I have been wrong about Eric Clapton

[Crazy_Joe]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=10qLYy6hiFQ

This is such a good rendition of the classic Marley tune. His solo and guitar tone is immense. I used to think Clapton was an overrated guy playing blues on a strat with old men for fans.

Whilst some of those i still think are true, i respect him a lot more than i did previously and this furthers my gas for a strat!

[ailean]

Strats can have awsome tone. We got lucky with a second hand Fender custom, already fitted with Irish Tour's. While my natural instinct is for a humbucker sound, I'm not selling the strat, it's a keeper.

I've never really 'got' Eric Clapton, but there seems to be a fair amount of respect for the guy so I respect him for the respect he's got. Does that make sense?  :roll:

[38thBeatle]

Well I make no apology for liking his work. I have never got into this nonsense about who is the greatest guitarist
 ( you may as well talk about the merits of oranges as far as I'm concerned) but Eric can play with an amazing amount of fire and passion when he wants to.He has also moved the guitar on in many ways ( and yes I know there are others that you can say that about too) but his playing is distinctive no matter what rig he is using. I have certainly copped a few of his licks over the years. Like everything, he isn't to everyone's tastes and that is pefectly ok by me.

[Johnny Mac]

I'm with Mr 38th on this one. I think he is an incredible musician. Even smashed out of his head drunk or on hard drugs he could still sound amazing. I've actually this week just finished reading his biography and his life has been tough. He does come over as a nice bloke. His music may not be to everyones taste but but back in the 60's his stuff was revolutionary and has to be put in perspective.
If you have a read into his history he has really got electric guitar playing on the map in this country. There wasn't anything like him around at the time. No one had heard of Hendrix back then either. He is also credited with stopping Gibson going out of business as Les Pauls were out of production and Eric used one with a Marshall combo on John Mayall's Bluesbreakers Album and everone wanted one. Before they wanted Strats because of The Shadows. The overdriven distorted guitar sound is something he and a few others at the time were doing and look where its gone in 40 odd years.

[Johnny Mac]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=10qLYy6hiFQ

This is such a good rendition of the classic Marley tune. His solo and guitar tone is immense. I used to think Clapton was an overrated guy playing blues on a strat with old men for fans.

Whilst some of those i still think are true, i respect him a lot more than i did previously and this furthers my gas for a strat!

That clip is from the first Crossroads DVD, the whole event is amazing if your into blues and blues rock. It has Buddy Guy, BB King, Joe Walsh, JJ Cale, Eric Johnson and lots more.

[dave_mc]

i've always liked clapton, not quite sure what all the hate is about.

[Johnny Mac]

i've always liked clapton, not quite sure what all the hate is about.

I usually find all these things a born from resentment and envy Dave. Human nature.

[dave_mc]

i dunno, i'd say not necessarily in that instance... i mean, i guess i can understand if you were a cream fan back in the day and didn't like his change of direction.... obviously i'm a lot younger than that, so it doesn't annoy me as much. but it still doesn't diminish e.g. the cream stuff, just keep listening to that, surely? :)

[Johnny Mac]

I like all his music really. most musicians progress and experiment. Well most except Yngwie

[horsehead]

Clapton was one of the 1st guitarist I listened too, an amazing musician but seems to have a pre-position to ease off on some of his albums rather than go for the jugular. Robert Johnson Songbook is an amzing album & then to come out with Back home...well

[Elliot]

I didn't post in defence because I thought I was in a minority of 1 who actually likes EC around here.  I can't believe guitarists don't universally like the Beano album for example but I am glad to see some others do too. 

In my opinion Clapton's has returned to really good form from the Robert Johnson Songbook onwards - now his drugs, money and ego problems seem to be sorted out, and (its a shame to say) since the death of his son, his playing has regained some of the anger and bite of the 60s plus the refined stuff of the 70s and 80s.  I'm not a dad, so it can't be dad rock if I like it.

[MrBump]

I think that anyone who has been around as long as Clapton/McCartney/Stones etc runs the risk of sounding like a parody of themselves.  Or at least, being PERCEIVED as a parody of themselves.

This is good stuff.

Mark.

[Johnny Mac]

I didn't post in defence because I thought I was in a minority of 1 who actually likes EC around here.  I can't believe guitarists don't universally like the Beano album for example but I am glad to see some others do too. 

In my opinion Clapton's has returned to really good form from the Robert Johnson Songbook onwards - now his drugs, money and ego problems seem to be sorted out, and (its a shame to say) since the death of his son, his playing has regained some of the anger and bite of the 60s plus the refined stuff of the 70s and 80s.  I'm not a dad, so it can't be dad rock if I like it.

I'm not a dad either and don't intend to be one. The term dad rock was probably first used in a magazine like Heat or Smash Hits.

[HTH AMPS]

I like Claptons stuff in the Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith and the Derek/Dominoes stuff was great too.  After that it's deminishing returns imo, though I do like From The Cradle (a massive return to form) and also Backless for it's chilled vibe.

I bought 'Me And Mr Johnson' after it got a glowing review in Guitarist magazine and was very disappointed - it falls in the catagory that most of his stuff does from the past 30 years... BLAND

[dave_mc]

I like all his music really. most musicians progress and experiment. Well most except Yngwie

i do like his older stuff more, but some of his newer stuff has been pretty good too. it's not a problem anyway, i mean even if i hated his newer stuff, i'd still like him because of the older stuff, kind of thing.

I like yng too... :lol:

i hate the term dad rock, it's offensive... not to mention, extremely ironic when the person using it probably likes the pussycat dolls. I don't buy into this fashion thing, and i can't stand people who will like music if it's currently fashionable, but hate it once told by NME, or smash hits, or whatever, that it's now uncool. Music's either good or it's not. :)