[Slowhand] RE: Richard--EC shakeup

[Susan Marchman]

>>I wonder what some of the people on this list need for EC to do to be satisfied.  In a little over a decade, we have had 24 nights at the RAH including all-blues shows, a concerto for orchestra and guitar, TDF, Legends, an all-blues covers album with accompanying tour, a Curtis Mayfield influenced album, an unplugged album, great versions of Dylan songs at the Dylan tribute, an all Robert Johnson album, ongoing tours with nuggets like Got to Get Better, Walk Out in the Rain and Let it Rain, a George Harrison tribute, a performance with Mayall, changes in Strat sensors and now a Cream reunion.

I see EC has not shaken anything up.  Oh, yes, he has also been selling out for the money - auctioning off most of his guitars and organizing concerts to raise money for the Crossroads center.<<

No doubt in this world that EC has a long resume of greatness.  He will forever be my favorite.  I enjoy him so much, I paid out the nose to sit at his feet seven times this year and it was fantastic.

But I am ready for a reemergence, a rebirth of the Clapton of old, a new dawn for the guitar god--in the studio.

Dylan covers, Johnson covers, Harrison tributes.  Many great recordings, many great performances.  Sometimes note for original note, sometimes he makes them his own and takes these pieces to places unheard of--sometimes great nuggets.  But the nuggets you mention in particular are all over thirty years old.  (Don't get me wrong, I'm not denigrating the songs you mentioned nor any of the old classics, they will forever be favorites). 

But I'm ready for some new nuggets; no, a goldmine of killer tracks.  I'm ready for EC to step out of the box and show the world he means business.  

I don't think I or anyone has ever said that Clapton has sold out for anything.  I included the Seely quote to illustrate the almost clichéd path taken, however unwittingly, by many rockers, and to show that (according to these two critics) EC is considered to be teetering on the brink: more, as one writes, because of the Babyface days, the other doesn't state exactly why he would give honorable mention to our man, but I can only surmise, from his criticisms of the other artists (as well as the criteria spelled out in bold,* though I would choose personally to take the "intentionally" out of the "squandered" and soften it to a lesser offense all together--though a holding back is the gist of it), that it might be because of paths taken that do not live up to his incontrovertible potential or choices made that have not done justice to Clapton's great talent.

I'm ready for our EC to dazzle us and make us dizzy with his magic.  I'm ready for Eric Clapton to once again get the world to wake up and take notice of the greatest guitar player EVER.  I'm ready for EC to metaphorically kick Usher and Destiny's Child and Hip Hop whoever off of the stage at the 2005 Grammys.  Shake...things...up.

What's wrong with wanting the best from the best?

susan

*"have talent, use it well for a substantial period of time, then intentionally       squander it...."
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