Eric Clapton was a disappointment?

LETHAL LADY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbqQL0J_Vr0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_NholHANoY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRa4a6eT1Oo

Great music but a selfish type...put me right off him truth be told!

Clapton is wildly overrated, hasn't produced any fiery guitar solos since 1971 and Rory Gallagher was streets ahead of him in technique and feeling.

I Am Nobody

LETHAL LADY wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbqQL0J_Vr0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_NholHANoY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRa4a6eT1Oo

Great music but a selfish type...put me right off him truth be told!

I agree he lost sight of himself once he got success.But sure alot of artists do.But as an artist he was brilliant. As a person not so much.But he did mellow out to a point as he got older.

rapul

As already said Rory Gallagher and Taste even was far better than oul slow hands and hendrix but alas the Irish are cursed! But yeah Clapton hasnt done anything good since Cream.

Cream are very good.

LETHAL LADY

Similar all the same???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzM71scYw0M

guitarhappy

Clapton is very open about the fact that he was seriously alcoholic when he was young. I guess he was something of a jerk.

He's been sober for a long time and I think he's highly respected by people who know him and other musicians. He has a good marriage and 3 lovely daughters now in their teens. He's done a lot of good in the world.

He's a great guitar player. More than that he's been a mentor and made other people famous. Listen to his Crossroads Guitar Festival DVD's. Other players like B.B. King, Hubert Sumlin, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, Vince Gill, sing his praises.

His 2 most recent videos, the final Japan tour one, or the one with J.J. Cale before he died, I think that was San Diego or Phoenix, they're great entertainment.

I'm a big Clapton fan because he's a great player and his touring hands with awesome musicians like Billy Preston, Derek Trucks, Chris Stainton, Steve Gadd, Nathan East, Steve Jordan....bands don't get better than this.

Watch his recent videos, you'll have to love them m

LETHAL LADY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDs2Bkq6UU4

Strumms

I love my music, and great guitarists in particular but Clapton despite being an extraordinarily proficient musician is somebody who I could never warm to as an artist or individual. My first purchase of his was some live album and while you could admire the artistry and ability of the guy he was never in my case capable of many WOW moments in his music... it was I guess, ‘nice’, that’s about it. On the other hand I could listen to somebody I guess of the same genre, era and probably fair to say abilities too ... like John Martyn and he’d have the hair standing up on my neck...

Joe_ Public

Eric Clapton was one of the main inspirations behind the huge Rock against Racism campaigns and gigs in the late 70s, and i dont mean in a good way. Hard to come back from that.

con747

Eric Clapton was a disappointment? No.

YFlyer

Why is this in After Hours? Cocaine? He learnt the guitar his own way? How about Lemmy and Sting? Rory could have played in either Dire Straits, Rolling Stones, Queen and dare I say Led Zeppelin

Strumms

A rumor doing the rounds for decades is the Stones asked him to join before Mick Taylor joined. Rory that is.

guitarhappy

Strumms wrote: »

A rumor doing the rounds for decades is the Stones asked him to join before Mick Taylor joined. Rory that is.

Rory was a blues imposter. He could copy a decent sounding 12 bars, after that he was lost and didn't know what to do with it. He had great energy and If he had lived longer, who knows, but not in Clapton's league.

I'd much prefer Clapton to Gallagher Tbh..

Lyle Lanley

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Clapton is wildly overrated, hasn't produced any fiery guitar solos since 1971 and Rory Gallagher was streets ahead of him in technique and feeling.

If you judge every guitarist against Rory you won't have much music to listen to.

fran38

beauf wrote: »

I'm not sure I would rate someone on how many "fiery solo's" they play. Less is more and all that, and I say that hardrock/metal fan. Neither a Gallagher or a Clapton album has ever been on my frequent play list. I like some of their biggest hits and all that, but I always get tired of them quickly. Though I can appreciate their influence and all that. Rory didn't stray much from a very narrow genre.

But music is subjective. If you like it thats all that matters.

That is the one aspect of Gallagher I have a problem with in terms of trying to place him among the great guitar players. As he remained firmly rooted in blues and not much else, we didnt see him try to expand into more 'commercial' genres.
As regards Clapton, he's well regarded by his peers throughout many genres. That's enough for me.
Although, I can't not mention Joe Satriani in a thread about guitar greats so here goes....JOE SATRIANI FCUK YEAH!!!

scilover

guitarhappy wrote: »

Clapton is very open about the fact that he was seriously alcoholic when he was young. I guess he was something of a jerk.

He's been sober for a long time and I think he's highly respected by people who know him and other musicians. He has a good marriage and 3 lovely daughters now in their teens. He's done a lot of good in the world.

He's a great guitar player. More than that he's been a mentor and made other people famous. Listen to his Crossroads Guitar Festival DVD's. Other players like B.B. King, Hubert Sumlin, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, Vince Gill, sing his praises.

His 2 most recent videos, the final Japan tour one, or the one with J.J. Cale before he died, I think that was San Diego or Phoenix, they're great entertainment.

I'm a big Clapton fan because he's a great player and his touring hands with awesome musicians like Billy Preston, Derek Trucks, Chris Stainton, Steve Gadd, Nathan East, Steve Jordan....bands don't get better than this.

Watch his recent videos, you'll have to love them m

Yes, I agree as well. Sure, in the past he had some bad times but as time went on, he became better. He collaborated with so many talented musicians as well. He's very talented.

guitarhappy

scilover wrote: »

Yes, I agree as well. Sure, in the past he had some bad times but as time went on, he became better. He collaborated with so many talented musicians as well. He's very talented.

His discography is massive and over 55 years long. Some of what he did was more light-hearted or commercial entertainment. There's no doubt he's a seminal next generation interpreter of Blues in the Robert Johnson, B.B. King, Otis Rush, Freddie King, etc styles and took it to a higher level in the same vein, but his own style, without losing authenticity.

Even now at 70, with some deafness and neuropathy in his fingers, he's still capable of the most blazing solos. As a singer he has his own style and technique. He can be smooth as butter on love song ballads or growl with the best of them.

Gretas Gonna Get Ya!

Deleted User wrote: »

Clapton is wildly overrated, hasn't produced any fiery guitar solos since 1971 and Rory Gallagher was streets ahead of him in technique and feeling.

I don't honestly care if he was the biggest A-hole in history... when you've produced quality like "wonderful tonight", "Layla", "Tears in Heaven", "Change the world" etc etc... you can pretty much hang up your guitar and go home after that... you've achieved musical immortality in my book!

Rory Gallagher - great guitarist, no question. But he hasn't produced anything in terms of hit songs, that can even get close to Clapton's contribution to music history! Obviously musical tastes can differ, but objectively speaking Clapton will go down in history as being on a completely different level to Gallagher!

guitarhappy

River of Tears w/ Billie Preston and Steve Gadd. Clapton is also a truly great band leader. Billie Preston was a true icon, started in Ray Charles band. Gadd is almost symphonic, he revolutionized rock drumming.

https://youtu.be/pTVoM6x7tEg

Nightlife w/ Willie Nelson
https://youtu.be/d_800CRTrjE

He shows himself againbto be a mature singer and a blistering guitar player.

Trigger Happy

I read his autobiography once and found that he was a bit of a boring character. Generally a stay at home addict.
He was a decent musician though.

Hamsterchops

LETHAL LADY wrote: »

Eric Clapton was a disappointment!

When I saw this I thought he'd died ..
Lots of 'was' in this thread

Quick Google, Clapton was is great

I was fortunate enough to witness Eric & George H playing the Albert hall 1990-ish, amazing gig.

.anon.

Clapton? Claptout, more like!

(because he's clapped out)

Wibbs

guitarhappy wrote: »

Billie Preston was a true icon, started in Ray Charles band.

He was even a Beatle for a time. As was Clapton. For a day anyway.

milehip

Dissapoinment? To his parents? in bed? Or just in general?

EmmetSpiceland

rapul wrote: »

As already said Rory Gallagher and Taste even was far better than oul slow hands and hendrix but alas the Irish are cursed! But yeah Clapton hasnt done anything good since Cream.

Cream are very good.

His stuff with Derek and the Dominos far outshines anything he did with Cream. The Layla album is his “masterpiece” and he never got close to that again.

Joe_ Public

Interviewer: "What does it feel like to be the worlds greatest guitarist?"

Hendrix: "Ask Rory Gallagher."

ohnonotgmail

Clapton is the subject of one of my favourite showbiz stories. Davina McCall was his girlfriend at the time he wrote Tears in Heaven. He played the song to her before it was released. she was so overcome with emotion she gave him a blowjob. True story.

Bobtheman

Clapton is your typical 1960s rock star. Did a huge amount of shagging/ drugs.
Whined about his best mate's wife. Got patti and then continued shagging.
Had serious problems with booze which to be fair to him he tackled.
He has some strange politics bordering on fascist. Look at what he says about Enoch Powell.
Music? I think he is probably over rated. He hugged the mainstream a bit too much . Not a rocker as such.
Rory Gallagher deserved more credit but rory never wrote for the mainstream so what do you expect??!

Bobtheman

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

Clapton is the subject of one of my favourite showbiz stories. Davina McCall was his girlfriend at the time he wrote Tears in Heaven. He played the song to her before it was released. she was so overcome with emotion she gave him a blowjob. True story.

Gee thanks for the image!!

ohnonotgmail

Bobtheman wrote: »

Gee thanks for the image!!

Its beautiful, isn't it?

EmmetSpiceland

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

Clapton is the subject of one of my favourite showbiz stories. Davina McCall was his girlfriend at the time he wrote Tears in Heaven. He played the song to her before it was released. she was so overcome with emotion she gave him a blowjob. True story.

It’s a better story than what yer man from The Brian Jonestown Massacre said about him and that song.

ohnonotgmail

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

It’s a better story than what yer man from The Brian Jonestown Massacre said about him and that song.

which was?

EmmetSpiceland

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

which was?

“People talk about Eric Clapton. What has he ever done except throw his baby off a ****in’ ledge and write a song about it?”

Wanderer78

Deleted User wrote:

Clapton is wildly overrated, hasn't produced any fiery guitar solos since 1971 and Rory Gallagher was streets ahead of him in technique and feeling.

Clapton is a great player, but I completely agree about Rory, just truly astonishing

EmmetSpiceland

Bobtheman wrote: »

He has some strange politics bordering on fascist. Look at what he says about Enoch Powell.

Some people argue that his words were taken out of context and he was, originally, against the influx of people from the West Indies because he felt they would just be forced to work all the menial jobs and ghettoised.

Make of that what you will, he was fairly “out of it” at the time.

ohnonotgmail

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

“People talk about Eric Clapton. What has he ever done except throw his baby off a ****in’ ledge and write a song about it?”

EEK!

paw patrol

rapul wrote: »

As already said Rory Gallagher and Taste even was far better than oul slow hands and hendrix but alas the Irish are cursed! But yeah Clapton hasnt done anything good since Cream.

Cream are very good.

Lyle Lanley wrote: »

If you judge every guitarist against Rory you won't have much music to listen to.

back in 1999 I lived in donnycarney in a rented house.
we had a party one night - all tenants.

a debate over Gallagher and hendrix started brewing from early.

Ended in a stabbing.


Somebody dropped 20 pounds during the melee which I pocketed.
That's pretty much my whole exposure to either artist.

Mr. CooL ICE

Clapton was a great player. But he was overrated as a songwriter. Some of the best tunes attributed to him were written or co-written by others. Even in Cream, he was riding on the coattails of Ginger and Jack.

Necro

Mod:

This might be better suited in the Music Forum. Moving there now.

Terminator.

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Interviewer: "What does it feel like to be the worlds greatest guitarist?"

Hendrix: "Ask Rory Gallagher."

Clapton: "Ask Prince"

Joe_ Public

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Some people argue that his words were taken out of context and he was, originally, against the influx of people from the West Indies because he felt they would just be forced to work all the menial jobs and ghettoised.

Make of that what you will, he was fairly “out of it” at the time.

Dunno. Shouting "fcking coons" and "wogs" out on a stage while proclaiming undying support for Enoch Powell is hard to take out of context imo. And i dont know that taking drugs or alcohol, in whatever quantities, ever automatically turned anyone into colossal racists. Prejudice comes from deep within. And it's not as if Clapton quickly recanted for his views - he was doing interviews still declaring his support for Powell up to 10 years ago. The big apology - including the classic standard "i had lots of black friends" - only came 2 years ago. Doesnt mean you have to deny he made some great music, i feel relieved i never really liked much of it to begin with.

coolshannagh28

Strumms wrote: »

A rumor doing the rounds for decades is the Stones asked him to join before Mick Taylor joined. Rory that is.

Mick Taylor made the Stones.

Terminator.

coolshannagh28 wrote: »

Mick Taylor made the Stones.

Wasn't Keith Richards jealous or did I hear that wrong

coolshannagh28

Terminator. wrote: »

Wasn't Keith Richards jealous or did I hear that wrong

Apparently , but they wrote their most enduring and best material when Taylor was on board , when he left they settled for Woody who slotted in and played along not pushing the boundaries .

EmmetSpiceland

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Dunno. Shouting "fcking coons" and "wogs" out on a stage while proclaiming undying support for Enoch Powell is hard to take out of context imo. And i dont know that taking drugs or alcohol, in whatever quantities, ever automatically turned anyone into colossal racists. Prejudice comes from deep within. And it's not as if Clapton quickly recanted for his views - he was doing interviews still declaring his support for Powell up to 10 years ago. The big apology - including the classic standard "i had lots of black friends" - only came 2 years ago. Doesnt mean you have to deny he made some great music, i feel relieved i never really liked much of it to begin with.

Did he even apologise? There was supposed to be a big one at some charity concert but it never came.

Maybe the “reasoning” I heard was a nice retrofit too explain it all away?

Joe_ Public

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Did he even apologise? There was supposed to be a big one at some charity concert but it never came.

Maybe the “reasoning” I heard was a nice retrofit too explain it all away?

There was a big documentary release a couple of years back and he did a round of contritional interviews for it, dont know if he recanted his support for powell or not, but was proclaiming to be an anti brexit supporter so there was that. The Rock Against Racism movement of the late 70s was a direct consequence of Claptons prejudice so at least some good did come out of it!

coolshannagh28

Clapton is like a lot of artists who have long successful careers; they are on fire for a short time and live long off that , in his case it was with Cream who were then at the cutting edge of rock , the Stones are similar in a way in that they have had long success but peaked around 69 to 72 when they probably were the best of them all.

SmartinMartin

Clapton in Malahide Castle ;
Worst concert I was ever at by a long shot.

splinter65

Trigger Happy wrote: »

I read his autobiography once and found that he was a bit of a boring character. Generally a stay at home addict.
He was a decent musician though.

I read that book too and found it kinda heartbreaking there was so much misery and stress in it. His obsession with Patti Boyd for so long would be considered stalkerish now and was worthy of psychiatric treatment in itself never mind the drug taking the alcoholism and the terrible relationship with his mother. You can hear it all in the guitar playing though which is the plus for us the listeners.

splinter65

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

“People talk about Eric Clapton. What has he ever done except throw his baby off a ****in’ ledge and write a song about it?”

There’s some very bitter jealous people out there in music land. Imagine how much of a c**t over someone else’s talent you’d have to be to say something like that?