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George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, quite possibly the best solo album from a Beatle, turned 50 yesterday.  One of my favorite albums.  To commemorate the anniversary they released a brand new remix of the title track (https://youtu.be/QWV4pFV5nX4) and it sounds quite stellar without all the excess Spector clutter.  The Harrison camp seems to be hinting at a full remix of the album next year.  If that is the case then this is exciting news!!

Oooff! ATMP is definitely a fantastic collection of songs but in the original version!

It is what it is. Give me Uncle Phil's original production any day. ;D

I am guessing the average fan has no idea what is involved in the recording and mixing of an album - especially a three record set! The most I've ever mixed down is 8 tracks. I can't imagine dealing with 16 or 24! It's no mistake that ATMP sounds the way it does - that was the sound they were going for. To go back 50 years later and try to give it a different sound IMO is a huge mistake.
Hey, I'm gonna go touch up the Mona Lisa.

Obviously Spector's mix certainly was integral to the album and it added depth to Harrison's bigger songs like "What Is Life" and "Isn't It a Pity".  However I believe that Harrison himself has been skeptical over how his debut album sounded and came close to having it remixed for its 30th anniversary release.  I do like this new mix for what it's worth and would be curious as to how these songs might sound with a new coat of paint.

This was posted on a George Harrison Facebook group page this week, all credit to them. It's a letter sent by Phil Spector to George with comments about the songs and early mixes on All Things Must Pass. It gives a neat inside look at what Spector brought to the process and how he and George worked as producer and artists. And it also shows Phil's producer's ear in terms of specific mix issues and what seemed to be Phil wanting to give George more confidence in his lead voice, suggesting on multiple song mixes that George's vocals be emphasized even more.

Enjoy if you haven't seen this:

****
August 19, 1970
NOTES FOR GEORGE HARRISON
From: Phil Spector
Re: George Harrison LP
Dear George:
I have listed each tune and some opinions on each for you to use, as I will not be in London for some time. In general, I feel the remixing of the album requires a great deal of work or at least a few hours on each number. I feel it would be best if we saved all remixing until I return as a great deal of the mixes should be done with a fresh approach. Though the following looks like a book, it is just because there are so many songs and opinions.
1. AWAITING ON YOU ALL:
The mixes I heard had the voice too buried, in my opinion. I'm sure we could do better. The performance probably will be okay, unless you really think you can do it better. However, as I said above, I think a lot of it is in the final mix when we do it.
2. IF NOT FOR YOU:
The mix I heard also had the voice too buried. Performance was fine. It also should be remixed when the entire album is remixed.
3. I'LL HAVE YOU ANYTIME:
Same comments as "IF NOT FOR YOU"
4. ALL THINGS MUST PASS:
I'm not sure if the performance is good or not. Even on that first mix you did which had the "original" voice, I'm sure is not the best you can do. But, perhaps you should concentrate on getting a good performance. I still prefer the horns out on the intro but that is a remix decision which should be done at that time. Also the voices in the bridge (Eric and Bobby) sound flat, and should be very low in the final mix. This particular song is so good that any honest performance by you will be acceptable as far as I'm concerned but if you wish to concentrate on doing another then you should do that.
5. BEWARE OF DARKNESS:
The eight track I heard after it was bumped had the electric guitar you played bumped on with the rhythm guitars. I personally feel you can make a better bump with a bit more rhythm guitars. The electric guitar seems to drown them out. Perhaps you should do another bump with more rhythm guitars, or seriously consider taking this one to Trident Studios using the original eight track and avoiding bumping, as each track we used is important and vital to a good final mix.
6. ISN'T IT A PITY (NO. 1):
Still needs full string and horns. Naturally, performance is still needed by you. I think you should just concentrate on singing it and getting that out of the way.
7. ISN'T IT A PITY (NO. 2):
Still needs full or some type of orchestration. Performance seemed okay, but needs to be listened to at the end.
9. LET IT DOWN:
This side needs an excellent and very subtle remix which I am positive can be gotten and it will become one of the great highlights of the album. Believe me. In listening I find it needs an answer vocal from you on "Let It Down" parts. I'm not sure about this next point, but maybe a better performance with better pronunciation of words should be tried at Trident without erasing the original which did have much warmth to it. Perhaps you could try this at Trident. The vocal group (Eric and Bobby) on the "Let it Down" parts sounded okay. The Moonlight Bay" horn parts should be out the first time and very, very low the second time they play that riff, I think. Perhaps at the end, near the fade, a wailing sax (old rock and roll style) played by Bobby Keys would possibly add some highlight to the ending and make it totally different from the rest of the song. It's hard to explain, but some kind of a screeming saxophone mixed in with all that madness at the end might be an idea. Anyhow it's something to think about. Even though everything is not exactly as we had hoped (horns, etc.) I think it will be great when it is finished. Everything on those eight tracks now is important and vital to the final product. I know the right mix and sounds even on the horns can be obtained in remix. The only other thing the horns could have done is what they play originally on the "Let it Down" parts, only more forcefully. However, I still think it's all there and there's nothing to worry about on that number.
10. MY SWEET LORD:
This still needs backing vocals and also an opening lead vocal where you didn't come in on the original session. The rest of the vocal should be checked out but a lot of the original lead vocal is good. Also an acoustic guitar, perhaps playing some frills should be overdubbed or a solo put in. Don't rush to erase the original vocal on this one as it might be quite good, since background voices will have to be done at Trident Studios, any lead vocals perhaps should be done there as well.
11. WAH WAH:
This still needs some bridge, and perhaps a Bobby Keyes solo. Also needs lead vocal and background voices.
13. WHAT IS LIFE:
The band track is fine. This needs a good performance by you and proper background voice. It should be done at Trident Studios if further tracks are necessary.
15. HEAR ME LORD:
Still needs horns or other orchestration. The vocal should be checked out to see if it is okay in performance and level.
16. APPLE SCRUFFS:
This mix seems to be okay as is.
18. BEHIND THAT LOCKED DOOR:
Maybe the vocal performance can be better. I'm not sure. Also, the mix may be able to be better as well. The voice seems a little down.
George, on all the 18 numbers I just mentioned, this is what I feel are the most important items on each. Naturally, wherever possible, of main importance is to get a good vocal performance by yourself. Also, if you do any of the background voices, you should spend considerable time on them to make sure they are good. In practically every case, I would recommend that you use Trident Studios for overdubbing voices, lead or otherwise, so as not to bump tracks or go eight-to eight, and also to be able to do as much an possible before reducing everything back to the original eight track. This would probably be an easier way to do it and would also insure the best type of protection for our original eight tracks when it comes to remixing, as most of those tracks are presently very good and I'd rather avoid going eight-to-eight and further bumping. Also, in many cases one erases a performance before comparing it to the new performance, which would not have to happen on a sixteen track.
I'm sure the album will be able to be remixed excellently. I also feel that therein lies much of the album because many of the tracks are really quite good and will reproduce on record very well. Therefore, I think you should spend whatever time you are going to on performances so that they are the very best you can do and that will make the remixing of the album that much easier. I really feel that your voice has got to be heard throughout the album so that the greatness of the songs can really come through. We can't cover you up too much (and there really is no need to) although as I said, I'm sure excellent mixes can be obtained with just the proper amount of time spent on each one. When the recording of the album is finished, I think we can get into it better on a remix level if we just devote time to it and thereby we will make a much better album since we will be concentrating on one thing at a time.
George, thank you for all your understanding about what we discussed, I appreciate your concern very much and hope to see you as soon as it is possible.
Much love. Regards to everyone. Hare Krishna,
Phil Spector
PS/sjh

****

Thank you, sir, that is one incredible read!

Yes it is. Very thoughtful, meticulous; not the ravings of a madman. I like how he encourages George on his vocal performances. George had long felt inferior as a singer - blame that on being in a band with Lennon and McCartney!

I am just reading those notes now.  Very insightful.  Thanks for sharing!  The Harrison camp has been fairly quiet on any new releases concerning All Things Must Pass but I imagine if they have any plans for a full album remix we'll hear of them hopefully soon.

Well speak of the devil...

https://musictap.com/2021/06/08/__trashed/

That's really interesting news about a deluxe box set! One caveat I have comes from my discovery of Bobby Whitlock's YouTube channel he has with his wife Coco...absolutely fascinating. Is basically Bobby and Coco talking and Bobby giving the deep histories behind the projects he's been involved with. Through that channel, I've been revisiting both the Layla project, All Things Must Pass, Bobby's own music, and Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. Essential viewing for anyone into those albums and into the history of that era in music. I've heard things that I don't believe I've ever heard before thanks to Bobby's candid interviews on his channel. He's an awesome guy, fantastic musician, has been through hell and back, and is someone who is a straight-shooter when it comes to cutting through the bullshit.

And there is where I'll be really curious to see and read how they approach All Things Must Pass.

Recently there have been some claims made as to who was involved and more importantly how much they were involved in making All Things Must Pass. No doubt, it's a massive task to sort through all of the credits because there were so many musicians involved in making that album. However some of those musicians - and some writers too - have been overstating some claims they've staked on their involvement in the album.

Just like we see in Beach Boys history, it can be like walking on eggshells because some of these musicians are very well known, yet if they're claiming more than was actually done, what is the right way to call it out? And how do things get corrected once they get published as part of a box set project? Two names Bobby has mentioned: Peter Frampton and Gary Wright. There are claims made that they did more than they actually did, and Bobby's memory counters what those claims are...and after hearing what Bobby says, it's hard not to take his word since he was one of the few who was there as part of the core band.

That's where it gets interesting. For those who may not know, Bobby was the original "friend" in Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, when they were a trio. The backing band originally had Jim Keltner on drums, then they picked up Jim Gordon. Carl Radle was on bass. Soon Eric Clapton, looking to move away from Cream and the long jams on stage, joined as well. And then...George Harrison jumped on board and actually toured with them briefly. Video exists of that lineup.

So when that band broke up - reasons given on one of Bobby's interviews - George called Eric asking about a band to make his new solo album. Bobby Whitlock was staying with Clapton in England at the time. Clapton and Bobby basically got the D&B rhythm section back together - Jim Gordon and Carl Radle - and they became George's core studio musicians, to which others like Bobby Keys who were in their circle anyway were added, and George's buddies like Billy Preston, Ringo, the guitarists from Badfinger, etc came on board too.

Of course that same core band on All Things Must Pass became Derek And The Dominoes, and the rest is history. One of the greatest bands in rock history that just "clicked" when they played live.

But some of what Bobby says has not been what was on the record before, however when you hear what Bobby says it's hard to find flaws in his information because he was quite literally there and present for most of it, from the very first call George put to Clapton to help form a band for the album. Bobby also doesn't want to call out anyone specific, he says this often, but when information doesn't seem to jive, he will mention it and describe what he witnessed in the studio.

A few examples, briefly: Pete Drake the awesome "talking" pedal steel guitarist was contacted by Bobby to come over and add some steel guitar. The issue of Frampton comes in because photos show Frampton and Drake in the studio, and Frampton of course would become famous for the same talk-box (or bag in this case) that Drake used on those talking guitar hits. And according to Bobby, the issue of Frampton being called to add lead guitar or whatever the claims are can be countered by the fact that number one, Eric Clapton was there...why would George bring a relative unknown in when he already had the most famous lead guitarist in the UK on the sessions from day 1. And number two, Frampton's manager showed up at a session and asked George if he could put Frampton on the album as a favor to help build his cred. If anything specific, Frampton added some rhythm guitar to an already full "wall of guitars" that Bobby said was the guys from Badfinger and others in and out who were in a corner of the studio strumming acoustics after George showed them what to play. It's the same set-up he used for the Bangladesh concert, where the Badfinger guys were just off-stage strumming that same wall of guitars during the concert.

Another issue involved Spector, and maybe it's been written elsewhere but Bobby's story was the first I had heard it. Spector would need alcohol to get going before a session. Bobby would see him down drink after drink as things started to get rolling, to where he would get stumbling drunk sometimes by the time the session was moving along. Well, one session Spector drank so much, so fast that he stumbled hard and broke his arm, and was absent for a time.

So where that story leads is that Spector was not often as hands-on as the producer in the studio as some would think, because he either wasn't there, or was absent in other ways and for other reasons. You see that in the letter listed above - Spector was not there, but giving advice from across the Atlantic. And this meant George Harrison and his musicians were basically running the show, and George himself opened up a lot of decisions to the musicians in the studio. Bobby said it was fantastic, and fully democratic: If a musician had an idea, George would always say "do it". Anything from orchestration to arrangement to what to play, George was very open that way because he knew he had some of the finest rock players of that time in the studio.

And that leads to another studio credit in question. According to Bobby, using the old Victorian pump organ was his idea. It became one of the signature sounds of several key tracks gluing everything together, and those parts were played by Bobby. However, recently some others have been claiming and getting credit for those parts instead of Bobby.

Where those others' claims fall apart is the only one who knew how to get the thing running and actually play it was Bobby, because he had played one in his younger years and knew how it worked.

Those are just a few examples.

Anyway, I hope input from Bobby Whitlock is included in the liners and credits on this set. Once you scan a few of his videos, you'll know why. And also, in terms of credits, certain bigger name artists who were on the album had to be careful because they had contracts with other labels, and their own labels and management wouldn't like seeing a big name appear on a competitor label's major release. That's why, well, one reason why, the actual credits for who played on George's album have been spotty through the years. Very similar to the Beach Boys having Dean  on "Barbara Ann" and having to hide the fact he was on there due to contracts.

So I hope they do it right, and we don't get credits that are either overblown or just plain wrong, because there are people who were there who can validate or dispute a lot of the information about the project.

Cool insight!  I plan on picking this release up as All Things Must Pass is easily one of my all-time favorite albums.  Will probably pass on the deluxe set as I honestly don't care all that much about outtakes which seems to be the meat of the bonus stuff. 

I have the 30th anniversary 2 cd edition, and I'm fine with it. The bonus stuff on it is a few acoustic demos of some songs, a remake of My Sweet Lord, and an unreleased song I Live For You featuring Pete Drake on pedal steel.
There was also an album titled Early Takes Volume 1 which is mostly ATMP demos and unplugged, live studio takes. It was released as a tie in with the Scorsese documentary about George, and just seemed to be overshadowed by the film.
No, I don't need to buy ATMP a third time (still have pristine 1970 vinyl of the album); don't know if Bangladesh will ever get an expanded release. So I'm gonna wait and see if the other Geo albums get anniversary editions. My guess is, probably not. Previous releases of the other solo albums have yielded very little in terms of bonus material.

Bobby Whitlock just posted his thoughts on the deluxe 50th set on his channel last night. He's looking forward to hearing the sessions and what he and the other musicians were doing during those dates, 50 years later! He also says, and had said previously, that George's sessions were among the best musical experiences he's had in his life. They had freedom to add to and shape the songs after George ran down the basic ideas, it was more of a democracy than a strictly-arranged process where they had to read specific parts and the like. Some of Bobby's more prominent contributions across the whole album were things that just happened organically, like his playing the Wurlitzer on the upbeats during "What Is Life" that gave it a crazy cool groove in between everyone else. And he has also said repeatedly that Jim Gordon's drum tracks on the album were stellar, just top-notch rock drumming coming from the LA Wrecking Crew scene into the UK. 

The reason why so much material still exists from the studio sessions is because they were rolling tape constantly during the sessions. Whether this was Spector's idea, as he did the same thing at Gold Star in case a musician happened to play a great idea and it would be available on tape to use or remind them, or whether it was George's, or a combination, they captured everything on tape. And not much later, Bobby suggested they do the same thing on the Layla album sessions in Florida, which is why so much of the session tape for that album was available for its own deluxe edition box sets.

It's good they offer different variations of the re-release. Granted, the deluxe edition is pricey, and naturally listening to raw sessions is not everyone's cup of tea. But for musicians like me, that's the stuff I live for. This specific era, I think, was nearing the end of that kind of record making in the studio. Soon everything got separated and isolated. There were not as many "live" sessions where you could hear the chatter and the interplay between musicians. Specifically on this project, if I have the chance to hear such stellar musicians as Harrison, Clapton, Whitlock, Preston, Starr, Voorman, White, Gordon, Radle, Bobby Keys and Jim Price, Brooker, Drake, the Badfinger guys and others creating and shaping George's ideas into fully realized songs, I'm all in. I think it's awesome they make this available, and again it wouldn't be long after this era that such recording methods and fly-on-the-wall journal tapes of the sessions would be phased out in favor of pure isolation of tracks.

To clarify one of the earlier points I posted, one of the credits in question was Gary Wright, who has apparently claimed much more credit for various keyboards on ATMP than he actually played.

And for those wondering why they both recorded and released the jams as part of the original album, the jams were a chance to get all the musicians comfortable with each other when things first got underway. A pretty brilliant way to get musicians who for the most part had not played together all that much (minus the core band who had played with Delaney and Bonnie) relaxed and tuned into how each other carried a groove. I guess George liked the results so much he decided to make it into another LP in the set. Some think it was unnecessary to include them alongside the original songs, which are strong enough as is, but again consider having that much talent just kicking into gear and jamming and it becomes worthwhile listening to how f**king good these guys could play off the cuff and unrehearsed.

Thanks GF2002 for those posts -- I've watched a lot of those Bobby Whitlock videos.  Fascinating and yeah he seems like the real deal.

Bobby Whitlock just released a new video about All Things Must Pass, and it's fantastic news. Long overdue. Here's the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui2VSY6OTXI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui2VSY6OTXI)

So Bobby had not posted for about a week, and I and others who follow him were wondering what was going on. It turns out - and you'll see it in the video - the Harrison estate through their administrator David Zonshine *finally* had a conversation with Bobby after the right connections were made. They sent Bobby the tracks so he could listen through all the sessions, and Bobby literally may be the only one alive who was there almost constantly throughout the recording sessions and can identify who played on which tracks. Their archivist is also going to reach out to Bobby and information will be taken down to go into the Beatles archives as well.

This is HUGE. I'll preach the gospel all night long about those who create these sets and those who archive the history needing to talk to Bobby Whitlock, because he knows what happened. And, he can fix any errors or fill in any gaps that exist in the information.

I don't know why he wasn't contacted before. It's a damn crime, really, to be compiling a comprehensive set on albums like ATMP and to go with information that is either shoddy or incomplete when you have a guy who was a witness to all of it and who has a crystal-clear memory not being contacted.

So at least that ball is rolling now, and all of these claims some are making about playing certain things on the album can be clarified and fixed where necessary. And, instead of just saying "we don't know" who played certain tracks, they now have a guy who can fill in the missing gaps of info. Finally!

Bobby went through and listened to all the tracks they sent him and took notes, so he reviews some of them here but suggests more is coming, and probably even more once he connects with the archivist and talks through all of the information.

It's fascinating stuff, even if you're not a major fan of the album to buy the deluxe edition, this kind of thing makes you even more of a fan and it's life-affirming stuff, especially for musicians and music lovers.

It's good to see the facts prevail and the right people getting involved in projects like this.

Don't you mean Stig O Hara's All Things Must Rut?

And...just like that...the long video Bobby posted about All Things Must Pass which I linked to a few days ago got pulled down, along with a short clip appearing on the channel saying Bobby was asked to pull it down. Hopefully there is a valid reason for that, and not more shenanigans as we've seen way too many of in the world of Beach Boys history and the reporting thereof.

Anyway it was a cool video while it lasted, and if you go to his channel you'll find more history on ATMP that hasn't yet been taken down and hopefully never will be removed.

This is getting very interesting. In the past hour, Bobby posted this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUiC3MFMcQ0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUiC3MFMcQ0)

And that video was recorded *before* the one that was taken down on the orders of someone or something that still hasn't been revealed. Speculation is that it was the Harrison estate or an interest connected to the box set itself, but speculation is just that until the truth comes out.

It's very odd how all of these issues are coming up now - I've been following Bobby's channel and enjoying his videos immensely, and all of a sudden the ATMP deluxe box is coming out and someone is putting in violation notices to YouTube or sending demands to remove Bobby's videos where he talks about who played what on the sessions and tries to correct information that is not accurate about those credits. Something he said obviously upset someone involved with either the Harrison estate or those who are involved in the box, or maybe it's as simple as naming a name.

But holy crap, for those who always think the "drama" is somehow more present in the world of the Beach Boys, this shows it reaches all levels and behind the scenes scenarios.

I'm just posting this for fans of the album and those who want to know more, and again I'd encourage any of those fans to check out Bobby's channel and videos. You'll see a whole new perspective on the ATMP sessions, you'll hear information (i.e. 'facts') which are not being noted in the history of the album and its credits, and you'll see a genuinely good guy talking to his fans and basically telling it like it is without taking any personal shots or disparaging people where he would have every right to do so. But he's not that kind of person.

Check it out, it's quite a backstory developing around that box set the way it would seem.

Disclaimer: I have not heard the remix/remaster yet. But the reviews are starting to come out. And a review from someone who was actually involved in the recording of the album is one of the most bluntly honest, straight-shooting commentaries I've seen in a long time. Bobby Whitlock, via his YouTube channel. One thing about Bobby is that he's honest, upfront, and calls 'em as he sees 'em. And in this case Bobby is more upset than I've ever seen him, and from his perspective I can see why. Other reviewers have said the same things more or less - If you're a long-time fan and listeners of the original work, the new remix strips away a lot of the vibe and character that was present in those grooves. Some instrumental parts are buried entirely if not muted, and the hallmarks of the original mixes including effects like echo and reverb are gone, and the vocals do not sit into the mix the same way without them.

This was not the case with the previous remix/remaster. What I hear from others is the dreaded "boost the bass" and "compress the living sh*t out of it" marching orders seemed to win the day. Done, of course, to appeal to the "young listeners"...

So anyway, here's Bobby's reaction to the vinyl edition which was sent to him. It's worth watching too just to hear how many different ways a legendary musician can say "this sucks" using different phrases. My favorites are when he comes right out and says "It's fuckin' awful.", "I've heard some drunk stuff in nightclubs that sounds better than this.", "the worst sh*t I ever heard", and "It was so bad that it hurts."

And this is coming from a legendary and respected musician who was there and actively involved with the project. The A/B reference he used for comparing the new version to the old was an original vinyl copy of the set given to him by George Harrison himself, 50 years ago.

I'm sad to hear this, and Bobby is not the only one saying it, although some are less upfront in voicing their disappointment.

I'd get it if they had an outtakes and sessions only set, minus the remaster/remix at this point. I don't know how much of this rewriting history on a classic album such as this I could take, hearing the mixes reimagined and rejiggered to this degree.

Bobby and Coco's review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soM5B6q39Ls (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soM5B6q39Ls)

More than anything, they come across as bitter and disrespectful. I hope George Harrison fans will make up their own minds about the remix (assuming they are interested in remixes to begin with).

It would definitely look that way to people hearing the commentary. But if I were in Bobby's shoes, I'd be bitter too. He's not being disrespectful to George, personally, at all. He doesn't like the way they changed the entire sound of the album. I'd argue George himself had nothing to do with this project or this remix.

Keep in mind Bobby himself was right there in the belly of the beast when this album was being made. Not only did George originally call Clapton and Bobby to assemble the core band, which they did, but Bobby was also dating George's sister in law, and was on the scene both staying at Clapton's house originally and staying at Harrison's Friar Park for a time.

What I hope comes out in the various histories is how George was looking for a specific sound and vibe on ATMP, that blend of country, Memphis soul/R&B, and Gospel music which he had been enamored with and had been a part of with Delaney & Bonnie just prior to starting this solo project. At that time, that particular hybrid sound that borrowed hallmarks of each genre without being an all-out copy was fairly new, and even though commercially Delaney and Bonnie were not big sellers, their sound was very influential on other musicians. And when you get Clapton, Harrison, Dave Mason, the Memphis Horns, and the other musicians like Keltner and Jim Gordon wanting to play with them, there was definitely something unique going on.

Three major projects that sprung from the Delaney and Bonnie band which George played shows with were Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen, George's ATMP project, and Derek & The Dominoes. It's a direct line from one to the next.

And Bobby was an original member of D&B before the superstars joined. It's no accident the core musicians in Delaney and Bonnie's band are on the majority of George's album. The other core players were musicians he had known going back to 1960, like Klaus, Ringo, Billy Preston, etc. And the rest were more recent friends.

So there's Bobby, a musician who was in all of this activity and very close to George both professionally and personally at this time, and someone who was in the control room listening to session playbacks with George as they shaped the songs, and prior who George had played the rough versions of the songs to on guitar one-on-one, hearing this remake and remix of the album, and being disappointed to the point of anger when he hears a totally different sound with instruments buried and missing entirely, after being there with the creators of the music when the tracks were being laid down originally, and knows exactly who played what on the sessions. 

I'd be pissed too.

And I'd be even more pissed when various histories for years have said "we just don't know who played what on these sessions..." and incorrect credits were published or claimed, and here's Bobby waving both his hands in the air saying "I know exactly who played on this stuff, why don't you ask me!". The various parties went about researching and writing what they wanted to write, crediting who they wanted to credit whether correct or not, and no one contacted one of the last few surviving musicians who was there and has the info to share during all of this. That's not right.

Absolutely fans can make up their own minds when they hear it, and they should, but ultimately it isn't what the original album sounded like or was supposed to sound like, and if the new remixes replace the originals in terms of fans new and old buying and knowing a definitive version, I don't think that's right either.

George repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with the sound of ATMP. He did so both privately and publicly. His dislike for reverb and preference for a dry, vocal-forward sound can be heard in most of his latter-day recordings. It only makes sense that Dani, whom he worked with intimately in recording Brainwashed, in reissuing ATMP in 2000, and in co-writing his last released song, would supervise a remix that fulfilled his father’s intentions. And I trust Dani more than a former session musician in communicating George’s wishes to his audience.

I don't doubt that Whitlock's reaction is partially due to his videos being taken down.
On the other hand, I haven't been pleased with Dani and Olivia's treatment of George's catalog.
Every few years, they give us a new version of ATMP, while they ignore the rest of his catalog.
Back around the time of that George biopic, we got an album Early Takes, Volume 1. Very nice, but brief collection of demos and studio warmups of mostly ATMP material. Never Got a volume 2.

Consider that Bobby at the time ATMP was being made was more than a session musician per se, that's why I tried to outline some of the background he had within that inner circle in a recent post above. If it were one of the other players like Alan White, or the late Bobby Keys...then yes, they were hired to play on the tracks as session musicians. But what should be considered is that Bobby was living with Clapton at the time, had dated George's sister in law, had spent time staying at Friar Park at George's invitation, and was one of the musicians who not only was there listening to George run through the rough songs before anyone heard them in some cases, but was also in the control room discussing the arrangements and overall sound of the tracks with George as they listened back. He also got the call from George, with Clapton, to assemble a core band when George was going for specific feels and grooves as he had heard while playing with Bobby and the gang in Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, which was a big inspiration on the way ATMP unfolded.

I'm not trying to knock anyone, but when you have someone who was there and not only playing on the tracks but was also living a life inside the Harrison-Clapton circle at this time, I'd consider him a pretty key source...and again not a knock, but this was before Dhani and Olivia were in the picture. Would the term be "primary source"? I just think he should have been consulted earlier, just my opinion, so yes I can understand why some would think there is a bitterness there. But it also is someone who was there as the album was being made, above and beyond being a hired gun musician, giving his opinions.

And consider too that Bobby said George knew exactly what he was doing and what he wanted when he hired Spector to work the project. If he didn't want what Spector brought to the table, which was his "Wall Of Sound" with heavy reverb and echo, he wouldn't have hired him and kept him on the job until completion. If in retrospect George didn't like some of the Wall on certain songs, that's fine to look back and rethink those decisions. But at the time, those sounds are what George wanted from Phil, and Phil delivered. And those sounds, again whether George later thought some were overblown or unnecessary, are what made the album a legend for millions of listeners.

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I just got my box today.  Don’t care about the remix. Excited about the demos and alternate takes and songs that didn’t make the album.

SurfRider: All of Bobby's videos on his channel disappeared earlier today. Then they came back online, but with his recent ones focused on All Things Must Pass now unavailable. People are pissed, and offering theories on what could have happened. Obviously he didn't make the people with money at stake in this box set happy with his commentary. Prior to that, weeks ago, he was asked to take down a few because he had spoken about things on the box before the label wanted those things revealed at the release date, and they failed to tell him that, knowing he had a channel where he would talk about it. Then there was the review of the vinyl remixes which I mentioned above which I'm sure ruffled feathers, but he's not the only one saying those things about the new mixes. Fans are wondering if YouTube took them down after pressure from the label and other interests, wondering if it's censorship, etc.

Then, and who knows if this was the trigger, Bobby revealed in the last few days that he was contacted about doing an interview about the box. But, they would give him scripted answers to read during the interview instead of letting him answer freely. Anyone who has watched his videos can guess his reply..."Hell no!".

If they're scripting interviews to promote this set, something isn't right.

I'm waiting to see if any word comes up on his channel as to what happened. If there are interests trying to censor him, or if it's YouTube, or if it's the label or otherwise, that's not right. I wonder if other YouTube channels will be subject to that too, if that's the case.

And even though I have to be up in a few hours, I just spent quite a few hours listening to the tracks too. Just picking some here and there to get an overview, and listening to some of my favorites as they were remixed.

I was enjoying very much the "new" songs that didn't make it. Some better than others. I was enjoying the studio outtakes too, although there isn't much studio chatter or between-take talk on the ones I listened to, which is disappointing, but it's great to hear the various bands ripping in the studio. Some great grooves. I only got into a few of the jams so far, like "Get Back" which was a fun listen.

The demo material is cool, I had already heard whatever came out on the bootlegs before, but overall a good listen to hear the songs in raw form. But I don't know how many times I'd relisten.

Now to the bad: The remixes. These are just my opinions.

I have an original pressing of ATMP, that's the version I know, they're the mixes I know, and unlike people who have been saying it's overproduced or has too much "Spector" in the sound, or those who want to "de-Spectorize" this album as they did Let It Be and other stuff, I think the original is a masterpiece that should stand on its own as it was released. So that's my bias.

But I put my former studio ears back on and did some A/B listening tonight to a few favorites.

I will say, if someone is unfamiliar with the originals, the remixes will stand as what they are hopefully not replacing the originals, and those people unfamiliar should seek out the original.

But one listen of "My Sweet Lord" told me that may not have been the best way to approach remixing this album. I don't like it at all. It was originally a grand production of an iconic song that became a massive hit single too. And hearing the remix, they stripped away all the grand-ness of the original. The texture sounds nothing like the original, to a fault. George's vocal is way up front, and it sounds too weak as such. George's voice was not the strongest in certain ranges, but he made it work, and when mixed properly, it sat in well with dense, layered instrumentation. When they pushed it up and out of that sonic bed, it doesn't carry the song in the same way. It's too exposed, and too dry. The instrumentation minus the reverb and echo lacks the depth and "size" of the original. Some key parts are lost in this mix. I didn't like it.

"What Is Life". Again, an absolute favorite track of mine, with some amazing performances including Jim Gordon on drums (and all the other Dominoes too). The remix doesn't have the same power coming from the overall sound. Again, the depth of the original is gone, it's almost too dry. Yet, Gordon's drums don't benefit at all, in fact they sound less up front and with less "sizzle" in the EQ than could have been in a remix. It seems like the bass got pushed up, which is fine, but it seems to mask other instruments in that sonic range. Again George's voice is way up and dry. The strings got pushed up quite a bit too, and they're almost too loud when they're answering and embellishing the lead guitar lines. It just doesn't have the sonic glue that the original has.

And another favorite: "Wah Wah". This one specifically stood out in the A/B comparison. After hearing both back-to-back, I must have played this track 6 times or more in a row, both versions. The remix, compared to the original, sounds like someone threw a towel over the speaker. I don't know what happened to the high end frequencies, and that "sizzle", whether they lopped it off purposely or whether the bass boosting and boosting of the guitars is masking it somehow. But it does sound like a towel over the speakers.

This track also has one of the coolest, most grooving parts Bobby Whitlock played on these sessions. He's on electric piano. He comes in just before the verses start, with a fill that sounds like Ray Charles, then his electric piano is the only instrument playing on the offbeats in the groove. That's how it stands out among such a thick background of instruments, and it creates that awesome forward groove with his "dit-dit, dot" rhythms between the beats.

On the original you hear Bobby's part cut through loud and clear. On the remix, it at first sounds like it's turned down way too low and has no highs or high-mid EQ to allow it to slice through. Again, it sounds like they laid a towel over the speaker on that specific part. At times in the track, it is so low and so masked it all but disappears, and this was one of the most driving rhythm parts of the entire song. As soon as you play the original mix, Bobby's part is right there, sitting perfectly in the mix, with plenty of high and high-mid EQ and creating that unique push-and-pull drive with the other instruments that pushes the track. It's still subtle too, but it slices through exactly when it needs to. On the remix, it's almost inconsequential.

And that's ridiculous.

Other tracks are more palatable, as remixes, but no way should these be the definitive versions. There is too much modern mastering at play, I think. Boost the bass frequencies, push everything up at hot levels and compress before distortion, and place George's vocals too high and too dry atop everything to where it almost sounds like when he's singing the demo versions. He's not part of the ensemble anymore. I felt the same about the string arrangements. They were subtle on the original, but on the remixes it's like extra effort was made to highlight them, when they were not for that purpose originally. The horns sounded a bit too compressed for my liking, again the group sound was more squashed together in the midrange where on the originals you could hear more high end and more "sizzle".

Some of the slower tracks work in the remixes, and I haven't gotten through all of them yet. But hearing those favorites didn't inspire me to hear them again. When certain textures or instruments are lost, or masked in favor of others, and those that are lost are key elements of those songs to some fans who know the originals, it doesn't seem like a successful venture or presenting "the way George would have wanted it", and becomes more like a novelty, too reminiscent of the "Let It Be Naked" album that pretty much sank like a stone after the initial PR hype.

I know that's a bit harsh, but that's my first impression on what I've heard so far tonight. I think the demos are worth it for people who haven't heard a lot of them on previous releases, I think the studio outtakes are indeed the keeper of the whole thing and worth hearing for people who know the album and who want to hear the tracks developing in stages, I think fans of George's music overall will love to hear the unreleased songs that didn't make the cut, but I'm not feeling this remix, and that seems to be the centerpiece of this whole thing.

Thanks for an honest review. I suspect I will have a similar reaction when I sit down with the album.