Whenever I read biographies or watched interviews with famous musicians from the sixties or seventies, they always had something to mention about Harry Nilsson and his legendary carousing. By all accounts, Nilsson was as legendary for his benders as the notorious Keith Moon. The idea of the lost weekend was coined for Nilsson. Dealers hunted him down wherever he went. When he called asking for a catch up, his friends knew to blank out the next three days of their calendar, and apologise in advance to loved ones, knowing that the next period would be a blur and their next wide awake thought would be when they came to in a brothel three states over. He was the sort of person who'd excuse himself to go to the bathroom and then return two weeks later looking the worse for wear. Enamoured of the Beatles, their interest in his music and friendships with Ringo and John seemed to launch him off the deep end, finding satisfying companionship and getting high in equal parts, although John's influence seems to have been less benign than Ringo's.
Yet he had a great voice and ear for melody, and was a very good songwriter.
If you're not interested in sixties and seventies popular culture, this documentary will hold little interest. If you are interested in the topic but haven't yet got stuck into the essential stories such as the Beatles and Beach Boys, then it's too tangential. But if you've seen everything else and are curious about someone who was respected and liked by the greats of the time, when you watch this documentary you might find yourself developing an affection for Nilsson, and feel some sadness at his trajectory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je8g10Q3-gY
Harry Nilsson documentary on Youtube
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Harry Nilsson documentary on Youtube
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