Thursday 18 June 1970 | Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, England
Producers: George Harrison, Phil Spector | Engineers: Phil McDonald, John Leckie
Although 18 June 1970 was not a scheduled George Harrison session, two pieces of music recorded on this day would appear on his third solo album All Things Must Pass. The session was primarily convened for Derek and the Dominos, but a series of jams recorded towards the end of the day were later edited and released as 'Thanks For The Pepperoni' and 'Plug Me In'.
Derek and the Dominos at Abbey Road
The members of Derek and the Dominos ā Eric Clapton's band, formed in the spring of 1970 ā had been working on the All Things Must Pass sessions in May and June 1970. Their contributions to Harrison's album were substantial: Clapton, Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle, and Jim Gordon played on a significant number of tracks, and their presence gave the record much of its warm, loose, ensemble character.
In return for their contributions to Harrison's album, Phil Spector ā who was co-producing All Things Must Pass with Harrison ā agreed to produce two songs for the Dominos. The session on 18 June 1970 was convened for that purpose. The two songs recorded were 'Tell The Truth' and 'Roll It Over', which were released later in 1970 as Derek and the Dominos' debut single. Harrison played guitar on both recordings.
The single was subsequently withdrawn and replaced ā the version of 'Tell The Truth' that appeared on the debut single was later superseded by a re-recorded version produced by Tom Dowd for the Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs album. But the Abbey Road recordings from 18 June 1970 remain the first official Derek and the Dominos recordings.
The Jams: Thanks For The Pepperoni and Plug Me In
Towards the end of the session, the musicians recorded a series of informal jams. These were not planned recordings ā they were the natural result of a group of exceptionally talented players winding down after a productive day's work. Harrison, Clapton, and the Dominos simply played.
The jams were later edited and released on All Things Must Pass as two tracks: 'Thanks For The Pepperoni' and 'Plug Me In'. Both appeared on the album's third disc ā the Apple Jam disc ā which was devoted entirely to informal instrumental recordings made during the sessions. The Apple Jam disc was a distinctive and somewhat unusual feature of the album: a triple LP in which the third record was explicitly presented as a bonus, a document of the sessions' atmosphere rather than a collection of finished songs.
The titles are characteristic of the session's informality. Thanks For The Pepperoni is not a reference to anything in particular ā it is the kind of title that emerges when musicians are naming jams after the fact, reaching for something that captures the mood without overthinking it.
All Things Must Pass
All Things Must Pass was released in November 1970 ā the first post-Beatles solo album by any of the four, and by some distance the most ambitious. A triple LP produced by Harrison and Phil Spector, it drew on years of songs that had been passed over or rejected during the Beatles years, and it announced Harrison as a major solo artist in his own right. It reached number one in both the UK and the US.
The Apple Jam disc ā on which 'Thanks For The Pepperoni' and 'Plug Me In' appeared ā was the third record in the set. It included contributions from many of the musicians who had worked on the album sessions, including Clapton, the Dominos, and others. It was, in effect, a document of the creative atmosphere that surrounded the making of one of the great albums of the era.
Key Facts: 18 June 1970
| Date | Thursday 18 June 1970 |
| Studio | Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London |
| Producers | George Harrison, Phil Spector |
| Engineers | Phil McDonald, John Leckie |
| Primary session | Derek and the Dominos ā 'Tell The Truth' and 'Roll It Over' (debut single) |
| Harrison's role | Guitar on 'Tell The Truth' and 'Roll It Over' |
| Jams recorded | 'Thanks For The Pepperoni'; 'Plug Me In' |
| Released on | All Things Must Pass, Apple Jam disc (November 1970) |
EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London ā where the Derek and the Dominos session of 18 June 1970 took place, producing the jams later released as 'Thanks For The Pepperoni' and 'Plug Me In' on George Harrison's All Things Must Pass.
George Harrison: 1970
The year of All Things Must Pass. Officially licensed Beatles merch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were Thanks For The Pepperoni and Plug Me In?
Thanks For The Pepperoni and Plug Me In were informal jams recorded at the end of a Derek and the Dominos session at Abbey Road on 18 June 1970. They were later edited and released on the Apple Jam disc of George Harrison's All Things Must Pass (November 1970).
Why were Derek and the Dominos recording at Abbey Road in June 1970?
The Dominos had contributed to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass sessions in May and June 1970. In return, Phil Spector agreed to produce two songs for the band. The 18 June session produced Tell The Truth and Roll It Over, released as the Dominos' debut single later in 1970. Harrison played guitar on both tracks.
What was the Apple Jam disc on All Things Must Pass?
All Things Must Pass was a triple LP. The third disc, known as the Apple Jam disc, was devoted entirely to informal instrumental recordings made during the sessions ā a document of the creative atmosphere rather than a collection of finished songs. Thanks For The Pepperoni and Plug Me In appeared on this disc.
Who were Derek and the Dominos?
Derek and the Dominos were Eric Clapton's band, formed in spring 1970. The lineup included Clapton, Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle, and Jim Gordon. They contributed to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass sessions and later recorded Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970), one of the defining albums of the era.
What was All Things Must Pass?
All Things Must Pass was George Harrison's third solo album, released in November 1970. A triple LP produced by Harrison and Phil Spector, it reached number one in both the UK and the US and is widely regarded as one of the great albums of the era.
ā 18 June in Beatles History
ā June in Beatles History
ā George Harrison: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
ā Paul McCartney: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
ā John Lennon: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
ā Ringo Starr: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
ā The Beatles Knowledge Hub
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