Eric Clapton Clapton

Clapton only rocks if he is playing with musicians who challenge him. I know he has "been there, done that," but it does seem his work of the past 20 years has not seen him challenging himself as he could be. Clapton Unplugged was his undoing I believe--he got so much adoration for that album that he keeps going back to that format. Safe. Dylan, love him or hate him, has been continually reinventing himself and writing some of his best songs, particularly in the past 10-15 years. Dylan has failed miserably, much more so, than Clapton ever has. But the brilliance of Modern Times, etc? Sure, Clapton keeps it between the ditches and "ages gracefully", but I'd rather see him go off the rails and show us what he really could do. Guess the island living has a lot to do with it! Don't anyone misread my post. I love and idolize Clapton. I own a Clapton signature Strat (plays wonderfully, by the way), have seen him live a dozen times--solo, with Winwood, with the Derek and Dominoes reunion (absolutely stunning playing by the entire band on that tour--esp Derek Trucks), etc. I just wish his albums had more passion than the satisfaction they show. But who am I to say, a mere mortal, one who could not even contemplate having written all the songs he has written. With some artists, the best work is done by 30. Others like Picasso can go til nearly 100.

I think they had chemical assistance on Layla. That would explain the faster and sloppier playing on that record.

Chaz, I posted both comments you refer to. Why is my comment off base? They were all smashed for Layla. Look at the photos inside the album. We are on the same page. Re-read what I wrote originally.

I do hold that Clapton's best work comes before Unplugged. I'll continue to hold to that theory until I see something better. I did like his work with JJ Cale recently ("Road to Escondido"), but the best songs were JJ songs, not EC songs.

All this IMHO as a diehard Clapton fan.

Chaz--yes Layla is my desert island album. I Agree it's completely inspired and passionate and agonizing Amd revelatory and hallucinatory and sad and happy and sloppy and tight and everything Clapton is not as of late. This is the album I listened to before and after my divorce. I listened to it nearly a year ago when my older brother passed. I know ever song intimately ( in my own way at least). Like all great art it endures and speaks to our collective human experience. We are on the same page brother! My post was quickly thrown up, that's all.