[Slowhand] Blues Breakers: Deluxe Edition

[deltanick at aol.com]

>> Correct me if I’m wrong, but from what was previously communicated 

here on the Digest EC returned from his Greek Odyssey on 6 Nov 1965, 
with his first gig being the next day. <<

  All the information I’ve seen indicates that Clapton rejoined Mayall’s 
band and resumed performing with them on either 7 or 11 November 1965. 
However, one source identifies Clapton as returning to England on a 
Saturday, which was probably 6 November 1965.

  >> That would indicate to me that EC is not on the tracks (“Cheatin’ 
Woman”, “Nowhere to Turn” and “I’m Your Witchdoctor”) apparently 
recorded on 25 October 1965, by the BBC Light Programme: Saturday Club. 
As a matter of fact the guitar on the tracks is hardly audible. <<

  You are correct. The guitarist on those tracks is Geoff Krivit (this 
is the correct spelling), who was “on loan” from Dr. K’s Blues Band, as 
Clapton was still in continental Europe.

  >> Also, the tracks (“Hideaway”, “Little Girl” and “Tears in My Eyes”) 
recorded for Jazz Beat on 9 Feb 1966 - as found on Primal Seed - are 
missing from this compilation. And this was a time that Eric was indeed 
in the group. <<

  Again, you are correct. However, before those tracks appeared on 
“Primal Seed,” they appeared on “Bluesbreaking!” “Primal Seed” was a 
bootleg of “Bluesbreaking!” and its producers did not have access to 
the same original sources that 3BR Records employed. In fact, 3BR 
Records hunted down the previously unreleased recordings, compiled them 
 from the best sources available at the time, “remastered” them, and 
issued them in 2000. Furthermore, “Bluesbreaking!” production run cover 
art included previously unreleased photographs, from 1965 live 
performances, that had once belonged to Eric Clapton. This cover art is 
available to Slowhand Digest subscribers on the Geetarz web site 
(http://www.geetarz.org/reviews/clapton/bluesbreaking.htm). 
Furthermore, track notes on “Primal Seed” are incorrect, even after 
those published with “Bluesbreaking!” were correct!

  >> Once again, the liner notes - written by the compilation producer, 
researcher and general all rounder (Mark Powell) - do not tie up with 
the recording dates as shown on the (new) cover. Somehow the memo to 
the production department must have gotten lost. I wish they’d send out 
the whole bang shoot to someone knowledgeable before going to press … 
Being a producer does not make you a great writer <<

  You will notice a distinct difference between the cover notes and the 
internal booklet notes with “Blues Breakers: Deluxe Edition.” Disregard 
the dates on the “BB: DE” cover notes, as they are incorrect. Powell’s 
notes in the booklet accompanying “BB: DE” are much more accurate. I 
suspect that Mark Powell had less to do with the cover notes than with 
the internal booklet notes. But it was a poor job of editing, 
nevertheless. However, it does not compare to the piss poor package 
editing on the (American) Bill Levenson-produced remaster of Mayall’s 
“A Hard Road,” the album that followed “Blues Breakers.” On the 
Levenson-produced remaster, the label (Deram) was misspelled on the 
album’s spine (Derum), a new low in package editing.

  >> From my understanding of the vague reference to “Double Crossing 
Time”, it appears that there is an earlier existing recording of the 
track - this too should have been included in the compilation. Before 
this my understanding was that the track on Blues Breakers (Beano) was 
recorded some months before the other tracks. Now we have a stereo 
version of “On Top of the World” too, which is not really that 
thrilling. <<

  Recording of “Double Crossing Time,” was probably begun in December 
1965. Later on, in March 1966 while “Blues Breakers” was being 
recorded, whatever remained of “DCT” was updated, including an entirely 
different guitar track by EC (you can hear the not-fully-erased 
previous solo and some other guitar parts, and some lead guitar during 
the intro on the mono version only). In fact, there are some 
differences between the mono and stereo tracks throughout the album, as 
far as EC’s guitar and Mayall’s Hammond organ are concerned. And if you 
read the internal booklet liner notes, you’d have seen that a stereo 
version of “On Top Of The World” was mixed for production of this 
particular release.

  >> Musically, comparing this Decca compilation to the Deram mono and 
stereo release from a few years back, I’d say you can hear the 
supporting instruments more clearly on this compilation. <<

  I disagree, since the 1998 release is much “fatter,” meaning that it 
includes a wider spectrum of sound: more of the lower and at least as 
much mid and upper frequencies, if not more. However, testing at 
DeltaNick Laboratory is still ongoing. Headphone Qualification Trials, 
followed by Headphone Record Runs, will not be completed until late 
December or January. Most Studio and Motor Vehicle Runs are complete, 
however, and data are being compiled and analyzed as I type. These will 
be followed by Results Certification. So stay tuned.

  “Blues Breakers: Deluxe Edition” has NOT been released in the US, but 
is available from several online vendors as an import (Amazon.com: 
$32.98; CDUniverse.com: $34.89; or you can order directly from 
Amazon.co.uk: £13.97; or eil.com: £14.99). Check exchange rates to see 
which is the best buy.

 DeltaNick


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