[Slowhand] Re: Re: Blackie

[Gaetano Villari]

>>>Blackie seems to have been the most famous of EC's guitars among the
masses,
most of whom can't play a note on guitar <<<
 
Right, which exactly means Blackie is among the most famous Clapton's
guitars, not the most important or memorable. Unfortunately, quality is not
always a reason for an artist's fame. It shoud be the only one, but is not.
Historically, fame has often had to do much as well with understanding the
trends, often meaning meeting needs for mere appearances and riding mass
phenomenons. And of course exploiting the market. Notice I hate to write it.
But having done this in the Sixties, as EC did, was not the same as it is in
the Britney Spears era, because back then that involved much courage and a
self-promoting genius that are not required today, owing to the little
visibility that certainly artists don't have to cope with today. But of
course EC would be unknown today if he hadn't backed his icon/personality
with what many think is the best guitar playing in the world. So personally,
I don't agree with looking at an artist's work down one's nose just because
he hit the charts at some point in his career, because ANYTHING matters.
What made Clapton who he is now was, I think, his role in the development of
rock history mainly through the Cream, the Bluesbreakers and the D&D
experiences, as much as his being a pop icon, which was also built on WT,
LDS, Cocaine and Blackie (plus drugs and alcohol) as a part of this that can
t be rejected unless you reject Clapton himself. A part without which nobody
would probably bid nearly one million dollars for Blackie today. I'd even go
as far as to think that EC wouldn't even had produced those early
masterpieces you refer to hadn't he been going to play later on in his
career those hits with Blackie. That's why it doesn't make any sense to me
to criticise some choices by an artist once you are sure you are fond of his
work and life, which has nothing to do with having no critical sense. And
that is why, Deltanick, I think you basically don't like Eric Clapton.
 
Cheers
Gaetano