Cover Photo: Fair Use for review purposes. © Apple Records 1975
In 1975, George Harrison released his album entitled Extra Texture (Read All About It). It was George Harrison’s sixth solo album since the break up of the Beatles in 1970. The Extra Texture (Read All About It) is a significant release in George Harrison’s solo career because it stands as his last solo album released by Apple Records. His next album would be released on his own label called Dark Horse Records which was a subsidy of A&M Records.
The Extra Texture (Read All About It) album spawned the much loved hit single “You” which is regarded as one of George Harrison’s strongest solo career singles. The song was a top 20 hit in the United States. The album itself easily went Gold despite not being well received by many music critics that were looking for any reason they could to criticize any one of the former Beatles. Poor Paul usually took the brunt of it, as John was always celebrated and Ringo was just looked at as being Ringo. Yet, on this album, George had to bear with many harsh words from critics., He probably couldn’t have cared one bit.
The Extra Texture (Read All About It) album featured many of the biggest names in the music business at the time. Everyone always wanted to play with George. The album featured guest pianists such as Nicky Hopkins playing piano on the song “Can’t Stop Thinking About You,” Leon Russell playing piano on the tracks “You,” A Bit More of You” and “Tired of Midnight Blue,” and Billy Preston playing electric piano on “His Name Is Legs (Ladies and Gentlemen).” Legendary saxophone players Tom Scott and Jim Horn played on multiple tracks on the album. The album’s hit single “You,” also featured backing vocals by the great Ronnie Spector.
While the album featured many various session players and popular recording artists, the majority of the album tracks were performed by a small group of musicians that must have really enjoyed playing and hanging out together so much that they decided to form their own group. That group would be called Attitudes. However, these were not just a handful of no-name session players. These were some of the best in the music business who would also end up enjoying long term careers in the music business with much success.
The band Attitudes that was formed out of the Extra Texture sessions consisted of soon-to-become major hit maker and producer David Foster on keyboards, legendary session musician Jim Keltner on drums, famous guitarist Danny Kortchmar, and Paul Stallworth on bass. The four musicians would release their first single together in 1975 entitled “Ain’t Love Enough” backed with “The Whole World’s Crazy.”
In 1975 the band Attitudes released their first album called Attitudes. The album featured the single “Honey Don’t Leave L.A.” While the song did not chart for the band, James Taylor recorded the song a year later and had a minor hit with it. There is a bit of a Pablo Cruise meets Elton John vibe to the song by Attitudes.
In 1976, in between the band’s two studio albums, the group released the single “Sweet Summer Music.” The song would become the group’s only charting song. “Sweet Summer Music.” broke into the Billboard Top 100 in 1976 peaking at number ninety four. The group would follow up the release of their top 100 single with their second album entitled Good News. The album was released in 1977. Good News would become the band’s final studio album. All four members continued on in their music careers playing on and producing some of the most important albums in classic rock history. However, for a short while they had their own group and project which so many studio musicians always have on their minds as something they would love to do. Just ask any of the guys in Toto.
How George Harrison’s Extra Texture Session Musicians Formed Their Own Band article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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