| Eric Patrick Clapton (born on March 30, 1945, Ripley, Surrey, England) is a British rock musician (composer, guitarist, vocalist). He is been honored with “Order of the British Empire”. He is also known as “Slowhand”. Eric Clapton became one of the most respected & influential musical figures of rock era. His style changed in due course of time but it always had its roots in blues. Eric Clapton worked with Blues-Rock genres (John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, The Yardbirds), with Hard-Rock genre (Cream), worked solo for a long time & as sessional musician.
Key facts:
* Eric Clapton is the only musician, who was thrice inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as solor performed & member of rock bands “Cream” and “Yardbirds”;
* Clapton stands at fourth position in the list of all-time great guitarists, which is prepared by Rolling Stone; magazine;
* Most successful single for Clapton's entire solo career was his cover-version “I Shot the Sheriff” of Bob Marley, which topped the American Charts in September, 1974;
* One of the “crown” solo of Eric Clapton was solo song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” in Beatles, for the recording of which George Harrison has invited Clapton. It is not known for certain – whether Harrison was not fully satisfied with the true solo version or Clapton was invited with aim to diffuse the strained conditions, reigning in the band while recording “The White Album”. However, it is well-known fact that Clapton & Harrison were very close buddies & spent much time in the other’s company;
* Eric Clapton was guitarist during the recording of Roger Waters's album (“The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking”, 1984), Elton John (“Runaway Train”, 1992), Sting (“It’s Probably Me”, 1992) & cher (“Love Can Build a Bridge”, 1995);
* Ballad “Layla”, composed by Eric Clapton, became prototype of numerous guitar compositions on romantic themes. Refined song version won “Grammy” award in 1992. “Rolling Stone” magazine included this song in the list of 30 greatest songs in the history of modern music & this song occupied 16th position in a similar list, prepared by musical channel VH1. Layla - character of ancient Arabian legend about love of Qays, nicknamed Majnun (Madman) towards Layla. They could not live together as in the case of Eric Clapton & Pattie Boyd (wife of Harrison since 1966). After few years, in 1974, Boyd left Harrison & started romantic relationship with Clapton, who later married her. Inspite of all this, Harrison & Eric remained close friends;
* In 1993, Clapton won “Grammy” awards in all the most prestigious nominations – “Album of the Year” (“MTV Unplugged”), “Song of the Year” (“Tears In Heaven”) and “Record of the Year” (“Tears In Heaven”). This song ("Tears in Heaven") was dedicated by the musician to Conor, his four-year old son (born to Italian photo model Lori Del Santo), who died accidentally falling from a window on 53rd floor of New York skyscraper. For more than a year, musician was in enormous depression.
As a musician, Clapton was full of energy in the beginning of 1990s. In 1992 , he released his acoustic concert album “Unplugged”. Record turned out to be very interesting & significant. Album “From the Cradle”, released in 1994, marks his return to Blues. Certainly, it did not become such what it was with CREAM, but his way of performing was not as dim & lifeless as before. At last, Clapton deviated from AOP-music, which he practiced for about twenty years & subsequent albums have shown that returning to roots during “From the Cradle” – is not at all an accident. Especially, all were amazed with his association with one of the pillars of Blues BB King. Few very expected such an association.
74 year-old BB King & 55 year-old Clapton were so highly charged by energy & spirits of Blues that it created a feeling that both of them looked younger by two times. Effective and bright guitar solo, powerful sound & harsh expressional vocal of both the “kings” do not remind us about the plaintive “vegetarian” music, which we used to hear from Clapton in previous years. By the way, about the kings … name of the album “Riding With The King” in combination with cover of the record clearly indicates who is more important of the “kings”. Even after being strong & authoritative musician, Clapton honors the tradition of respecting older Blues man, who at the same time as in the case of Clapton, only started his ascent towards musical Olympus, was already a legend including for Clapton.
Latest albums of Eric Clapton rejoices us with their freshness & warmth & instill hope that we still can listen his live & interesting compositions, and allow us to dream (well at least slightly fantasize) on subject: “What would have happened, if suddenly, three outstanding musicians, who more thirty years ago conquered the world with their music & appeared among those, who for many long years defined ways of development of rock music, once again come together & show all of us, what they are capable”? Perhaps, they, along with other skillful & talented musicians like them, would have succeeded in bringing out the rock music from disgraceful situation, in which it now is.
|
Guitar legend Eric Clapton celebrates his 65th birthday today.
Eric Clapton is widely regarded as one of the most influential and important guitarists of all time.
The man who was called both "Slowhand" and "God" back in the 1970s has laid out an unbelievable career for himself, contributing to some of the most iconic rock bands and songs of all time - both as a solo artist and as a member of the Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, and Derek and the Dominos.
He is also the only person to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times - for his solo work and for his work with Cream and the Yardbirds.
