Bob Dylan and George Harrison – In the Studio Review

Pairing the biggest players in the 1960s is no small feat. A member of The Beatles and the man who electrified acoustic-ready audiences is quite the pairing. An hour of their work together in the studio, was never released in a manner befitting their collaborative process. Yet here it is. Bob Dylan and George Harrison. In the Studio. It is a fascinating delight for those who wish to hear not innovations from Bob Dylan, but how relaxed and refreshed George Harrison sounds in the immediate aftermath of The Beatles’ end. Abbey Road was barely a year old and yet the revitalised abilities Harrison provides in backing ruminating covers and vocal changes from Dylan is as though decades had passed. Dylan and Harrison would, thankfully, go on to collaborate with an effective result a decade after these recordings. 

But these pieces here, the suddenness of it, is warm. Warmer than the late June skies which are burning through the windows of the office. A warm patch on the floor is particularly warm, toasting shoes for a mandatory walk later in the day to break up life indoors. Yet there is warmth of another variety to be had with In the Studio, which feels like being invited into the living room of Harrison and Dylan. Cohabitants of a firecracker-like musical variety. An esteemed presence which lends itself to joyous, smooth covers of Sam Cooke’s Cupid and The Everly Brothers’ All I Have to do is Dream. It’s an absolute treat for the ears. Comfortable listening which perfectly matches the slow evenings of summer. This is not just two legends sitting around strumming their favourites, but a contemporary showcase of their decade of influential work. 

Gates of Eden is, like most of these session tracks, Dylan-led. Harrison rarely gets a word in, but it speaks volumes of his experience in The Beatles. He follows the same style for this, laying down some wonderfully subtle guitar additions. All the usual joys of bootleg hits and outtakes can be found in this collection, recorded on May 1 and released as a brutally elusive piece of the Copyright Collection releases. The laws of the land do not weigh too much on the mind of Dylan but a chance to keep hold of these sessions with longtime friend Harrison feels as good a reason to release them. In turn, we are treated to the joyous guitar work and jolly feel of Honey Just Allow Me One More Chance. Ultimately, the listening experience is for tickling your fascination more than anything else.

Nothing much came of these sessions. It would be more than a decade and additional superstars before the pair found themselves releasing anything of real weight. The Traveling Wilburys is birthed out of necessity to survive the not-so-kind musical climate of the mid-1980s. These sessions have the opposite effect. Never had these two musicians felt a grander opportunity to work with one another. It is the two great minds of the generation kicking around in the studio with one another. What may have been passing the time for Harrison and Dylan is an enlightening experience to draw on, again and again, for fans. Rainy Day Woman and a beautiful Dylan-led Yesterday are real highlights here. Flickers of true greatness can, obviously, be heard within these takes.