[Slowhand] Re: NBTB

[DeltaNick]

>> Hello all and dear DeltaNick, I think that's a pretty cheap way of
replying, but who cares, that's your way. I feel Clapton has played better
than ever during the last then years and that includes the tour
2001(especially the start). I didn't hear Lay Down Sally live during the
last decade. Cheers, Ande <<

Ande,

Cheap? I repeated YOUR words. So, I guess if I write a bit, then it won't be
"cheap." Okay, here goes ...

I believe that Clapton is capable of playing so much better guitar than he
has for the past several years, at least since the blues tours of the "From
The Cradle" period (1993-1995). And his style of guitar playing hasn't
really changed much since the late '70s or early '80s (I guess it was good
when he "grew" out of his "60s style," but it's okay for him to be stuck
today in the '70s or '80s). Yes, he can still play fine guitar, but it
appears that he doesn't try much any more, as if he's on auto-pilot. Most of
today's solos sound like the last one, with few exceptions.

Can you name a particular guitar solo, since the "From The Cradle" period,
that everyone knows and remembers, that's considered a standard by
guitarists? Probably not. However, all guitarists old enough -- and quite a
few young ones -- are more than familiar with EC's guitar playing on
classics such as "Crossroads," "Sunshine Of Your Love," "Hideaway,"
"Steppin' Out," "Stormy Monday," "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" from the
"Layla" album, etc. That's because he made bold, passionate, and inventive
statements on these and other numbers during that period. He TRIED to play
guitar, and he was quite successful at it. Today, though, it doesn't seem as
if he tries very hard. And we all know that Clapton readily admits that he's
quite lazy, as verified by some who've known him for decades. Many agree
with his this (see, for example:
http://guitar.about.com/library/weekly/aa112899a.htm).

If you read the guitar magazines, they do not transcribe Clapton's latest
solos, but keep printing transcriptions of his '60s solos instead. This is
because those particular pieces were amazing. Guitar players, old AND young,
want to learn them: they're considered artistic gems and musical classics,
from the period when Clapton was different from your run-of-the-mill guitar
player. In fact, he's not often featured in today's guitar magazines.
Remember, Clapton used to be THE cutting edge guitarist. Not many consider
him to be in that category today. In fact, I've seen letters in guitar
magazines in which some claim that "Clapton sucks" (these exact words
appeared about a year ago in one of the popular guitar magazines). I don't
see this type of statement written about anyone else, about other
guitarists. Why? Maybe it's because they hear Clapton's guitar playing today
and wonder what the fuss is all about, what's so special about it.

And I gave you an example, regarding his current guitar playing, in my
original NBTB e-mail. Clapton still bends notes, and he still applies
vibrato. But he almost never does them together any more, which is something
he used to do regularly in days past, as on the tunes mentioned above. This
is just one example of what he no longer does. As a friend says, Clapton
currently does "no heavy lifting." He seems to be too concerned, instead,
with playing middle-of-the-road, "adult contemporary" songs like "Wonderful
Tonight" and "Lay Down Sally," which are both featured on his current tour
in Japan. I believe that he's capable of so much more. There are fans, and
there are fans with blind faith (no pun intended) who haven't the ability to
think for themselves. Some really believe that Clapton is a god, that he can
do no wrong. Some of these fans would fawn, gush, and praise Clapton if he
burped --  instead of sang -- on his next album.

Ande, it's your right to love whatever music you want, and to believe
whatever you want. However, as there are many not in agreement with me,
there are plenty of others who are not necessarily in agreement with you.

                DeltaNick