Unheard Beatles tape

Revealing archive interview with George Harrison unearthed

21 November 2008 - A woman who worked as a journalist back in the 60's and 70's has been sitting on an interview with the Beatles’ guitarist George Harrison.

The tapes, which could now be worth “hundreds of thousands of pounds” and were hidden in Miranda Ward’s house, include a candid interview with the late Beatle.

David Lambert, the director of a film about the Magical Mystery Tour, heard the recordings while doing research.

He revealed that the legendary director and Rolling Stones’ Shine A Light mastermind, Martin Scorsese, could have been interested in the audio for a new film.

Lambert described to 6 Music its content: “It’s a lost interview with George Harrison from 1967. George being known as the quiet Beatle was interviewed about his part in the famous film by The Beatles called The Magical Mystery Tour.

“It was only a brief chat about that, but during the interview he went on and discussed all aspects of life and the way he viewed it at the time.”

Alcohol and drugs

Miranda Ward was a friend of the iconic group and so the interview is a frank, no holds barred musing on life from the Beatle, often referred to as the “quiet one”.

“It was really the meaning of life according to George Harrison in 1967. He covers all aspects of things, the Eastern mysticism, he was very involved at the time with the Maharishi [Mahesh Yogi],” Lambert explained. “Then he goes on to talk about the drink culture of Great Britain which in 1967, from how he describes it, seems exactly as it is today.

"He [George Harrison] talks about use of drugs, how certain politicians tend to rule the world and rule our lives."
David Lambert

“He talks about use of drugs, how certain politicians tend to rule the world and rule our lives.”

Lambert only used a small section of the interview in his film The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour Memories and he said the rest of its content is “pretty controversial”.

However, he does not think, if aired, it would be damaging to the Harrison’s reputation.

“I think they’ll actually look at George and think, ‘The guy really is talking a lot of sense and people should have listened possibly at the time’.

“He wasn’t one to talk about these things. If you listened to it, you would fully expect someone like John [Lennon] to be doing the interview.”

90 minute film

Lambert has faith that the interview will one day see the light of day and claims the big time film director Martin Scorsese has expressed an interest.

“Oh yes I’m sure it will do,” he explained. “At the moment there’s a lot of interest in that, I believe Martin Scorsese who did the Rolling Stones film is looking to do a 90 minute film on George Harrison. So, there is interest from the Scorsese camp for this interview.”

Other interest

According to Lambert, Miranda Ward, who is now an elderly lady has also been approached by Apple Corps.

He claimed: “She has been approached but she has declined because they would probably buy it and hide it away in a vault. This interview, as far as she’s concerned should be heard.”

And continued: “It’s very difficult to get anything from Apple. They very rarely work with independent producers and directors and so your not allowed to use any of their original music, artwork, whatever.

“Their archives are full of incredible things that will probably never see the light of day.”
 
However, 6 Music got in touch with a spokeswoman for Apple Corps, who said it hadn't made an offer to Miranda Ward for her George Harrison tapes but that it had, “enquired about the content of the tapes.”

They also denied that it would have been the company's intention to lock away the tapes and prevent them from being publicly available.

Georgie Rogers