A day late, I know, but in honour of what would have been his 70th birthday, I am promoting my original post back to the top of my blog, with a link to Harry's tribute site.
Harry was probably my most favourite interviewee. Initial contact was made through one of those 'friend of a friend' situations..I think the L.A. connection was Don Reo, the TV writer and producer, (M.A.S.H., Golden Girls etc), who was a friend of Harry's. Anyway, I called him and we set up a meet at the famous Ambassador Hotel, where I usually stayed on my visits to LA-LA Land. We met in the bar (where else!)...the one that featured in "The Graduate". I decided to wear my 'Whodunnit' T-shirt, with a knife dripping blood on it, (as Harry had recorded a song called 'Who done it?') and he picked up on it right away, so it was a great 'ice-breaker'. Drinks were ordered and the first thing he told me was that he had gotten laid on the roof of the hotel some years earlier! So, where do you go after that, I thought! Well, Harry didn't have a problem..., I switched on my tape recorder and just let it roll. We talked for an hour and a half (one story he related lasted about 20 minutes!) just rapping about his career, life, marriage (to his British wife, Una, who he met at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, in London) and so on. All the while, the drinks kept flowing, with me trying hard to appear as if I was matching him drink for drink (impossible, if I wanted the interview to be coherent!). It was just a great experience with a talented guy who was a natural-born raconteur.
The sad thing is that the interview never did get published*, partly because of its length, partly because the magazine's editor didn't think there was sufficient technical interest (instruments, recording, amps etc) for his readers. I wasn't too worried...for me it had been a 'blast'! A memory that I will long cherish.
http://fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com/2010/04/harry-nilsson-unpublished-interview.html
A CD of the full audio interview is now available @ £10 (plus p&p). If you are interested in owning this 'collectors item', please contact me on bristol_blue@blueyonder.co.uk
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