George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’ For Suite Of Deluxe Releases
The new editions, executive produced by George’s son Dhani, give the record a brighter, fuller and better sound than ever before.
George Harrison’s indelible 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass has been completely remixed from the original tapes, to be released by Capitol/UMe on August 6 in suite of 50th anniversary releases that fulfill Harrison’s longtime desire for the record.
The new editions have been executive produced by George’s son Dhani Harrison, product produced by David Zonshine and mixed by triple Grammy-winning engineer Paul Hicks (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon). The new mix gives the record a brighter, fuller and better sound than ever before, and will be available in Super Deluxe, Uber Deluxe and a 5LP or 3CD Deluxe Edition that pairs the main album with sessions outtakes and jams.
The main 23-track album, produced by Harrison and Phil Spector, will be available individually in 2CD, 3LP or limited edition 3LP color vinyl. All versions can be pre-ordered now.
All Things Must Pass was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014 and included in The Times of London’s The 100 Best Albums of All Time, as well as Rolling Stone’s 2020 listing of The Top 500 Albums of All Time. Pitchfork noted that the record had “changed the terms of what an album could be.”
The scope of Harrison’s songwriting remains breathtaking on All Things Must Pass – his deeply personal introspection and striking wit is matched by the album’s boldly extravagant production. With its densely orchestrated textures and eclectic embrace of myriad genres, Harrison and Phil Spector’s groundbreaking sonic approach set a grand blueprint for countless artists to follow.
Harrison had been stockpiling material for nearly half a decade, with a number of songs – including “Isn’t It A Pity” and the title track – rehearsed with, but not recorded by, The Beatles. Further songs evinced Harrison’s growing frustration over those preceding years, including “Wah-Wah,” the dramatic “Beware of Darkness,” and the previously unreleased “Run Of The Mill,” the latter named by both George and Olivia Harrison as one of their all-time favorites.
The Super Deluxe Edition box set is presented on 8LP (180 gram) or 5CD + 1 Blu-Ray audio disc, delves into the 1970 album sessions through 47 demos and outtakes, 42 of them previously unreleased. The Blu-ray disc allows listeners to experience the main album in high-resolution stereo, enveloping 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes.
This collection features a 60-page scrapbook curated by Olivia Harrison, with unseen imagery and memorabilia from the era. It also offers handwritten lyrics, diary entries, studio notes, tape box images, a comprehensive track-by-track guide, and more. It includes a replica of the original album poster.
The Uber Deluxe Edition will be exclusive to GeorgeHarrison.com, featuring the album on 8LP and 5CD/BR housed in a artisan designed wooden crate (approximately 12.4” x 12.4” x 17.5”). It has two books: an elaborate, expanded 96-page version of the scrapbook curated by Olivia, with unseen imagery and memorabilia from the era, handwritten lyrics, diary entries, studio notes, tape box images, a comprehensive track-by-track and more; a second 44-page book chronicles the making of the album via extensive archival interviews with notes. The collection explores the 1970 album sessions through 47 (42 previously unreleased) demos and outtakes, offering an inside look into the creative process. The Blu-ray allows fans to experience the main album in high-res stereo, enveloping 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes.
The book acknowledges Harrison’s love of gardening and nature and contains a wooden bookmark made from a felled Oak tree (Quercus Robur) in George’s Friar Park. The box also contains 1/6 scale replica figurines of Harrison and the gnomes that are featured on the famous album cover; a limited edition illustration by musician, artist and Beatles insider Klaus Voormann; a copy of Paramahansa Yogananda’s Light from the Great Ones and Rudraksha beads, contained in individual custom-made boxes.
Harrison wrote in the liner notes for the album’s 30th anniversary remaster of 2001: “I still like the songs on the album and believe they can continue to outlive the style in which they were recorded.” But he added: “It was difficult to resist remixing every track. All these years later I would like to liberate some of the songs from the big production that seemed appropriate at the time.”
Says Dhani Harrison of the remixing project: “Since the 50th anniversary stereo mix release of the title track to my father’s legendary All Things Must Pass album in 2020, my dear pal Paul Hicks and I have continued to dig through mountains of tapes to restore and present the rest of this newly remixed and expanded edition of the album you now see and hear before you.
“Bringing greater sonic clarity to this record was always one of my father’s wishes and it was something we were working on together right up until he passed in 2001. Now, 20 years later, with the help of new technology and the extensive work of Paul Hicks we have realized this wish and present to you this very special 50th Anniversary release of perhaps his greatest work of art. Every wish will be fulfilled.”
Pre-order the All Things Must Pass 50th Anniversary Edition.
