[Slowhand] An Interview with Eric Clapton Guitar Technician Lee Dickson

[Nick Morris]

I came across this article this morning.

Nick


Strat Collector News Desk Article
News and information related to collectible Fender Stratocasters 

http://www.stratcollector.com/newsdesk/archives/000259.html
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An Interview with Eric Clapton Guitar Technician Lee Dickson
by RICK LANDERS

Lee Dickson has been Eric Clapton's guitar guru for nearly a quarter of a
century. As Clapton's guitar technician, Dickson cares for Eric's
instruments at all times, whether on tour or at home in the United Kingdom.

Clapton is currently on tour in the United States. Strat Collector News
caught up with Dickson in Washington D.C. on June 20, 2004, four days before
the Crossroads Auction at Christie's.

Rick Landers for the Strat Collector News Desk: You have been Eric Clapton's
guitar technician for over twenty years. How did your relationship begin and
how would you characterize it?

LEE DICKSON: It's been 24 going on 25 years. It began in Japan in December
1979. As to our relationship, Eric is first and foremost my employer and we
have a friendship that exists within that relationship. It's my job. It's
not like he's someone I hang out with.

SCND: What type of work do you do typically perform on his guitars and does
it include repairs?

LEE: I'll do on the road repairs and stuff, such as occasional re-frets when
the guitar needs it. If the gear is something particularly delicate and old,
there are people on the road I use for different things. 

SCND: Do you have any assistants or are you a "one man show"? 

LEE: No, it's just me.

SCND: What about Andy Fields?

LEE: Yes, we do have Andy Fields with us who handles the power to the stage
and repairs to Eric's amps and stuff like that. Andy used to be John
Entwhistle's bass tech, but by his own admission, he's much more of an
electronics genius type and not so much interested in guitars, as such.

SCND: What are some of the particularly special moments you've experienced
with Eric and the music business?

LEE: Far too many to think about, "Live Aids", playing with Lenny Kravitz at
the White House, on tour with Muddy Waters in the 70s, some of the great
nights when Eric plays from what seems like another dimension. And the
George Harrison thing, you know...far too many...touring with George, the
Concert for George...special moments in the studio with Eric and other
musicians, hundreds of things...there have been tons of special memories.

SCND: Do you play guitar?

LEE: I play guitar well enough to do the job. I play guitar because I write
songs. I have a lot of guitars of my own - Strats, Les Pauls, Gretschs,
acoustics, a National fiberglass, twelve strings - many different types.

SCND: What guitar do you typically pick up to play?

LEE: I'm not really a stand-up-in-a-band type of guitar player, so I just
rotate them around. I don't have a particular pattern, I just grab the
guitar I want at the moment. There are some I like more than others. The
guitar I took out with me for this tour is a Fender Relic model (Olympic
White with gold hardware). 

SCND: Is there anything that Eric prefers as far as set up with his
Stratocasters that would be considered unique?

LEE: No, he uses a pretty standard set up. We use Ernie Ball strings on all
the electrics, both the solid and semi-solid body guitars. I use a mixture
of acoustic strings, but mostly Martin strings on the Martin
guitars...they're very good reliable strings. I get samples of other strings
all the time. 

People sometimes come up and want us to try other strings. I think over the
years my ears have weakened. I have to be in a quiet room to string and
restring, then I have to try to remember what the first set of strings
sounded like compared with the second. Anyway, we pretty much stick to Ernie
Balls and Martin strings.

SCND: How many guitars will Eric own after the Christie's Crossroads Guitar
Auction this Thursday [June 24, 2004]?

LEE: Let's have the next question, please. [Smiles]

SCND: Do you think Eric will begin to gather up more guitars to fill in any
emotional gaps left, as a result of the many guitars he has donated to
support the Crossroads Centre?

LEE: Well I could only presume there is an emotional hole, which I would
think there would be, but really only Eric can answer that question. He does
like to be a minimalist. Still, he may decide to pick up something. It isn't
something he has discussed in any great detail, even though we'll be picking
up a couple of guitars on this tour.

SCND: Will you miss any of the guitars coming up for auction?

LEE: Yeah. Especially the red '64 Gibson 335 because of the CREAM
association. CREAM was one of my favorite bands in that period of my life
and it was the first time I saw Eric. I never saw him when he was with the
Yardbirds. 

And the Tony Zemaitus - not played much but so amazing, so unique looking
and it sounds like no other 12-string. And Blackie of course. That is one of
the most famous guitars in the world. I take care of them and they were
always there and now they're not. It took me a while to get over the last
auction, and it will take me a longer time to get over this one. But, at the
end of the day, I'm just the caretaker, the curator, the keeper, I've never
been under any impression not for even one millisecond through the years
that they were anything but Eric's guitars. When he's finished they go to
where he wants them to be. I have tons of guitars of my own, but even if I
didn't I would never play Eric's guitars, except for a sound check or when
doing something to get them ready for him on stage. 

It's a voodoo thing. 

I know a lot of people would love to play his guitars or just hold them. But
I recognize that I have a special position and I treat it with the greatest
respect. 

SCND: Does Eric study the guitars he buys as a true collector or does he
tend to buy them just because he likes them.

LEE: It really depends on the guitar, so, I'd say yes to both questions. It
depends, because sometimes he may like the rarity or the construction of a
guitar or it might simply be an instrument he likes and wants to look over
or try out.

SCND: What guitars does Eric like to keep around home?

LEE: It's kind of difficult to say because I'm never at home with him. He
doesn't keep a lot of instruments there. He owns a couple properties and may
keep a few gut strings and some steel strings guitars at his homes. He may
keep an old Martin or one of his favorite gut strings. Depends on whether
he's writing or not if he'll want to have more instruments around. It
varies.

SCND: How would you describe a typical day on tour? Are you having fun? 

LEE: People seem to think that touring is all fun. It's like when you go to
the circus you see everything is up and running. But you don't see all the
things that need to be done to make the show ready for the public. You don't
see the lights being put together and everything being plugged in and the
power being run and things being prepared for the public. I think that for
most people it isn't about having fun on their job...well, in America people
may think about having fun, maybe more so than in other places.

So, how would I describe a typical day on tour? 

We get off the bus, we go in, we shower, some of the guys have priorities
for catering, like coffee and stuff. I get my cases lined up that are going
on the wing. Bit by bit the sound systems are up and running and the lights
on the stage start to go up, the drapes are put in, then the flooring's
laid, risers come up, get everything else up, line check it, check
everything again, scan the radios for interference, restring, band comes in,
grab a guitar, give Eric the guitar, Eric plays, gives guitar back, tear it
all down, put it all back in the truck, then repeat ad infinitum.

SCND: Your circus analogy sounds about right.

LEE: Yeah, and that's why when fans approach you about how well they enjoyed
the show it's always fantastic to hear. Sometimes there are nights when the
musicians reach unbelievable heights. And then there are other nights when
you'll have problems with the sound or a musician is not happy with
something on stage or with his sound because of the building
acoustics...just a million things come into it. The people who approach you
after the show and think it was so fantastic and great, you've got to
realize that they've been waiting in line for ages just like at a circus and
they've got their ticket and they go in and there it is...all the lights and
the stage looks great...everything's cool, the sound system's running
great...they're up for it. 

SCND: Without the Stratocasters "Blackie" and "Brownie" to keep him company,
what guitars is Eric using on the tour? Does he have a particular favorite?

LEE: Well, you know Blackie and Brownie haven't kept him company for quite
some time. Brownie was sold in the 1999 auction and Blackie's retired. He's
now using Eric Clapton Signature Strats. He's changed pickups over the years
and circuitry. The past couple of years he's been playing what we call the
"graffiti Strats". As far as pickups, he'll play pretty much whatever Fender
puts in them - he's generally happy with what Fender provides.

SCND: I guess no matter what, he always sounds like Eric.

LEE: Yeah and that's the great thing, you know? What people don't really
understand is that Eric sounds like Eric pretty much when he's using any
guitar or any amp that has volume on it. Same with Jeff Beck. Same with Pete
Townshend and the same with Billy Gibbons or B.B. King. They have a sound
that's theirs and the amplifier and guitar are merely vehicles that help
create it.

SCND: Typically, new strings take a couple days to dampen out before they're
really playable. What do you do to keep strings ready for Eric when he's
playing?

LEE: I'll always have another guitar ready to switch out and all I have to
do is hand it to him. Because the way Eric plays, two days to let the
strings dampen out wouldn't do, you know you have to change them regularly.
He's not a light player, he hammers them. And he's very heavy on them. On
stage everything has to be ready to the optimum. He needs new strings all
the time. And I have my own technique to stretch them without
over-stretching them, because he bends so much and we don't want the guitar
to go out of tune. And he likes to play one guitar he doesn't like to
change.

SCND: I read that at the 1999 Crossroads Guitar Auction there was one,
possibly two, guitars that Eric considered buying back and some people have
speculated that "Brownie" and the "Rodeo" guitars were those guitars.
Correct?

LEE: No, those aren't the ones he was considering.

SCND: The upcoming auction at Christie's is a wonderful expression of Eric's
humanity and generosity. What impression has this made on his friends,
fellow musicians, and you personally?

LEE: I can't comment for his friends and fellow musicians, but certainly
lots of people rallied around the cause at the Dallas Festival and now the
New York Christie's Crossroads Guitar Auction. Some great players have
donated.

Personally? It's the ever changing Eric - you never know what he's going to
do next and that makes the job incredibly interesting. He's a great guy to
work for and what he's done in his private life that is now public, such as
causes like the Crossroads Centre, have made an impression. He's generous
and a great, giving guy and being a guitar lover and having looked after all
of his guitars has had a tremendous on me personally. And how he is willing
to lay his head on the line for this type of thing. 

It would be easy for him to just donate a couple of instruments for the
Centre. I suppose he could give a lot of money and that would be a fantastic
gesture, but if you have a favorite bunch of cars or guitars or a collection
that's meant something serious to you, your whole life and your blood, sweat
and tears, then your history is in it. It shows you the size of the guy's
heart. It's a hard thing to do, at least it would be for me. It's an
emotional strain, I would think, to lose these guitars, but I think he sees
the big picture and the lives the proceeds of the auction will affect.
Compared to that, at the end of the day the live guitars he uses on tour are
working tools. Tools of the trade. 


Published June 28, 2004 08:08 PM.  




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