Dhani Harrison and His Band thenewno2

[yerblues1968]

Dhani Harrison performing with his band, thenewno2, live at the
Mercury Lounge in New York City on February 17, 2009. On Dhani's
upper arm is a tattoo that says "Keoki," meaning "George" in Hawaiian.
Photo by Katherine McCarthy.


BY GEORGE, HE'S GOT IT!

YOUNG HARRISON FORGES HIS OWN WAY IN THE MUSICAL WORLD



Last updated: 1:36 pm
February 17, 2009
Posted: 12:39 am
February 17, 2009


FIRST, let's straighten out the misunderstandings.

The name of the band that's playing the Mercury Lounge tonight is thenewno2 and it's pronounced the-new-number-2, a reference to the classic TV series The Prisoner.

The second misconception is the whole Beatles thing.

There's no riding on anyone's coattails here. While the band's leader, Dhani Harrison, is the son of the late great Beatles guitarist George, he's his own man with his own musical vision. You hear the difference between father and son on the upcoming CD/digital release "You Are Here."

So what's with the name?

"In the TV show [the villains] were faceless entities," says Harrison, speaking to The Post from LA. "We wanted that same obscurity for the band because my family name precedes us everywhere."

Harrison, 30, is friendly with "the other kids" - Zak Starkey (Ringo's son) who currently drums for The Who, as well as singer/songwriters Julian and Sean Lennon.

And while Harrison would like his work to be judged on its own merits, he's proud of Dad.

"I love his style of music," he says. "I often find myself listening to the music he would listen to around the house. I'll put on some Hoagy Carmichael or classical Indian music or Robert Johnson. That variety affected his work, and it affects mine."

As the son of one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Harrison advises all famous offspring that the way to avoid being judged is to "work 10 times harder than everyone else.

"With a famous parent it's easier to get a foot in the door, but without the work you won't go further than that," he says.

Harrison, who went to college at Brown, recalls, "It was even that way at university. Before I proved myself, my teachers saw me as a guy getting a free ride in life because I was George Harrison's son."

In a way, it's understandable. When you look at the son's face and hear his voice, you can't help but be reminded of the father. Because of that, Harrison tried to distance himself from his family as a teen.

"When your parents are cool hippies, the only way to rebel is to get straight A's, do sports and enroll in a military school. That's what I did."

Still, there wasn't much strife in the Harrison household.

"My dad didn't have many pals around, and I was his only child, so I was often in the studio with him. We were best friends."



George Harrison and his son, Dhani.


Because of their close working association, it was a natural for Harrison to complete his father's last record, Brainwashed, with the aid of George's former Traveling Wilburys partner Jeff Lynne, who acted as producer.




Jeff Lynne and Dhani Harrison interview about George Harrison and
his Brainwashed album released in 2002. Part 1 of 3. (6:43 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM0LHLy3fTs



Jeff Lynne and Dhani Harrison interview about George Harrison and
his Brainwashed album released in 2002. Part 2 of 3. (6:44 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb4ABGWV3p8




Jeff Lynne and Dhani Harrison interview about George Harrison and
his Brainwashed album released in 2002. Part 3 of 3. (6:26 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B48tHi-l4PQ



George Harrison and his guitars


Harrison says his style is harder, more psychedelic rock than his father's soulful melodies. Still, what he borrowed from Dad is more tangible than style or technique. "I've taken all of his instruments. On You Are Here you hear all of the guitars he left behind. If I didn't want to make music with these great instruments, I'd just be a jerk. I think it's my duty."

[e-mail]


thenewno2 Perform Live at Sunset Blvd., Feb. 11, 2009.
stickam.com/thenewno2

abbeyrd.best.vwh.net/news/410thenewno2.html

www.nypost.com/seven/02172009/entertainment/music/by_george__hes_got_it__155508.htm

[yerblues1968]

Dhani Harrison and guest. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers:
Running Down a Dream book party. New York City, USA - 14.11.07


DHANI HARRISON’S thenewno2 LIVE AT ROLLING STONE: UP CLOSE WITH THE BEATLE PROGENY’S BAND


Rock and Roll Daily
Your Nonstop Music News Source


3/13/09, 5:34 pm EST



“It was a relief to be able to do my own band, because I was very responsible for all this amazing music I didn’t want to mess up before,” thenewno2’s Dhani Harrison (son of Beatles great George), tells Rolling Stone of playing with his late father. “But now we can mess it up as much as we want.” Thenewno2, Harrison’s psychedelic project with pal Oli Hecks, recently performed an intimate acoustic set in our Rolling Stone studio, and Harrison talked what it was like growing up with a Beatle as a father.

“The studio was in my house. My dad didn’t really like having lots of people around, so he’d go ‘I need you to press record.’ And then he’d do something fantastic and I’d go, ‘Oh wow, I’m his engineer now,’ ” Harrison remembers. “I did Albert Hall, I got to play the Hall of Fame with Prince. So I’ve done that kind of stuff for ages. It wasn’t until after we finished working on Brainwash, my dad’s album after he died, then it was like ‘That phase is over in my life now, now we can get on with our music, with our band.’ “



Dhani with his father, George Harrison.


Going out on your own can be daunting, but Dhani was thrown into the spotlight at an early age. “When my dad toured in ‘91, I think my first gig properly was the Tokyo Dome, 50,000 people indoors. That was pretty scary. I was 12, or 13,” Harrison says. It was that experience on the big stage that prepared Dhani and thenewno2 for what lay ahead. On the strength of their debut album You Are Here, the band played one of the final episodes of Late Night With Conan O’Brien and secured a slot at this year’s Coachella Festival in Indio, California.

“We make the music we want to hear,” Harrison says, and generating that sound requires a bit of manpower: Squeezing the entire band into our studio was a difficult task, but each component is essential in the group’s complex arrangements. The result is an indie-pop sound that doesn’t pretend it’s not influenced by one of the greatest bands of all time. “There’s reference to everything he’s done in everything that I’ve done because he’s my dad, we were best friends, we grew up playing music together,” Harrison says. “And if anyone hasn’t been influenced by them [The Beatles] at some point, they’re probably lying.”


Watch thenewno2 Perform Shelter.
www.rollingstone.com/videos/player/26690484


www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/03/13/dhani-harrisons-thenewno2-live-at-rolling-stone-up-close-with-the-beatle-progenys-band/#

[yerblues1968]

Dhani Harrison performing with his band, thenewno2, live at the Mercury Lounge
in New York City, New York on February 17, 2009. Photo by Katherine McCarthy.


DHANI HARRISON - HARRISON JR. BREAKS HIS BEATLE DAD'S FESTIVAL BAN



contactmusic.com


16/03/2009 01:50



DHANI HARRISON is thrilled his band landed a spot at American rock festival Lollapalooza this summer (09) - because his BEATLE dad GEORGE banned him from partying there as a teen.



Lollapalooza 2007 Aerial Shot


The 30-year-old always longed to attend the annual Chicago, Illinois event, but his father feared he'd go wild on drink and drugs.



The crowd at Lollapalooza 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.


Harrison Jr. - who will perform at the August (09) bash with his band Thenewno2 - says, "My dad never let me go to Lollapalooza. He thought I was going to end up with a shaved head, tattoos on my face and p**sed out of my head. I think he was afraid I'd take a load of psychedelic drugs like he did."


www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/harrison%20jr%20breaks%20his%20beatle%20dads%20festival%20ban_1097802

[yerblues1968]

thenewno2 - You Are Here album


Audio CD (March 31, 2009)
Original Release Date: February 17, 2009
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Vagrant Records


MUSIC REVIEW: thenewno2 - YOU ARE HERE


BCMusic.com
Written by Kit O'Toole


Published March 15, 2009



After a buzz courtesy of Rolling Stone, thenewno2 has released their long-awaited first album, You Are Here. Why is the group garnering so much attention? The project is the brainchild of Dhani Harrison (lead vocals, guitar, and synths) — son of Beatle George Harrison — and Oli Hecks (drums and synths). Harrison fans will be surprised at thenewno2's sound, as it bears little resemblance to the legend's classic rock, which was often punctuated by biting lyrics. thenewno2's genre, however, is harder to classify.

According to their MySpace page, Harrison and Hecks cite as influences Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles (natch), Cream, and Dick Dale. You Are Here's overall tone more closely matches two of their other favorite artists: Massive Attack and Tricky. Tracks such as Back to You combine hypnotic beats with heavy guitars. Bluesy would fit in nicely with either artist's catalog as well. Harrison's voice eerily recalls his father, particularly on the first single, Another John Doe, a spacey song that recalls '60s psychedelia.

Other hypnotic beats (along with Harrison's floating vocals) dominate Crazy Tuesday, which chronicles a long-distance relationship. You're so far away from me, Harrison and Hecks croon, a distorted guitar and Harrison's wistful vocals nicely capturing the sometimes-tortured experience of such a relationship.



Dhani Harrison performing with his band, thenewno2, live at the Mercury Lounge
in New York City, New York, February 17, 2009. Photo by Katherine McCarthy.


Although thenewno2 definitely tends toward electronica, they still can rock, as on Yomp, where Harrison shows off his guitar-playing chops. Idle Lover also features rhythmic guitar licks that capture the ear. Hecks's drumming plays a major part in Shelter, the mid-tempo beat driving the overall moodiness of the song. Hallucinogenic lyrics permeate the songs, with Shelter featuring lyrics about when the witches come, reminiscent of the mystical lyrics of Led Zeppelin and Cream.

Harrison and Hecks experiment with various genres, creating an intriguing mixture. However, You Are Here lacks variety—surely the two musicians could branch into other sounds, perhaps better reflecting the diversity of their professed influences. While the electronica / rock mixture intrigues, having that sound dominate every track on the album gets a bit tedious.

It will be interesting to see how Harrison forges his own identity in music, as he clearly possesses talent. His voice is capable of reflecting emotion, deftly handling harder rock and intimate ballads. His guitar playing also seems impressive, although he makes great use of distortion and other effects. Hopefully thenewno2 will grant him the confidence to branch out on his own, as he has the artistry to forge a solo career.

The bottom line: Beatles and George Harrison fans will find the album bittersweet, as Dhani Harrison's vocals so closely resemble his famous father's. Listening to You Are Here seems like witnessing the debut of a truly talented artist. Electronica fans may like the band's psychedelic sound apart from Harrison's royal rock lineage. However, thenewno2's album includes little variety and lacks truly memorable songs. If thenewno2 project continues, it would benefit them to expand their musical range on future releases—they certainly possess the talent to do so.

For more information on thenewno2, visit their official site, MySpace page, and YouTube channel. The touring version are playing select club dates; check their websites for specifics.


thenewno2 Official Website
www.thenewno2.com/

thenewno2 MySpace website
www.myspace.com/thenewno2

thenewno2 YouTube channel
www.youtube.com/user/thenewno2music


thenewno2 You Are Here CD may be purchased online
www.amazon.com/You-Are-Here-thenewno2/dp/B001TH15WA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1237438484&sr=1-1

blogcritics.org/archives/2009/03/15/212425.php

[yerblues1968]

Dhani Harrison and drummer Oli Hecks of thenewno2. Photo by Katherine McCarthy.


GEORGE HARRISON'S SON FEARED BEING OVERSHADOWED BY DAD'S SUCCESS


SindhToday.net


Mar 16th, 2009



Washington, Mar 16 (ANI): George Harrison’s son Dhani has said that he feared being under his famous father’s shadow, and was thus determined to forge a career on his own.

The 30-year-old musician never wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, and become a musician, because he didn’t want to be compared to the late rocker.

Thus, he went to U.S. and studied design at Ivy League university Brown.

However, he returned to his musical roots later, and now performs in band Thenewno2.

He is happy that he took the time to master another trade.

‘I watched what happened to a lot of the other kids,” Contactmusic quoted him as telling Blender magazine.

“Zak (Starkey, Ringo Starr’s son), Sean (Lennon), Stella (MCCartney) have succeeded, but it’s Stella who’s the one who’s not being compared to her father, because her father’s not a fashion designer.

“Whereas Zak will always be compared to Ringo because he’s a drummer. And Sean will be compared to John because he’s a singer / songwriter. But my dad was never a designer,’ he added. (ANI)


Dhani Harrison Preps for Band's Debut Release, Mar 12, 2009
uk.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKTRE52B0XE20090312

www.sindhtoday.net/world/75027.htm

[yerblues1968]

Dhani Harrison and his band thenewno2 performing at the
Mercury Lounge in New York City, New York on February 21, 2009.
Photo by Katherine McCarthy.


thenewno2 TO PERFORM AT THE AMOEBA MUSIC STORE, HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA

TUESDAY MARCH 31ST - 7PM - HOLLYWOOD


Dhani Harrison and friend Oli Hecks release their first album as Thenewno2, which borrows as much from Brian Eno and Massive Attack as it does from his dad’s band. You Are Here comes out March 31st on Vagrant Records.


Band Members:

Dhani Harrison on lead guitar, synths and vocals, Oli Hecks on drums and synths. Live Band members are: Dhani Harrison: Lead Vocals/Guitar, Oli Hecks: Drums, Jon Sadoff: Keyboards/Guitar/vocals, Jeremy Faccone: Guitar/vocals, Jason Hiller: Bass




Thenewno2 performing at the Amoeba Music store. (1:04 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb6k6fJFggw




A very short video of Dhani Harrison of thenewno2 signing
autographs at the Amoeba Music store. (0:08 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-nsECK3Dl8


"Of all the albums that rock-star spawn have released lately, singer-guitarist Dhani Harrison's first full-length may be the most experimental. There's no denying the vocal and melodic similarities between his duo Thenewno2 and his late father, George Harrison. But on You Are Here, Harrison and multi-instrumentalist Oliver Hecks take what they've borrowed from the Beatles, Brian Eno and Massive Attack in new directions, combining musique concrète, backward recordings and ambient synth flourishes into pop gems like Back to You. The result is a subtle mix of gentle vocals and electronics, with layered beats, throbbing bass and occasional wailing guitar. From the loud and liberating (Yomp) to the airy and psychedelic (Hiding Out), it's a promising debut." - Rolling Stone


www.thenewno2.com/
www.myspace.com/thenewno2
www.youtube.com/user/thenewno2music


www.amoeba.com/live-shows/performances/hollywood/2009-march-31/thenewno2/artist.html
www.amoeba.com/live-shows/calendars.html