"CHINA LIGHT" (SPLINTER) PRODUCED BY GEORGE HARRISON

On this day: 21 February 21, 1975, “China Light” was issued as a single.


The song, produced by George, it was from Splinter’s debut, The Place I Love. This track features George Harrison, Billy Preston , Gary Wright and
Willie Weeks.

Splinter were a two-man vocal group from South Shields, England, consisting of Bill Elliott (William Elliott) and Bobby Purvis (Robert J Purvis), who formed in the early 1970s.
They were connected with George Harrison, and had groups of instrumentalists to back them on each album.
Splinter was the first act signed to Harrison's Dark Horse Records label, when it was partnered with A&M Records. The band's sound has often been likened to that of The Beatles (particularly Harrison and John Lennon and Badfinger.

The duo's biggest success came with their debut album, the critically admired The Place I Love (1974), which contained the hit single "Costafine Town". The Place I Love, Harder to Live and Two Man Band have been remastered and reissued on compact disc on the Big Pink Music label from South Korea. 


On their Dark Horse Records debut album, The Place I Love, Harrison produced all the songs and played a variety of instruments, including electric and acoustic guitars, dobro, bass guitar and harmonium. As well as Wright, other musicians included Alvin Lee, Billy Preston, Jim Keltner, Klaus Voorman, Willie Weeks and Mel Collins. The album was so heavy with George Harrison's participation it was rumoured this was secretly Harrison's new band. 

Most of the songs were written by Purvis, with Elliott co-writing lyrics on "China Light" and "Costafine Town". "Costafine Town" was an international hit single, reaching the top ten in Australia and South Africa, and the top 20 in the United Kingdom. Both this single and the album also charted on the Billboard charts in the United States, The follow-up single, "Drink All Day", was banned in the UK by the BBC for the inclusion of the word "bloody".