When George Harrison‘s friend Eric Clapton met his wife, Pattie Boyd, he was instantly smitten. Before long, Clapton told Harrison that he was in love with Boyd and wanted to be with her. Boyd, ever-faithful to her husband, continued to stay with The Beatles member – but Clapton didn’t give up. Eventually, Clapton and Boyd got married in 1979, just two years after she divorced Harrison.

According to reports at the time, Harrison shortly thereafter invited Clapton and Boyd to his Oxfordshire mansion where he suggested they battle it out for Boyd the only way they knew how: With music.

Friend of Harrison, actor John Hurt, was reportedly staying with him at the time and acted as a witness for the two artists.

Hurt recalled: “George dearly needed a small audience. He got down two guitars and two amplifiers and put them in the hall. When Eric turned up with Pattie, George invited him to play.”

“It was an extraordinary contest because George had quite clearly given him the inferior guitar and inferior amplifier.”

READ MORE: The Beatles: Harrison’s ex-wife Boyd ‘took revenge’ on him

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Clapton’s biographer, Ray Coleman, recalled in the rocker’s biography Survivor: “The two men improvised for two hours in a historic guitar battle of superstars.”

Ultimately, Clapton “won” the guitar duel.

Hurt recalled: “[Clapton] was unbeatable.”

He added that Harrison got “rattled” after trying to be “too clever” with his guitar trills.

Harrison also played guitar for the loved-up couple at their wedding reception.

Clapton later began calling Harrison his “husband-in-law”.

Years prior, however, Harrison and Boyd were not on the best of terms.

During the crumbling of their relationship, Harrison had an affair with Ringo Starr’s wife Maureen Starkey.

Boyd was obviously not very happy about this.

In an act of revenge, the former British icon decided to reignite her fashion career and begin modelling once again.

Previously, Harrison has “forbidden” Boyd from doing this.

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