[Slowhand] Re: Blackie

[DeltaNick]

>> And that is why, DeltaNick, I think you basically don't like Eric
Clapton. <<

Gaetano,

I agree with much of what you wrote in this last message. Unfortunately,
you're wrong about my disliking Clapton.

Actually, I don't know Clapton, so I don't know whether I'd like him or not.
But Clapton is my favorite artist, my favorite guitar player. In general, I
like his music ... a lot. Just five nights ago, I attended his concert in
Washington, DC, and enjoyed it. It's the best he's played since the Nothing
But The Blues tours of 1993-1995, certainly better than the "Pilgrim" and
"Reptile" tours of 1998 and 2001.

However, I equate Blackie with what I consider to be his most sub-standard
period, the period I like least. In interviews, Clapton admits not to
remembering much of this period, and he's said that his music was simply a
way to the next drink. He's also said that he was easily influenced: he
didn't think much for himself. And furthermore, at the time he said that he
wasn't going to play much guitar at all. In fact, he hired George Terry to
play much of the lead guitar. I believe that my logic here is simple and
plain to see: my favorite guitarist decided not to play much guitar, after
disappearing for three years. Does this mean that I don't like Clapton? No,
merely that I don't like this period as much as earlier and later periods of
his career. When he returned to recording and touring, it was a great
disappointment.

When I first heard "Lay Down Sally," I was appalled, since I'd heard him
play MUCH better guitar earlier. The song sounded like an inconsequential
ditty to me: definitely not once of my favorite songs, and neither were "I
Shot The Sheriff" and "Cocaine." However, I will say that "I Shot The
Sheriff," especially in the past 10-15 years, has become a vehicle for some
exploratory musicianship and dynamics, and its arrangement has changed quite
a bit. It is often, today, a tour de force, one of the more interesting
parts of an EC concert. But I still don't care much for the 1974 version.

I also believe that Clapton took more care -- crafted and prepared -- when
he played guitar in the past. His old solos, before his disappearance, were
virtually all of the "song within a song" variety: well thought out and
developed. Today, he often just "does a solo," almost as if he's on
autopilot. His solos on studio albums today seem as if he does not prepare
at all. Sometimes it turns out great, at other times, just okay, as if he
doesn't care much about guitar.

But as I stated earlier, Clapton's my favorite artist and guitarist, and I
enjoy his music -- most of it -- immensely. I also enjoy some songs more
than others, as I'm sure you do.

                DeltaNick