slowhand Digest Volume 01 : Issue 286
Today's Topics:
Slow Digest
Lurker, non-lurker, unsuscribed, subscribed, lurker, and now
then and now
EC 60's and 70's and now
oops
EC's coasting..
MP3 of the Week
Beatle Song
Is EC running a little too fat?
all along the watchtower
The Slow Digest & AOL
RAH 88 Sting and Stevie
What Would I Do Without You?
The Slow Digest
Congratulations Slowhanders
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--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: POLLET Eddy
Subject: Slow Digest
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No . Yes. Yes . 1970 . No . No . Yes . Live Cream 1 & 2-Crossroads 2-Blind
Faith-461-FTC-Pilgrim (!!!!)-lots of bootlegs from all over the years . No .
Yes . Whenever he feels like it . Live or in the studio ? . Yes . Yes (I
hope you don't mean that personally !) . No . No . No . Sometimes . Yes ...
but not always .
Yes . Yes . Yes . No time to look it up .
No, yes . Definately not .
No . He can do anything :-) Some will .
Imho, his potential for doing some extraordinary stuff has even grown, but
his drive to deliver the goods certainly hasn't . The intro on "She's gone"
proves that he still can play like in his Cream days, but the fact that he
stops after 30 seconds, proves that he doesn't want to extend it to 15
minutes anymore .
The problem is perhaps that he knows that when he'd release his version of
"Metal Machine Music", with some guitar licks on it, that he'd sell a few
million copies anyway . On several occasions, he has said that he's lazy,
and I think he's right ... I think he needs some anger to produce his best
work, be it a fight to get the sound he wants (Beano), his annoyment at the
constant arguing between Ginger and Jack, his reluctance to be another front
man, his impossible love (D&D) ... I often have had the idea that he breaks
loose when the public is slow in reacting, or when anything goes wrong, as
if he needs some kind of external stimulus . Perhaps that with less talent,
he would have done "his best" more often . Typical for this is what Pete
Townsend said in an interview about the filmscore for Lethal Weapon : "He
just plugged in his guitar and started playing with the film ... WAAAUW !!"
.
Just my 2 cents .
Eddy
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: Tracy Outlaw
Subject: Lurker, non-lurker, unsuscribed, subscribed, lurker, and now
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Ok. Did Eric ever marry his sweetie? Or did I miss it somewhere? Or did
my invitation get lost in the mail?
Tracy E. Outlaw
Public Information Coordinator
Department of Pesticide Regulation
Clemson University
864.646.2144
God does not much mind bad grammar,
but He does not take any particular pleasure in it.
--Erasmus
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: GREG Wenker
Subject: then and now
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Well, here we go again,this dead horse called
'which Clapton is better?' gets beat on about twice
a year and it always ends in a stalemate. You can't
debate things like art,music and wallpaper patterns
and expect to get a concensus,because it's just too
personal. I 'prefer' a Cream bootleg from '67 over
most anything he's done since then ,but that's my
'bag' and not yours.Just be grateful the man didn't
choke
on his own vomit and die thirty years ago and that
he's still out there practicing his art..........
Greg W.
p.s. CREAM ROCKS!!!!!!!
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just $8.95/month.
http://geocities.yahoo.com/ps/info1
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: "Jack and Bonnie"
Subject: EC 60's and 70's and now
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First my favorite EC bands where Cream, Derek and the Domino's and then most
recently
the Hyde Park (NBTB) show.
A thought I was having in reading the post from Delta Nick and the replies
...
I wonder how much of the energy came from the external and internal
competition Eric felt back then.
Externally clearly Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce were challenges to Eric's
musicianship and solo's.
Internally with the Derek and the Domino and in the period right afterwards
he was challenged by
singing and being the frontman.
What do you think he is challenged by now??
Or what could he be challenged by now?? Or who could he play with that
would challenge his musicial
ability.
Maybe an album covering 'his' favorite songs of all time or ....
Jack
p.s. Regarding a Bealtes tune I love the song While My Guitar Gently Weeps
and the solo. That was what started
me wonder what 'other' Beatles tunes you might like to see him perform.
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: "David Dell"
Subject: oops
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I think the "Roll it" track isn't on There's One... but Backless....just to
get my EC trivia in order.
Dave
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From: "Sean Cox"
Subject: EC's coasting..
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It is very interesting to see how an artist's career goes in waves. EC is a
prime example - being crowned "God" in the sixties, going into relative
obscurity through the 70s and early 80s, a resurgence after Live Aid, a few
years of high popularity again through the Journeyman era and peaking
(popularity wise) with Unplugged in 1992. Since Unplugged, his status and
popularity have been going down hill. He's remembered for what he DID not
what he's DOING.
In 1992 with Unplugged and in 1994 with From the Cradle, he was being
recognized for what he was DOING at the time. Going into a James Taylor
adult contemporary genre (no offence to James Taylor or adult contemporary
fans) isn't something that's going to bring a lot of praise.
Looking back on EC's career, the main focus everyone comes back to is the
Bluesbreakers and Cream era (at least DN does), and I was hoping that From
the Cradle would've been a new Beano, and he'd have gone into a similar
phase in the late 1990s as in the late 1960s. Unforunately, aside from the
Legends performances (which should have been bigger in terms of # of shows,
especially over in North America) and Riding With The King, EC has pretty
much produced dribble since From the Cradle.
I'd like to see EC either put together a Legends/Blues kind of feel back
together and commercially push it. I think he might be surprised how much
further it would go than his "Blue eyes Blue" drivel does.
Of course the man is leaning towards retirement (evidenced by the rumours),
and maybe he should retire and just rest off of what everyone remembers him
being.
I for one don't want him to.
-Sean
_________________________________________________________________
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--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: "Josh Ritter"
Subject: MP3 of the Week
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Hey SD Fans,
This week's mp3 is Groaning the Blues, recorded on Nov. 26, 1994 at Irving
Plaza in NYC. This is certainly one of my favorite recordings, and one of
the best guitar-drenched songs of the show. Eric soars on the solo, simply
amazing stuff up for grabs here. Sorry for being a bit late in posting this
week, I was set back by the holiday weekend. Hope all of our US members had
a great long weekend of family, food and football. Go to
www.msu.edu/~ritterj3 to download the mp3. Enjoy!
All the best,
Josh Ritter
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From: "Tracy Stevenson"
Subject: Beatle Song
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How about "Hey Bull Dog" or "It's All Too Much" for George...
Keep on Keepin' on; Tracy
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: "Shanahan"
Subject: Is EC running a little too fat?
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In response to all of DeltaNick's thought provoking questions...........
Yes.
(My 16 year old daughter, who has had Clapton rammed down her throat [and
ears] for years, refuses to listen to any EC after Blind Faith)
T
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: aladdinossy@genie.co.uk
Subject: all along the watchtower
hi my names phil, long time reader, first time writer, do any of you
have any information on 'All Along The Watchtower', the greatest song
Hendrix ever recorded, being done live by Lenny Kravitz and Eric
Clapton? I downloaded it from Morpheus. Any info would do...where
when... etc. secondly how many hendrix songs has clapton done? from
phil, uk
p.s ec rocks whatever he does!!
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: "DeltaNick"
Subject: The Slow Digest & AOL
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It seems as though "The Slow Digest" generated a number of responses.
Contrary to assumptions, the questions were not all reflections of my
opinions, but submitted instead to generate discussion (it was a "slow" news
day, remember?). What directly instigated the post were recent private
online discussions with some digest readers, who had expressed frustration
with EC's latest. For one, I think the idea that EC is washed up or should
just go away seems a bit premature.
On another note, I maintain an AOL account for backup purposes, on which I
am subscribed to the Slowhand Digest. However, I haven't received an issue
on AOL since late August or early September. I've sent three e-mails, spaced
several weeks apart, to AOL Member Support concerning this. For whatever
reasons, AOL Member Support has not so much as acknowledged my messages,
although they usually respond within 48 hours.
DeltaNick
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: "Jane Newell"
Subject: RAH 88 Sting and Stevie
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Dear All,
In response to the question about the appearance of Sting and Stevie Winwood
at the end of an RAH show in 1988, yes they did indeed turn up. I was
fortunate enough to be there although can't be more specific about the date.
Sorry.
EC had spotted SW early on in the concert sitting to the left of the stage
in the stalls then when it got to encore time Sting came on to sing his part
of and dance around in a Sting-like way to "Money For Nothing" as Mark
Knopfler was up there for that set of concerts too. Then came "Sunshine of
Your Love". Alan Clark was surrounded by about ten keyboards and Stevie
Winwood joined him. EC did try to encourage a solo out of him, but it was
all pretty ad hoc.
Only a vague memory now, but hope that is of some use.
Jane
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--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: "Ken Norris"
Subject: What Would I Do Without You?
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Hi,
I must have missed this one. Where is this song available, and is EC doing the singing?
Best,
Ken
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: "Ken Norris"
Subject: The Slow Digest
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Well, my two cents' worth:
No I don't think EC has become predictable and boring. I think half of Pilgrim and half of Reptile were really excellent.
I don't think his songwriting is always that terrific, and a lot of the weaker stuff on those albums were songs that he wrote (Fall Like Rain, Sick and Tired, You Were There, Believe In Life, Find Myself). Planning his live show, I think he just
about completely misunderstood the Reptile album, should have be playing songs like Come Back Baby, Second Nature and Superman Inside. At least he got around to doing I Want A Little Girl.
My favorite albums are the blues-based albums: Layla,
Cradle, Bluesbreakers, Riding With the King. Reptile is second tier. The "standards" album with The Impressions will probably be okay, not as good as the album with BB. I'm hoping the last album (if he's retiring) will be a blues album.
I agree with the person who observed that, on the Reptile tour, his playing would go in and out of focus, some killer songs followed by others that just weren't. I think most nights he "coasts," but then he usually picks a few songs to really engage.
Although I enjoyed the Cream stuff in its day, I never listen to that stuff now. I'm fundamentally not interested in most of what they were doing, and understand why he wanted to retreat back into songs for almost a decade. My favorite EC live
playing is probably on the Crossroads 2 album. Still, there were times on the Reptile tour when he managed to stop time with his playing.
When he wants to, I think he plays with more feeling now than he ever has. I went to 9 shows on the Reptile tour, and I never heard a lackluster performance of River of Tears. Every night the playing on that song was great. I wish someone could push
him into doing a live version of Losing Hand.
On the last couple of tours he's been giving too much away to the keyboard players. That's either generosity or laziness, you decide. It starts to remind me of Muddy Waters sending the band out to play two-thirds of the show before he walks out onto
stage. EC's always been a musician who needs to be pushed, and those around him push him less now. One good thing: Steve Gadd's drumming tends to push him and keep him on his toes.
There are the great albums, and then there are the great cuts on the rest of the albums. But there is always something worth listening to, even on Retail Therapy.
And, live, there is always at least a great twenty minutes,
even on an off-night.
Ken
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?J=E9r=F4me_Vuibert?=
Subject: Congratulations Slowhanders
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Hi Slowhanders.
I would like to address my deep congratulations to the people who
participate to the Slowhand Digest Tribute 2001.
I received it yesterday and straigth listened it, and waoooh, good work
guys.
I think i will learn to play the guitar, it seems to be great to play
Clapton's stuff.
Once again, congratulations, adn keep on doing such thing.
Jerome Vuibert
Eric Clapton - The French Site
www.clapton-online.com
End of slowhand Digest V01 Issue #286
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
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