This is the real Andre, here’s Bootleg Olivia, Bootleg Patti…we’re all living in a Bootleg world.’ It was incredible and the conversation just started up again – for about another two hours!! One piece of trivia I remember through the haze was that he said that he thought Extra Texture was ‘a bit toppy’!!
(i know his parting shot was very special already so i want to make a feature of it...) What did George say to you as he left?
It was a long, long night and at about four in the morning we were still talking away and then Olivia Harrison came over and said it was time to go and George hugged Paul ("Bootleg Paul Cooper") and me and turned to us and said, ’Never forget - we’re just molecules and water - here for a visit…tara…’ and off they went.
Is there anything you wish you had said or done in retrospect.
We were very aware not to be Beatle bores because that would have been a right royal drag, but at one point I said to George, ‘The Beatles are our inspiration – who’s yours?’ And instead of getting the answer that I was kind of was expecting, Eddie Cochran or Carl Perkins or someone, he reeled off a list of swamis and yogis and that was mightily impressive. He said to us, ‘You’re obviously good people who love their God.’
The one musical question I wished I’d have asked him was exactly how he played the guitar solo in Something and how it was recorded to get that wonderful sound. I think I’ve sussed it now, years later, (slide with a change of tuning) but back then I couldn’t get the exact sound I wanted.
Where were you when you heard the news of his passing and how did you pay your own personal Tribute to him
The Bootleg Beatles were already on our December tour in 2001 preparing for a concert in Essex when the news came through. It was was not such a shock as it had been with John because we’d all heard that George’s health had been failing for a while, but for any who loved George the pain just was as dreadful.
I thought back to those parting words he said to us five years earlier and just reflected on that. I was in a position to share my feelings with the audience as we were on tour, so I did a solo version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps – everybody was crying every night for twenty dates. It was just so sad.
Do you feel he is appreciated enough for what he brought to the world eg he was never knighted and cannot now be knighted posthumously under our current legislation ~ if not what would you like to see happen.
I’m not sure what I think of the whole knighthood thing (there goes mine!), but maybe it doesn’t matter – it’s just an establishment thing.
I think the tribute to mark Ten Years On was fabulous and very moving. The Scorsese video and the Olivia Harrison’s book are important as they’re first hand accounts of George’s life there for posterity. But I think that your question hits the nail on the head for me – that hopefully he will always be remembered and truly appreciated for all the beautiful music he made, for his absolute genius as a guitar player and that the world remembers all he did for causes such as Bangladesh. From my point of view, I guess I tend go back to the Beatles and hope that commentators and biographers of the future will always give credence to the notion that the Beatles were a four headed beast and that each member was as talented and crucial to the whole as any other.
The Concerts were a huge success and it was obvious how much George meant to Andre. We chatted after the Concerts and caught up with him again after a hugely successful show in Poland playing to 2000 fans and before The BB's next tour (including an appearance at The Royal Albert Hall on the 5th March). Andre mentioned that he had seen George perform at The RAH in 1992. We are so delighted to share an interview with Andre on the occasion of what would have been George's 70th Birthay.
How did you find yourself as "George" in a Tribute Band?
Way back in late 1979 a friend of mine called me about a mysterious ad in the NME that wanted ‘Beatles’ but it didn’t say exactly what it was for. I’ve never actually seen the ad that changed my life– even to this day – but I took down the details from him and figured it must have been for ‘Beatlemania’, an American production that had just opened in the West End, who were looking for an English band. It was surprising how many people went to those auditions as ‘all purpose’ Beatles. I’d written to them saying that I could play and sing specifically like George, so I sent in some pictures of me in a cobbled together collarless jacket and a hastily cut fringe and got the job. I did Here Comes The Sun solo at the first audition and the played solo from Can’t Buy Me Love with the band. The production lasted about four or five months, playing at the now demolished Astoria Theatre, and then when it closed the four of us out-of-work English lads decided to form our own Beatle band – The Bootleg Beatles. If only we’d known what we were starting!
There was no such thing as ‘tribute’ back then; no re-issue guitars, no handy shops selling Shea Stadium jackets and only one incredibly expensive old firm in London (Anello & Davide) that still sold Beatle Boots because they’d never discontinued making them from the first time round! All you had to work from was your scratchy records and the odd showing of Help! at Christmas.
At the Ten Year On Concerts in Liverpool in 2011 it was obvious you care very much about George ~ What draws you most to him.
There are so many things: his musicianship, his sense of humour; the fact that George was always seeking something new whether it be musical or philosophical.
I remember I was about seven when my father took me to see A Hard Day’s Night at the pictures. Girls were actually screaming at the film! Anyway, I recall the scene when George wanders into the fashion office, ‘Dead grotty’ and ‘Cokerama’ and all that, and I was so knocked out with his voice and his calm, confident vibe – I know he was speaking lines but he just came over so naturally. And he looked pretty magnificent too!
It’s strange to think that a large part of my musical life is all about replicating, whereas with The Beatles it was all about creating something new and then moving on – I think George was a big part of that. And although George was labelled the ‘quiet one’ I imagine that he was not so quiet if he didn’t agree with the way something was going! Although I feel he was the most charming Beatle I don’t think he suffered fools gladly and I like that about anyone.
What is your favourite tune by George ~ and of course why?
It’s probably a cliché, but I’ll go with My Sweet Lord. I know that the record caused a lot of legal and financial hassle for George because of the Chiffons thing, but it’s an incredible, unique recording and superb song. I can’t think of another record that sounds like it. I love the acoustic guitars at the top of the track. The slide guitar break is just one of the greatest hooks ever and the key change when the rhythm section comes in is totally inspired. From my point of view it’s a fabulous vocal to work with and hopefully do justice to. I actually bought the single at the time and it still hits me the same way every time I hear it. Another big favourite is ‘I’d Have You Anytime.’
You were fortunate enough to meet and converse at some length with George himself ~ please can you share how this came about...
When, where, who was he with etc...
It was back in February ’96 and the Bootleg Beatles were booked to play Dave Gilmour’s (Pink Floyd) fiftieth birthday party. He’d booked the Fulham Town Hall and the place was done up like a Turkish brothel! We were there in the afternoon, soundchecking and the like, and someone showed us the guest list…and it was an unbelievable who’s who of British rock. Jagger, Kate Bush, Queen, Procul Harum. Bryan Ferry, Bob Geldof and so on…but also on it were George and Olivia Harrison.
How long did you talk for and how did he make you feel?
Well, we all looked at each other and said ‘he’ll never show up’.
So just before the gig we were getting ready to go on stage and the agent came in and marched over to me and said grimly ‘He’s here.’ And I thought to myself ‘Oh, blimey, the moment of truth has arrived!’ I have to admit that I was really nervous; I think we all were, but I guess the onus was on me more – just a little bit! Anyway, I decided not to be coy about it and definitely not to act ‘cool’ while we were performing – I said to myself do ‘George’ 100% and whatever will be will be.
Once we’d got back into civvies I said to Paul (Cooper – BB former Macca) let’s go and see if George is still out there. And there he was - chatting with Terry Doran (the man from the motor trade) and we introduced ourselves and straight away he came out with the great line, ‘Who’s the Bootleg Brian Epstein, ‘cos he’s got all the money.’ And that was it – we spoke to George on and off for an incredible four or five hours. He was so friendly and so easy to talk to – they say never meet your heroes because you’ll be disappointed but the reverse was true with George – but he was just great. I read in Patti Boyd’s autobiography some years later that the only people George ever trusted without question were musicians – maybe that had something to do with his openness with us.
Please will you share some of these wonderful moments with us
So we started talking and then George said, ‘So you’re supposed to me are you? Well you’ve got my eyes,’ (no one ever believes that he said that - but it’s true!) and then he introduced me to Tim Rice, who was getting a beer and said, ‘Here he is, the new singing sensation, Bootleg George, singing all my hits from ‘Don’t Bother Me’ to the present day.’ He was very happy that I did the ‘Liverpool leg’ in my mimic! He mentioned Monty Python and Bob Dylan, just free flowing conversation. I told him that I loved the ukulele on the coda of Free As A Bird and he said ironically, ‘That wasn’t just me, that was me and Paul.’ Then George turned round and said, ‘One of you played a wrong chord on Free As A Bird,’ and he proceeded to tell us the whole chord sequence…’A Major, F sharp minor, F major seventh,’ then he left a gap and smiled as if he were telling us some long lost secret, ‘E suspended seventh!’ You could tell he really loved John’s composition. We still play it at the end of our shows as the audience is leaving - the slide playing on that number is mind blowing.
What struck you most about George during this meeting (eg was he at ease with you, did he seem happy and relaxed)
He was so relaxed with us - our ‘John’ cheekily asked if we could have a picture with him and he said, ‘Sure, when we know each other a little better.’ He said ‘You probably know the chords better than I do – I only played most of these songs once and then that was it.’ At one point he wryly commented to us that, ‘This dressing up like us – it’s all a bit silly!’
Then we left George, just so happy to have met him, thinking how fantastic he was and that that was it. About an hour or so later I was going to go and I thought I’d say goodbye to George and just say ‘thanks’ for not just going ‘hi, bye – see you later,’ so I went over to him and he was with Olivia, Patti Boyd and her partner and Terry Doran.
And then, out of the blue, he invited me into his circle, asked my name and introduced me to everyone, ‘This is the real Andre, here’s Bootleg Olivia, Bootleg Patti…we’re all living in a Bootleg world.’ It was incredible and the conversation just started up again – for about another two hours!! One piece of trivia I remember through the haze was that he said that he thought Extra Texture was ‘a bit toppy’!!
(i know his parting shot was very special already so i want to make a feature of it...) What did George say to you as he left?
It was a long, long night and at about four in the morning we were still talking away and then Olivia Harrison came over and said it was time to go and George hugged Paul ("Bootleg Paul Cooper") and me and turned to us and said, ’Never forget - we’re just molecules and water - here for a visit…tara…’ and off they went.
Is there anything you wish you had said or done in retrospect.
We were very aware not to be Beatle bores because that would have been a right royal drag, but at one point I said to George, ‘The Beatles are our inspiration – who’s yours?’ And instead of getting the answer that I was kind of was expecting, Eddie Cochran or Carl Perkins or someone, he reeled off a list of swamis and yogis and that was mightily impressive. He said to us, ‘You’re obviously good people who love their God.’
The one musical question I wished I’d have asked him was exactly how he played the guitar solo in Something and how it was recorded to get that wonderful sound. I think I’ve sussed it now, years later, (slide with a change of tuning) but back then I couldn’t get the exact sound I wanted.
Where were you when you heard the news of his passing and how did you pay your own personal Tribute to him
The Bootleg Beatles were already on our December tour in 2001 preparing for a concert in Essex when the news came through. It was was not such a shock as it had been with John because we’d all heard that George’s health had been failing for a while, but for any who loved George the pain just was as dreadful.
I thought back to those parting words he said to us five years earlier and just reflected on that. I was in a position to share my feelings with the audience as we were on tour, so I did a solo version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps – everybody was crying every night for twenty dates. It was just so sad.
Do you feel he is appreciated enough for what he brought to the world eg he was never knighted and cannot now be knighted posthumously under our current legislation ~ if not what would you like to see happen.
I’m not sure what I think of the whole knighthood thing (there goes mine!), but maybe it doesn’t matter – it’s just an establishment thing.
I think the tribute to mark Ten Years On was fabulous and very moving. The Scorsese video and the Olivia Harrison’s book are important as they’re first hand accounts of George’s life there for posterity. But I think that your question hits the nail on the head for me – that hopefully he will always be remembered and truly appreciated for all the beautiful music he made, for his absolute genius as a guitar player and that the world remembers all he did for causes such as Bangladesh. From my point of view, I guess I tend go back to the Beatles and hope that commentators and biographers of the future will always give credence to the notion that the Beatles were a four headed beast and that each member was as talented and crucial to the whole as any other.
Andre Barreau as himself :-)
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