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Clapton is God: The Eric Clapton Thread


SteveAJones

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I had a wonderful Saturday afternoon & evening in Tokyo for the tour finale and hopefully my complete review with photos will be published in the next issue of Where's Eric, The Official Fan Club Magazine.

Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood Conclude 2011 World Tour In Tokyo

EC%20SW%20Japan%202011%20Logo_0.jpg

Like all weekend concerts in Japan, the final show of the Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Japan Tour began at 5PM. The show by the Blind Faith band mates was dedicated by Eric to Dick Sims, who had passed away two days previous on 8 December. Sims was a member of EC's touring and recording band from 1974 to 1979.

The concert opened with Blind Faith's "Had To Cry Today" and for the next two hours, the audience was treated to more songs from the band's lone album plus hits and deep cuts recorded during their respective solo careers and time spent in other bands like Traffic and Cream. As on all previous tours, "Voodoo Chile" was the nightly show stopper of the 20-song set list.

The 13-date tour kicked off 17 November in Sapporo with stops in Yokohama, Osaka, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Nagoya and concluded with a 5 night run at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

Below are some quick quotes from fans sent via blackberries and iPhones from the final concert. Full length reviews will be posted in the tour archive as they arrive. Plus, there will be complete tour coverage in the next issue of Where's Eric! Magazine.

  • It was the best one my friend told me who went to all 11 shows in Japan. And I thought so, too. Driftin's guitar solo was fantastic!!!

  • EC and SW make it almost impossibly difficult to chose any highlights as the whole concert was again an exceptional affair, like the previous 4 Tokyo concerts. Among the outstanding songs were: After Midnight, Presence of the Lord with sensational wah-wah, Crossroads, Driftin' with fantastic guitar work from Eric; Gimme Some Lovin', Dear Mr Fantasy and Cocaine with an oustanding solo from Chris. But, Voodoo Chile was THE song of the evening. When EC started the intro it was clear that it would be outstanding, full throttle and end with an explosion of guitar and hammond organ.

  • The total time of the show was 2 hours and 5 or 10 minutes on all concert nights without exception ... The show itself was warm and friendly, but it lacked sharpness for me. I often heard people saying, “Many songs are strange to me “ - “Eric hasn’t played Layla “. Not knowing Winwood’s songs, some audience could’t get satisfied with the show.

  • Clapton and Winwood were great but no one has said enough about Chris Stainton, Willie Weeks and the terrific backup singers, Sharon White and Michelle John. Amazing musicians all!

Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood Set List - 10 December 2011

Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan

01. Had To Cry Today

02. Low Down

03. After Midnight

04. Presence Of The Lord

05. Glad

06. Well Alright

07. Hoochie Coochie Man

08. While You See A Chance

09. Key To The Highway

10. Pearly Queen

11. Crossroads

12. Georgia

13. Driftin'

14. That's No Way To Get Along

15. Wonderful Tonight

16. Can't Find My Way Home

17. Gimme Some Lovin'

18. Voodoo Chile

19. Dear Mr. Fantasy (encore)

20. Cocaine (encore)

Band Lineup

Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals

Steve Winwood – hammond organ, piano, guitar, vocals

Chris Stainton – keyboards

Willie Weeks – bass

Steve Gadd – drums

Michelle John – backing vocals

Edited by SteveAJones
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  • 2 weeks later...

That album would be Slowhand...think I'll go put that one on again:-) For me, I just think he is one of the best (BB King IMHO is the best) blues guitarist and I can relate to so such of his music, again a matter of taste...don't beat me up on this one as it is all in fun but here's one for you:-)

Mean Old Frisco

One hell of an album

Edited by Deborah J
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I like EC in every era but there are times when I think he should have been more thoughtful with the production. There are some great mid period songs that suffer from too much keyboard where there should be guitar. But it's not a problem that is unique to him. At the time change was necessary or the market left you behind. Many of those that stayed the course to avoid pastel silk suits, synths and corny hairdos in favor of continuing in the hard rock vein ended up playing for peanuts in small venues.

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I just don't hear or see what's so great about Eric Clapton? I've been guitaring since kindergarden & he has never came across to me as a solid-interesting guitar player. What am I missing? I am not bashing the guy, i think Layla & Tears in Heaven both have great melodies & I respect the hell out of him for being around forever and playing the blues, but what am I missing with this man?

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I just don't hear or see what's so great about Eric Clapton? I've been guitaring since kindergarden & he has never came across to me as a solid-interesting guitar player. What am I missing? I am not bashing the guy, i think Layla & Tears in Heaven both have great melodies & I respect the hell out of him for being around forever and playing the blues, but what am I missing with this man?

When it comes to appreciating EC you have to keep in mind he's a BLUES guitarist. Arguably not the blues purist he was circa '65 but still very much a blues guitarist. If you are looking for duckwalks and lazers you'll be disappointed.

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I know you were responding to Flyingzepp, but for me coming from New Orleans growing up with the Delta Blues, I gotta say he leans more to that way of playing. I do not play any instruments but I sure have heard it (the blues) all my life. Eric IMHO, can also sing the blues. But again taste in music is different for everyone.

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Personally speaking, when Clapton plays electric blues Chicago style he sounds authentic. When he goes the delta blues route he sounds like he's copying.

Acoustic delta blues is really some of the greatest music that's ever existed. You can learn how to play it but you can't always get that feeling or atmosphere that makes that music what it is. EC is better served playing electric, he sounds too sterile and sheet music like otherwise.

IMHO

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Like most rock guitarists his roots are blues but he doesn't just play blues. EC is adept at playing many styles of music. I think people confuse his deep appreciation of the blues with the actual music he makes. He's definitely done some straight up blues stuff but the majority of what he's performed should be considered rock music.

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Never heard this original version of what later became "Let It Rain" until I heard it on XM's Deep Tracks channel several years ago. It originated from a song Clapton wrote with Bonnie Bramlett from the original sessions for Clapton's first solo album. It can be found on the deluxe edition of Eric Clapton (which includes more cuts from those sessions).

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