Friday 12 June 1970 | Recording Session | Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
Friday 12 June 1970 was the 12th recording session for George Harrison's third solo album All Things Must Pass, held at Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road. Two songs were worked on during the session: 'The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)' and 'Behind That Locked Door'. The session was produced by George Harrison and Phil Spector, with engineers Phil McDonald and John Leckie.
The session was ostensibly an overdub session for pedal steel guitarist Pete Drake, who was due to fly back to the United States shortly afterwards. The full band was not present. Over this session and the previous day's, Drake worked on the best takes of both songs — adding the pedal steel parts that would give both tracks their distinctive warmth and country-inflected character.
Pete Drake and the Talk Box
The most historically significant event of the 12 June session had nothing to do with the recordings themselves. During a break, Pete Drake demonstrated to Peter Frampton his 'talking steel guitar' — a talk box he had used with his pedal steel guitar on his 1964 country music hit 'Forever'. Drake played 'Danny Boy' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' to demonstrate the effect, routing the sound of his pedal steel through a tube held in his mouth to create a vocal-like, speech-mimicking tone.
The effect on Frampton was immediate and lasting. He later recalled the moment:
He put this tube in his mouth and started playing the pedal steel and, oh my God, it was unbelievable. And we were just going wild about it and I said, 'Where do I get one of those?' He said, 'Well, I made this one myself,' and then after that he lent that exact talk box to Joe Walsh to do 'Rocky Mountain Way'. Then Joe went to Bob Heil of Heil Sound and said, 'Hey Bob, make me one that's louder.' So, that's where the Heil talk box comes from and Bob Heil gave me one for Christmas because he knew I loved it and the rest is history.
— Peter Frampton
The chain of events Frampton describes is one of the more remarkable footnotes in rock history. Drake's demonstration at Abbey Road on 12 June 1970 directly inspired:
- Joe Walsh's use of the talk box on 'Rocky Mountain Way' (1973), one of the defining guitar sounds of the decade
- Bob Heil's development of the Heil Talk Box, the commercial unit that made the effect widely accessible
- Peter Frampton's use of the talk box on 'Show Me the Way', 'Baby, I Love Your Way', and 'Do You Feel Like We Do' from Frampton Comes Alive! (1976) — one of the best-selling live albums in history
'The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)'
'The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)' is a gentle, pastoral song written by George Harrison as a tribute to Sir Frank Crisp, the Victorian lawyer and horticulturalist who designed and built Friar Park — the Gothic mansion in Henley-on-Thames that Harrison had purchased in January 1970. The song is filled with references to the house and its elaborate gardens, and reflects Harrison's deep affection for his new home. It appears on the first disc of All Things Must Pass.
'Behind That Locked Door'
'Behind That Locked Door' was written by George Harrison for Bob Dylan, as an encouragement to Dylan to overcome his reluctance to perform live and return to the stage. Dylan had largely withdrawn from public performance following his motorcycle accident in 1966. The song's warm, country-inflected arrangement — to which Pete Drake's pedal steel was central — perfectly matched its tone of gentle, affectionate encouragement. It appears on the first disc of All Things Must Pass.
Pete Drake
Pete Drake (1932–1988) was one of Nashville's most celebrated session musicians, a pedal steel guitarist whose playing appeared on recordings by Bob Dylan (John Wesley Harding, Nashville Skyline), Ringo Starr (Beaucoups of Blues), and dozens of other artists. His 1964 instrumental 'Forever' — on which he used the talk box to make his steel guitar appear to sing the melody — reached number 25 on the US pop chart. Drake had been brought to London by Harrison specifically for the All Things Must Pass sessions.
All Things Must Pass: Session 12
The All Things Must Pass sessions had begun on 26 May 1970 at Abbey Road, with an extraordinary cast of musicians including Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Klaus Voormann, and members of Badfinger. Phil Spector co-produced the album with Harrison, applying his Wall of Sound production technique to Harrison's songs. The resulting triple album, released in November 1970, is widely regarded as one of the greatest solo albums in rock history.
Following the 12 June session, a 10-day break in the scheduled recordings took place. During this interval, Derek and the Dominos — who had played on the earlier album sessions — performed their first live show and recorded their debut single. The Dominos' lineup included Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle, and Jim Gordon; their album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) would become one of the defining records of the era.
Key Facts: 12 June 1970
- Date: Friday 12 June 1970
- Location: Studio Three, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
- Session number: 12th for All Things Must Pass
- Songs worked on: 'The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)'; 'Behind That Locked Door'
- Producers: George Harrison, Phil Spector
- Engineers: Phil McDonald, John Leckie
- Key musician: Pete Drake (pedal steel guitar)
- Talk box demonstration: Pete Drake to Peter Frampton
- Album released: All Things Must Pass, November 1970
- Following break: 10 days; Derek and the Dominos performed their first live show and recorded their debut single
Frequently Asked Questions
What was recorded at Abbey Road on 12 June 1970?
The 12th recording session for George Harrison's All Things Must Pass took place at Studio Three, Abbey Road on 12 June 1970. Pedal steel guitarist Pete Drake recorded overdubs for 'The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)' and 'Behind That Locked Door', produced by George Harrison and Phil Spector.
Who was Pete Drake?
Pete Drake (1932–1988) was a Nashville session pedal steel guitarist who played on recordings by Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, and many others. He was brought to London by George Harrison for the All Things Must Pass sessions. His 1964 hit 'Forever' featured an early use of the talk box effect.
How did Peter Frampton discover the talk box?
During the 12 June 1970 All Things Must Pass session at Abbey Road, Pete Drake demonstrated his homemade talk box to Peter Frampton, playing 'Danny Boy' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' through the device. Frampton was so struck by the effect that he later used it on his biggest hits, including 'Show Me the Way' and 'Do You Feel Like We Do' from Frampton Comes Alive! (1976).
What is a talk box?
A talk box is a device that routes the sound of an instrument — typically a guitar or pedal steel — through a tube held in the player's mouth. By shaping their mouth as if speaking or singing, the player can impose vowel sounds and speech-like tones onto the instrument's output, which is then picked up by a microphone. Pete Drake's homemade version, demonstrated at Abbey Road in 1970, directly inspired the commercial Heil Talk Box developed by Bob Heil.
What is 'The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp' about?
'The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)' is George Harrison's tribute to Sir Frank Crisp, the Victorian lawyer who designed and built Friar Park — Harrison's Gothic mansion in Henley-on-Thames, purchased in January 1970. The song is filled with references to the house and its elaborate gardens.
Who were Derek and the Dominos?
Derek and the Dominos were a band formed by Eric Clapton with Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle, and Jim Gordon — musicians who had played on the All Things Must Pass sessions. During the 10-day break following the 12 June 1970 session, they performed their first live show and recorded their debut single. Their album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) is one of the defining records of the era.
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