George Harrison and Eric Clapton: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Friendship’s Powerful Reverb

The tumultuous friendship between George Harrison and Eric Clapton shaped not only their lives and careers but the shifting face of rock music in the early 1970s.

Beatles expert Ken Womack and music historian Jason Kruppa explore the rock legends’ musical and personal collaboration, friendship, and rivalry. They take a close look at the November 1970 releases of All Things Must Pass, Harrison’s powerful emancipatory statement in the wake of the Beatles, and Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Clapton’s impassioned reimagining of his art while playing with Derek and the Dominos. These albums helped to push rock ’n’ roll out of the dreamy idealism of the 1960s into the wild and expansive new reality of the 1970s.       

Womack and Kruppa’s multimedia presentation provides vivid details about the albums’ creation, highlighting the production of one classic song after another. It also recalls a love triangle for the ages, involving Clapton, Harrison, and Harrison’s wife Pattie Boyd.

Their book All Things Must Pass Away: Harrison, Clapton, and Other Assorted Love Songs (Chicago Review Press) is available for purchase.

Book Sale Information

• Purchase your copy of All Things Must Pass Away: Harrison, Clapton, and Other Assorted Love Songs by Ken Womack and Jason Kruppa here.
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