Artist Spotlight

I saw a ghost recently. To be more specific, I saw, and heard, a ghost.

There was no “boo”ing or moaning involved; no dishes rattling or ghostly tomfoolery; and certainly no visions of a diaphanous specter. No, this ghost was very much alive and would probably not enjoy being called a ghost at all.

Through a combination of a new album and a rather meticulously designed photo shoot, for a brief moment I could almost imagine it was a different era and one of my musical idols was still young and making new music… all courtesy of his progeny.

Indeed, when it comes to musician children of musical legends, Dhani Harrison is very much the spitting image of his father, both visually and vocally.

Even the elder Harrison noticed how much now-30-year-old Dhani looked like him as he grew up.

“Once I started to get older, my father would say, ‘You look more like George Harrison than I do,” Dhani told Fashion Rocks, an annual Conde Nast publication celebrating the lead-up to its big Fashion Rocks extravaganza this past September.

George was right, and looking at the photo shoot in Fashion Rocks in which Dhani is dressed up as his father would have been so many years ago, it is a beautiful tribute to the “mysterious Beatle.”

But, the comparison is not only skin deep and can be heard in Harrison’s voice, as he sings lead in his band, thenewno2. The band, whose name was taken from the 1960s British science fiction series The Prisoner, features Harrison on lead guitar, synthesizer and vox and Oliver (Oli) Hecks on drums and synthesizer.

If you’re looking for something new and different, I highly recommend you check out the band’s debut album, You Are Here. Originally, I picked up the album via iTunes for the sheer relationship within the Beatle world, but what I got was so much more. The album is diverse and intriguing from start to finish. Yes, there are times when you can’t help but hear George in his son, but those moments, although beautiful, are outweighed by the immense talent and potential in thenewno2’s debut.

To be the child of a rock star must be a bit of a blessing and a curse. You are born into a household where music is very much a fixture and you learn from the best. However, you are surrounded by your parent’s legacy wherever you go and if you dare step into the musical field, you know that fans and critics alike can’t help but compare you to what came before.

As Dhani told Fashion Rocks, “It’s very hard to take a step in any direction musically without referencing something that the Beatles have done.”

Harrison has found the right way to do it, though. thenewno2’s songs and soundscapes are truly unique, timely and fresh, yet Harrison doesn’t shy away from his musical legacy.

Check out Harrison and thenewno2 on their official site at http://www.thenewno2.com/.

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