George Harrison - Lost/Found (1980)
The Beatles' Going Faster had bombed terribly for a Beatles record, and the fallout would happen publicly. Where the band were once celebrated for their mere appearance out in public, they were now barely noticed at all. The music world had changed, and by 1979 had given way to new wave, punk and other new forms of rock. The Beatles had tried to capitalize on these trends and failed. They would go on hiatus for the remainder of the year before even thinking about putting out a follow-up. But George Harrison didn't seem to mind all that much. It just gave him more free time for himself. He had initially left the band for some much-needed peace of mind (among other factors), and he thought to himself that this would be no different. He spent the remainder of 1979 mostly away from his guitar and with friends and family. He attended Eric Clapton's wedding to his former wife Pattie Boyd (Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr would also attend). He was able to dive deeper into his interest in motor racing, attending multiple shows during the year (Beatles song "Faster" was about said interest). He vacationed in Maui, a beautiful locale that allowed him to get away from it all for even a week or so. All of these events would form the basis of Harrison's next studio album, which began recording in late 1979.
The vibe was immediately different from the Beatles records as of late and even his previous solo efforts. Everyone was in a generally fun mood, and the songs generated from these sessions showcased it. George dug back to the early 70's (late 60's in the case of "See Yourself") to find suitable material for the record, along with newly-written material and a single cover. When finished, the record showcased a side of George that few had seen before; laid-back, happy and weirdly secular. The album was so slow-moving at times that Apple Records told Harrison to remove the slower-sounding songs in favor of some more upbeat songs. However, Apple Records President Ron Kass vetoed this decision, telling his staff they were out of their minds to deny a Beatle his music. Lost/Found would release on April 5, 1980 to mostly positive reviews. In actuality, many critics simply didn't review it. The bad press towards the Beatles had only begun to settle down, and Harrison was unfortunately just caught in the crossfire. This would start to effect his view of the press and the music industry for years to come.
Tracks are sourced from Thirty Three & 1/3, George Harrison and Somewhere in England. "Sat Singing" is sourced from the Songs by George Harrison EP and was originally to be on Somewhere in England.
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