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<title>EC on BBC4 Ronnie Lane special</title>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I read somewhere that Eric and Patti were
regular visitors at Ronnie Lane’s farm, The Fishpool around 1976/77. So, “at
home” is relative to someone like Eric – even now.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Here’s an extract from the Charlie
Hart website: <a href="http://www.charliehart.com/pages/biography.htm">http://www.charliehart.com/pages/biography.htm</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>“Charlie left and joined Ruan
O'Lochlainn, Johnny Duan in St. James' Gate, a band which soon metamorphosed
into Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance. Charlie played mostly fiddle and accordion and
lived at Ronnie's farm, the Fishpool. He worked on numerous albums and hung out
with a lethal combination of rock and roll A-list (Clapton, Townshend, Small
Faces, etc.) and Shropshire farmers. The band toured Europe by train and boat
with Clapton's band and influenced a host of future bands.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>(The Fishpool is a B&B today,
available (with photographs inside and out) on the web somewhere. A very humble
dwelling.)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Here’s another interesting snippet,
care of Marc Roberty’s “Clapton: The Complete Chronicle”.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span lang=EN-ZA
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>“Prior to
chartering <i><span style='font-style:italic'>The Welsh Liberty</span></i>, a
sleek steel hulled yacht, (probably on 1 August 1977) that would take him and
the band from Cannes to Ibiza for a concert at the bull ring, Eric got together
with Ronnie Lane and old Roosters bandmate, Tom McGuinness, played an amazing
show at the Drum and Monkey pub in Shropshire, Ronnie’s local at the
time. Holding it in the car park on a hot summer evening set off the mood
perfectly. A lengthy version of “Stormy Monday” gave Clapton ample opportunity
to demonstrate his skills with some scorching lead work. The three-hour show
ended with a version of Bob Dylan’s “If You Gotta Go”. “<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span lang=EN-ZA
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#003366'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span lang=EN-ZA
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>I have separate
newsprint pictures of Eric, Ronnie and Tom at the Drum and Monkey gig in July
1977 (exact date not known) – each playing a National Steel acoustic
guitar, but unfortunately lost the concert review. It appeared in <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Melody Maker, NME, Sounds</span></i> or some such
music rag, as did a review of the bull ring show at Ibiza.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span lang=EN-ZA
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#003366'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span lang=EN-ZA
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>Eric collaboration
with Ronnie Lane at the time is captured on: “Rough Mix” (Pete
Townshend and Ronnie Lane), “See Me” (Ronnie Lane) and in a very
raw form on “Luck 7” by Ronnie Lane. The best of the bunch is the
Clapton/Lane track: “Barcelona”. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span lang=EN-ZA
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#003366'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span lang=EN-ZA
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>Ronnie’s laid-back
country squire approach to music had a major influence on Eric as is evident on
“Slowhand” and “Backless”. In retrospect, it was
probably Eric living out his determination to be like the members of The Band. Gives
a whole new meaning to the nickname Slowhand, doesn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span lang=EN-ZA
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#003366'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#003366" face=Arial><span lang=EN-ZA
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#003366'>So, in conclusion,
Eric’s latest statement doesn’t negate what has been said by him
and others previously. Also, I’m sure Eric’s management at the time
would not want to promote an image of 3 years after the widely publicised 1974
comeback Eric had his mind set on retiring to the English countryside and would
embark on a tour at the whim of Eric and those around him. American interest
and sales would have plummeted instantly. I’m sure interview writers also
edit what they write, so let’s not be too quick to say “Eric said
and now he says, what gives?” Plus, Eric’s an introvert, besides
being a man, so explaining things in detail doesn’t come easy to him.</span></font><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Kevin<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>PS. Anyone out there willing to send me a
copy of the BBC4 special, please contact me offline.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> Grant Abt
[mailto:gabt@mac.com] <br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> 07 January 2006 16:13<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> slowhand@planet-torque.com<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Slowhand] EC on BBC4
Ronnie Lane special</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>Evening viewers,<br>
<br>
Saw EC on a BBC4 special last night about Ronnie Lane, who was in The Faces
with Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood. The ARMS show was a benefit for MS, which
Ronnie Lane suffered from. Anyway, it was an interesting show, but one thing
that EC said has confused me. Part of the show was about a farm that RL had and
how all his mates (including EC) would hang out there and play. EC said that he
wrote Wonderful Tonight there with RL. I always thought that EC wrote that song
at home while waiting for Pattie to get ready. <br>
<br>
Grant.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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