Eric Clapton - Yay or Nay?

Some of you kids have absolutely NO CLUE what you are talking about.

Clapton not revolutionizing guitar playing? No, no he didn't do much. He merely popularized the blues as a widely accepted form of music way back when he was much much younger. He learnt how to play the way he did with much less influences and heroes as we have now... Nothing much... just raw talent I guess. nothing to be lauded about. It wasn't a later thing he did with the blues, he was blues from the beginning. His work with John Mayall and the Blues Breakers is only regarded as just the greatest blues album ever of that era. His work with Cream was not ground breaking either, just only setting the tone for power trios in generations to come. His fingerwork back then wasn't much... Just one of the most fiercest, aggressive lead players of his time.... He simply inspired one of the greatest guitarists of all time to pick up the instrument and transform the genre (yes, that's Eddie Van Halen for you... EC was EVH's hero.). EC following SRV? Not really. EC merely provided the aggression in blues playing that allowed SRV to gain acceptance. His playing just made Robbie Robertson of the Band stunned during a guest appearance in The Last Waltz movie by Martin Scorsese. No, nothing much at all... He even greated a series of Crossroads concert festivals for charity, and show cased young upcoming artists (John Mayer anyone?)

Nah... I guess he didn't do much... He just set the ball rolling for all of us to play whatever we're playing today...

In addition, and crucially from the perspective of the music industry, he actually helped popularise the blues influenced sounds to the 'white' kids in the USA. Which also bought in the Stones, Led Zep etc. Helping shift records as they used to be called was a huge thing and they loved him for it.

- - - Updated - - -

for sure Clapton is a good guitarist, is he great, that's up to the listener. I saw him in Shanghai about 8 years ago and I was very disappointed. Sure he played his classics, but there was no heart. Exactly 1 hour + one encore. Considering how rare it is to get such people in China (and how expensive the tickets were) I felt sorry for some of the people that travelled from other cities to get there.

You can be a good guitarist, but if your heart aint in it you shouldn't be taking peoples money.

He is not great in my books, and just listen to people like Stevie Ray Vaughn and you'll hear where a lot of Clapton's music came from, even though Clapton was older, his blues style came later.

Funnily enough I was also at this gig and yeah it felt flat but given the mix of the crowd that wasn't exactly surprising. Most of the foreigners wanted Layla and not much else so they looked bored when he was playing more bluesy tunes. I thought his tone was pretty decent.
Derek Trucks was steaming though!
 
No, not that good.
Made an entire career out of pentatonic licks, when Jeff beck was really taking risks and Mark Knopfler was playing truly beautiful melody and harmony. Accepted the nickname god for what? A record or two every decade, the best of which was that Roger Waters LP in the 80s.
 
Back
Top