Eric
Clapton
Clapton
Online
Yardbirds
John Mayall/Bluesbreakers
Cream
Blind Faith
Bonnie & Delaney
Derek & The Dominoes
Eric
Patrick “Slowhand” Clapton CBE (born 30 March 1945)
is a Grammy Award winning British composer, singer and guitarist
who became one of the most respected and influential artists
of the rock era, garnering an unprecedented three inductions
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Clapton is widely considered
to be one of the greatest and most influential guitarists in
popular music history.
Clapton's
musical style has undergone multiple changes during his career,
but has always remained rooted in the blues. Clapton is credited
as an innovator in several phases of his career, which have
included blues-rock (with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
and The Yardbirds), blues-hard rock (with Cream), and work as
a sideman and a solo artist; he has achieved chart success in
genres ranging from Delta blues (Unplugged) and psychedelic
rock ("Sunshine of Your Love") to pop ("Change
the World") and reggae ("I Shot the Sheriff").
Clapton
joined The Yardbirds, a blues-influenced rock and roll band
in 1963 and stayed with them until 1965. Synthesising influences
from Chicago blues and leading blues guitarists such as B.B.
King and Freddie King, Clapton forged a distinctive style and
rapidly became one of the most talked-about guitarists in the
British music scene. The band initially played all strict blues
covers of Chess/Checker/Vee-Jay material and began to attract
a large cult following when they took over the Rolling Stones'
residency at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond. They toured Europe
with American bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson; a joint LP under
both their names was issued in 1966. In August 1965, the band's
first solo album For Your Love yielded the eponymous pop hit
"For Your Love."
After
a spell working in a laboring job and months of intensive practice,
Clapton joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. His emotional
playing on their hugely influential first album (which features
Clapton reading a copy of the Beano on the cover) established
his name as a blues player par excellence, and it inspired a
short-lived craze of graffiti that deified him with the famous
slogan "Clapton is God".
Clapton
left the Bluesbreakers in mid-1966 (to be replaced by Peter
Green) and then formed Cream, one of the earliest examples of
a supergroup. Cream was also one of the earliest "power
trios", with Jack Bruce (also of the Bluesbreakers and
Manfred Mann) and Ginger Baker (of the Graham Bond Organisation).
During his time with Cream Clapton began to develop as a singer
as well as guitarist, though Bruce, one of rock's most powerful
singers, took most of the lead vocals and wrote most of their
songs along with lyricist Pete Brown. Debuting at the Windsor
Jazz and Blues Festival, Cream established an enduring legend
on the high-volume blues jamming and extended solos of their
live shows, while their studio work was more sophisticated and
original psychedelic rock.
A
desultory spell in a second supergroup, the overhyped and shortlived
Blind Faith (1969), which was composed of Cream drummer Baker,
Steve Winwood of Traffic and Rick Grech of Family, resulted
in one patchy LP and one arena-circuit tour. The supergroup
debuted before 100,000 fans in London's Hyde Park on June 7,
1969, and began a sold-out American tour in July before its
one and only album had been released.
Clapton
was tired of both the spotlight and the hype that had surrounded
Cream and Blind Faith, and wanted to make music that more closely
resembled that of The Band.
Clapton
decided to step into the background for a time, touring as a
sideman with the American group Delaney and Bonnie and Friends.
He moved to New York in late 1969 and worked with the band through
early 1970. He became close friends with Delaney Bramlett, who
encouraged him in his singing and writing which would show determined
growth in his next effort.
Taking over Delaney & Bonnie's rhythm section — Bobby
Whitlock (keyboards, vocals), Carl Radle (bass) and Jim Gordon
(drums) — Clapton formed a new band which was similarly
intended to counteract the 'star' cult that had grown up around
him and show Clapton as an equal member of a fully-fledged group.
This was made evident in the choice of name Derek and the Dominos,
derived from an announcer's mispronunciation of the group's
provisional name -- Eric & The Dynamos -- at their first
concert appearance.
Despite
his success, Clapton's personal life was in a mess by 1972.
In addition to his (temporarily) unrequited and intense romantic
longing for Pattie Boyd-Harrison, he withdrew from recording
and touring and became addicted to heroin, resulting in a career
hiatus interrupted only by the Concert for Bangladesh (where
he passed out on stage, was revived, and continued the show).
In 1973, the "Rainbow Concert" was organized by The
Who's Pete Townshend to help Clapton kick the drug. Clapton
returned the favour by playing 'The Preacher' in Ken Russell's
film version of The Who's Tommy in 1975; his appearance in the
film (performing "Eyesight To The Blind") is notable
for the fact that he is clearly wearing a fake beard in some
shots, the result of deciding to shave off his real beard after
the initial takes.
The
early 1990s saw tragedy enter Clapton's life again on two occasions.
On August 27, 1990 guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was touring
with Clapton, and two members of their road crew were killed
in a helicopter crash between concerts. Clapton was originally
supposed to be a passenger on the helicopter but had given his
seat to Vaughan. Then, on March 20, 1991, at 11 a.m., his son
Conor, who was four and a half, died when he fell from a 53rd-storey
window in his parents' New York City apartment, landing on the
roof of an adjacent four-storey building. A fraction of Clapton's
grief was heard on the song "Tears in Heaven" (on
the soundtrack to the 1991 movie Rush), co-written with Will
Jennings, which, like the MTV Unplugged album that followed
it, won a Grammy award.
In
November 2002 Clapton masterminded The Concert for George, a
star-studded tribute to George Harrison at the Royal Albert
Hall, featuring Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne,
Tom Petty and others.
Clapton's
Albums with Cream
For
listen samples and reviews, click on CD cover photo. In new
window,
click on CD photo again and scroll down.
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1964
- Five Live Yardbirds (with The Yardbirds)
1965 - For Your Love (with The Yardbirds)
1965 - Having a Rave Up (with The Yardbirds)
Eric Clapton and The Yardbirds
1966 - Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (with John Mayall)
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Blind
Faith (1969)
Blind Faith (1969)
Delaney & Bonnie On Tour With Eric Clapton (1970)
Eric Clapton (1970)
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (with Derek and the
Dominos) (1970)
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Live
at the Fillmore (with Derek and the Dominos) (1973)
Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert (1973)
461 Ocean Boulevard (1974)
There's One in Every Crowd (1975)
E.C. Was Here (Live 1975)
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No
Reason to Cry (1976)
Slowhand (1977)
Backless (1978)
Just One Night (1980)
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The
Blues (1999)
Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton (1999)
Riding With the King (2000)
THE CREAM OF CLAPTON
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Eric
Clapton DVD's
The
Concert for Bangladesh (1971) DVD
Starring: George Harrison, Bob Dylan
Director: Saul Swimmer
Ex-Beatle George Harrison organized this spectacular concert on
August 1, 1971 at New York's Madison Square Garden to help and
aid the people from Bangladesh with all the money raised destined
to that cause. Along with Harrison the concert features Eric Clapton,
Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Leon Rusell, Klaus Voormann and an
Indian music section by Ravi Shankar and a set by the legendary
Bob Dylan.
Sessions
for Robert Johnson (2004) DVD
Live, intimate, and raw, Sessions For Robert J is the essential
audio/video companion to Eric Clapton's 2004 gold, Top 10 Me
And Mr. Johnson, tribute to blues legend Robert Johnson. Filmed
during tour rehearsals in London and Dallas plus a Los Angeles
hotel room and the Dallas warehouse where Johnson made some
of his final recordings, Sessions for Robert J finds Clapton
performing all Robert Johnson songs with his touring band, acoustically
with Doyle Bramhall II and solo-as well as discussing Johnson
and his influence. A performance/documentary
DVD with 14 tracks (from which the 11 CD selections are taken),
Sessions for Robert J is blues heaven.
One
More Car One More Rider (2001) DVD
If it's true that Eric is finished with touring, then he has
left us with one masterpiece to view over and over again. It
takes us through his career from Cream, Derek & the Dominoes,
and his solo works up to Reptile. I saw two of these concerts
on this tour and the DVD captures it as wonderfully as I remember
it. Clapton's guitar work is fantatic whether on acoustic or
electric. he guitar solos are out of this world especially on
electric(even though I missed Ol' Blackie). The sound on DTS
is superb. And as always his band is top notch. Actually there
are twenty songs on the DVD "Will It Go Round In Circles"
a Billy Preston hit is performd by him. As you can tell I'm
not a writer but I just had to comment on this DVD and if you
like this DVD, buy "Live At Hyde Park".
Eric
Clapton & Friends (1986) DVD
It's a given that any Eric Clapton performance will be impressive,
but Eric Clapton & Friends Live 1986 exceeds all expectations.
"Slowhand" had been recording August with session
regulars Greg Phillinganes (keyboards), Nathan East (bass),
and album producer Phil Collins on drums, and the idea of live
performance seemed eminently appealing. The final gig in that
brief, spectacular tour--July 15, 1986, at the National Exhibition
Centre in Birmingham, England--was recorded for British television,
and editing to one-hour length doesn't stop it from being a
full-on stunner. Perhaps at his finest in a small-band setting,
Clapton appears loose, happy, and ready to rip into bluesy riffs
and solos as if his trusty Fender Stratocasters were vital organs
tapped into his bloodstream.
Eric
Clapton - Unplugged (1992) DVD
Starring: Eric Clapton, Nathan East
Director: Milton Lage
This laid-back, live, intimate session featuring Eric Clapton's
bluesy guitar playing is quite enjoyable--if a bit limited in
scope. With little lighting and frills and a small group backing
him up, Clapton picks up his acoustic guitar and leads the listener
down memory lane. Clapton is clearly on his best behavior as
he engages in minimal small talk with his audience and lets
the music speak for itself. The erstwhile Yardbird and former
member of Cream and Blind Faith riffs through some dozen-plus
songs including "Before You Accuse Me," "Tears
in Heaven," "Walkin' Blues," "Alberta,"
"San Francisco Bay Blues" (in which Clapton thankfully
cuts loose a bit), and his great hits "Layla" (written
for his ex-wife, Patti Boyd Harrison) and "Old Love,"
a standard that garnered big applause. But the simple set and
sparse stage can barely contain the energy that fills the arena
when Clapton launches into "Rollin' and Tumblin',"
a raucous, rousing bit of blues that Clapton is certainly still
up for. This video is primarily for Clapton's most ardent fans,
providing some heartfelt, soulful instrumental prowess in addition
to an aging British rocker singing the blues as well as a white
guy can.
Eric
Clapton - Live in Hyde Park (1997) DVD
Starring: Eric Clapton
Director: Julia Knowles
Eric Clapton has achieved the seemingly impossible, becoming
more popular in his most recent 10 years onstage than in his
first decade in the spotlight. His 1997 Live In Hyde Park home
video documented a triumphant concert of the previous summer
that followed his massive "Tears In Heaven" hit a
few years earlier. This is classic rockin' and guitar-wailin'
blues-is-king Clapton, from new versions of his Derek and The
Dominos' "Layla" and "Have You Ever Loved a Woman"
to Cream's "White Room" and "Badge" to his
solo hit of Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" to B.B.
King's "Every Day I Have the Blues." Added to the
original home video's lineup is Clapton's rendition of the Muddy
Waters electric blues "Hoochie Coochie Man" and the
blues standard "It Hurts Me Too," which Clapton reprised
on From the Cradle. Other tracks include: Wonderful Tonight;
Five Long Years; Tearin' Us Apart; Old Love; I'm Torn Down;
Holy Mother. 89 minutes.
Clapton
Chronicles - The Best of Eric Clapton (1999) DVD
The first-ever collection of original Eric Clapton music videos,
Clapton Chronicles covers Eric's most successful period, from
Unplugged to film-soundtrack videos from Rush, Phenomenon and
Runaway Bride. Clapton Chronicles is the best of the '80s and
'90s music videos by one of rock's truly great artists. 109
minutes.
Crossroads
Guitar Festival (2004) DVD
Starring: Eric Clapton, J.J. Cale
This is a video from Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival,
held in June 2004. Artisits include Eric Clapton, BB King, Buddy
Guy, Carlos Santana, Dan Tyminski, David Hidalgo, James Taylor,
Jimmie Vaughn, JJ Cale, Joe Walsh, John McLaughlin, Jonny lang,
Robert Cray, Steve Vai, Vince Gill, ZZ Top and many others.
