Eric Clapton - August

Eric Clapton and Phil Collins joined together for a second collaborative effort with the November 1986 release August. They shared producing chores as Collins pop sensibilities combined with Clapton’s blues/rock foundation to provide a solid and satisfying listening experience.
The drumming and synthesizers may have been very eighties but they allowed room for Clapton’s guitar excursions. It may have been slicker and more polished than many of his past album releases, but it retained his signature sound.
Clapton assembled his usual collection of stellar backing musicians. Greg Phillinganes was back on board as the keyboardist and would become an important part of his touring band for the next several years. Saxophone player Michael Brecker, trumpet player Randy Brecker, and a couple of friends brought their brass sound to five of the tracks and were a welcome addition.
August would only reach number 37 on the American charts, but would continue to sell well for years and ultimately become one of his most commercial successes.
The songs roll smoothly into one another. “It’s The Way That You Use It,” co-written with Robbie Robertson, features a gritty vocal and excellent guitar solo. “Tearing Us Apart” contains a fine vocal by the legendary Tina Turner. “Taking A Chance” finds Clapton’s guitar floating over Phillinganes keyboards. All three tracks were hits on the American Mainstream Rock Charts and received considerable airplay.
“Run” and “Hung Up On Your Love” were both written by Motown soul artist and composer deluxe Lamont Dozier and receive a horn laden treatment in support of his classic guitar playing.
August may be a product of the eighties, but it is good eighties. It remains a good effort by one of rock music’s guitar gods.

Eric Clapton: Donates Personal Item

Rock and Roll Hall the 25th anniversary of Fame Concerts were less than a week away when headliner Eric Clapton pulled out because of gallbladder surgery. By now, we know that Mr. Clapton is recuperating nicely and that even in his absence, the concerts were memorable events. And yet, not everyone is glad. Entry on Eric Clapton's an October 24 facebook page states "I think that it sucks that you had to cancel your Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert in NYC! We paid a small fortune for those tickets!" Even though this "fan" cannot feel Mr. Clapton's pain, he apparently feels hers.To everyone's surprise, Eric Clapton has announced that he will donate his gallbladder to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame where it is expected to remain on permanent display. In a statement, Clapton declared "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has long been the home of personal items like Buddy Holly's high school diploma. I am happy to donate this most personal item, an organ from my own body. Now, even though my fans cannot always see me, they will always be able to see part of me. It is my sincere hope that this will satisfy ya, and not slide on by ya."Dr. Hiram Ingraham, President of the Greater Cleveland Gastroenterology Society, offered praise reminiscent of Clapton's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist: "I want to send respect out to the gallbladder that quietly stored and secreted bile while great guitar solos were being created. I want to send respect out to the only gallbladder that attended every Cream, Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominos concert. I want to send respect out to the only gallbladder to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times."In related news, Clapton's gallstone will be auctioned off by Christie's with proceeds to benefit BUTT, Before U Type, Think.

Eric Clapton: Recovering From Surgery

As previously reported, British guitarist Eric Clapton had to step out of an October 23 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert at New York's Madison Square Garden due to a medical procedure needed to remove stones from his gallbladder. Clapton's publicist currently told BBC News that he is successfully recovering from the operation and that he "remains committed" to dates at London's O2 Arena in February. Clapton was replaced at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame gig by buddy guitarist Jeff Beck, with whom he'll play at the O2 Arena dates.

Eric Clapton: Cancels appearance at Rock Hall 25th anniversary concert

The two night 25th anniversary concert as the complete lineup for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum at Madison Square Garden continues to unfold, one major player will be missing.
Eric Clapton, originally scheduled to perform on Friday, October 30th, has cancelled his appearance due to a medical procedure for gall stones, according to a press release from the Hall of Fame.
Clapton willl spend time recuperating at his home in the UK.
Just this week, the Hall of Fame added legendary rockers John Fogerty and Ray Davies to the all star lineup.
Bluesmen B.B. King and Buddy Guy were added last week along with several others. Guy, was slated to perform with Clapton.
Major acts such as U2, Bruce Springsteen, Metallica, Aretha Franklin, Simon and Garfunkel and Crosby, Still and Nash will perform with particular guests.
The Rock Hall says its working hard on a replacement for Clapton's segment.
Might I suggest, Sir Paul McCartney?

Backless - Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton issued Backless twelve months after the release of his classic, Slowhand, and while it may not have had the consistent brillence of that album, it was still very good.
The cover photo says a lot about this release. A relaxed of its footage and laid back Clapton strumming his guitar. The music would likewise be a mostly mellow collection of various styles and traditions as the best songs run the gamut from rock to blues, even to country.
Old country tune is "Tulsa Time" that receives a rocking adaptation by Clapton and may be the album's best track. It was released as a single in the United States and deserved better than just cracking the top thirty. “Watch Out For Lucy” is another straight rock time and has a primitive bar sound as Clapton cranks up his old guitar for some of his classic playing.
“Promises” which did become a U.S. top ten single is a subtle song with subdued vocals and some understated slide guitar. It almost has a country flavor as the vocals explore relationships.
Clapton returns to the blues with the traditional “Early In The Morning.” He is always at home with a slow blues song and at eight minutes he has room for a couple of guitar solos and tempo changes. A contribution by Bob Dylan, “Walk Out In The Rain” is another bluesy, mid-tempo track, this one yielding an excellent Clapton vocal.
One surprising failure was the J.J. Cale penned “I’ll Make Love To You Anytime.” After the brilliance of “Cocaine” and “After Midnight” this one is just a little too laid back.
Backless is overall just a step below Clapton’s best work. It has stood the test of time well and remains a good listen three-plus decades after its release.

Eric Clapton - Slowhand

After two mellow, laid back, and in some ways lackluster efforts, Eric Clapton returned in May of 1977 with one of the strongest releases of his solo career. If I had to pick the ten best solo songs of his career the first three tracks of this album would all make the list. Slowhand was embraced by old and new fans alike and Rolling Stone Magazine ranked it among the 500 best albums of all time.
Clapton’s guitar playing virtuosity is very evident here as it dominates the sound. The choice of master producer Glyn Johns was a wise one as the album has production values and a balance that were missing on his past solo efforts.
The J.J. Cale song, “Cocaine,” begins the album on a ringing note. Great chords and riffs propel this anti drug song. Rock ‘n’ roll does not get much better than this and it would become an eternal part of his live shows.
“Wonderful Tonight” takes the listener in a change direction. This gentle ballad, written for Patti Boyd (Harrison), features one of his better vocals and the lyrics demonstrate how he had evolved as a songwriter. “Lay Down Sally” was a huge top three hit single in the United States. Its shuffle or staccato guitar sound was unique and Clapton’s vocal fits in well. Marcy Levy, who co-wrote the track with Clapton, provides some memorable vocals.
Another outstanding track was also co-written by Levy. “The Core,” at close to nine minutes, gives Clapton some room to stretch plus contains a nice Clapton/Levy duet. The old Arthur Crudup tune, “Mean Old Frisco,” returns him to his blues roots as he demonstrates some tasty slide guitar technique. “We’re All The Way,” written by Don Williams, is an early Clapton foray into a country sound.
Slowhand was a masterpiece then, and remains one now. For anyone interested in the solo career of Eric Clapton, it all flows through this album.

Eric Clapton swaps: Eric Clapton electric guitar for cricket bat

Eric Clapton brandished a cricket bat instead of a Fender Stratocaster to play a charity match this week.
Eric Clapton XI the rock story assembled, which featured other musicians such as Steve Crook of Juliet The Sun, to play Bunbury Cricket Club.
Speaking to the Sun, Crook revealed that he took the chance to ask the former Cream electric guitar player for tips on how to progress in the music business.
He commented, "He put us in contact with his legendary former manager David English, who's been helping to guide our career".
Crook added that in comeback, Clapton he offered a few tips on how to improve his game of cricket, in special his forward defensive stroke.
The rock story obviously got 15 runs after being given this little bit of advice.
This comes after former Rolling Stones bass guitar player Bill Wyman took part in one of Clapton's charity cricket matches in the summer.

Announce second London show to Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck

Guitar god Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck announced that they were playing a gig together at London's O2 Arena on February 13th a few months ago. Pollstar reports that the two have now added a second date, February 14th. Tickets for the gigs went on sale last week. Clapton said in a released statement, "Jeff Beck I've always considered k to be one of the finest guitar players around. He's a friend, a great guy, and a truly gifted musician. We had such a fun time in Japan that it seemed natural to play together again."Clapton and Beck have played several of the same benefits and festivals over the year but it wasn't until they split a bill in Japan last year that the duo decided to book a show together. The new show may be not the last as more dates may be added in the future.

There's One In Every Crowd-Eric Clapton

If it weren’t for the dog on the cover I would not have remembered anything about this album. My vinyl copy is in pristine condition, which is not a nice sign as it means the record has not been played very much over the years.
There’s One In Every Crowd, i have listened, a couple of times over the past two days and it reminds me of 461 Ocean Boulevard, but without the highs or truly memorable tracks. There were no hit singles and it lacked a signature song such as “I Shot The Sheriff.” It was also nowhere near as commercially successful as its number one predecessor.
This was another eclectic pair of songs by Clapton, ranging from blues to gospel to reggae to rock all in all, a mellow and laid back affair. Gone were the extended guitar solos and energetic rock ‘n’ roll of the past. It was a far change Clapton than his fans of Cream, The Bluesbreakers, and even The Yardbirds were used too.
There are no terrible tracks but there are few, if any, that actually stay with you. The first two songs, “We’ve Been Told (Jesus Is Coming)” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” are both smooth renditions and have a nice gospel feel. The best track is likely the old Elmore James blues tune, “The Sky Is Crying,” where Clapton gives a few short bursts of his guitar proficiency.
The final four songs were all written by Clapton and set the tone for a lot of his work that would follow in the years to come. “Better Make It Through Today” is soulful while “Pretty Blue Eyes” has some gentle acoustic playing.
There’s One In Every Crowd is one of the forgettable albums in Eric Clapton’s vast catalogue. If you are going to explore his music this is likely not an album you would pick. In fact, my vinyl copy has been returned to its shelf.

Eric Clapton And Jeff Beck Plan Arena Gig

(Nightwatcher) Planet Rock is reporting that Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck will play a huge gig together at the O2 Arena next year.
The blues storys will perform together at London's premier venue on 13 February. They first performed their quislingism gig in Tokyo in February and following the success of the gig they decided to bring it home.
'Eric and I played together in Japan earlier this year and had a blast. Since then we have been in regular contact and talked about doing a similar gig for our fans. Looking forward to the gig in 2010," said Beck.

London Concert In February, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton will co-headline London's O2 Arena on February 13. This concert comes on the heels of a co-bill the legendary guitarists divided last year Saitama Super Arena in Japan. At present it's just a one-off date but we won't discourage daydreaming about this pairing coming to the States.
Tickets for the O2 Arena show go on sale Monday, September 28

London Concert in February 2010 Clapton and Beck Plan Joint

They were the biggest duo to hit Japan since Godzilla and Mothra, and now comes word guitar giants Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck are going to rock together again in 2010. The pair announced today they’ll take the stage at London’s O2 Arena on February 13th, 2010 at a joint concert that promises to be epic. As Rolling Stone reported earlier this year, Beck and Clapton shared the bill together for the first time in their careers at a pair of concerts in Japan in February. The duo had previously performed together during festival shows, but hadn’t really shared the bill. And now that they’re moving geographically closer to the States, rumors that they’ll bring the joint show to the U.S. in 2010 are ramping up.
Check out all of Rolling Stone’s ultimate guitar coverage.

“I’ve always considered Jeff Beck to be one of the finest guitar players around. He’s a friend, a great guy, and a truly gifted musician. We had such a fun time in Japan that it looked natural to play together again,” Clapton said in a statement today. Added Beck, “Eric and I played together in Japan earlier this year and had a blast. Since then we have been in habitue contact and talked about doing a similar show for our fans. Looking forward to the show in 2010.”
Both Clapton and Beck will perform a set of their own music before converging onstage for a set together, and a press release promises their joint set will be longer than the ones performed at the Japan shows. Beck is only a select number of artists inducted into the Rock Hall twice for his solo career and his work with the Yardbirds while Clapton is the lone musician who appears three times in the Rock Hall: as a member of both Cream and the Yardbirds and as a solo artist. While both Clapton and Beck were both members of the Yardbirds, the two never performed together in the band: It was Beck that replaced Clapton when he left the pair.

Clapton's coupe Local duo builds

Catering to classic hot rod enthusiasts from around the world is an everyday natural event for Dan Laughlin and Eric Sanderson of Dan Laughlin Customs & Restoration in Anderson.
Last week, they completed a Merlot pearl colored 1949 Ford Coupe specially crafted for guitarist Eric Clapton.
Through their seven year association with Roy Brizio's Hot Rod Shop in South San Francisco, Laughlin and Sanderson have also built three hot rods for the Mariani family Mark, Dennis and Dennis, Jr., all of Winters as well as "a few for John Mumford," Laughlin said.
He and Sanderson also assisted Roy Brizio with a 1932 Ford four door sedan built for Bob Nickum that will be featured in the October issue of Street Rodder magazine, as well as a 1972 365 GTC Ferrari V-12-powered 1933 Ford Roadster built for Ferrari collector Larry Carter.
In fact, at a current August 22 gathering of 130 Brizio built cars at a show in Pleasanton, Laughlin and Sanderson caught glimpses of at least six of their creations.
According to the Brizio Web site, a custom built hot rod of the quality that Roy Brizio is known for typically fetches between $80,000 and $160,000. From there the price only goes up, depending upon what the customer wants as well as what the customer can afford.
"We aren't millionaires. We just work for a lot of them," Laughlin said with a wry smile.
The most current hot rod acquired by Clapton is the second such project car that Laughlin and Sanderson have helped build for the world famous guitarist.
The first, completed several years ago, was a classic green 1932 Ford Victoria, Sanderson said.
This time around, the British born rocker needed a right hand drive show stopper in which he can tool around his native countryside, according to Brizio's
The car has a specially ordered Art Morrison chassis, shaved door handles, frenched headlights and taillights, a peaked hood, a trunk lid lengthened by nearly 5 inches and a 2-inch chop to the vehicle's top. The entire floor has been replaced and wide tire wells have also been added, Sanderson said.
"This one will be a show driver. It's meant to be driven around. It will probably do a year on the show circuit before it is driven primarily for pleasure," he explained.
The power train includes a Roush built 402 cubic inch small block Ford V-8 engine matched up with a Tremec 5-speed transmission, Sanderson added.
"This combination should be capable of turning out 450 to 500 horsepower," said Sanderson, a 1994 graduate of Enterprise High School in Redding.
"Right out of high school, I started doing some detailing. At age 20, I had my own auto body shop here in Anderson," Sanderson explained in late June between sessions in the paint booth where he was spraying six coats of Martin Senour base paint as well as three coats of clear on the Clapton vehicle's door panels.
For the past five months, Laughlin, Sanderson and another part-time employee stayed busy. One week in early April, a visitor to the shop would have seen the three of them carefully jacking the coupe's solid body off of a temporary chassis prior to attaching it on either end to an auto body rotisserie so that rough spots on the car's roof, sides and undercarriage could more easily be sanded smooth.
The work that Sanderson and Laughlin do is often more akin to sculpting than auto mechanics.
"We need to remake the body panels so that they all line up and everything fits just right," Sanderson explained. "It just takes hundreds and hundreds of hours."
Sanderson estimated he and Laughlin have put in somewhere between 800 to 1,000 hours on Clapton's latest project by the time it was rolled onto the showroom floor in South San Francisco on Saturday, Sept. 12, for delivery to Clapton.
"We only do three or four cars a year for Brizio because each of his projects takes about four months," Sanderson said.
Clapton, who only currently started collecting custom hot rods, was on the West Coast this week to make a live appearance Thursday, Sept. 17, with Bruce Hornsby on NBC's new live variety show, "The Jay Leno Show." Clapton plays guitar on the track "Space is the Place" on Hornsby's new album "Levitate, which was to be released Tuesday, Sept. 15. Hornsby and the Noisemakers kicked off their latest tour Saturday, Sept. 12, with a concert in Hampton, Va.
Hardly had the Clapton car left the Anderson shop floor Saturday, Sept. 4, when Laughlin and Sanderson were soon wading into two other projects. The first is a 1932 Ford two-door sedan delivery van that was currently retrofitted with a rear delivery door. Second is a 1968 Mustang Fastback described by Laughlin as a "Bullitt"-like retro car.
All that hard work obviously pays off for Laughlin and Sanderson. Normally, Dan Laughlin Customs & Restoration is booked solid for two years in advance.
"They only do the best," said Al Naticchioni, 64, of Redding, broker and owner of Re/Max of Redding. "They only repaired my 1959 Corvette because a friend recommended me to them. I banged up the car pretty good when someone pulled out in front of me."
"The work they did was just perfect," Naticchioni said of the resulting repairs. "I've never done business with a better pair of guys. They are artists. Every line and every seam was just perfect."
After the restoration, Naticchioni said the car appraised for $150,000. He recently is offering it on-line for $119,000.
"My wife gave it to me five years ago for a birthday present when I turned 60. I've still got the car in my garage," he added.
Dennis Kliever, owner of Quality Lube & Oil in Anderson, has had Laughlin and Sanderson work on his 1941 Cadillac, which Kliever describes as a "work in progress."
"Their ideas, their imagination is amazing. They have been doing custom work for so many years that they complement each other's skills so well. When I brought my '41 Caddy to them, the car was actually rusted out. They had to put in a whole new trunk and floorboards," Kliever said.
While Sanderson was working on the trunk, he suggested to Kliever that the car's brake lights could easily be concealed in the bumper, giving the real end a more streamlined and custom-car look.
"It's trick. I just can't say enough for them," Kliever said of the car.

Yeovil tonight to Rodent rockers

POWER rock trio The Hamsters are playing the Quicksilver Mail in Yeovil tonight (Sunday).
The band are a top blues rock attraction, having performed 4,000 concerts over 21 years and worked with artists including Eric Clapton and Alison Moyet.
Although primarily performing their material, they are widely heeded as leading translator of the music of Jimi Hendrix and more currently ZZ Top.
Their brand of rootsy rock, blues and Americana have attracted plaudits from issue as diverse as Kerrang and Top Gear magazine.
The concert starts at 9pm, with doors open from 8pm, and tickets cost £10 in advance on 01935-424721.

'still sounds new' Fender Stratocaster

The fresh sound of the Fender Stratocaster has been hailed by MusicRadar, more than half a century after the electric guitar was first conceptioned.
According to the website, the instrument has changed very little during its 55 years in production, bar the incorporation of a few minor tweaks and innovations.
These small elaboration were said to have helped keep it sounding vital and new throughout its long life.
"It remains in shape and sound a potent weapon for any guitar player," MusicRadar commented.
The website connected that the electric guitar has become a modern icon partly because of the legendary musicians who have made it their apparatus of choice.
Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Cream guitarist Eric Clapton were hailed as three of the stars who have helped to popularise the instrument.
MusicRadar also flagged up the late Rory Gallagher, Hank Marvin and Buddy Holly as other notable Fender Stratocaster players.
This echoes suddenly observations from Wired.com, which noted that the instrument has become synonymous with the music it has been used to create.
Superb value electric guitars available now

Eric Clapton filmmakers seek footage captured by fans

The producers of a new Eric Clapton documentary are effect the help of fans to provide them with can did picture of the artist or his achievement.

Filmmakers at the back the top secret project were already said to have procured hours of performance video, backstage scenes and interviews.

According to Eric Clapton Portal.com, the team is now on the lookout for excellent footage, video and film of Clapton prior to 1980, reports Contactmusic.
Producers allege the unnamed movie will "represent the most comprehensive overview of Eric’s 45-plus year career ever assembled."

ERIC CLAPTON LINK

He is credited as an innovator in a wide variety of genres. These include blues-rock (with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and the Yardbirds) and psychedelic rock (with Cream). Additionally, Clapton's chart success was not limited to the blues, with chart-toppers in Delta Blues (Me and Mr. Johnson), pop ("Change the World") and reggae (Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff").Held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex in Soho, it was to announce two concerts on October 29th and 30th at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Performing on the 29th will be Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Simon & Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder. One of his most successful recordings was the hit love song "Layla," which he played with the band Derek and the Dominos, and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads"it was to announce two concerts on October 29th and 30th at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Performing on the 29th will be Bruce Springsteen & The E Street in June 2009. In September 2008, Clapton performed at a private charity fundraiser for The Countryside Alliance at Floridita in Soho, London, that included such guests as the London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Conclude U.S. Tour

The tour has garnered rave reviews from fans and critics, and the final concert at the Hollywood Bowl on 30 June was no different. Eric was in particularly did great form on the blues-based numbers, filling them with energy and emotions from his stratocaster. A long show for 2 hours 20 minutes.

Eric Clapton UK tour

Although Eric Clapton's musical style has varied throughout his career, it has always remained rooted in the blues. Clapton also worked on the music for the 'Lethal Weapon' motion picture series alongside Michael Kamen and David Sanborn.

Many factors influenced Clapton's comeback, including his 'deepening commitment to Christianity', to which he had converted prior to his heroin addiction.
The good news for the UK fans of Eric Clapton that Eric Clapton has announced his new tour dates for UK. All Eric Clapton tickets are available on The Online Ticket Shop. Buy Eric Clapton Tickets Now!.

Eric Clapton Jams With The Allman Brothers A Second Time! Historic Show at NYC’s Beacon Theater

On 20 March, history was made a second time when Eric Clapton again joined The Allman Brothers Band on stage at New York City's Beacon Theater. The seven-song set left those in attendance speechless. Although the 19th was an excellent performance, the 20th was one of those magic nights that music fans live for.

Like the previous evening, EC's long-time guitar technician, Lee Dickson, was spotted during intermission setting up EC's gear. Stepping out a few songs into the second set with his daphne blue signature stratocaster, EC's set with the Allman Brothers was "Key To The Highway," "Stormy Monday," "Dreams," "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad," "Little Wing," an epic version of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed," and the evening's encore, "Layla."

One Clapton fan that reported into Where's Eric! that another thing that made both evenings at The Beacon pleasurable was the Allman Brothers' fans. He said, "They are truly passionate about the music. They give the music and the musicians on stage the attention and respect they deserve while having an absolutely fantastic time. More concert crowds should be like this."

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