Something About the Beatles – Ep. 320: “Our Guitarist George” with Sam Popkin

Release Date: February 8, 2026
Host: Robert Rodriguez
Guest: Sam Popkin (musician, Beatles gear/guitar expert, Gear There and Everywhere podcast)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Robert Rodriguez celebrates George Harrison’s legacy as a guitarist and artist, honoring what would have been Harrison’s 83rd birthday and marking 25 years since his passing. With guest Sam Popkin—a musician and Beatles gear analyst—the conversation thoroughly explores George’s contributions to the Beatles, his evolution as a guitarist, his influences, and the profound musicianship and subtle innovation he brought to the group and his later solo work. The discussion is rich with detailed analysis, anecdotes, and the technical aspects of Harrison’s playing, appealing to both casual listeners and deep-dive Beatles fans.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Introduction: The Underrated Genius of George Harrison

• [01:20] Rodriguez sets the tone: The episode aims to “dive into basically [George’s] contributions to the band as the invisible singer and the guitarist that really saw his role from day one as taking the raw material of Lennon McCartney compositions, elevating them, making them unforgettable records …”
• Celebration of Harrison’s distinct musical fingerprints, his adaptability, and his growth over the Beatles’ career and beyond.

George's Early Role and Songwriting Contributions

• [06:41] Unique that among the Beatles’ earliest compositions, Harrison shares credits (“In Spite of All the Danger,” “Cry For a Shadow”). Rodriguez notes:

  “Right out of the gate, the guy that’s getting shut out of songwriting gets two co-credits.”

• Popkin emphasizes Harrison’s meticulous approach to solo construction and his reputation for musical scrutiny, even when under time pressure:

  “He could just come up with some kind of crappy improvised blues solo... But he was so painstakingly musical and knew what didn’t work. Maybe is the important part there.” [08:17]

George vs. Clapton, Composing vs. Improvising

• [09:56] Rodriguez draws a contrast with Clapton:

  “Eric being a guy informed by blues music... where he made his fame was an improviser... George approached everything like a songwriter, like a composer. These are like songs within songs that he composes for these guitar breaks.”

• Popkin adds:

  “Indian music is very much a feel thing. But I actually think it’s less about the extended jams and improvising and more about... that touch and that feel. That’s what really gave George in his solo career, that touch on the slide.”

George's Musical Eclecticism and Influences

• [15:41] Rodriguez: “He was as eclectic as anybody... His solo albums are peppered with the occasional covers of Hoagy Carmichael or Cole Porter... just as Indian music did once he discovered it... it became something that informed his guitar playing... incredibly distinctive from his peers.”
• Indian influence reframed George’s slide playing, a defining trait of his later years.
• Popkin: George’s environment (with composers Lennon and McCartney) and eclectic musical tastes set him apart.

Studio Constraints and Song Construction

• [17:30] George had more studio freedom in his solo career. With the Beatles, his biggest avenue for creative input often came by enhancing others’ songs (“she Said, she Said” cited as a Lennon-Harrison co-composed arrangement).
• Rodriguez: “Song construction was a big part of how he approached his job as lead guitarist... I’ve got to do something that enhances the song, whether it’s a hook or a memorable melody line.”

Revolver & Guitar Evolution

• [18:21] Both discuss Revolver as a milestone for guitar innovation; multiple technical and musical leaps:
  • “And Your Bird Can Sing” features intricate twin guitar riffs
  • “Rain”: unique tuning mysteries, studio manipulation
• Popkin details technical aspects:

  “Rain is a whole can of worms, just guitar wise... It’s still unclear if it was George or Paul that played that lead guitar. But there’s a very low droned, dropped A string, which is very strange.” [20:31]

• Backward guitars and innovative studio effects highlighted.

Gear as a Driver of Musical Change

• [22:59] Discussion of George’s evolutions via gear:
  • Early days: Gretsch Duo Jet, “his first real guitar”
  • Landmark: Acquisition of Rickenbacker 12-string defined “A Hard Day’s Night” sound
  • Move toward Fender Strat in 1965 (“Rocky” guitar, ongoing role for slide);
  • SG and Epiphone Casinos followed, with subtle but important impact on Beatles’ middle period sound.
• Popkin reveals fascinating gear trivia:

  “He famously later said that he hated the sound of a Gretsch guitar into a VOX amp... but a lot of people to this day love that Gretsch sound. But clearly George was not happy with it at a certain point.” [25:27]

  • Even small changes (amplifier models, pedal usage) gave each era its unique sonic signature.

Amps, Effects, and Recording Techniques

• [30:05] Popkin describes shift from VOX AC30s to hybrid amps, Fender amps later. This tinkering with equipment mirrored and allowed George’s evolving sound.
• Both marvel at “Nowhere Man”’s tone (Fender Strat through AC30):

  Popkin: “AC 30s have a lot of chime to them.” [31:17]

• Use of new “toys” like fuzz pedals and volume pedals drove Beatles sound experimentation.

“Naughty Chords” and Musical Sophistication

• [34:11] George’s fondness for “naughty chords”—augmented and diminished—set the Beatles apart harmonically.
• Popkin: “Despite their limited musical knowledge, they had so much time in Hamburg to mess around with their instruments... you get very bored of D, G, A open chords after a long time…”
• The band’s instinctive, trial-and-error discovery of exotic chords and shapes, often without knowing their names.

Alternate Tunings and Key Song Case Studies

• [43:08] Beatles did experiment with alternate tunings:
  • Paul famously down-tuned guitar for “Yesterday” and “I’ve Just Seen a Face”
  • George used drop D on “Act Naturally,” and open E for later slide work
• Three classics recorded in one day: “Yesterday,” “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” and “I’m Down”—showcase of their relentless creativity.

1966–1968: George’s Guitar “Gap” and Return

• [45:06] George’s mid-Beatles period saw a relative lull in guitar fireworks (his “sitar years”).
• Notable outliers: “She Said She Said,” “Savoy Truffle,” “For You Blue.”
• Rodriguez: “He didn’t do a whole lot of [rocking out] past a certain point... For You Blue is a good one.”
• The transition back to guitar was dramatic, culminating in the “rooftop concert” and the embrace of slide.

Slide Guitar and Open Tunings in Solo Career

• [51:40] Popkin on George’s all-important slide breakthrough:

  “When he started playing slide guitar, he did an open tuning, open E tuning, which allows you to slide up... and it just opened so much for him.”

• Better strings, more studio time, and new influences (Clapton, Robbie Robertson) propelled the lushness and expressiveness of “All Things Must Pass” and beyond.

George’s Solo Years, Influence of Collaborators

• [54:08] Dark Horse tour, collaborations with Tom Scott (shared with McCartney), Russ Titelman (what-if scenarios), and the Wilburys era discussed.
• Rodriguez notes George’s comfort collaborating with other stars:

  “While he was used to working with legends, he’s worked with John and Paul, Ringo... he’s giving them leave to work their magic on his raw material the way he worked his on John and Paul’s. So it’s just an interesting path.” [57:03]

• Both lament missed opportunities with rock or guitar-driven producers, but acknowledge George’s restlessness and spiritual journey ultimately guided his choices.

Deep Cuts, Lost Gems, and the Harrison Archive

• [67:11] Popkin names some favorite obscurities: “Maya Love,” “That Which I Have Lost,” “Marwa Blues,” “Flying Hour,” “Sat Singing,” and more.
• Rodriguez:

  “Those are songs I wish the world knew more about because they’re so damn good. That should be folded into a future George Harrison compilation of some kind.” [68:41]

• Desire expressed for future releases from the archives (Bangladesh concerts, more outtakes) as well as a broader appreciation of Harrison’s solo catalog.

George’s Contradictions, Dark Horse Status, and Legacy

• [72:07] Popkin and Rodriguez explore George’s complex personality:
  • Capable of great love and generosity, as well as bitterness and grumpiness (pirate flag vs. Om at Friar Park).
  • Rodriguez: “He’s a man of stunning contradictions.”
• George’s ongoing influence lies not just in his music or guitar technique, but in his spiritual quest and willingness to be different within and after the Beatles.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• RR [07:20]: "In a nutshell, is what he did going forward with the Beatles ... George was basically the guy that took his skill set and enhanced the material he was given in some ways, like bringing in hooks like he did with 'And I Love Her'."
• SP [08:17]: "George was just so painstakingly musical and knew what didn’t work. Maybe is the important part there..."
• RR [09:56]: "[George] approaches everything like a songwriter, like a composer, and that these are like songs within songs that he composes for these guitar breaks."
• SP [15:41]: "Carl Perkins, his biggest influence early on ... those were two minute pop songs where you had to have a solo that kind of stood out..."
• RR [51:40]: "With each different amplifier or guitar he acquires, there’s a transition, there’s an evolving going on... Do you see him then going into the solo years? A continued sort of arc in terms of...developing it deeper?"
• GH as portrayed [77:53]: "I suppose some people may think that everybody’s entitled to their opinion... To some people, I’m good. To other people, I’m a load of rubbish... There are so many great guitar players out there... who play all the time... for me, I pick up a guitar to write a tune or to make a record, and that’s about it. So you can’t really be that good." (George’s humility/humor)

Noteworthy Segments & Timestamps

• [01:20–06:17] — Rodriguez introduction, Harrison’s legacy, and show’s analytical perspective
• [06:41–07:19] — Harrison’s early songwriting co-credits
• [08:17–09:56] — How George constructed solos; his non-improvisatory approach
• [12:33–14:12] — Contrasts with Clapton and influences of Indian music
• [17:30–19:41] — George’s input as a song architect (e.g., “She Said She Said”)
• [20:31–23:36] — “Rain”, technical breakdown, tuning debates
• [25:27–31:20] — Key guitar and gear milestones; Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Fender Strat, amp nerd-outs
• [34:11–36:45] — Naughty chords, experimentation with harmonic color
• [43:08–44:48] — Alternate tunings (“Yesterday”, “I've Just Seen a Face” sessions)
• [51:40–54:08] — Emergence of slide, open E tuning’s role
• [67:11–70:10] — Harrison's solo-era gems and the case for a ‘George Harrison renaissance’
• [72:07–74:41] — Discussing Harrison’s contradictions, dark horse status, and personality
• [77:53] — Harrison humility on being called a guitar great

Conclusion

This engaging episode is both a loving tribute and an expert-level dissection of George Harrison's artistry—particularly as a guitarist and creative partner. Rodriguez and Popkin highlight not just George’s technical evolution but the essence of his contribution: a composer’s touch, a restless spirit seeking out new sounds, and a humane vulnerability still resonant decades after the Beatles.

For further exploration: Find Sam Popkin’s work at his YouTube channel (Sam Popkin), Instagram (threesavilerow), and check out the “Gear There and Everywhere” podcast for in-depth Beatles gear breakdowns.