Eric Clapton - Join Together
Greensboro, NC - August 2, 1974 - Tarantura - SB 4/5

Disc 1: Side Eric

  1. Legs Larry Smith Introduction
  2. Smile
  3. Easy Now
  4. I Can't Hold Out
  5. Tell the Truth
  6. Blues Power
  7. Have You Ever Loved a Woman

Disc 2: Side Peter (Part Two)

  1. Willie and the Hand Jive
  2. Get Ready
  3. I Shot the Sheriff
  4. Let it Rain

Disc 3: Bonus Trax

  1. Everyday I Have the Blues
  2. I Shot the Sheriff
  3. I Can't Explain
  4. Badge
  5. Layla
  6. Baby Don't You Do It
  7. Little Queenie (incomplete)
  8. Have You Ever Loved a Woman
  9. Little Queenie

Comments: Bonus tracks on Disc 3 are as follows:

Tracks 1-4: EC with Keith Moon, Pete Townshend, and Joe Walsh at the West Palm Beach International Raceway on August 4, 1974

Tracks 5-7: EC with Pete Townshend and Keith Moon at the Omni, Atlanta on August 1, 1974

Tracks 8-9: EC with Freddie King at Roosevelt Stadium on July 7, 1974

Geetarz Comments: For the first part of this set, the source tape was really awful, with lots of wow and flutter, but things settle down nicely by the time the actual concert begins. Lots of hiss from the tape source, this release is sonically inferior to other available versions of these performances, not to mention the occasional wobblies in the tape source. The West Palm Beach performance of "Badge" (D3T4) is always amusing as EC quips "Mabel? Mabel? Who is Mabel? Never 'eard of 'er !" during the bridge.

Imnotaper Comments: This was my first Clapton show! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary will be my 50th!

Now, far be it from me to stir up controversy, but I maintain that Pete Townshend does NOT actually appear on Disc 2. "But, imnotaper," you may ask, "Clapton clearly states in this recording 'And tonight, for your pleasure or my pain, one of the two...the great Pete Townshend.' Are you sure you are not a moron?" Well, dear reader, here is why I think Pete Townshend is not on the Greensboro portion of this recording:

Many in the audience were aware that Pete Townshend and Keith Moon had appeared with Clapton in Atlanta the night before this concert. After a warm-up band called "Ross," a voice over the PA announced something like "Ladies and gentlemen - Pete Townshend." Legs Larry Smith then came out pretending to play a small guitar or ukelele while the PA blared "Pinball Wizard." After only being onstage for about a minute, he introduced Clapton.

The second fake Pete Townshend introduction is what you hear on the tape. But it is not Pete Townshend that came out. I was not aware of what really happened until years later when I read this account on http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Terrace/4475/clapton1/clap1.html:

"Keith Moon came charging on stage and smashed Eric over the head with a small wooden guitar. The guitar (belonging to comedian "Legs" Larry Smith, seen below with the instrument) was filled with what appeared to be some kind of meat - probably something pilfered from the backstage food table - which ended up scattered over the stage. Moon shot backstage and re-emerged swinging a broom that he used to sweep up the mess. Much of the audience couldn't see well enough to know what was happening, and so was clueless as to what was really going on."

I was down in front, but still clueless as to what had just happened. In fact, it may be my friend and me on the recording who say "What was that?" "I don't know." We certainly had a conversation like that and decided the person who came out was not Pete Townshend. I would also point out that there is no third guitar in the following songs "Willie and the Hand Jive" and "Get Ready."

Pete Townshend did not appear until the encore, which is unfortunately not included in this recording. Clapton introduced him as "Pietro Townshend." Keith Moon also joined them onstage.

Be sure to check out these pages, which include pictures from the concert. Clapton is barefoot when Pete joined him!

http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Terrace/4475/clapton1/clap1.html

http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Terrace/4475/clapton2/clap2.html