The Eric Clapton album by album thread

A fine album and Blu-ray Disc. I love this one a lot.

 

Traffic with Clapton, one can only dream. I know we'd have missed a lot out but music history could've been so much different.

Has there never been a Traffic AbA thread?? Hmmmmmm, definitely one to think about once this one is done.

Or if someone starts one in the meantime i'll be sure to join. But I'd be up for that, great suggestion. A lot of love for Traffic on this site.

 

Okay, what I've heard of this album with Winwood (still haven't heard it all,) sounds very good and I shall be getting a copy. I really like how Eric and Steve work together, just wish they had done more together back in the day. Lets just say that having both heading up a live album is a lot more preferable for me than Clapton alone as I don't need to hear the "hits" live again for the umpteenth time. This is pretty good stuff.

Really like Tell The Truth, hearing that makes me want to hear Bobby Whitlock playing with Eric again.

 

Aha, a brief break from all these live albums, back to the comfort of the studio. Will post the next one later:

2010: Clapton
2011: Play the Blues: Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center (with Wynton Marsalis)
2013: Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013
2013: Old Sock
2014: The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale
2015: Slowhand at 70 – Live at the Royal Albert Hall
2016: Crossroads Revisited: Selections from the Crossroads Guitar Festivals
2016: I Still Do
2016: Live in San Diego

 

I think many Clapton and Traffic/Winwood enthusiasts feel like they were shortchanged to varying degrees that the initial Clapton/Winwood collaboration circa 1969 ended so abruptly. Clearly there was chemistry between the two, and the Blind Faith album almost seems like it barely scratched the surface of what they could have achieved together, but Clapton got consumed with what Delaney & Bonnie were doing and wanted to explore something very different musically. It is a bit ironic that he says he wanted Winwood to invite him to join Traffic considering it was Clapton who was trying to explore something very different and organic musically that ultimately lead to his solo debut and the Dominos. Would he really have aborted that and joined Traffic, which musically was very similar to Traffic in a number of ways? Interestingly enough, I have always wondered what Winwood's feelings were at the time, how he felt about Blind Faith disbanding prematurely. Has Winwood ever expressed how he felt circa 1969?

Agreed. I am surprised they have not collaborated on something, at the very least having Bobby join EC on stage to guest on Tell The Truth during a local Texas concert. EC clearly has warm feelings towards Bobby, generously buying back Bobby's Layla royalties from Universal so that Bobby could once again receive royalty revenues for his work, and writing a nice forward in Bobby's book. For whatever reason, EC has not wanted to get together musically to collaborate.

 

Never liked Ocean Blvd

 

Clapton (2010)




Released - 27 September 2010
Recorded - 2009–10
Producer - Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II, Justin Stanley

1."Travelin' Alone" (Lil' Son Jackson) – 3:56
2."Rocking Chair" (Hoagy Carmichael) – 4:04
3."River Runs Deep" (J.J. Cale) – 5:52
4."Judgement Day" (Snooky Pryor) – 3:13
5."How Deep Is the Ocean" (Irving Berlin) – 5:29
6."My Very Good Friend the Milkman" (Lyrics: Johnny Burke, Music: Harold Spina) – 3:20
7."Can't Hold Out Much Longer" (Walter Jacobs) – 4:08
8."That's No Way to Get Along" (Robert Wilkins) – 6:07
9."Everything Will Be Alright" (Cale) – 3:51
10."Diamonds Made from Rain" (Doyle Bramhall II, Nikka Costa, Justin Stanley) – 4:22
11."When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful" (Harry M. Woods) – 2:51
12."Hard Times Blues" (Lane Hardin) – 3:45
13."Run Back to Your Side" (Bramhall, Eric Clapton) – 5:17
14."Autumn Leaves" (Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert) – 5:40

ericclapton.com Deluxe Limited Edition bonus track
15."You Better Watch Yourself"

Barnes & Noble and Best Buy bonus track
15."Take a Little Walk with Me"

iTunes bonus track
15."I Was Fooled"

Amazon.com bonus track
15."Midnight Hour Blues"

 

I have this one but again, has been a long time since it was played. Annoyed to see all the bonus tracks listed for this, not good for the dedicated fan but will check them out on you tube, likely post here later. Will give this a play in full tomorrow.

What's everyone's thoughts on this album then???

 

"Clapton" seemed like an appropriate album to make at the time. Perhaps a bit inspired by the success of Rod Stewart's Songbook series, on its own it was an experienced artist in his mid-60's playing and interpreting music (some well-known standards and blues classics alongside some originals) in a mature fashion, but still with an edge when it needed it. What would have been worse, "Clapton" or EC's attempt at making a modernized, contemporary pop album at the time? I think he had the right approach here for his age and for where he seemed to be at that point in his life. I think this is a somewhat underrated and overlooked album, but understandably so. I don't think Clapton is seen as a viable album artist anymore, he isn't going sell a lot of new records. I think the only people who cared about this one were the long-time supporters, and a number of those fans probably dismissed it, especially following a couple of blues albums and the Winwood collaboration.

 

This.

 

Barnes & Noble and Best Buy bonus track

 

Amazon.com bonus track

 

They did play together back in 2000 on the Jules Holland show, playing Bell Bottom Blues & Southern Gentleman. Available on YouTube.

 

Correct, and Whitlock was a mess. It just seems a bit strange that he didn't ask Bobby to sit in with him when he was touring behind a lot of the Layla material several years ago.

 

I think Clapton is a wonderful album with a lot of diversity. EC mixes in Blues, Rock, New Orleans and old standards. Travlin Alone starts things off in a nice gritty bluesy fashion. The JJ Cale River Runs Deep is laid back classic. Eric and JJ duet on That's No Way To Get Along, slinky and funky. Run Back To Your Side is a great rocker with Eric soloing along with Derek & Doyle. Autumn Leaves is a chestnut where Eric plays beautiful Acoustic and Electric guitar. I have the gold disc version which includes You Better Watch Yourself, killer. All the bonus tracks are keepers. Eric originally was going to release a two cd set at the time but when he played it for Ry Cooder, Cooder thought there was too much going on stylistically so EC cut it down to one disc. All in all another winner.

 

I hadn't noticed that about Whitlock (although a while since i've watched it back.) When you mention a mess, why exactly? I have his book now but i'm only in the early stages of his childhood, I assume he mentions this performance with Clapton in the book. Was he poor on the night or just that he was in a bad place at that time?

 

Glad you have the book now, it's a must have for a Clapton fan. You will gain a new respect for EC. If memory serves me correct some quack Dr. had him highly medicated at the time, and yes he was also poor. Only after he stopped the meds was he able to put his life back together. Enjoy the book! Remember to pick up Tragic Magic, as a Traffic fan you will love it!

 

I will, i will. More input and info needed for this Traffic AbA thread you'll be starting

 

Listening to Clapton now, I like this. A mature album.

 

Not that I'm so excited about this album but at least it's a step in the right direction again. Not that I play it so often, but at least it didn't get dismissed after one play. But a reminder is needed to comment on individual tracks.
Overall it does remind me of the latter day Bob Dylan albums with those jazzy little numbers. Clapton had done one or two before, but they seem to make more of an impression on the album here. Maybe a few more original compositions would have been nice but for now I'm just happy Climie is gone. Nevertheless I seem to get the impression Clapton's heart is not really into making albums anymore. It seems releasing live stuff is a much easier solution...

 

Well I've pretty much read all there is on Traffic in the SH archives, and I don't see an AbA thread anywhere. With the Traffic fans on this forum I really think it would be pleasant endeavor because there really is no "down" period in Traffic's catalog, all the albums have merit, some more than others of course. That's one thing about this thread, there is definitely a love/hate period in Clapton's catalog which has made it kind of a drag at times. I also realize had Traffic gone on for as long as Clapton I'm sure they would have had a similar "down/experimental" period.

 

We have entered the Spotify era. I remember checking out this album on that service at the time. In the same manner as I'm pairing Pilgrim/Reptile as a certain era I do the same with Clapton/Old Sock (I haven't really checked out if "I Still Do" fits in there as well). This is in my opinion music for pleasure and I don't think that is anything to be ashamed of as long as it is done well. To me Clapton is the relaxing at home during winter time with a cup of cocoa - album while Old Sock (sorry for being ahead) is the chilling in the afternoon in the summer cabin after a day at the beach-album. Perhaps inspired by the album covers? Anyway, I think both albums are just fine for that purpose.

 

I listened to it in full this morning but for once, or rather I think I've slipped into a laziness later in this thread, but I didn't take notes on each track. I didn't like every track but I did like the feel of the album.

I'm happy Climie is gone too. This seems exactly where EC should be in the later era.

I'm not fond of endless live albums. I kind of got off that bus at 24 Nights. The later ones aren't terrible but they just don't float my boat. That said, we have a fair few of them to come it would seem.

 

On Clapton Winwood...

I had the Crossroads DVD that Winwood was on (from 2007 I believe), and was lucky enough to get tickets for the wife and me to the second concert at MSG. I had previously been so excited to see Cream's Reunion, never having seen them in the day, but of course I missed Blind Faith, too. As a concert I actually preferred the Winwood outing better than the Cream reunion. When they came out I got both the cds and the DVD.

My problem such as it is with Clapton is I have never really bought into his singing, and while I loved Jack Bruce's work with him, imo Winwood's was the best match over Clapton's entire career. They also seem to get along so well it makes me wonder why they have not worked more together over the years (something Eric obliquely referred to, with expressed wonder, at Crossroads). But it's not just Winwood's voice, as I think he's an excellent guitarist and songwriter in addition to his work on keys.

One big plus here is that they kept the number of musicians onstage down unlike many of Clapton's tours. More would have been unnecessary.

Doing the Hendrix numbers was a great tie in to Winwood's involvement with Voodoo Chile. And Pearly Queen and Mr. Fantasy in addition to the Blind Faith tunes were all great.

My one disappointment with the set list is that they did not do Sea of Joy. As anyone who has seen the Blind Faith Hyde Park DVD can attest, that song was quite suitable for live performance and was as good as any of the other BF songs. Should have been included, imo.

So I would say this is an essential for Clapton fans. And Winwood's.

 

Clapton recorded S/ T March '70. He jammed with Traffic at Oxford, May 5th 1970 a little more than 3 months before the start of the Domino sessions. My guess he still was unsure what to do at this point. Eric Clapton from Melody Maker, July 1970:

" I went to see them in Oxford (May '70) and I got to jam with them. It was just Steve, Jim, and Chris. And I liked the sound of it. I don't think they were any better with me playing with them, but I felt like they needed another instrument. I still think they do. I was hoping after that gig that I would be asked to join the group. If I had been , I would have joined. Just like that. But I wasn't asked, so it didn't happen."

Reading these Day By Day books it's amazing how much was compressed in such a short period of time, say a period of a year.

One other tidbit: When Traffic was jamming and getting things together in '67 at "the cottage" Clapton thought that to be a daft way of going about things. A short time later he found "The Band" was essentially doing the same thing in the US. Years later he stated Traffic was England's version of The Band. I don't known if I agree with that but I can see why he would say that.