Which aspect of Cream stands out most to you?

Clapton's guitar, Bruce's vocals, or Baker's drumming? Of course, all 3 were very important to their sound.
But personally I think it's the vocals that take the cake. One of my coworkers was playing "Sunshine of Your Love" on a bluetooth speaker the other day, and the way he said "I'll stay with you 'til my seeds are dried up" really stood out to me.
And of course, his performance on White Room is also phenomenal.

 

Psychedelic.

Though:

Percussions
Bass
Songwriting
Vocals
Rock
Blues
Album Art
Fashion
Studio Songs
Hairstyles
Live Performances
&
Guitar
also 'stands out' as well!!

Enjoy.

 

Their genius was their ability to convey everything that was interesting about the progressive (small "p") side of late 60s rock in a sub 3 minute pop song format.

I would argue that they were more effective in that area than even the Experience though it is a close run thing when you compare them hit-for-hit. Cream's writing was arguably more varied though I probably enjoy listening to Jimi more because I prefer Mitch to Ginger.

This was the best of their legacy and the extended solo was the worst of it. Shame that most who followed copied the less interesting aspect.

 

I saw Jack Bruce play live with Simon Phillips on drums and Blues Saraceno on guitar in a smallish venue -the Grand in Clapham (capacity 1,250) - in the early 90s. The set was mainly comprised of Cream numbers and blues/jamming.

ROCK / Returning to bass: In the Sixties, Jack Bruce helped Cream to

It was one of the most powerful performances I have ever seen. I have a drummer friend who is a big fan of Simon Phillips (but not Cream) and we all went together on the spur of the moment having decided the day before. Tickets were still available on the door, incredibly - such a show would sell out a year in advance and be a scalper's delight in 2020, if it were possible!

My friends both still talk about that show 28 years later. So my vote would be for Jack's vocals/bass. With him there you could close your eyes and be in the Royal Albert Hall in 1968, and I cannot say Baker or Clapton for their part having the same effect with any other musicians. Even if they had got together and brought in someone other than JB.

Interestingly, Jack must have liked the venue, as he returned at least twice in the next year or so, and there are several filmed perfomances made there available (Gary Husband replaces Simon Phillips here):

 

My favourite element of Cream is Jack's epic bass playing; but then I'm a bass obsessive.

Of course, the drums, guitar, vocals and songwriting are also top notch!

 

For me it’s the songwriting and Jack Bruce’s bass playing.

 

Album art was good! Foil cover Wheels of fire is amazing to look at still.

 

Every Cream record has Jack Bruce on it.

What was the question again......??

 

For me, it's the song writing of Jack Bruce and Pete Brown. I first heard 'Tales of Brave Ulysses' when I was around 14-15 and it had a massive impact. They could certainly hammer out the Blues but those psychedelic tracks were the ones that typified Cream to me.

 

How much better I like their studio material (especially side one of the debut) than their live stuff....

 

The songwriting
Bruce's vocals
Clapton's guitar/Bruce's bass
Baker's drumming

In that order.

 

The aspect of Cream that most stands out to me is the way Clapton's guitar, Bruce's vocals, and Baker's drumming meld together to produce a unified powerhouse. Much better than the Experience.

 

The hair.

 

Especially Clapton's Hendrix perm. What was he thinking? Even Roger Waters mentioned it on one of the Wall songs! !

 

Which aspect of Cream stands out most to you?

How it rises to the top of a bottle of milk, you`d think it would be heavier and sink to the bottom.

 

Grandiosity

 

Same here and it's not even close for me. (studio over live)

 

Love the live stuff, especially the longer improvisations.

 

Here's the band I saw on the same tour, in Warsaw:

 

I think that Jack really made the Cream, but EC's guitar tripping was what first got my attention when I heard it initially.
-Bill

 

For me it is the playing of the players.

I find Cream very underwhelming, mainly because, of course just my opinion, I don't really like the majority of their songs. Great players, but for me substandard songs, except for a few real stand outs

 

I have the opposite view. It was when they got off into that extended 3-way soloing that they were really special. On the shorter tunes, and even the live Sunshines, Bruce was much more restricted and less effective IMO. His instrumental greatness was in creating on the fly, not playing tunes. Likewise, it was when Clapton decided Spoonful, and all that, was immature and indulgent that he became a boring journeyman guitarist.

 

VERY arguable! Jimi was way ahead of Cream in the songwriting department with far more versatility and variety of tone and lyricism. I mean:
Little Wing
Gypsy Eyes
3rd Stone From The Sun
Bold As Love
Wind Cries Mary
Are You Experienced
1983, A Merman I Should Turn To Be
Long Hot Summer Night
House Burning Down
Machine Gun
If 6 Was 9
One Rainy Wish
Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)
Have You Ever Been To Electric Ladyland
Castles Made Of Sand
Rainy Day, Dream Away
Up From The Skies
Power Of Soul
Purple Haze
Hey Baby
...

That is why he destroyed Cream (it wasn't just about who could play their instrument better).


To answer the OP, for me, Cream is really about that bubbling fusion/chemistry between the three guys and particularly Eric's playing. I have never been a fan of Jack's melodramatic/operatic vocals.

 

The same thing that stands out with Jimi hendrix; a sense of controlled power.

 

All three of them were great, but hearing Disraeli Gears when it came out was the first time a guitar player truly blew me away.