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Bobby Whitlock on All Things Must Pass.

If you have any interest in George Harrison’s All Thinks Must Pass album---especially in it’s upcoming 50th Anniversary incarnation---you have GOT to watch Bobby Whitlock’s new YouTube video about the recording of the album! Bobby is the organist/pianist/harmony singer (and player of other assorted instruments) on the album, as well as the same (along with songwriter) in Derek & The Dominos.

Bobby was very recently contacted by George’s estate regarding his recollections of the recording of ATMP, as his memory of that event far surpasses that of any other still-living participant, including Ringo and Eric Clapton. His recounting of the recording of the album is FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC! An utter joy to watch and hear. He and his wife/musical partner Coco Carmel recorded the video in their Texas home, and you may watch it on YouTube.

The video is very easy to find: Once on YouTube, do a search for "Bobby Whitlock", and click on his name. The first video in the queue is entitled "All Things Must Pass 50th/Just The Facts". I CANNOT wait for the newly-mixed version of the recordings (without Phil Spector’s gratuitous, grossly-excessive echo and reverb), to be offered in many different forms.
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pedroeb
493 posts
 
Some fabulous information spoilt unnecessarily gratuitous self indulgent opinions. If anyone had a right to express his feelings it was John Lennon. After all he'd be doing all of his career; In My Life, I'm So Tired, A Day in the Life etc.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,821 posts
 
Fantastic @tomcy6, just the info I was looking for! I missed that issue of Mojo, a mag I love and for years had a subscription to.

As for "unnecessarily gratuitous self indulgent", I don’t know what that means (as least as it is in this context applied), and don’t care. This thread was instigated by myself; I’ll give my opinion about anything related I want. If you don’t agree with my opinion, fine. If you disapprove of me expressing it, too bad.

If one can’t differentiate between "In My Life" (one of my couple of favorite Lennon songs, along with "Strawberry Fields Forever".) and "A Day In The Life", and, say, "Mother" (unlistenable, retched. Narcissistic, too, as well as sadistic.), well, I can’t help you there.
tostadosunidos's avatar
tostadosunidos
1,197 posts
 
I, too, find the first Lennon solo studio LP self-indulgent but I still like some of the songs.  "Remember" and "Working Class Hero" are two examples.I have the Giles M. version of SPLHCB but not Abbey Road.  I like it, but I'm long since oversaturated with the Beatles original albums.  I prefer listening to the tracks on the Anthology set these days.Let it Be, Naked is a good example of what can be done with something that was originally Spector-ized,  I'm hoping the same for ATMP.  I liked the original in spite of, not because of, Spector's touch.  All things must pass, including Phil's relevance as a producer. 
bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,821 posts
 
Excellent post @tostadosunidos, agree with your every point.

Lennon's solo output is kind of a trainwreck. How 'bout the Rock And Roll album he did (with Spector producing!)? Oy! Terr-i-ble. Starting Over coulda been great (he was originally going to record the album using Cheap Trick as his band! I think I remember reading he actually got as far as doing some recording with them, still unreleased. THAT I would like to hear!), but ended up being MOR mush. IMO, of course.

The Beatles are one of those instances of the whole being greater than the sum of it's parts. The four of them made better music together than did any of them alone. As should go without saying, imo.

I fully expect the 50th Anniversary ATMP to completely change my opinion of the album.
gpgr4blu
1,089 posts
 
ATMP is my favorite solo Beale album by far and easily in my top 7 favorite albums of all time . Could not help but go for the Uber Deluxe edition. I'm usually just about the music, and I am dying to hear it all unSpectorized---but when you throw in the gnomes with vinyl and blu-ray....
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