[Slowhand] Re: auto-pilot

[DeltaNick]

Grant,

If you've read what I've written about this, over time, you'll see that I've
consistently replied to ALL of these questions. So, allow me to explain once
more ...

 >> 19 minute versions of ... <<

No, I'm NOT interested in hearing 16- or 19-minute versions of ANY songs, no
"Spoonful" (I liked the studio version, but not the live one), no "Let It
Rain" (I don't really care for this "bubblegum" song), none.

>> you appear to be saying is that he doesn't solo with the same fire or
creativity he used to 30 odd years ago <<

No, I don't APPEAR to be saying that, I am outright saying so. Just remove
the word "same," because if something's the same, it's no longer creative
nor fiery. Yes, the fire and creativity are just not there, either because
he doesn't want to show it, or he cannot do it. In interviews, he's pretty
much given both answers. In '74 when he returned to performing, he said that
he just wasn't going to do it any more -- he didn't want to do it -- even
though he knew the fans wanted it. He held back. And in other interviews -- 
he's CONSISTENTLY and REPEATEDLY over the years -- said that his chops were
best during his days with Mayall. So, I guess this sort of means that he
can't quite do what he did in the past.

>> play with fire and passion, but either chooses consciously not to (your
argument, which i don't believe), or he DOES try every night but simply gets
it right only so often, which is my argument, that he can't be "on" every
night. <<

I lean more toward Clapton's first excuse, although I believe an element of
the second is involved too.

Here's my argument. EC is known as an especially passionate performer. And
he still shows us his passion via his singing. But I believe that he holds
back with the guitar. He's told us so, as I mentioned above. EC has a
special guitar talent, but he holds back. Too bad, because this talent is SO
extraordinary.

Let me give just a few recent examples: the tracks on the latest "70th
Birthday Concert" Mayall album. He just does NOT try hard at all. There's a
difference of day and night, compared to, say, "Beano," and his playing
during the '60s. Another: "Crossroads." The "Willie And The Hand Jive"
version of Crossroads" that he introduced in 1969 or 1970 is dead ...
boring. But whenever he plays "Crossroads," that's all he plays ... not an
upbeat version, but a lackluster, boring one. There is just NO comparison
whatsoever. Is it because he doesn't want to, or because he can't? And I
know of what you speak regarding "on" and "off" nights. This happens to ALL
artists. But the "on" nights are SO much fewer. Back in the '60s, he was
pretty much "on" MOST of the time. Clapton was especially known for this.

>> A case in point is the Bob Dylan tribute from '92. On Don't Think Twice,
he played, in my opinion, one of the greatest solos of his career - fiery,
cutting. <<

Excellent performance, excellent guitar playing. However, after the "Nothing
But The Blues" tours (1994-1995), this has pretty much dried up. We just
don't hear this any more. With very few exceptions, he doesn't really
concentrate at all on guitar on his studio albums -- each solo was a "song
within a song." He used to do so in his earlier days, but not any more.

>> EC's guitar playing is not 1 dimentional, which is what sets him apart
from other guitar players and is what makes him NOT just another guitar
player. <<

Here's another place where I disagree. First of all, Clapton is NOT a
one-dimensional guitarist. But it appears that's all he wants us to see
today: one dimension. This is EXACTLY my point. He holds back and does NOT
let us experience him "let it all hang out" any more. In this way, all he
does today is pretty much the same old stuff. And when Clapton appears to
many fans to be "on" nowadays, all solos sound pretty much the same. If you
tune in during the middle of the solo, you usually cannot tell what song it
is! His soloing is pretty much one-dimensional nowadays, when I know he's
capable of SO much more. Why let us experience his singing passion, but NOT
his guitar passion?

>> By the way, i don't think everything EC does is great ... does anybody?
<<

Sure, a number of people on the Slowhand Digest think so. Clapton could burp
and they'd claim he attained new heights.

                DeltaNick