NILSSON: the true one: Lennon's Favorite Group

Lennon's Favorite Group

Lennon calls him his favorite American

performer, yet many people still know
little about this ex bank employee...

This paper (Disc and Music Echo - January 8, 1972) shows Harry's new beard look and comes back in full details to Harry's early work.

Lennon calls him his favorite American performer (as he proclaimed at the Apple press conference on May 14, 1968), yet many people still know little about this ex bank employee...

A great featuring in British music-press for this American artist who is in the spotlight since Nilsson Schmilsson has come to record stores two months earlier.

Harry speaks also of the forthcoming LP that would come out at the end of that year... without knowing it will be called Son Of Schmilsson.

For this British music-paper issue at the beginning of year 72, Harry has the honor of a double page featuring his success on British TV broadcast of both "In Concert" documentary (with no audience) and "The Point" cartoon film on the same day, on New Year’s Day, 1972.

The paper begins like this: "Harry Nilsson started his new year (January 1972) with a beakthrough on British television: his own "In Concert" (with no audience, at his request) and his cartoon film "The Point" on the same day.

I spoke to him prior to this "Nilsson Day" at his Mayfair flat. He's much taller and more gangling than I imagined.
He's now also got longer hair and a beard, which effectively dismisses the shy choirboy visual image portrayed by the very few pictures of him that have been available for the past few years.

Pictures, audiences, interviews and playing live, ironically are all his aversions."

Nilsson's my favorite group...

Back in May 14, 1968, John and Paul held a press conference to announce the formation of Apple Corps at New York's Americana Hotel.

Press officer and publicist Derek Taylor conducted the press conference (pictured with Mal Evans, Denis O'Dell, Ron Kass, Magic Alex).

John was asked to name his favorite American group and influences. He replied, “Well, everybody's records influence the mind, you know. All at once. Everything influences everything, Nilsson’s my favorite group”.

Paul said the same.

Later when asked to name their favorite American artist both replied, “Nilsson” as well.

A strange but fab phone call...

“‘I was half asleep,’ Nilsson recalled. ‘
A voice says: “Hello, Harry. This is John. Man, you’re too f***ing much, you’re just great. We’ve got to get together and do something.”

‘I said, “Who is this?”
‘“John Lennon.”

‘I said: “Yeah, right, who is this?”
‘“It’s John Lennon. I’m just trying to say you’re fantastic. Have a good night’s sleep. Speak to you soon. Goodbye.”

‘I thought, “Was that a dream?”’

The Monday after Lennon’s call, Paul McCartney rang.

‘Hello, Harry. Yeah, this is Paul. Just wanted to say you’re great, man!

John gave me the album. It’s great; you’re terrific. Look forward to seeing you.’

The next Monday, Nilsson dressed and waited for a four o’clock call from Ringo. It didn’t come.

(April 1968)

New Musical Express - June 29, 1968

Nilsson is hear...

Not long after John and Paul returned from New York, Derek Taylor, The Beatles’ press officer at Apple, made a call to Harry.

‘Derek says: “The lads, the boys, the Fabs would like you to come over and join them at a session,”’ Nilsson remembered. ‘“They’re recording at Abbey Road. They’re dying to see you.”’

By June 1968, at the Beatles's invitation, Harry visited the Beatles's in London while they recorded the"White Album."

Harry was greeted warmly by John and they spent the whole night talking together at John's home in Weybridge. John played him Revolution and selections of the upcoming White Album. In return, Harry played John a demo cut of his new album, Aerial Ballet.

John liked Harry's song-writing and especially Mr Richland's Favorite Song from the new album. John said it was so great and he wished he had written that song. Harry was so honored when John gave him the famous coat he had on Magical Mystery Tour.

Paul asked Harry if he could write a song for Mary Hopkin. Harry wrote The Puppy Song that night at the piano of the hotel and Paul loved it immediately.

Then, Paul and Linda visited Harry and his wife Diane in their hotel room. Paul played his guitar while singing selections from the album. One of the songs was Mother Nature's Son which Harry later included on his next album "Harry".

Harry went also to Abbey Road while George was recording Piggies.
He saw George Martin working and was impressed about the way of managing a studio session that contrasted considerably with his experience of Rick Jarrard.

All this gave him some ideas about how to improve production work for his next recordings.