George Harrison Extra Texture Revisited

[@andreweclark4079]

I bought it when it came out. One of my favorite Beatle solo albums.

[@markrichards2]

Interesting review John which makes me want to revisit the album. “You” is one of the great solo Beatle singles, largely forgotten by many.

[@ellisclarkstudios9797]

One of my favorite George albums. Got it when it came out. My father bought it for me under the condition I get a haircut.

[@RonaldBrown59]

I just gave it a listen after watching your video, it had been a while since I heard it. . It's a better album than I thought it was, the first, side one starts out well and is little stronger than side two. I used to think I liked Dark Horse better than Extra Texture, but now I'm not sure. Great video John, thanks for sharing.

[@dougreed2257]

"this guitar can't keep from cryin'" is a great George Harrison track, a lot of critics say its the poor man's version of "while my guitar gently weeps" absolute nonesense!!!! It's a great song seperate to that classic beatles track! 'extra texture' is a very good album, totally underappreciated, George is on top form vocally on this album, it's a great night time listen!!

[@karstenpost1477]

Thanks a lot to you for revisiting Extra Texture. I‘m glad to see that your opinion on this George album has slightly moved to the positive😊I‘ve always loved Extra Texture since I bought an American vinyl copy at a flea market as a young fan in the eighties. Money was low on my Pocket as I was a pupil. So the one or two vinyls I bought a month had to be heard intensively for the next weeks until fresh money from the parents would be at hand next time. So I listened to Extra Texture on heavy rotation and learned to love this album more and more! Now I own the 2014 gatefold CD and I am still very happy with it 👍🏻🎸🍀

[@frommetoyou1981]

'Extra texture' is a good album. Not great, not awful but much better than the critics gave it credit for (as per usual) 7/10. Love 'Tired of midnight blue', 'Grey cloudy lies', 'Cant stop thinking about you' and of course 'You'

[@johnhealy8186]

Love your work John, keep it up!🎧

[@TheTop40hub]

I bought the 45 of You when it was released. Love that song. Had the picture sleeve also. Thanks for the video.

[@MrOmniify]

dear John, this is the first video of yours that i see, and i’m so happy to find someone else that fully appreciates George’s discography! the video is great, been watching your channel plenty. make sure to add this video to your George playlist. thank you!!

[@robertmaichrowicz3158]

Not a great album but definitely a good underrated album. I prefer it to Dark Horse which preceded Extra Texture. I enjoyed seeing all the different album variations you have!

[@antonybrennan]

The symbol on the cover is the Sanskrit word OM, it is the letters A, U and M. I think George may have been wearing an OM badge before he became heavily involved with the Hare Krishna movement. It is interesting to note that George and Paul produced an album for the Hare Krishna movement called Radha Krishna Temple. One of the tracks on that album, ‘Govinda” is to this day played early every morning in Hare Krishna temples all over the world. The colour of the album is the colour worn by those, in ancient Indian culture, who have renounced the material world. The repetition on some of the songs is very similar to the repetition of words in the ancient Indian Mantras which George had been chanting. I love this album, I used to play it non-stop years ago. Songs of ‘lament’ are a common in ancient Indian culture, they are not meant to be depressing, they are meant to be instructive. There are quite a few George songs which are reflective of what he had been learning philosophically. He was a very philosophical dude.

[@jameswheelock1799]

John. I picked up my copy of Extra Texture in Seattle in 1979. I was surprised, how good it was after what the critics said about it. I think Nicholas Shaffner said the critics responded to like a bull responds to a red flag. Despite this there was some hidden gems.

[@jaylene.turner6524]

Love the album! Great review,John!

[@jameswheelock1799]

I first heard You on American Bandstand. Although I recognized the song i did not know it was George Harrison until Dick Clark announced it. I was just getting into George Harrison at the time. Also, I had delayed picking up Living in the Material world because Robert Hilburn put it down saying Give me love is pleasant enough to soar high into the sales charts but hardly the work we would expect from a major artist give me hope help me cope indeed. A pop rock dictionary around that time said the buy the buying public response was overwhelming. When i got this one as well as Extra Textue I was pleasantly surprised.

[@maxwelleddison6717]

I listened to Extra Texture in Bluff, Utah in a hotel in the middle of the desert. Amazing how a different location can change your perception of a record.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Great review, John! I appreciated the different variations of the cover. My fave on the LP is Tired of Midnight Blue.

[@jameswheelock1799]

Hi John I like all your reviews. I picked this Album up in 1979 in Seattle. I initially resisted getting because of the reviews, including Nicholas Shaffner. But i have always liked this Guitar

[@jamescostigan3721]

This album, along with Wild Life, are 2 albums I didn't think much of for a long time, but they've both drastically risen in favorability for me over the years.

[@jackhartgraves4988]

Had this on 8 track fantastic songs played the h out of it 🎸

[@robeustace6881]

Nice to see you revisit this one John. Many similarities here, I too brought this in a bargain bin in Wimbledon!!! although mine was from Our Price, or was it Cloud 7 then? either way!!!. George and Ringo albums were seemingly regulars in these bargain bins in the late 70's. I've always liked EXTRA TEXTURE personally, even if the closing "Legs" doesn't really fit? I do remember my original vinyl copy sounding absolutely awful, something that thankfully my CD version doesn't suffer from.

[@euanthorburn8135]

Thanks John

[@Donci-ul2pz]

Great video, tx!

[@julianmulloy3772]

Hi John George Harrison is one of the best guitar players of all time. Go and listen to his superb guitar solo on the beatles song something. Iike the orange cover on the record your showing and on the apple label is awesome.

[@barrymonaghan6593]

It would be interesting if they printed a transcript of all the words that 'Legs Larry Smith' is saying in the 'His Name is Legs Lady's and Gentleman song.

[@patriksweden9203]

Love the album

[@boshrek4759]

I recently purchased the 2014 CD. First time listen. There is nothing that stands out as a single, however I can press play and hear it to the end enjoying each track. I like this album more than “Living in the Material World” based on the fact that I am listening to it more. Love the bass on Track 4. Has a James Jamerson feel!

[@johnheaton5667]

Yes I agree…Klaus’s bass is wonderful on that

[@stepheng1690]

I have to agree wholeheartedly with you on the alleged John Lennon quotes which he most certainly did not say even once in his lifetime!! Some just make anything up nowadays.... Brilliant George Harrison album this & has grown on me over the last few years & some stunning songs on it & hopefully you'll revisit Red Rose Speedway by Paul McCartney in a future video especially the new double album which was originally planned which I love.

[@Ad.Dd.James.]

‘His name is legs’ (Ladies and Gentleman) is a great way to close an album. The funky arrangement coupled with largely unintelligible vocals offers up zany wordplay. The song is uniquely George Harrison

[@robertoponce8077]

I agree, indeed!!!

[@dr.buzzvonjellar8862]

In my experience with things John Lennon said, nope. Doesn’t ring a bell. Thank you JH!

[@jamesbyersmusic]

Great review! For me, this is the least accessible of George's albums and not one I've ever liked very much. In fact, it's the one George album I can quite easily go several years without listening to at all. That being said, there are a couple of standout tracks and he has an amazing set of players with him. I shall have to give it another couple of listens and see if I can get a bit more 'on board' with it this time around...

[@StichtingSonrisaRijnmond]

John thanks so much for this, very interesting. On You, there is a little bit Ronnie Spector left on the track, you can hear some oh oh oho at about 3.26 in the track of 3.43 total.

[@robertzastrow4648]

Have always enjoyed Extra Texture. Don't think the overall tone is as negative as you think. Think that can be said (negativity) of only four of the songs. The others I think are wonderful love songs ("You", "Ooh Baby", "Can't Stop Thinking About You"). One song "The Answer's At The End" I'd say is positive ('Don't be so hard on the ones that you love'). Love the moog bass George uses on "Grey Cloudy Lies". The album ends with a humorous rocker dedicated to one of George's friends "His Name Is LEGS". The short reprise of "You" I think is clever. George's voice on Extra Texture was back to normal (from the raspiness on Dark Horse). My favorite song on the album is "Tired Of Midnight Blue". My biggest criticism of Extra Texture would be the song "This Guitar (Can't keep From Crying", basically a sequel to "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Funny, this coming from someone who wanted to be known as more then a "Former Beatle".

[@mrjohnmiffed1987]

I bought 'Extra Texture' at the time of release after it got a fairly positive review in NME!! I seemed to remember the reviewer liked the first 3 tracks in particular, which I thought, and still think, is fair enough. Both sides start quite well, but rather fizzle out and 'His Name Is Legs' is very indulgent. As you say, a challenging time for George after the Dark Horse album and tour problems. John, Leeds

[@woodewoode]

You misinterpreted that review. Dull and tuneless was the gist of it.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Great work John, love the coaster. I actually have a coaster of the Cailleach from The Stones of Blood would you believe. Off to check if my copy of Extra Texture has that message in the run-out groove.

[@ellisclarkstudios9797]

He slowed down the tape a bit when he did his vocal on You so he could hit the higher register. I hope he didn’t wipe Ronnie’s guide vocal to open the track for his vocals. Maybe someday the Ronnie version will surface.

[@roywatson8133]

apart from legs larry and world of stone the album is top stuff love it

[@lancep4164]

ET is one of the few albums where I didn’t like one song. I’ll give it another listen to see if that has changed.

[@ronfowlermusic]

Extra Texture is to Dark Horse what New Morning was to Self Portrait.

[@robertoponce8077]

Yes, 7:35 mentions that period when RS magazine stated "Trascendental mediocrity" to that tour (or álbum Dark Horse?, I guess)...

[@davidjackson5449]

John ,the Uk album cover never had cut out letters .It was only the Usa version that did so.

[@robertoponce8077]

In México the LP had letters cut as well

[@Slydeil]

Re John Lennon misquotes, the one that I hate is the "Ringo isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles" which was a Jasper Carrott joke. Extra Texture wise, I bought it in the late 70s early 80s and it's one I haven't listened to since. Apart from "You", the album cover and that inner groove message are the most interesting thing about it. I must admit I'm not keen on much of George's solo albums after Living In The Material World. I loved the single Blow Away from the 1979 album.

[@jamesbyersmusic]

It wasn't even Jasper Carrot!! That's a long standing misquote of a misquote!! It was actually made by Philip Pope on a show called 'Radio Active' in 1981.

[@Slydeil]

@@jamesbyersmusic It's not a "misquote" as Carrott used it. Yes of course Philip Pope wrote it and used it first, but it's Carrott's use of it on TV that was picked up and spread it.

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

If it was on the internet it must be true.

[@jeffkaufman9875]

Though value is truly in the eye of the beholder, a round Pound is a bit “heavy” for the likes of EXTRA TEXTURE; that said, as some esteemed professor whose name escapes me once so memorarably opined: “Dark horses for dark race courses!”…

[@jimquinn5316]

It's a good album by Geroge , I bought it at the time it came out . and side one is my own favourite . a bit disappointed with a few tracks.

[@guyinnyc1]

i love many songs on this album, especially Tired of Midnight Blue. My biggest gripe with it is that most of these songs go way too long. If George was working with a producer, the length and repetitiveness could have been pointed out. A later song I feel the same way about is Poor Little Girl. Could have been a third of its released length.

[@invisibleray6987]

there is NO known Apple label version.....I searched the world

[@ronfowlermusic]

He just showed you one

[@invisibleray6987]

@@ronfowlermusic no it wasn't

[@rodneygriffin7666]

I prefer Brainwashed to be honest. I did not like the single "You" at all when it was released at all. Nowadays, I still have a love/ hate relationship with this album.

[@allanforrester2612]

Attitudes to this album, and much of George's solo work seem to have been unduly influenced by Rolling Stone reviews, endlessly and unthinkingly rehashed as if they were Holy Writ, along with the views of Carr and Tyler. In truth, Extra Texture is a pretty good album, with some songs that stand up to repeated listens.George never claimed to be the world's best singer, but the songs and arrangements here suit it well.

[@trevordixon1427]

Love you.but its too short

[@stefanredelsteinerexperien5957]

I think he should have maybe gone on a holiday between 1973 and 1976, to sort out some of his problems (drugs, divorce, voice problems, lawsuits etc) and then release an album with the best songs from Dark Horse, Extra Texture and 33 1/3 instead of the 3 albums... would have possibly been a wiser "career move", and IMO also artistically better. I really like the first 3 songs on Extra Texture, the rest not so much...

[@guyinnyc1]

I agree, that would have edited out his lesser songs from that period and made a punchier single album.

[@Twotontessie]

Not a good album, had he played more guitar that may have salvaged some of it. One of the highlights is the bridge on “You” where I can hear the other Beatles even though of course they’re not physically there. Love those types of moments on the solo material or even in interviews.

[@wolfgangschafer8592]

I bought the album back then too. But I just found it dreadfully boring. With one exception: "You". After that, I didn't buy any more Harrison albums. Until 1987, when Jeff Lynne entered the scene and produced with Harrison the wonderful album "Cloud Nine". He succeeded in implanting a certain lightness and looseness into Harrison's music, which was immediately transferred to the listener.

[@MIB_63]

Not among Harrison's better albums. Average songwriting (with the exception of You, This Guitar and Tired of Midnight Blue) and the production is muddy and too bassey. But I love the remix of This Guitar featured on the 2014 remaster.

[@paulsurelynotsmith8179]

Didn’t warm to this album at all John I was in two minds to buy after Dark house which again didn’t do anything for me sadly extra texture is my least favourite George album

[@justinherbert9146]

I bought the album when it came out - i wanted to like it - i was rooting for George - but the album was lousy, mediocre songwriting and except for the upbeat single YOU which was forgettable the other tracks were depressing - it was many many years before he made another great record and that was CLOUD NINE with Jeff Lynne

[@graniterhythm53]

Some say that's why George only had a few songs on Beatle LPs!

[@justinherbert9146]

@@graniterhythm53 Well if you are competing with the great Lennon and McCartney to get your songs included on a Beatles album -- well that's an uphill fight right there -- Paul Simon said that some of his all time favorite Beatles recordings were written by George -- I love DON'T BOTHER ME -- George's first song to be recorded by The Beatles

[@JormaX]

''GOD IS DEAD'' - John Lennon

[@jeffkaufman9875]

@Jorma Accordingly, I saw THIS scrawled on a wall in NYC some years back: “John Lennon is dead.” -God (You can’t say HE too, doesn’t have a sense of humor!)…

[@markpercival7076]

I never liked this LP. It should have been called "Contractual Obligation - Volume 1".

[@beatleman69]

In the fade on the song "You" you can hear Ronnie Spector's guide vocal.