Tuesday, 7 April 2009

Concert for Bangladesh

Back in August 1971 Ravi Shankar got together with his friend George Harrison and organised the first major fundraising benefit of its kind for the relief of the people of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). It featured a supergroup of performers including Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Ringo Star and Eric Clapton who was still on brown at the time and didn't make it to any rehearsals. He also passed out onstage and had to be revived. He played lead guitar on  'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' as he did on the White Album (George's acoustic version appears on Anthology 3).
Phil Spector oversaw the sound recording for the album which he and George produced. It was Bob Dylan's first official live release
However in 1985 it was still reported that $12 million had not been sent on to Bangladesh. The money was tied up in international revenue escrow account because the organisers has not applied for tax exempt status.
Well its the thought that counts -  and its still inspiring stuff.
Maybe my favourite is... Billy Preston with 'That's the Way God Planned It' - check out his dance at the end.


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