Unreleased George Harrison track on block
BRITAIN: An unreleased track by Beatles guitarist George Harrison is to be auctioned along with a series of unseen images of the band.
The Indian-influenced, 1968 song Hello Miss Mary Bee was written for Harrison’s good friend Mary Bee around the same time as his first solo album Wonderwall Music was released.
It comes on a reel-to-reel tape with several alternative recordings of Beatles hits and several letters written to Bee while Harrison was in India with his wife Pattie Boyd.
In one letter Boyd wrote that Harrison had ‘‘just come into the kitchen singing Mary Bee, Mary Bee about to make a lovely cup of tea.’’
Also up for sale are 70 previously unseen negatives of the British band taken in 1967 just before the death of their manager Brian Epstein.
The items are expected to fetch £15,000 ($NZ27,000) when they go under the hammer at Omega Auctions Beatles Memorabilia sale in Warrington, near the Beatles hometown of Liverpool.
Auctioneer Paul Fairweather says he is expecting worldwide interest in the sale.
‘‘Whichever lucky person buys the collection will have exclusive access to a piece of history from George’s most influential period as both a Beatle and solo artist,’’ he said.
‘‘It is an incredible song which really shows George’s fun-loving and caring side.’’ - PA