Ashamed to say I only just realised that...

[JimCross]

...Eric really was God. And Peter just might have been Jesus.

I've never got Clapton at all - his playing never really did it for me, and I really disliked his tone. To me it sounded like someone taking a Strat, removing the very best bit (the top end bite), and replacing it with some fuzzy, mushy bottom end - a bit like trying to make a Squire Strat sound like a 335.
However, having watched the programme about Peter Green last weekend, which included some footage of Clapton with John Mayall I shelled out not very many of my finest English pounds on John Mayall & The Blues Breakers Beano album. Great album, fantastic playing from Clapton, and great tone to boot. So it seems I really like his old stuff - it's just his more modern stuff I'm not a fan of.

I also pulled out a few old Peter Green tracks. Jumping at Shadows and Need Your Love So Bad are two of the best songs I've ever heard. What a talent, and what a waste.

If only blues could make a comeback to be the up and coming music in bars and clubs again...

[AMacA]

Need Your Love So Bad is epic... I remember the first time I heard it, it was an edited version, only lasted 3 minutes or so, thought it would have been soooo much better if it was longer, then discovered the 6 minute version - result!!

I've just finished Clapton's autobiography, a lot of good stuff about his time with John Mayall. Think he used a Gibson LP in Beano those days.

If you like the bluesy stuff on Beano album, try Derek and the Dominoes - Layla and other Assorted Love Songs.The track Have You Ever Loved A Woman is one of my favourites.

Also, if listening to a players' tone is your thing, what do you think of this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWZAp02U7QY

[JimCross]

Ah yes, I've watched that clip a fair few times! A fantastic version of the song, and a lesson to everyone that keeping things simple and lower power really does give you the best tone. The range of tones achieved just by altering the attack are incredible, from soft, round lows to cutting highs. Lovely!

I'm also loving John Mayer's tone at the moment, as well as Guthrie Govan's when he plays bluesy stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TINt-TjUbXE

Seeing him live made me go out and buy a Cornford the next week!

[suthol]

JimCross said:

...Eric really was God. And Peter just might have been Jesus.

I've never got Clapton at all - his playing never really did it for me, and I really disliked his tone. To me it sounded like someone taking a Strat, removing the very best bit (the top end bite), and replacing it with some fuzzy, mushy bottom end - a bit like trying to make a Squire Strat sound like a 335.
However, having watched the programme about Peter Green last weekend, which included some footage of Clapton with John Mayall I shelled out not very many of my finest English pounds on John Mayall & The Blues Breakers Beano album. Great album, fantastic playing from Clapton, and great tone to boot. So it seems I really like his old stuff - it's just his more modern stuff I'm not a fan of.

I also pulled out a few old Peter Green tracks. Jumping at Shadows and Need Your Love So Bad are two of the best songs I've ever heard. What a talent, and what a waste.

If only blues could make a comeback to be the up and coming music in bars and clubs again...

You really need to find the double DVD set of Peter Green and the Splinter Group.

Senbloodysational.

[anonymous-user]

suthol said:

You really need to find the double DVD set of Peter Green and the Splinter Group.

Senbloodysational.

+1 on that, a brilliant dvd. Saw that documentary about Peter Green on BBC4 the other night. The most complete explanation of why he went off the rails to date. He was supposed to have taken some bad acid supplied by mysterious hangers on while Fleetwood Mac were touring in Germany. He's a survivor though and still a damn fine quitar player.

Edited by excel789 on Friday 15th May 18:24

[smiller]

For Eric at his frantic, energised best, track down the Double EP of Derek & The Dominoes Live at The Fillmore. The first two tracks "Got to get better in a little while" and "Why does love got to be so sad" are just live guitar gold.

There's nothing on the 'tube of these performances, but the LP cover looks like this:

[Furyous]

JimCross said:

...

If only blues could make a comeback to be the up and coming music in bars and clubs again...

Its never gone from the bars and clubs I drink in......

[caziques]

Just have to revive this topic - and celebrate a new identity.

Went to see John Mayall in concert last night - 75 years old and what a performance! Second best concert I've ever been too - (the best one was Baker Gurvitz Army in 1979 when they played a load of Cream).

Anyway - from the opening track of Hideaway he then followed with a mix of brand new and very old - shame he didn't have any stories about his albums with Clapton or Green, but the music spoke for itself. Well worth catching up with him........see johnmayall.com

Concert was in Christchurch New Zealand BTW. Packed audience of 1000.

[Asterix]

Even as a guitarist, Clapton snook up on me. He is bloody good. What was weird was that in the early days of my playing, I didn't give him much time - the irony being is that I have a relatively similar style. Apparently my lead playing is a mix of Clapton and Blackmore with a touch of Mick Ronson and throw in a bit of Frippertronics for my more expansive stuff, as told by my other musician mates - I can live with those references!

One of my favourite Clapton bits is when the guitar kicks in, in 'Presence of the lord' by Blind Faith