George Harrison Started a Fire While Recording This Beatles Song -t
The Beatles have hundreds of fascinating stories involving how they recorded their music. The band had many innovative recording techniques but also did some weird tricks to boost the studio’s atmosphere. During a recording session for one of The Beatles’ more hardcore songs, George Harrison started a fire and ran around the room.
“Helter Skelter” is one of the most hardcore songs by The Beatles. Many consider this song from The White Album to be one of the earliest examples of heavy metal. However, it was a change of pace for The Beatles, who often made calmer and lighter rock music. In an interview with GQ, Paul McCartney said he made “Helter Skelter” after reading comments by Pete Townshend of The Who.
“I can see why people would think it was the precursor of heavy metal,” McCartney said. “How it came about was I had read in a music paper that The Who had done a really heavy track, and Pete Townshend of The Who was quoted saying, ‘We’ve just made the dirtiest, loudest, filthiest song ever.’ So, I was kind of jealous. I didn’t hear their song. I still don’t know what song he was referring to, but I went in the studio, and I said, ‘Guys, we’ve got to do a song that’s dirtier and filthier and louder than The Who.’”
Source: Ross Tanenbaum/cheatsheet.com
