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"We thought it had a sense of humour. I don't know... things that the studio has to offer which you can't do in I guess I'm just bitter about it. I think that sense of g a live situation. I did some TV shows in America a long humour is the single most lacking thing in popular time ago -the Johnny Carson show, the Mike Douglas music. It's also the single most lacking quality in the show -with just me and a piano. people that present popular music to the public. It hurts, "I was once advised to do live shows and appear on TV. because that's what rock'n'roll is all about -fun. I agreed to the TV. 'Everybody's Talkin" had just come out and "'Acting lilce a man on a fuzzy tree. . .'It's humour. How serious can you it was a hit, so I went on this TV show. I didn't have a suit to wear so I get about'your baby, my baby'?Lots of musicians take it too seriously and borrowed my manager's suit, which didn't fit. As soon as it was over it's dull and boring, and that's what's killing pop music. I like humour and I realised I was making a mistake and stopped doing it. My reputation I like songs that have humour. That's why I'm arguing with RCA. is now unscathed. "They don't get the joke aboutGod's Greatest Hits.I asked them whether "I've talked about it with the band that I use on the albums but I don't they'd have turned downJesus Christ Superstarfor the same reason. Most knowwhat we'd do. It wouldn't be like a concert tour, because they're on of the lyrics on the album are a joke, anyway." the way out anyway. Maybe we'd do a movie house with a new album. I'd Throughout his recording career, Harry has cut as many songs by just do one new album's worth of live stuff rather than all the old stuff." other artists as himself. "Yeah, I'd always wanted to do 'Subterranean At this stage Alice left, so I asked Harry why he didn't like giving Homesick Blues, and I'd always wanted to do 'Many Rivers'. I thought interviews. "I don't know. RCA want me to do a bunch of them soon, but that was going to be a hit, but you can't tell anymore. If I'd walked into I don't recall when I gave the last one. It could be one year ago. No, it was at a room and someone played it to me, I'd have jumped. It's difficult for me the time of theLittle Touch OfSchmilsson In The Night album. to find songs I like that I want to record. I don't like most songs and I don't "I don't knowwhat to say to people who ask questions. I loved that think anyone likes MOST songs. With 'Everybody's Talkin' and 'Without album, though. That's a personal favourite of mine, mainly because You', I just heard them, liked them and did them. Very simple. Derek Taylor produced it and because the songs are great songs. I didn't "I found 'Without You' on an old Badfinger album, and I first heard it sing too badly, either. I sang OK, for once. I like anything if it's good, and at someone's house. A day or two later I kept humming the hook and those songs were go good. I have a deep respect for Burt Bacharach." thought it was a Beatles song. It sounded like one, so I tried to find it by Holding Harry to one topic is difficult: suddenlywe'd switched to looking on all the Beatle albums. Finally I said, 'I know... it's not The astronomy- "what do I want to talk about music for?" - and his deep Beatles. It's that group they have: Grapefruit', so I went out and tried to desire to go to the moon. He's already bought a ticket through Pan Am, get a Grapefruit album. Finally it hit me. It was Badfinger. and he says he'd swap 10 years of his life for the chance to go up there. "I brought it to Richard [Perry- Harry's producer at the time] and he "Music? Well the only things that have made musical sense in my life are agreed to record it with me. It wasn't that big a surprise when it took off The Beatles, Little Richard, Ray Charles, The Everly Brothers. That was the way it did. It's actually more surprising when they're not hits. I think until I learned about some otherwriters from other generations. In my they're all hits when I'm writing them, and if I'm singing it, it's a hit too. If generation those are the ones I look to. you don't believe that, you go crazy." "The Beatles beat everyone to the punch. On my first album I did a Conversation switched into comedy, one of Harry's favourite topics. collage of 15 Beatles songs all together 'cos I wanted to do what they did. Alice Cooper arrived and the two of them discussed Mel Brooks, a mutual That makes me sound like a groupie, but I was proud of the fact that ! did favourite comic. Quick repartee ricocheted across the table for 15 that, that I recognised early on how good they were. minutes; coupled with record companygrievance stories triggered off "As soon as ! saw what theywere doing I just backed off. They were doing after Harry recounted a story about a single being withdrawn by RCA exactlywhat I wanted to do, but theywere there first. Theywere just at because they didn't think it was commercial. The lyrics were about a TV the right age to be the 'lads' and I'd always considered myself to be a 'lad'. detective series and television sets, and they include a line about"19 inch I love them individually and collectively. baby" and "twiddlingknobs".Too suggestive, said RCA, and stalemate "Ringo is now a very dear, close friend and I love him and John too. John exists at present. "I just signed a new deal with them for eight more and I aren't quite as chummy because he's an individual, he doesn't hang albums and this is the first. A stormy start, eh?" out everywhere. Paul I don't know that well, but I asked why Harry never appeared live and George! know better. I respect and love them Alice, equally curious on this topic, craned all, and there aren't too many people I can say forward to hear. "I prefer playing dead." "I decided it that about." Cut the wisecracks. Seriously, Harry. "No, Harry admits to having seen just five live I don't want to play live. I don't really know. acts in his life. Recently he saw Elton John, Everybody asks me this. It started out as a joke was original whom he liked, though he's not too keen on originally as nobody ever asked me to play live. Bernie Taupin's lyrics. "I don't like their I never had a band and I didn't have an agent, so not to go out songwriting technique that much, but they're nobody asked me to go out live. People asked me nice guys. I never saw The Beatles, actually. I about it and I decided it was original not to go paid to see Ray Charles. He's the only one I paid out live, so I thought I'd keep it that way a while. live. It doesn't to go and see. And I saw Randy Newman and I've kept it for seven years. Laura Nyro at the Troubadour because I respect "It doesn't appeal to me at all. I don't know appeal at all" them both tremendously. I wanted to hear them whether my performing live would help record and encourage them. sales. I just look at the people who do "Oh yes. And the Smothers perform live and don't sell records. Brothers. I guess everybody knows More artists perform live than don't I saw them at the Troubadour." [Just and more of them don't sell records. about a year ago Harry and Lennon In Alice's case, I'm sure his sales heckled the Smothers Brothers, would double if he did a tour, but Lennon wearing a Kotex on his head, that doesn't mean it will with me. and made an undignified exit which I've just signed a new deal with RCA was heavily reported in the press.] for $5 million and I've got a couple "I saw The Who, too, 'cos Keith of gold albums without doing any is a friend of mine. I think Pete live appearances. That's good Townshend is really good. enough forme. Townshend and Keith are really "I've done a couple of TVshows but strong people and I sense a protection that was without an audience. Just thing going on there. Pete protects a producer, myself and the crew. Keith, and I like that idea. I always That's controlled. You can do what thinkJohn would defend Ringo in you want to do and take advantage of the same way." Chris Charlesworth
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