Video: 'Tired of Midnight Blue'

(Monday, April 21, 1975) — Former Beatle George Harrison returned to the studio today, beginning recording sessions for his sixth solo album, Extra Texture (Read All About It), at A&M Studios in Los Angeles.

Harrison kicked off the project by laying down the basic track for “Tired of Midnight Blue.”

Musicians joining Harrison for the opening day included keyboardist Leon Russell, bassist Paul Stallworth, and drummer Jim Keltner, a longtime collaborator. The session was said to have run smoothly, with Harrison guiding the arrangements from his rhythm guitar and vocal booth.

Recording of the basic tracks would continue through May 7, 1975, with overdubs laid down between May 31 and June 9, 1975.

Today’s work signals a shift toward a more polished, R&B-inflected sound, a departure from the rougher edges of his previous album, Dark Horse (1974), which was met with mixed reviews. Harrison, now 32, appears to be taking a more deliberate and meticulous approach this time, building each track from the ground up.

This marks Harrison’s first major studio effort since concluding his North American tour in December. Though he’s kept a relatively low profile in recent months, today’s session confirms that the so-called “quiet Beatle” is back at work and in full creative control.

Further details on the album’s progress are expected in the coming weeks.