The Quiet Beatle

With the dawn of the new decade, George released the mammoth ''All Things Must Pass'' album. This three record album shot to the top of the charts, spawned a number 1 single in ''My Sweet Lord'', and, showed once and for all, that George was a bit of a musical genius in his own right. The title song was a not too veiled reminder to the public that his Beatle days were over and now we would all have to regard him as ''George Harrison''.... But, underneath the bravado lurked the darkness that was in his life. Pattie and him were not doing well--- George remained very much the player with women-- and, his spirituality was taking over his life. Pattie couldn't compete with both of those outside forces. George kept looking for the truth. Pattie wanted a normal life. They fought constantly. Added to the mix was that George's new best friend, Eric Clapton, was in love with Pattie[ the song ''Layla'' is about her]. Things were quite sticky at Friar Park. Then it got even stickier.... Rumor has it that there were a lot of instances where wife swapping took place. Allegedly, George took up with Ringo's wife Maureen, while Pattie shacked up with Ronnie Wood. Whatever the true story is, both George and Ringo ended their marriages-- and, Pattie went off with Clapton. This is the duality of George Harrison. On one hand a man searching for God. On the other, a very mortal man surrendering to the pleasures of the flesh. Interesting enough, all of this bizarre behavior among the rich rock stars didn't alter their feelings of love they had for each other. Perhaps, it was the life they were used to, where normal behavior has never flowered.... Throughout the 70's George released various albums to various acclaim and audience indifference. While the work of all the Beatles in their solo years is a mixed bag, the public still retained a strong love of the band. Constant requests for reunions. Of course, it never happened. George was reluctant. He also said that if John would do it, he would also. George loved Paul, but, had no desire to play music again with him. He wanted to be close again with John , though. But, the problem continued to be Yoko. John was secluded behind the thick walls of the Dakota building, almost like a prisoner. And, Yoko was the warden. In the last years of John's life, these two, who were once brothers in arms-- who, in another life, in another time, were teacher and pupil-- had virtually no contact with each other.... On the morning of December 9, 1980, George was asleep at home in England. The phone rang. His manager told him the news: John had been shot to death in New York. George put down the phone and said the Hare Krishna prayer for the dead. Not only would the Beatles never reunite, but, more importantly to George, he lost the one person , after God, who had the most influence on him. He cried himself back to sleep.... By the time of John's death, George was a new husband and father. He met Olivia Arias in 1974, and , perhaps for the first time in his life, he was truly in love. They had a son together, Dhani, born in 1978. George and Olivia became even more private after Lennon's death, naturally fearing for their own safety. That fear became a reality in 1999.... Throughout the 80's, George retreated to his garden. He loved the sight of the beauty growing from the earth. Here was God at his best, growing life, instead of the madness the outside world was growing. When he did return to the public in 1987, it was with a new album, '' Cloud Nine'' and a new outlook. Age seemed to mellow him. He had a wife. He had a son. He had a successful career. His spirituality was still strong. And, whatever bad feelings he had about the Beatles seemed to wash away. Friends say he loved to talk about the past and his former group. By the 90's, George seemed poised to grow old gracefully and peacefully. Then he got cancer...