Dhani Harrison on his new album, his father and The Beatles: Rock Band

"I'm becoming my own man. It takes time"

musicmatters.com

Joe Bosso, Tue 26 May 2009, 4:14 pm BST

 

Dhani Harrison is well aware of the effect he has on people, and he's cool with it. "People see my face, they hear my voice, and I know they're thinking about my father. That's OK - he was a great man."

 

But while the 30-year-old son of the late ex-Beatle George Harrison is following in his father's footsteps as a musician - he's just released his first album, You Are Here, with his band thenewno2 (a partnership between Harrison and his friend Oliver "Oli" Hecks, though the lineup has expanded to the full band recently) - he's also making his own way in the world, and has been for some time.

 

"I studied physics and design at Brown University, which surprises me at how that always surprises people," he says with a laugh. "People naturally assume that the son of a rich, famous person spends his days hanging out and nights going to parties. I've always been a worker - like my dad."

 

Dhani has been putting his work ethic and his passion for design and computers to good use, working with the folks at Harmonix on the hotly anticipated The Beatles: Rock Band game.

 

"It's been one of my biggest joys to be involved with a company as great as Harmonix," Harrison says. "And I'm not hyping in the least when I say The Beatles: Rock Band is going to blow people's minds. It's going to set a new standard for video games. I absolutely love it and can't wait for music fans and gamers to get their hands on it."

You are definitely 'Here'

 

While they're waiting for the game, which will be released on 9 September, music fans might also want to lay their hands on You Are Here, a wonderful blend of dark and dreamy pop, driven by pscyhedelic guitars and ambient, textural loops.

 

"It's not The Beatles," says Harrison says, "but I think it's impossible for anybody to escape their influence, least of all me."

 

While rehearsing with thenewno2 for a summer tour ("we playing Lollapalooza, I'm so psyched!"), Dhani Harrison took some time out to chat with MusicRadar. In the podcast below, he talks about assembling his band and cutting You Are Here, some of his father's guitars which wound up on the album and, of course, The Beatles: Rock Band.

 

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/dha...p;source=MRNEWS

Here is an example from the album:

 

Thenewno2 - So Vain

 

Funnily enough it reminds me of The Finn Brothers (Neil & Tim) work - Split Enz, Crowded House, etc except more influenced by George Harrison instead of Lennon (Tim Finn) & McCartney (Neil Finn).

Sounds ok, suppose he is following in the family tradition like John & Ringo's sons.

Another good interview with Dhani:

 

Dhani Harrison Talks Growing Up Around Dad's Famous Friends

Spinner.com 11/06/2009

 

Ask Dhani Harrison his biggest influence and his answer is not surprising. "Mostly just my dad. I spent more time with him than anyone," Harrison says of his father, the late, great George Harrison. "I was recording stuff with my dad when I was like five, six years old. I played with him on tour. I'd gone with him to Japan in '91, played some gigs, did a couple shows at the Albert Hall."

 

But growing up playing with George meant playing with a lot of his father's famous friends as well, and the younger Harrison, now making music with his band theNewNo2, has gotten to learn from some of the true greats, including when the elder Harrison played was alongside Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty as part of the Traveling Wilburys. "Just that band, the Wilburys, was so nice," Harrison recalls. "Tom Petty was the kind of guy who was always kind of fun and happy, didn't seem to give a s--- about anything and was like a real rock 'n' roller. He was a really big influence on me."

 

Another huge inspiration for Harrison was one of his father's closest friends and famous rivals. "I think guitar-wise, Eric Clapton was a big influence on me," Harrison says. "I got to spend time around him. He's kind of strange, mysterious, serious and he always has played such hot guitar. My dad wasn't like a shredder in any way . He just played from the heart, but Eric could just rip it out."

 

Today, Harrison keeps Clapton's influence on him very close at hand. "At an early age, he'd given me a guitar and that's actually the one that I play on stage at the moment." Why can't all friends of parents friends give gifts like that?