Cream — Stormy Monday
Wanted to share this cause it’s Cream really well recorded. I can’t play their older stuff on the big rig as much as I like it because it’s not well recorded and I just can’t. But I recently found this recorded live in Royal Albert Hall in 2005 that IS well recorded, and it includes possibly the best Clapton guitar solo I’ve heard and one of my faves ever given its combination of intricacy and musicality — and it’s three masters at work. Fun to watch here, but you can pull it off Qobuz, turn the lights way down and be transported to Royal Albert Hall. Pretty fun.
Duane stated his main influence for slide tone and phrasing was actually Blues harmonica players... which makes sense and is consistent with your description of "highly juiced".
I have the old MoFi gold cd of "Disraeli Gears" (includes stereo and mono) and have no objections to the sound. |
@soix- I respect your view and you may be right. Thanks for the courteous and thoughtful response. (Keb Mo' was fabulous in concert; Ditto, Etta James, who I considered a blues singer, and a long list of others). My personal issue with the blues has to do with a feeling of authenticity. And not about playing style, "period," (acoustic or electric) or the like. Sometimes, I hear bands and players who just simply dial it in- like they hit the notes, but the passion isn't there. Of all the now gone performers I wished I had seen live, it was probably Jimi H- I was told by someone that he'd warm up w/ a blues tune and if the audience was with him, he'd play his ass off. Otherwise, he'd just do his show and walk off. The thing I like about that Clapton track I posted is that it is an early example of "riding feedback" pretty much throughout the track. I'm not sure how prevalent that was at the time. Elmore James was pretty notorious for a highly juiced (overloaded) sound--something that Duane Allman picked up on. To me, the early Clapton is my favorite of his work- that board recording of Cream at the Grande in Detroit in 'Oct '67 is absolutely killer. Sadly, it has never been legitimized and remains a bootleg. my regards, Bill Hart |
@whart I respectfully disagree with this. While the blues started out as a way to express anguish and suffering in the southern United States and can certainly still reflect that, it has morphed over many decades to be much more versatile and translatable to other styles and purpose. Hell, many of the most popular bands in rock are blues based — Stones, Cream, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Led Zeppelin, The Allman Brothers, etc., etc., and a lot of their songs aren’t sad at all. Listen to Keb’ Mo’ — he’s born and raised on the blues in Mississippi and a lot of of his stuff is upbeat while being very blues based while still including songs that represent struggle and hardship. I’d avoid trying to pigeonhole any type of music because really great music and songs, in my opinion, not only lend themselves but almost beg to be stretched and pulled in different directions to see where they can go. I for one enjoy the creativity and variation. But that’s me. |
@stuartk Apparently he can have his opinions but you’re not entitled to yours — hypocrisy. Good grief. |
@tomcy6 First, I’m not angry — I just merely said I take issue with the assertion that Clapton took “ownership” of the song, which is utter hogwash given many other bands/guitarists have covered this song. Second, and if you read my prior post, I clearly asked if that poster would care to clarify his words. If he wants to, fine. And if not, fine and he’s perfectly able to “get off the lawn.” I still take issue with the words he used initially. |
@soix I think all tablejockey was saying is that Clapton’s version of the tune is definitive, FOR HIM. "No reason to get excited", the thief he kindly spoke. That’s from Bob Dylan. Don’t want anyone accusing me of stealing. If you think someone is saying something inappropriate, you can ask them what they mean before getting angry. That's better for all of us. |
@tablejockey I made such a comment because it was a poor choice of words, even for a guitar wanker. Clapton neither professes nor has any “ownership” of this tune, so maybe you wanna clarify what you meant by your words. Otherwise, you’re free to leave. |
"Played as a generic I/IV/V, the tune always sounds oversimplified/truncated to me" "That’s a poor choice of words. He hasn’t taken “ownership” of the song any more than any other guitarist or band has — it’s just their interpretation" LOL! GOOD GREIF! Soix- Simply MY observation as a 50+ year guitar wanker.. Weird YOU start a thread, and make such a comment. There are some old, grumpy "get off my lawn!" posters in here. Save the energy for a cable, fuse or digital vs analog thread
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I have a guitar playing buddy who prefers "You don’t Love Me" played straight, like on J. Mayall’s "A Hard Road" while I much prefer it swung like the Allmans did it. The nature of the Blues allows for many different interpretations of what might be called "Blues Standards". As in Jazz, it’s all about each player making the tune their own, in their own way. And that’s a beautiful thing, no? |
@tablejockey I take issue with you saying Clapton was “taking ownership” of the song. That’s a poor choice of words. He hasn’t taken “ownership” of the song any more than any other guitarist or band has — it’s just their interpretation of the song and that’s all, and that has been going on in music forever. Don’t single out Clapton, cause that’s not right or fair. BTW, the Allman Brothers’ version Live at the Fillmore is awesome. |
I didn’t hear T Bone’s version until many years after I heard the Live at Fillmore East version and I still tend to view the B. Bland/Allmans arrangement as my baseline for comparisons. Played as a generic I/IV/V, the tune always sounds oversimplified/truncated to me. Clapton does fine but as I hear it, doesn’t come close to "telling a story" like both Duane and Dickie did with their solos. But it’s a matter of taste, clearly.
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Cream has been in my collection since the 60s! One of the finest solos of that era is Crossroads. |
@stuartk my favorite track from those shows as well. Something special happens on that one. |
Different strokes. Personally, I’ve always preferred the B.B. Bland/Allman Bros. arrangement. FWIW, my favorite performance and favorite Clapton guitar work from the Albert Hall reunion gigs is this version of "We’re Going Wrong". As much as I love the bluesy stuff, in this performance the band is deep in the zone and there’s a power and-- dare I say, majesty-- that I find particularly striking. Clapton’s soloing combines lyricism and power in equal measure and it’s when he’s playing from this this place -- drawing from both his masculine and feminine sides-- that I find him most compelling. Needless to say, YMMV.
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