The Harrison/Ford Experience

BLUES/JAZZ MAESTRO ROBBEN FORD ON THE UPS AND DOWNS OF TOURING WITH GEORGE HARRISON IN THE FALL OF 1974

- By Joe Matera

GEORGE HARRISON'S 1974 North American tour was the former Beatle’s first tour following his former band’s 1970 breakup. The 45-show trek — which included November and December dates throughout the U.S. and Canada — was in support of Harrison's fifth solo album, Dark Horse, which was released that December.

The tour put Harrison under extreme pressure to prove himself as a live solo performer under his own name. Sadly, things didn’t necessarily go according to plan. From the outset, the typical on-the road rock ’n’ roll lifestyle and Harrison’s spiritual pursuits didn’t make for a good mix. Meanwhile, the lack of Beatles material in Harrison’s set — which many fans were understandably hoping to hear — and the lengthy Indian-music set by tour partner Ravi Shankar led to many fans and critics seriously lambasting the tour. Harrison’s vocal issues throughout the tour — due to a bad case of laryngitis (also heard on the Dark Horse album) — only made matters fray further. Hey, some people were even calling it the “Dark Hoarse” tour.

Looking back on that tour in his 1980 autobiography, I, Me, Mine, Harrison said it “was the nearest I got to a nervous breakdown.” In the aftermath of the Dark Horse tour, Harrison wouldn't hit the road again until 1991 — and that was only for a brief Japanese jaunt with Eric Clapton and his band, the results of which can be heard on 1992's Live in Japan. Interestingly, there has never been an official live album from Harrison's ’74 tour.