What Sucks About This Artist: Eric Clapton Edition

rostasi · 12-28-2021, 12:54 PM

No, because they're self-important greedy fucks.

Lisnaholic · 12-28-2021, 01:05 PM

There was a time when, despite super-star status EC did a few low-key unadvertised gigs at local village halls near his house. Here's one with Gary Brooker and Andy Fairweather-Low among others:-

They don't pull any punches in the performance, even though there were only about 200 people in the audience. Added bonus: if you look carefully, you can even see Sean Dunphy in the crowd - he's the guy standing next to Trollheart.

Plankton · 12-28-2021, 01:14 PM

Jimi Hendrix's grandma is in there too.

Trollheart · 12-28-2021, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

That's nothing. I once met Sean Dunphy in a chip shop AND he gave me a chip!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

^ Ditto, except *doesn't bother to look up Sean Dunphy*

Who is this guy,TH ? Your old gym teacher, or what?

Dunno. Me ma said he was someone though. Hey, I got a free chip, what do I care?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubber soul

More important question. Just what kind of chip did he give you?

Unsure, but I carry it on my shoulder to this day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

you're just as greedy if you're out there selling bootleg CDs in my eyes

Eric Clapton more sucks for his legacy as a Guitar God which he didn't intend anyway (and also for the racism)

Cream still ****ing Rocks

Yeah, greedy. A whole eleven dollars. Wow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubber soul

Especially for the racism.

And, yeah, Clapton's best work was definitely with Cream. His work with the Yardbirds was good but I'd rate Jeff Beck a little better, even if he was a flake.

As for his solo stuff, his self titled album and 461 Ocean Boulevard, but otherwise, meh.

Have to rate "Layla", "Wonderful Tonight" but "Tears in Heaven" just makes me want to puke. No offence, as a father I'm sure he was hurting but it seems almost a little like capitalising on a tragedy to me. August and Behind the Sun were half-ok albums (the only ones I have) though what possessed him to duet with Tina Turner I don't know. And Clapton could not really by any metric be called a shredder. There's a reason he's known as "Slowhand".

Quote:

Originally Posted by rostasi

Perspective, please.

The woman - we don't know her age - was basically selling off her dead husband's stuff on eBay. Thinking that she had some kind of nefarious reason is purely conjecture at this point. Like many partners of music fans, there is no reason to think she even knew or cared what a bootleg was. All she knew is that her hubby bought it in a shop sometime in the 80s and was of no use to her, so why not include it in with some other stuff of his to sell.

The greed lies more in the third-rate musician-coddling and all the self-importance that generates.

I am on her side, however she was advised to stop and basically gave the legal guys the finger, so it's hard to have that much sympathy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

There was a time when, despite super-star status EC did a few low-key unadvertised gigs at local village halls near his house. Here's one with Gary Brooker and Andy Fairweather-Low among others:-

They don't pull any punches in the performance, even though there were only about 200 people in the audience. Added bonus: if you look carefully, you can even see Sean Dunphy in the crowd - he's the guy standing next to Trollheart.

You can tell me by the chip, but you really have to zoom in.

Lisnaholic · 12-28-2021, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plankton

Jimi Hendrix's grandma is in there too.

Thanks! I didn't recognise her until she took out her false teeth and started whistling Purple Haze.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Dunno. Me ma said he was someone though. Hey, I got a free chip, what do I care?

Unsure, but I carry it on my shoulder to this day.

Good one!

Quote:

And Clapton could not really by any metric be called a shredder. There's a reason he's known as "Slowhand".

Yes, I thought that was a weird description too.

With all this focus on his mid-career solo albums & persona:
yes, I don't like the way he tried to turn himself into some rather too slick middle-of-the-road singer/songwriter, but if anyone has taken the trouble to listen to some of that Chiddingfold concert, you'll see a different Clapton: member of a really top-notch band cranking out great music, not for money or fame, but just for the joy of playing together.
Let's put that on the balance sheet when we are listing all the ways in which the latter-day Clapton sucks, please.

rostasi · 12-28-2021, 06:23 PM

My problem with any of this Clapton business is that it all comes from an angle of
some kind of worship of technical prowess when the majority of it sounds like revved
and hyped-up bar-band music full of all of the sound and fury cliches not only just
associated with it, but actually encouraged by his worshippers.
The gawd-awful pinched, nasal sax sound ... those chord-banging attempts of repetitious energy ...
the rather uninspired drumming/rhythm overall ... semi-unconscious chord changes ...
pretend "soul" vocals ... every kind of patterned backing and cliched soloing ...
all of this in disregard to actual sound and more in line with him/them being showmanship entertainers.
There's room for this in some people's lives, but I couldn't see any reason to look forward to hearing or seeing this.

John Peel:

Quote:

"Call that music?" is the kind of thing people say to me from time to time. I mean, I do, because music is something which ought to take you to places you've not been before, so things like Eric Clapton are not music really in a sense, because what makes his stuff so attractive to people, or Cliff Richard, is the fact that they take you where you've been before, and it's kind of reassuring, and you feel quite safe there, I suppose, but it's not for me."

Quote:

"I mean, who wants to listen to Eric Clapton? He can really play, but that's boring beyond measure.

Quote:

"At number 5, "Unplugged" - Eric Clapton - if only..."

Trollheart · 12-28-2021, 08:50 PM

"At number 5, Eric Clapton with his new album Unvaxxed"....

Psy-Fi · 12-29-2021, 10:44 AM

The only time I listen to Eric Clapton is when I'm in the mood to hear some Cream or Blind Faith. His work with John Mayall and The Yardbirds was good but I've never cared much for either one. Everything he did after Blind Faith just bores me.

Lisnaholic · 12-29-2021, 11:57 AM

Yes, the same: I don't search out Clapton's music as a rule, but if I did it would be the old stuff.
Nonetheless, I'm a big fan of the musical style that rostasi and John Peel take against: pub/jam band rock. To me it's a good combination: a safe, solid beat and wandering instrumental stuff on top. If it has a predictable element about it, it is also capable of endless minor variations that trick the musically ignorant, like me, into thinking they are hearing something new each time.

rostasi · 12-29-2021, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

... safe ... predictable element about it ...

Those are the nadirs for me.

12-28-2021, 01:05 PM	#102 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	There was a time when, despite super-star status EC did a few low-key unadvertised gigs at local village halls near his house. Here's one with Gary Brooker and Andy Fairweather-Low among others:- They don't pull any punches in the performance, even though there were only about 200 people in the audience. Added bonus: if you look carefully, you can even see Sean Dunphy in the crowd - he's the guy standing next to Trollheart. __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

12-28-2021, 01:14 PM	#103 (permalink)
Plankton Just Keep Swimming... Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: See signature... Posts: 7,765	Jimi Hendrix's grandma is in there too. __________________ See location...

12-28-2021, 08:50 PM	#107 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	"At number 5, Eric Clapton with his new album Unvaxxed".... __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

12-29-2021, 11:57 AM	#109 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	Yes, the same: I don't search out Clapton's music as a rule, but if I did it would be the old stuff. Nonetheless, I'm a big fan of the musical style that rostasi and John Peel take against: pub/jam band rock. To me it's a good combination: a safe, solid beat and wandering instrumental stuff on top. If it has a predictable element about it, it is also capable of endless minor variations that trick the musically ignorant, like me, into thinking they are hearing something new each time. __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

12-28-2021, 12:54 PM	#101 (permalink)
rostasi . Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 4,007	No, because they're self-important greedy fucks.