My wife gave me Eric Clapton’s new autobiography for Christmas, and I must say that it was compelling reading. Of course, I was interested in the musical bits, but he was very open and honest about his drug and alcohol addictions, a subject with which I’m unfortunately familiar. Normally, when I see a blurb that screams, “Open, frank, searing!!”, my reaction is, “Blah, blah, blah.” For one thing, I couldn’t give a shit about the problems and peccadillos of celebrities. More importantly, though, I was brought up in an era when one simply didn’t broadcast one’s private affairs, and one’s family’s dirty laundry was never talked about. In this day and age when people insist on telling you about their latest really satisfying bowel movement, such tell-alls are a dime a dozen. For whatever reason, perhaps the fact that it was Clapton, or that his experiences with alcoholism resonated with me, this one kept my interest.
There are a couple of passages on the subject worth highlighting.  About his first trip to the Hazelden Clinic, he writes:
On the flight over, I drank the plane dry, so terrified was I that I might never be able to drink again. This is the most common fear of alcoholics. In the lowest moments of my life, the only reason that I didn’t commit suicide was that I knew I wouldn’t be able to drink anymore if I was dead.
Leaving out the part about suicide, this mirrors my experience perfectly. I wasn’t able to commit to quitting until I was able to conquer my absolute terror of the idea that I would never again be able to do something I had done virtually every day of my adult life.
Inevitably, every alcoholic convinces himself he can control it after successfully quitting the first time:
I now set off on a path of attempting controlled social drinking in the way I saw other people do it. I studied them, and for a while my life consisted of going up to the Windmill for lunch and having one or two lagers, and then in the evening maybe a glass of wine with dinner or a scotch after eating. The reality was that, as much as I may have been trying to establish some kind of normal day like other peole, what it really amounted to was these two drinking sessions with me desperately trying to kill time between them, often by sleeping all through the afternoon. This schedule was purely alcoholic in its development and focus, and our life just crumbled as a result.
It’s easy from the perspective of sobriety to look at that and think, well, sure, you moron. Wasn’t your life before all about when you could start drinking and where your next drink would come from? What made you think that would change? Such is the power of alcohol, though.
Beyond all that, there’s plenty to interest the music fan, especially his description of the early days. I decided to get out some CD’s and listen to them in chronological order as I read along, but my reading soon outpaced the the CD’s, and I gave up around “Wheels of Fire.” One good thing that came of that was that I listened to the first Mayall record, which I hadn’t done in a while. It’s always been one of my favorite records, and for my money, still Clapton’s most complete and self-contained recording. To listen to this 20-yr.-old English kid who had come from nowhere–sorry, the Yardbirds don’t count; I realize that they were an important part of the burgeoning London scene at the time, but they were strictly amateur hour when Clapton was with them–leap out at you with this fully-formed musical persona, playing blues guitar as if he were an old black man, but with a style and tone and fluidity that had never been heard before, remains truly astonishing. I highly recommend it if you’re into blues guitar, or just great guitar playing. Small wonder that graffiti began appearing around London saying “Clapton Is God.”
I second the recommend on the Mayall album. When I was in college, one of my best friends ran the mom-and-pop record store and that album was in recurring rotation, along with Fresh Cream (and The Replacements, Husker Du, Meat Puppets, etc.).
I recommend the DVD version of “Sessions for Robert Johnson”.
Kick. Ass.
The cd, not so much.
http://tinyurl.com/ywt67z
I also got the book, but a re-read of Heinlein comes first…..
I have a Derek & the Dominos cd I really like but I don’t really know where that fits into things. It has a blue cover I think.
I’m over half-way through the book myself and I can’t believe he drank so much before going on stage and still managed to sound so good. The Bluesbreakers album was played at my house every day after school for about a year (homework had to wait). I learned more about blues guitar tone and phrasing from that record than from any other. It was also “instrumental” in introducing me to Freddie King. His successor in Mayall’s band, Peter Green, was no slouch either.
Dude. Blues.
Don’t forget Mick Taylor.
My favourite: “Clapton Shreds”
Clapton is the man! One of the few old timers who still takes pride in what he does, instead of taking a slide on what he did.
As a musician and alcoholic, I have to say that Clapton is an amazing person, and still an inspiration to me. Always fresh and new, and KICK ASS.
When I was at Berklee School of Music (in the late sixties – early 70’s), we LIVED by Clapton’s basement tapes. Just two guitars on a reel to reel, but incredibly compelling. The one we liked the best was the one with Jimmy Page, but there were many tapes of Clapton jamming with Jeff Beck, and I can’t even remember who else.
There were three guitarists who shaped me, and Clapton is one of them. I just don’t have the words to say enough about him. But Clapton is one of those very rare musicians who taught me that music comes through you, not from you.
The man is a legend as far as I’m concerned.
I know that no one here knows what I’ve done (and I don’t really care about that), but I’ve been around the block a few times in the music business, and there is NO ONE who has aged as gracefully as Eric Clapton.
He is my OGG (Old Guitar God). No question about it…
The Yardbirds most certainly do count. And sorry, guys: Hendrix makes Clapton sound like Charlotte Church: he’s not worthy to fondle Jimi’s left testicle. I was alive back in the day, too. Clapton would now be considered second-rate if Hendrix were still alive. No shit. Hendrix sounded like he had ten fingers on his left hand.
Derek and the Dominoes?>/i>–who the hell are they? (Just kidding.)
Oh, and I’m related to Jimmy Page by marriage, so you can blow me.
ahem – i am w you on that. no offense, Craig, but Earache Crapton just isn’t all that great in my book. maybe I am all fucked up. I just don’t get it. and I have tried.
That Adult Contemporary thing he had going on for awhile and maybe still does was I thought kind of disturbing. Not in a Michael Bolton kind of way but kind of in a Mike and the Mechanics kind of way.
But one thing for sure I know for the rest of my damn life is that I know there’ll be no more tears in heaven. Yup. I got that.
The best tape in my late-70’s Z-car was Slowhand. I still hear ‘Next Time You See Her’ and ‘The Core’ when I see one…
Still can’t get over “Crossroads.” And, after listening to it for too many times, I started to hear Jack Bruce’s bass. He’s doing nothing but soloing too. Ginger Baker’s drums were no slouch either. Three big egos soloing but achieving new heights in music.
Craig, the Mayall album you linked to?
I do believe I have the vinyl down in my basement.
CraigC – On my last anniversary of sobriety, someone gave me that book. It seemed so much more real than most of the tell-alls. He had a real problem, not like the modern stars who get whisked away to some resort to detox to avoid some bad press.
Clapton makes a guitar sing. Beautifully. As good as anyone that has or will walk this planet. He is Michael Jordan. Joe Montana. Tiger Woods.
Of course, I have it, too.
Ahem: Why would you want to compare Clapton to Hendrix? I’m a huge Hendrix fan. I saw him three times. I’ll never forget the day I was listening to WPGC, which was a typical Top 40 station, and they’d just finished playing Petula Clark or some such thing, when suddenly there came the opening licks to “Purple Haze.” Blew my mind. But they’re nothing alike. And saying Clapton couldn’t whatever the Hendrixian testes is just silly. I’ll trade superlatives about Hendrix with you all day long, but Clapton is in the same level of the pantheon, albeit for different reasons.
Comparing Clapton to Hendrix is like comparing a Rolls Royce to an Indy Car. They are both sensational at what they do, but outside of an engine and 4 wheels, are just not very similar.
And about the Yardbirds…when I said that they don’t count, I meant vis-a-vis my statement that Clapton exploded out of nowhere on his first real album. For the most part, the Yardbirds were a bunch of Brit wannabe blues players. Mayall’s band were pros.
Pho at a Vietnamese restaurant in Indianapolis and Pho at a really authentic Vietnamese Pho shop like the ones here in Houston are both Pho. They share the same name. And ingredients. But the similarities end there. Kind of like Clapton and Hendrix.
Heard a great slide guitar player last night. Great.
Duane Allman. Ain’t even close.
Again, unclear on the concept.
Clapton took some old blues licks and polished them up enough to be acceptable to white ears. Hendrix revolutionized music.
Craig, I hate to do this to you but i’m with BMoe on this topic.
I love Clapton but, as a guitarist, I love him on a technical level. Hendrix redefined guitar playing at an exponential level. Think about where Hendrix might have gone had he lived, compared with where Clapton is now. Hendrix might have moved into jazz/fusion and who knows where else. Clapton has settled into his niche, a great player and well worth appreciating.
Hendrix was the real innovator. Plkease don’t hate the messenger.
Rusty: I have no issues with Allman’s greatness but I’d give props to Lowell George and Ry Cooder when slide guitarists are mentioned.
When it comes to classical guitar, people always overlook Charo, who is actually amazingly accomplished.
I haven’t read this book, but a 1985 interview with EC in Rolling Stone has left me suspicious of his memory ever since. There, and over the years since, he’s let the impression grow in the public mind that he was the whole show in his old bands, including Cream. It ain’t necessarily so…
BJ and B Moe: You guys….maybe I’m not being clear. I don’t disagree with anything you’re saying. This whole bit started with me saying how amazing it was to hear an English kid play like he did right out of the gate. Hendrix was a world unto himself. I understand how he revolutionized guitar playing, believe me. I was there.
Point taken, I am just a little sensitive on the subject because I was learning to play back then and got real tired real quick of the “Clapton is God” bullshit. I know it isn’t his fault so many people got infatuated with him, but it still chaps a little how many guitarists get overshadowed by his- in my opinion largely unwarranted- stature. A prime example is JJ Cale, Clapton made him a ton of money, and granted he promoted him also, but JJ still remains largely unknown even thought talent wise he blows Claptons doors off. But like I said, I do have to give Clapton props for acknowledging the people who wrote the music he was playing, don’t even get me started on Jimmy Page, lol.
Ok, but I have to disagree with you a bit about Clapton being overrated. Guitar playing isn’t all about flash and pyrotechnics. It’s also about tone, style, feeling, and, dare I say, nuance, especially in the genre that his playing developed in, which is very traditional and somewhat circumscribed. In my view, he’s in the same company as any of the greats that you could name.
Found this tonight youtube surfing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1fXhLVaBBY
There ain’t a damn thing wrong with that right there.
tex. I’ll give you Ry Cooter, but if Duane had lived. oh boy. Just listen to the original “Layla” . Another good blues rocker, I’m rediscovering is Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Stevie Ray was the best of the Texas blues rockers and a spectacular guitarist.
Speaking of overlooked and underappreciated (I agree about JJ Cale although not as fervently as BMoe) I’d nominate Rory Buchanan. I’d completely forgotton about him until his long solo appeared over the credits of the “The Departed.” I remembered that he had enourmous hands and used to string his guitar with custom extra heavy strings with possibly the highest action on the planet. He had beautiful tone and lots of clever phrasing.
Under the category of “Musical Genuises Who Could Play Guitar” let’s not forget the amazing Frank Zappa.
Craig: I part company with BMoe on the whole “Clapton Overrated” thing. He was and is one of the greatest rock/blues guitarists of all time.
“Under the category of “Musical Genuises Who Could Play Guitar†let’s not forget the amazing Frank Zappa.”
My son was working at Relapse records and copped a re-import of the Japanese version of “Guitar” by Zappa.
Truly amazing.
Now I get to disagree with someone, lol. I’ve never been a big fan of Zappa’s guitar playing. To me, he’s a one-trick pony. He played the same way no matter what the situation, and seemed to value speed and the number of notes he could squeeze into a measure. His playing was choppy and he missed a lot of picks. He seemed like a bull in a china shop, always plowing straight ahead. He apparently didn’t understand the concept that the rests are as important as the notes.
I’d like to second the props to ROY Buchanan and Duane Allman. That being said, Jimi is God. If you ever see it in an album store, there’s a Australian import album of studio recordings of Jimi called “Midnight Shines Down”. It’s almost etirely instrumental, and it’ll blow your mind.
Anyone ever see the documentary “Tom Dowd and the Language of Music”? At the end, Dowd separates the different tracks from the original Layla. Absolutely awsome to hear Allman and Clapton’s parts by themselves. If they replay that documentary, I highly recommend watching it.
I think that Hendrix and Segovia were opposite oranges, equal in their own way. Each stating the other as the best. Hendrix could not play classical to the degree that Segovia could, no way. He was not into perfect execution of playing, however he could, and stunningly easily, under the right conditions. In many other styles and ways, Hendrix would surpass,even Segovia. It is unfortunate, his short life, and alot of the recordings have auditorium hiss. Hendrix, under the extreme pressure and fatique, would sometimes not tune between songs. If he drank or smoked any pot, he would tend to blend his songs together and poorly execute them. That aside,see the Woodstock movie, recently re-released from Experience Hendrix. Interestingly to note, Hendrix spent 13 years on a classical guitar, not on an electric. Listen to Instrumental improvisation on the Woodstock movie. I would defy anyone to attempt that, and he does it with ease. Some of the songs have spots in them that are the fastest picking and multiple picking that I have ever heard and I check out alot of guitarists. Some listen to some of these, before you brush him off: Hear My Train Berkeley Set 1, Villanova Junction Jam, Midnight, Studio version of the Star Spangled Banner, Voodoo Chile Maui Set 1 07-30-70, Isle of Wight Red House 08-30-70, Albert Hall Rehearsal Hound Dog 1 02-24-69, Fillmore East Stepping Stone & Burning Desire First Show 01-01-70, Jam 292, Easy Blues,L A Forum I Don’t Live Today 04-26-69, the list goes on and on and on. There are over a hundred songs like these, all excellent.
I remember this thread. I was so young.