Fab Four Reunion, Of Sorts

The photograph above is what I call "The One That Got Away." It's a rarely-seen picture of Beatle George Harrison with his first wife, Pattie Boyd, shot by Henry Grossman on the occasion of the couple's 1966 wedding. They both look young and fab. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Pattie Boyd — photographer, former model, and rock-and-roll muse — for an article that will run in the July/August issue of American Photo. We just sent the piece to the printer. Alas, this picture didn't make the final mix — so I'm posting it here. (More about Pattie Boyd below.)

What's more remarkable is that in the photo world, nearly four decades after they disbanded, the Fabs — as Harrison sardonically called them — are still going strong. Never mind what John Lennon sang in 1970: For those of us who can't get enough of it, the dream still ain't over.

Recent reports  reveal that Christie's is to offer Lennon’s lyrics for "Give Peace a Chance" — plus never-published photos from the 1969 Montreal Bed-In staged by Lennon and wife Yoko Ono — for auction this summer, with early estimates between £200,000 and £300,000. The pictures, by UK-based comedy writer Gail Renard, had a unlikely beginning: Renard and a companion befriended John and Yoko after requesting an interview for their university magazine. This led to series of rare bed-in shots including the one at right. Lennon also signed and presented Renard the hand-written lyrics to his peace anthem, saying, "One day they will be worth something."

Meanwhile, the two surviving ex-Beatles, Paul and Ringo, recently showed up for the opening of an exhibit of platinum prints of Linda McCartney photographs at the James Hyman Gallery in London, on view until June 7. (Presumably McCartney is more pleased these days about revisiting memories with his first wife than with his second one.)

I had the pleasure of meeting Sir Paul at a 2006 press party in New York to promote a Linda McCartney photo calendar published by teNeues. I was struck by Paul's friendly manner and his skill in "working the room." He seemed physically well-preserved and relaxed. Heather Mills was visibly absent (their split had not yet been announced) — but it didn't seem odd because this was an event about Linda's work. Paul did gush about Linda and her photos, naming his favorite as the one at left, made during a launch party for Sgt. Pepper. He recalled that Linda asked the Beatles to pose, whereby John said "Pleased to meet you, I'm Sir John Winston Lennon" as he shook Paul's hand.

Meeting Sir Paul was a thrill, but I have to say he was outshone by George's ex-wife, Pattie Boyd. A couple of weeks ago I met with Pattie at the Morrison Hotel Gallery, where an exhibition of her photographs recently ran. We talked about Boyd's passion for photography, her colorful past, and her fabled love triangle between George Harrison and Eric Clapton, who later became her second husband. Many classic-rock fans know that Boyd was the muse who inspired Clapton's "Layla," Harrison's "Something," and several other assorted love songs. Her photo show was aptly called Through the Eyes of a Muse, and her revelatory 2007 memoir is called Wonderful Tonight (Harmony Books, $26).

Wonderful Tonight is named after another hit song about Boyd by Clapton, but she told me the story behind the song is rather unromantic. "One night we were going out and I was taking such a long time to get ready," she recalled with a laugh. "Eric was waiting, and I was upstairs primping, clothes strewn everywhere. I asked him if I looked alright, but then I went back up to try on some more. I think I gave him enough time to write the tune before we left! Then he filled in some verses later." Her reaction upon hearing it? "Well done, fantastic!" she said. "I was always flattered when a song was written for me."

Ending in divorce in 1989, Boyd's topsy-turvy marriage to Clapton did not endure. But her beauty, vivaciousness, wit, and good humor certainly have. (Above right is a 2005 photo of Boyd by John Swannell.) She candidly provided a host of anecdotes that space did not allow us to include in our July/August AP story. Those, too, are the ones that got away. — Jack Crager