The Eric Clapton album by album thread

Yeah, I could kind of guess, especially when Eric sings; he doesn't really play lead and sing at the same time. I'm a medium-sized Clapton fan, so I didn't actually know George Terry played leads during concerts before reading this thread - always something to learn.

 

George Terry plays all the leads on all the opening acoustic numbers from 1974. On the blues numbers like Have You Ever Loved A Woman, on all the shows that Clapton wasn't wasted, he plays rapid, aggressive solo's that run over Terry's thinner tone.

 

Thanks, yes that's what I figured when listening, that Terry played lead and Clapton acoustic for the first few numbers.

 

I have that show as well.

 

I like Journeyman very much but wouldn't call it a high point or anything. My favorites are always the bluesier things. Before You Accuse Me is a keeper with Eric and Robert playing as is Old Love. I remember seeing a live version of Anything For Your Love on YouTube that was incredible. A shame EC and George Harrison never recorded an album together.

 

AGREED --- Was first time today in a long time I'd heard Before You Accuse Me - and there's no doubt the guitar is superb - in any respect almost off the Richter Scale in terms of skill/virtuosity. Remarkable.

Still, I'm not sure exactly why I still prefer No Alibis - it might be the "mystique" of having seen it live - can't quite put my finger on it. I almost always prefer the blues over anything that signals "hit" record - but for some reason No Alibis will (probably) be one of my all-time-favorites from EC.

I know I'm beating this into the dust ... and I've found numerous live (with video) shoots of Alibis on YouTube from the same 1990 Journeyman promo tour - but no (single) one of them really captures the "magic" when I happened to see it in KC --- there really are "several different" so-called interpretations of the two long solo(s) --- for instance in one show - when Daryl Hall joins him onstage - they are both clearly "into" the performance: Clapton even (SEEMS TO BE) beaming, almost exuberant? (nearly to the point of laughter! - but the first shot is nearly off-camera) ... unfortunately he pulls up a little short on either/both solos (that he can be seen at least "further attempting" at a couple of the other shows.)

What bugs the crap out of me, with two huge solos on the (studio) record, you'd still have to patch together at least two or three pieces of concert footage (that exist on tape) to even come close to what he does in a studio setting - and as I still distinctly remember him - ripping - (at LEAST) one of them when I saw him live.

Anyhow, the number has some boogie, or uptempo shuffle, or whatever - I mean very rarely do you want to get up and dance at an Eric Clapton show (and I'm a blues freak like most folks) - so when you FINALLY do - it's almost a "big relief," as if, "hey, I'm growing some roots here! Time to SHAKE SOME DUST OFF!"
So it's like , "YEAH!" - finally - jump around an BOOGIE! Let's Dance! Slip in the hip, slide in the glide, jump around and shake that Watusi - STOMP UP AND DOWN!!
"No Alibis" is that number - puts the unk in yer funk, as in "BEG YOU'RE PARDON, Hello darlin' THIS IS ME - YOU'RE - TALKIN' TO!"

And so that's what it is - I prolly said this 'till blue in the face - I'm not normally a "Hall and Oates guy" - but it's the CELEBRATION (clearly in evidence) when Daryl joins the party. The music (or rather guitar) practically sucks (by comparison to studio) but the performance is Ecstatic (in EC terms "ecstatic" which means "a 1/2 notch slightly above subdued" ... do people GET that? - it's the SPIRIT of the thing!):

Man, they were TRYIN' HARD with this one. Whether people "get it" or not - is another story - but I surely get it got it - good. There's need (and lots of ROOM) for exuberance "in life," like I'm one to "Tell" Lol! But primordial, physical MOTION is kinda/sorta what's "at stake" here and I never "got" that from the studio take (which I adore nonetheless). Study in contrasts. Das ma 2 sents.

 

What are the other bonus tracks on the deluxe edition? Very interested to hear.

I've already pulled out the cd of 24 Nights ready to spin it tomorrow.

 

What deluxe edition? 24 Nights doesn't have a deluxe edition. Does it? :0

 

Not a standard record company release, post above suggested:

I have the 24 Nights Genesis Publications Deluxe Edition and one of the bonus tracks is No Alibis. Very nice live track from RAH 91.

Probably getting a bit ahead of myself anyway. Will give the album a listen tomorrow and post it soon after.

 

A few Journeyman statements from Chris Welch's latest book on Clapton (pg. 78), I don't know how reliable CW is but he states Journeyman was Clapton's favorite album. Also it was his first double platinum album. I guess Crossroads achieved it later. On a sad note Jerry Lynn Williams died of cancer in 2005 at the age of 57.

 

Fairly sure this No Alibis is the same 1991-02-18 version released on the "Collectors Edition" Wonderful Tonight CD-single. (That release is invaluable, as it also has what might be the finest ISTS recorded.)

 

Journeyman was Clapton's [one of] favorite album(s) to be sure:

In 1989, I began working on one of my own favorite albums, Journeyman. Produced by Russ Titleman, the album contained an interesting mixture of covers and originals, but mainly featured more of Jerry Williams’s material. I really loved his writing. In fact, musically I loved everything about him. He could be a little overwhelming in person, but that was entirely forgivable given the scale of his talent. He was great to work with, a wonderful guy, very funny, very talented, and I knew we would be friends forever. I had a lot of fun working on this album, which featured, among numerous musicians, playing by George Harrison, Cecil and Linda Womack, and Robert Cray. Russ insisted that I do a version of “Hound Dog,” which turned out to be a great idea, and a Ray Charles number, “Hard Times,” but my favorite track was “Old Love,” a Moody Blues song I wrote with Robert Cray and on which we shared the guitar playing equally. -EC

Which means, I think, Chris Welch's latest book on Clapton might be pretty reliable. On good days. Close enough for government work.

Those sorts of statements need be be viewed through any number of lenses. At one point V.M. said his proudest achievement was Common One. Then a few years later he doubled back and told his sometimes session/show guitarist (Doug Messenger) St. Dominics' Preview was his favorite. So, which is true? It could easily be both. I've wanted to post this a 1000X's on these forums but Dylan said it best: "Albums are just collections of songs." Of course even that needs to be taken with one huge giant grain of salt. But there's a kernel of truth in there, as well. Words just signify and mean something different to everybody at anytime. No biggie, Kurt Vonnegut said he'd wished we still got by with grunts and clicks. Actually, most of the time I think we do. Sprinkled with magic dust.

 

No Alibis, I Shot The Sheriff and the orchestra intro to Layla. No Alibis and I Shot The Sheriff were included on the Wonderful Tonight cd single mentioned a few post ago.

 

Of course before we get to 24 Nights we must mention the original version of this album that was to be released. I had a quick flick through the Marc Roberty book last night and didn't see mention of this. This is my first EC concert ticket which I applied for through the EC Slowhand fan club priority ticket application, I think at the end of 1990 my first concert was February 1991. With the ticket came this cardboard folder with the "Four Faces of Eric Clapton" coming soon!! Terrible name for an album, they obviously held it off for a year perhaps as Journeyman was doing so well.

I've never seen this title mentioned anywhere else before. Was anyone aware? I've just googled and see an MTV Australia TV special from 1990 so perhaps that was the early version of 24 Nights a year earlier. Who knows??

 

24 Nights (1991)





Recorded at Royal Albert Hall, London 1990/1991

Released October 1991
Produced by Russ Titelman


Disc One
1."Badge" (Eric Clapton/George Harrison) – 6:51
2."Running on Faith" (Jerry Lynn Williams) – 6:49
3."White Room" (Jack Bruce/Pete Brown) – 6:10
4."Sunshine of Your Love" (Bruce/Brown/Clapton) – 9:11
5."Watch Yourself" (Buddy Guy) – 5:39
6."Have You Ever Loved a Woman" (Billy Myles) – 6:52
7."Worried Life Blues" (Big Maceo Merriweather) – 5:28
8."Hoodoo Man" (Amos "Junior" Wells) – 5:41

Disc Two
1."Pretending" (Williams) – 7:08
2."Bad Love" (Clapton/Mick Jones) – 6:25
3."Old Love" (Clapton/Robert Cray) – 13:01
4."Wonderful Tonight" (Clapton) – 9:11
5."Bell Bottom Blues" (Clapton) – 6:39
6."Hard Times" (Ray Charles) – 3:45
7."Edge of Darkness" (Clapton/Michael Kamen) – 6:30

 

I have that cds, alas its in the loft somewhere, must dig it out. When I moved (8 years back,) I didn't have room for the many boxes of cd singles I collected during the 90's, now I want to hear this again.

 

I remember hoping when I read about this album coming out that one of the cds would be just blues tracks but it was not the case. I am not as much a fan of the 9-piece and orchestra selections.

 

I went to one of the 11 piece band shows and one of the blues shows at the RAH in 1991. During Sunshine Of Your Love at the 11 piece show, Nathan East came down to visit his parents who were sitting right in front of us. That was one long drum & bongo solo. The Blues show was great with guest Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Jimmy Vaughan & Johnny Johnson. I like 24 Nights but wish each lineup received it's own release.

 

Going through some '74 live tapes, even though the SQ is not the best, I really am impressed with some of his playing. He does some things I have never heard him do on studio albums.
The Denver show I listened to last night had the best "Mean Old World" I have ever heard.

 

There are quite a few rarely played songs on Youtube from the 1974-75 tours.

 

I meant how he plays, not what songs he plays.

 

In 2007 or so I borrowed this on CD from a friend. He borrowed my PULSE (Pink Floyd with blinking LED etc) but eventually lost it! We made a deal that I just kept this one.
I like it. I don't have enough Clapton knowledge to say much more than that. It sounds like it is made exatly that time 1990/91 and I don't mind that end of 80's crispness at all.

 

The music on this set is absolutely wonderful, except...for me it doesn't really work as an album. This is a prime candidate for a deluxe box set with the 4 sets expanded to complete shows. IIRC BBC Radio transmitted a few of these at the time.

I too have the Genesis Publications box and it rather pissed me off to see the songs that you pay a bundle for, appear on that CDS. Not the first time those guys pulled a fast one and probably won't be the last time. Not to mention the fact that the glued bits on the inside of the box are coming apart...

 

Yes, I understand. I was just pointing it out for yourself and those that are interested.