Former part-time composer Harrry Nilsson left behind seven years as a bank clerk “when I heard the Monkees singing my ‘Cuddly Toy’ on the radio.” In the eight years since then, he’s recorded 12 eclectic albums. His first commercial success was Fred Neil’s “Everyboay’s Talkin’ ” (from Midnight Cowboy) in 1968, but since then he’s composed for other films (Skidoo, Son of Dracula), done a TV theme (Courtship of Eddie’s Father), written TV scripts (The Ghost and Mrs. Muir), recorded a fine LP of Randy Newman songs, cut an album of 40’s songs with Gordon Jenkins and big band (A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night), and scripted and scored a witty, charming and award winning cartoon for television (The Point). Plans for the immediate future include a disc of Allen Toussaint songs with Doctor John (Van Dyke Parks to produce) and a recording in England of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado.

On his first album he’d fashioned a Beatles medley, and in 1968 John Lennon had named Nilsson his “favorite American band. ” Since then he’s recorded with all former Beatles except Paul. He co-starred with Ringo in the little-seen feature Son of Dracula, and John Lennon produced Nilsson’s last LP, Pussycats. While hanging out with Lennon, the two had been involved in a drunken punch-out at the Troubador in L.A.