THE PLACE I LOVE

The first Dark Horse Records album.

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In Billboard, the LP peaked at #81.
In Cash Box, the LP peaked at #71 on December 21, 1974, appearing on the top 175 album chart for 13 weeks from October 26, 1974 to January 18, 1975.

This first Splinter album contains their only top 100 single in the U.S.A., "Costafine Town" which peaked at #77 in the Billboard charts.
In Cash Box, the single peaked at #69 on January 18, 1975, charting for 8 weeks on the top 120 singles chart from December 7, 1974 to January 25, 1975.
In Australia, "Costafine Town" made it into the Top 10.

Catalog #: Dark Horse AMLH 22001, released September 20, 1974 (U.K.)
[has white lettering for the front cover title and smaller type size on back cover; triptych gatefold cover with lyric sheet]
[front cover | U.K. LP credits | side 1 U.K. label | side 2 U.K. label | LP sleeve]

Catalog #: Dark Horse SP22001, released September 25, 1974 (U.S.)
[has black lettering for the front cover title and larger type size on back cover; gatefold cover with lyric sheet]
[LP with Costafine Town promo sticker | U.S. LP credits | label 1 | label 2 | LP sleeve | lyrics insert 1 | lyrics insert 2 | cassette full outside | cassette front | cassette inside | cassette 1 | cassette 2 | test pressing label 1]

released in Brazil on Dark Horse XDHL-13001 [front cover | back cover | sleeve 1 | sleeve 2 | label 1 | label 2]
released in Spain on Dark Horse 88-356-I [label 1 | label 2]
released in France on Dark Horse 985 005 [front cover | back cover | center gatefold]
released in Argentina as "El Lugar Que Ama" with Spanish titles
released in Uruguay in 1976 as "El Lugar Que Amo" with Spanish titles on EMI SLPE 500.591 (SP22001) [ front cover | back cover | label-A side | label-B side ]

Bill Elliott interview by Tom Brennan (September, 2014)

YouTube lyric videos for The Place I Love LP

SIDE 1:
1. Gravy Train [Robert J. Purvis] (4:09)
vocals: Bill Elliott & Bob Purvis
guitars: George Harrison and Alvin Lee
bass: Klaus Voormann
electric piano: Billy Preston
drums: Mike Kelly
horn arrangements: Mel Collins
2. Drink All Day (Got To Find Your Own Way Home) [Robert J. Purvis] (3:24)
lead vocal: Bill Elliott
harmony vocal: Bob Purvis
6 and 12-string guitars, dobro, harmonium, jew's harp, percussion: George Harrison
acoustic bass: Klaus Voormann
drums: Jim Keltner
3. China Light [words: Robert J. Purvis & William Elliott; music: Robert J. Purvis] (4:35)
vocals: Bill Elliott & Bob Purvis
electric & acoustic guitars, mandolin: George Harrison
bass: Willie Weeks
piano: Gary Wright
organ: Billy Preston
drums: Mike Kelly
4. Somebody's City [Robert J. Purvis] (5:53)
vocals: Bill Elliott & Bob Purvis
6-string, 12-string and electric guitars, percussion: George Harrison
bass: Klaus Voormann
piano: Gary Wright
drums: Mike Kelly
horn arrangements: Mel Collins

SIDE 2:
1. Costafine Town [words: Robert J. Purvis & William Elliott; music: Robert J. Purvis] (3:12)
vocals: Bill Elliott & Bob Purvis
bass and 8-string bass, harmonium, percussion: George Harrison
piano: Gary Wright
accordion: Graham Maitland
drums: Mike Kelly
2. The Place I Love [Robert J. Purvis] (4:29)
lead vocal: Bill Elliott
harmony vocal: Bob Purvis
acoustic & electric guitars, percussion: George Harrison
bass: Klaus Voormann
electric piano: Gary Wright
drums: Mike Kelly
3. Situation Vacant [Robert J. Purvis] (4:01)
lead vocal: Bill Elliott
harmony vocal: Bob Purvis
backing vocals: George Harrison, Bill Elliott & Bob Purvis
guitars: George Harrison
bass: Willie Weeks
piano: Gary Wright
drums: Jim Keltner
horn arrangements: Mel Collins
4. Elly-May [Robert J. Purvis] (2:45)
lead vocal: Bill Elliott
harmony vocal: Bob Purvis
backing vocals: Bill Elliott & Bob Purvis
acoustic guitar, moog synthesizer: George Harrison
acoustic bass: Klaus Voormann
piano: Gary Wright
drums: Mike Kelly
5. Haven't Got Time [Robert J. Purvis] (3:58)
vocals: Bob Purvis & Bill Elliott
guitar, percussion: George Harrison
guitar: Alvin Lee
bass: Klaus Voormann
piano: Gary Wright [not listed in album credits]
drums: Mike Kelly
horn arrangements: Mel Collins

Produced by: George Harrison
Recording & remix engineer: Phil McDonald
Assistant engineer: Kumar Shankar
Recorded at F.P.S.H.O.T. in 1973 and 1974
Photography: Terry O'Neill
Cover design: Jack Katz/Fabio Nicoli/Nick Marshall

Billy Preston appears courtesy of A&M Records
Alvin Lee appears courtesy of Chrysalis Records
Gary Wright appears courtesy of Island Records

All songs published 1974 Ganga Publishing B.V.

Session photos (circa November 1973):
Splinter with George Harrison (Bill Elliott wearing Ringo album promo t-shirt)
Bobby Purvis and George Harrison with engineers Phil McDonald and Kumar Shankar
George Harrison kicking it up on guitar
thanks to Jean Helfer

The Place I Love album reviews
Album review from Melody Maker: September 21, 1974 thanks to Philippe Colinge
Album review from Cash Box: October 05, 1974
Album review by Tom Von Malder from The Daily Herald: October 18, 1974
Album review (with Shankar Family and John Lennon) from Oakland Tribune: 1974 October 20
Album review by A. Cruden from Detroit Free Press: October 27, 1974
Album review from Arizona Republic: October 27, 1974
Album review from Indianapolis Star: November 01, 1974 thanks to Dag
Album review from Cincinnati Enquirer: November 03, 1974 thanks to Dag
Album review from Milwaukee Journal: November 06, 1974
Album review from The Sentinel, Carlisle, PA: November 06, 1974
Album review by Robert Scott from Journal and Courier, Lafayette, Indiana: November 07, 1974
Album review by Bruce Meyer from Napa Valley Register: November 16, 1974
Album review from Chicago Tribune: November 24, 1974 thanks to Dag
Album review by Greg Shaw from Phonograph Record: December, 1974 thanks to Dan Matovina
Album review by Ken Barnes from Rolling Stone: January 02, 1975 thanks to Dag
Album review from The Times, Munster, Indiana: January 05, 1975
Album review by Lynn Van Matre from Baltimore Sun: February 09, 1975
Album review by Ron Kroese from Rapid City Journal, SD: May 25, 1975

Dark Horse Records bio: [cover | page 1 | page 2]
thanks to BarbAlan Atkinson

Promo photos:
Standing in stream on stones with George Harrison (from cover photo session, black & white)
Portrait (from cover photo session)
Sitting on rocks
from the collection of BarbAlan Atkinson and Tom Brennan

Splinter ads and news
cover from Melody Maker: August 31, 1974 thanks to Philippe Colinge
"Harrison's Dark Horses" from Melody Maker (Aug. 31, 1974): introduction (part 1) main text (part 2) thanks to Philippe Colinge
album ad from Circus Raves magazine
album ad from Billboard (green background) from the collection of Tom Brennan
promo poster - Their new album on Dark Horse Records
Harmony Hut album ad from The Record, Hackensack, NJ: November 29, 1974
"Splinter, Pilot: pop's dark horses" from Melody Maker (Nov. 30, 1974): introduction (part 1) main text (part 2) thanks to Philippe Colinge
Alexander's ad
'Splinter' Group Pure Quality - UPI article (1974)

other items:
The David Geffen tape
12-string Harptone acoustic guitar
The Place I Love promo display
The Place I Love unused USA promo sticker
Splinter Supergroup promo button