This is it! Eric Clapton's birthday. I can't believe he is 65 already. I know he is still playing like he is 30 and lovin every minute of it. The Rock and Roll Guru reminded me of this date today and he also reminded me that this summer in Chicago is the Crossroads tour. What a place to be. If you get a chance to check this event out in your locale, take it. Here is a peek at a previous concert.
So Happy Birthday Eric. May you live long and play blues hard. Maybe someday we will meet at the Crossroads. I am looking forward to it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
15 comments:
Whoa! GOD? I know a few people who are going to disagree on this one (is Bob Vinyl in the house?).
Personally I think Clapton is one of the many greats but he doesn't even make my top ten of greatest guitar players of all time. I do wish him a very happy birthday!!!
Ah, Eric Crapton. One of my favorite topics, because he is perhaps the most overrated guitarist of all time (only Satriani's soulless drivel can possibly compete). Still plays like he's 30? Yeah, probably so, because by 30 most people have lost their youthful fire, a fire that Crapton never had. I mean, the guy left the Yardbirds, because they wanted to do more than just rehash blues music that had been around forever. I know the "Slowhand" nickname was supposed to be kind of ironic, but the truth is his playing is dull, derivative and slow.
As if all of that isn't enough, how can anyone possibly like the guy who wrote "Wonderful Tonight?"
He'll be atSummerfest as well! Thinking of going that show.
Clapton really brings out the inner debater in many listeners. I was in a local record shop last year talking music with the owner and Clapton's name came up. There was another guy in the store who immediately chimed in and went on a half hour rant against him. It was pretty violent. I'm indifferent, though I really dig the Cream era.
Sure he's not god... but what he did in Blues-breakers album in 1966.. change the history of rock guitar....
That was the first time a Les Paul and a Marshall were recorded.. The licks and riffs on that record are the basis of everything that came in hard rock in the later 30 years from Zeppelin to Kings of Leon.. really...
Yeah Max, no one had EVER played blues guitar before. It was totally invented by Crapton. Crapton wasn't an influence so much as he was, like Page and Beck, influenced by genuine innovators. Unlike those other two, Crapton did little to integrate his sound with non-blues influences which is really what is at the heart of a lot of rock guitar. At best, he brought things already done to the white rock audience. Big deal. It certainly doesn't excuse the crap he's produced over the last 40+ years and passed off as rock. Crapton has narry a rock n roll bone in his body. He approached everything like an old man when he was young. Now, it's only gotten worse.
While I have always enjoyed Eric I too feel he is a bit overrated. There are better guitarists.
My, oh my. I seem to have opened a can of worms with this post. I only mention the God moniker because back in the day he was referred to as God (have you seen the picture of the writing on the wall?)I never said he was the best guitarist either, but I believe he ranks in the top 25. He was very influential to the blues/rock world as well and deserved his being installed into the RRHOF three times.
Love him or hate him he is important and he has always been pretty humble about his talents. He has inspired the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eddie Van Halen, Derek Trucks, Alex Lifeson and John Mayer. He cant be all bad, if he did that.
Hey Bob_vinyl.. I never though I would give him credit for such thing.. I never like him either and also think a lot of what he played can bore you to death..
But that record is great.. and presented the catalog of things that later would become staples.. sure others did.. but this is the same old story in Rock Culture.. One gets credit...
Dan, Crapton certainly deserves to be in the RnRHoF, because that's about as un-rock n roll as it gets. What a joke!
SRV has far too much command of the blues (despite the fact that I find him kinda dull too) to be deeply influenced by Crapton. Hearing Crapton may have influenced him to pick up the guitar, but Ace Frehley can count a similar influence over more players and no one's out singing his praises. EVH and Liefson were far too progressive-minded players to be a part of Crapton's dull tradition. As far as Trucks and Mayer go, they're fine players, but I don't see them as being particularly important, so I don't much care who influenced them.
Frankly, I also don't care if he's humble. I'd rather him be a jerk and play something worth hearing. I want good music, not a buddy to hang out with.
Max, I'm not saying the record isn't good, I'm just saying that there isn't anything new in the guitar work. Crapton was an okay player, but he was a traditionalist, not an innovator.
Happy Birthday Eric...
I have always enjoyed him and I will say no more
I can't remember if it was my top 50 guitarists post or the review of the Layla album, but me and Bob, and a few others as well, have pretty much been on the same page on this for a long time. I really appreciate people liking and disliking different types of music; it keeps my own opinions honest. But Clapton is my exception. I'd like to say I'm irrational and make no sense, but the thing is, I am rational and I make perfect sense to myself in this regard. I hate Clapton. Worse than death. Worse than any foul sound I've ever had the unfortunate luck to have heaped like a sack of needles into my ear. He's a cheap, tired blues player, lacking in anything original other than the songs he covers. Influence is one thing; whole-heartedly borrowing is another. The man may as well renounce monogamy and marry JJ Cale. If Clapton ever did anything notable, it was learn how to ride the coattails of everyone else good around him. Like I stated in my Layla post way back, the onyl good guitar lines on that album are from Duane Allman. Clapton is a legend I wish would just die. I prefer eating wood with pepper.
As an additional aside, the new material the Hendrix estate released of Hendrix's different versions of many of his songs is leagues and bounds better than anything Clapton ever did. Sad, the guy's been dead for 40 years and our boy Eric still can't produce a noteworthy tune. I'm now going to bed with a gagging feeling in the back of my throat. Thanks Dan! ;)
Nice call on the marrying JJ Cale thing, Hatter!
Happy birthday...My favorite guitarist
Post a Comment