Rock Of Ages

Benjy says...

Dear Rock of Ages listeners,

As we move toward the festive season there is an overload of new releases on both cd and dvd.. . last week I told you about the fantastic new Cream dvd and this week my Hot Tip is the new Eric Clapton & JJ Cale album "The Road To Escondida" - so it's only right that the subject of this coming Thursday's special is the artist formerly known as 'god' - Eric Clapton. I'll be dipping into his extensive solo career, from the early tentative song based outings on "Eric Clapton" through the Derek and the Dominos era and his mid 70's highlights to Eric's return to his blues roots ..... also coming up in this week's show - an interview with singer songwriter Farryl Purkiss (just back from an Australian tour); a Free dvd competition, Clapton /Cale giveaways, rock news, gig guide and 4 hours of the best in new 'retro' and classic rock -just what the music gods ordered !

A huge thank you for your positive response to all the music that you hear on Radio 2000 and especially the feedback on the other R2K shows ..... You can contact Barney, MO G and Michelle at the following addresses:

Mo G's Breakfast Show Monday-Fridays 8-10am
mog@radio2000.co.za
Barney Simon - Tuesdays 8pm-midnight
barney@powerzone.co.za
Michelle Constant Mondays-Fridays 1pm-3pm
michelle@foxfiremedia.net

The Rock of Ages Special -
Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey, England as the illegitimate son of 16-year-old Patricia Molly Clapton and Edward Walter Fryer, a 24-year-old Canadian soldier. Fryer shipped off to war prior to Clapton's birth and then returned to Canada. Clapton grew up with his grandmother and her second husband, believing they were his parents and that his mother was his older sister. (Their surname was Clapp, which has given rise to the widespread but erroneous belief that Eric's real name is Clapp.) Years later his mother married another Canadian soldier, moved to Canada and left Eric with his grandparents. When Clapton was 9 years old he discovered this family secret, and the experience became a defining moment in his life. Clapton grew up a self-confessed "nasty kid". During his secondary school years he attended the Hollyfield School in Surbiton. Influenced by the blues from an early age, at 13 Clapton received an acoustic guitar for his birthday, but he found learning the instrument so difficult he nearly gave up. After high school, Clapton studied stained-glass design at Kingston Art School but was later kicked out for lack of progress in his studies. Clapton spent his early days busking around Kingston, Richmond, and the West End and joined his first band at 17,staying with this band - the early British R&B outfit The Roosters - from January through to August 1963. Eric then did a seven-gig stint with Casey Jones and the Engineers, in September 1963.

The Yardbirds & John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers

Eric Clapton joined The Yardbirds, a blues-influenced rock and roll band in 1963 and stayed with them until March 1965. Synthesising influences from Chicago blues and leading blues guitarists such as Buddy Guy, Freddie King and B.B. King, Clapton forged a distinctive style and rapidly became one of the most talked-about guitarists in the British music scene. The band initially played Chess/Checker/Vee-Jay blues numbers and began to attract a large cult following when they took over the Rolling Stones' residency at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond. They toured England with American bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson; a joint LP, recorded in December 1963, was issued belatedly under both their names in 1965. In March that year, just as Clapton left the band, the Yardbirds had their first major hit, "For your love."on which Clapton played guitar.Still obstinately dedicated to blues music, Clapton took strong exception to the Yardbirds' new pop-oriented direction, partly because "For Your Love" had been written by pop songwriter-for-hire Graham Gouldman, who had also written hits for teen pop outfit Herman's Hermits and harmony pop band The Hollies. Clapton recommended fellow guitarist Jimmy Page as his replacement, but Page was at that time unwilling to relinquish his lucrative career as a freelance studio musician, so Page in turn recommended Clapton's successor, Jeff Beck (although Page would also eventually join the band).

Having quit the Yardbirds in March, Clapton joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers in April 1965. His passionate playing in nightclubs — and on the immensely influential album, Blues Breakers — established Clapton's name worldwide as a blues guitarist. With his 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar and Marshall amplifier, Clapton's playing by then had inspired a craze of graffiti that deified him with the famous slogan "Clapton is God." The phrase "Clapton is God" was spray painted on a wall in the Underground station in Islington in the mid-60s by an admirer. The graffiti was captured in a now-famous photograph.

Clapton left the Bluesbreakers in mid-1966 (to be replaced by Peter Green) and then formed Cream, one of the earliest supergroup bands.

Cream

Cream was also one of the earliest "power trios", with Jack Bruce (also of Manfred Mann, the Bluesbreakers and the Graham Bond Organisation) and Ginger Baker (another member of the GBO). During his time with Cream, Clapton began to develop as a singer and songwriter, as well as guitarist, though Bruce, one of rock's most powerful singers, took most of the lead vocals and wrote the majority of the material with lyricist Pete Brown. Cream's first gig was a low key performance at the Twisted Wheel in Manchester on July 29th 1966 before their full debut at the Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival. Cream established an enduring legend on the high-volume blues jamming and extended solos of their live shows, while their studio work was more sophisticated than original rock.In early 1967, Clapton's status as Britain's top guitarist was shaken by the arrival of Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix attended a performance of the newly-formed Cream at the Central London Polytechnic on October 1, 1966, during which Hendrix sat in on a shattering double-timed version of "Killing Floor". Hendrix's early club performances were avidly attended by top UK stars including Clapton, Pete Townshend, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Hendrix's arrival had an immediate and major effect on the next phase of Clapton's career, although Clapton continued to be recognized in music polls as the premier guitarist.Cream's repertoire varied from pop soul ("I Feel Free") to lengthy blues-based instrumental jams ("Spoonful") and featured Clapton's searing guitar lines, Bruce's soaring vocals and prominent, fluid bass playing, and Baker's powerful, polyrhythmic jazz-influenced drumming.In a mere three years Cream had immense commercial success, selling 15 million records and playing to standing-room only crowds throughout the U.S. and Europe. They redefined the instrumentalist's role in rock and were one of the first bands to emphasize musical virtuosity, skill and flash. Their U.S. hit singles include "Sunshine Of Your Love", "White Room" and "Crossroads" - a live version of Robert Johnson's "Crossroad Blues".

Although Cream was hailed as one of the greatest groups of its day, and the adulation of Clapton as guitar hero reached new heights, the band was destined to be short-lived. The legendary infighting between Bruce and Baker and growing tensions between all three members eventually led to Cream's demise. Another significant factor was a strongly critical Rolling Stone review of a concert of the group's second headlining U.S. tour, which affected Clapton profoundly. By this time he had also fallen deeply under the spell of the music of The Band after they had released the album Music from Big Pink and began to believe that rock music was heading in a new direction. He was so infatuated with them that he even asked to join them, but was turned down. Cream's farewell album, Goodbye, featured live performances recorded live at The Forum, Los Angeles, October 19, 1968, and it was released shortly after Cream disbanded in 1968, and also featured the studio single "Badge", co-written by Clapton and George Harrison, whom he had met and become friends with after the Beatles had shared a bill with the Clapton-era Yardbirds at the London Palladium. The close friendship between Clapton and Harrison also resulted in Clapton's playing on Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from the Beatles' White Album - according to some, a tactic intended to make the other Beatles take Harrison's song more seriously, but whatever the truth, by all accounts the presence of an outsider, especially of Clapton's calibre, had the effect of bringing harmony to the irritable band. In January 1969, during the making of what would become the Let It Be album, Harrison walked out after an argument and in his absence - fearing Harrison had gone for good and concerned that the album could not be completed - John Lennon proposed that Harrison be replaced by Clapton. In the same year of release as the White Album, Harrison released his solo debut Wonderwall Music which became the first of many Harrison solo records to feature Clapton on guitar, who would go largely uncredited due to contractual restraints. The pair would often play live together as each other's guests, right up until Harrison's death in 2001 and the following tribute concert in his name, for which Clapton was musical director.

Since their 1968 breakup, Cream briefly reunited in 1993 to perform at the ceremony inducting them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A full-scale reunion of the legendary trio took place in May 2005, with Clapton, Bruce and Baker playing 4 sold-out concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall (the scene of their 1968 farewell shows) and 3 more at New York's Madison Square Garden that October. Recordings from the London shows were released on CD and DVD in September 2005.

Blind Faith, Delaney & Bonnie and goes solo

A desultory spell in a second supergroup, the short-lived Blind Faith (1969), which was composed of Cream drummer Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood of Traffic and Ric Grech of Family, resulted in one LP and one arena-circuit tour. The supergroup debuted before 100,000 fans in London's Hyde Park on June 7, 1969, and began a sold-out American tour in July before its one and only album had been released. The LP Blind Faith was recorded in such haste that side two consisted of just two songs, one of them a 15 minute jam entitled "Do What You Like". Nevertheless, Blind Faith did include two classics: Winwood's "Can't Find My Way Home" and Clapton's "Presence of the Lord". The album's jacket image of a topless prepubescent girl was deemed controversial in the U.S. and was replaced by a photograph of the band. Blind Faith dissolved after only a year together, and while Winwood returned to Traffic, by now Clapton was tired of both the spotlight and the hype that had surrounded Cream and Blind Faith, and wanted to make music that more closely resembled that of The Band.Clapton decided to step into the background for a time, touring as a sideman with the American group Delaney and Bonnie and Friends. He moved to New York in late 1969 and worked with the band through early 1970. He became close friends with Delaney Bramlett, who encouraged him in his singing and writing, which would show determined growth in his next effort.Using the Bramletts' backing group and an all-star cast of session players (including Leon Russell and Stephen Stills, on whose solo albums Clapton played), he released his first solo album in 1970, fittingly named Eric Clapton, which included the Bramlett composition, "Bottle Of Red Wine", and one of Clapton's best songs from this period, "Let It Rain". It also yielded an unexpected U.S. #18 hit, J.J. Cale's "After Midnight".Clapton's "between-bands" period from 1969 to 1970 also saw him appear on a large number of other artists' records, ranging from George Harrison's All Things Must Pass (for contractual reasons, Clapton's contributions went uncredited for decades) to The Plastic Ono Band's Sometime in New York City and Dr John's Sun Moon and Herbs.

Derek & the Dominos and.....Layla

Taking over Delaney & Bonnie's rhythm section — Bobby Whitlock (keyboards, vocals), Carl Radle (bass) and Jim Gordon (drums) — Clapton formed a new band which was similarly intended to counteract the 'star' cult that had grown up around him and show Clapton as an equal member of a fully-fledged group. Tony Ashton from Ashton, Gardner and Dyke always referred to Eric as Derek and christened the band, Derek and The Dominoes. Clapton's close friendship with George Harrison had brought him into contact with Harrison's wife Patti Boyd-Harrison, with whom he fell deeply in love. When she turned him down, Clapton's unrequited affections prompted most of the material for the Dominos' album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, most notably the hit single "Layla", inspired by the Persian classical poet Nizami Ganjavi's "The Story of Layla and Majnun", a copy of which a friend had given him; Clapton found a strong similarity between the situation of Layla and Majnun and the one between him and Boyd-Harrison.Working at Criteria Studios in Miami with legendary Atlantic Records producer Tom Dowd, the band recorded a brilliant double-album which is now widely regarded as Clapton's masterpiece. The two parts of "Layla" were recorded in separate sessions: the opening guitar section was recorded first, and for the second section, laid down several months later, drummer Jim Gordon composed and played the elegiac piano part.The Layla LP was actually recorded by a five-piece version of the group, thanks to the unforeseen inclusion of guitarist Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. A few days into the Layla sessions, Dowd — who was also producing the Allmans — invited Clapton to an Allman Brothers outdoor concert in Miami. The two guitarists — who previously knew each other only by reputation — met backstage after the show, and then both bands retired to the studio to jam (an impromptu session which, happily, was captured on tape). Clapton and Allman fell in love with each other's playing and became instant friends, and Allman was immediately invited to become the fifth member of The Dominos. (These studio jams were eventually released as part of the 3-CD 20th-anniversary edition of the Layla album.)

When Allman and Clapton met, The Dominos had already recorded three tracks ("I Looked Away", "Bell Bottom Blues" and "Keep On Growing"); Allman debuted on the fourth cut, "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out", and contributed some of his most sublime slide-guitar playing to the remainder of the LP. The album was heavily blues-influenced and featured a winning combination of the twin guitars of Allman and Clapton, with Allman's incendiary slide-guitar a key ingredient of the sound. It showcased some of Clapton's strongest material to date, as well as arguably some of his best guitar playing, with Whitlock also contributing several superb numbers, and his powerful, soul-influenced voice.Tragedy dogged the group throughout its brief career. During the sessions, Clapton was devastated by news of the death of Jimi Hendrix; eight days previously the band had cut a blistering version of "Little Wing" as a tribute to him which was added to the album. One year later, on the eve of the group's first American tour, Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident. Adding to Clapton's woes, the Layla album received only lukewarm reviews on release; he later commented that the album's initial poor reception had angered and disillusioned him, as he had (perhaps naively) expected it to be assessed on its merits rather than his involvement.The shattered group undertook a US tour. Despite Clapton's later admission that the tour took place amidst a veritable blizzard of drugs and alcohol, it resulted in the surprisingly strong live double album In Concert. But Derek and the Dominos disintegrated messily in London just as they commenced recording for their second LP. Although Radle would be Clapton's main bass player until the summer of 1979 (Radle died in May 1980 from the effects of alcohol and narcotics), the split between Clapton and Whitlock was apparently a bitter one, and it took until 2003 before they worked together again Another tragic footnote to the Dominos story was the fate of drummer Jim Gordon, who was an undiagnosed schizophrenic — some years later, during a psychotic episode, he murdered his mother with a hammer and was confined to 14 years to life imprisonment. Gordon was moved to a mental institution after several years, where he remains today.

Solo two.....

Despite his success, Clapton's personal life was in a chaotic mess by late 1971. In addition to his (temporarily) unrequited and intense romantic longing for Pattie Boyd-Harrison, he withdrew from recording and touring to isolation in his Surrey, England residence. There he nursed his heroin addiction, resulting in a career hiatus interrupted only by the Concert for Bangladesh in August of 1971 (where he passed out on stage, was revived, and continued the show). In January of 1973, The Who's Pete Townshend organized a comeback concert for Clapton at London's Rainbow Theatre aptly titled the "Rainbow Concert" to help Clapton kick his addiction. Clapton would return the favour by playing 'The Preacher' in Ken Russell's film version of The Who's Tommy in 1975; his appearance in the film (performing "Eyesight To The Blind") is notable for the fact that he is clearly wearing a fake beard in some shots, the result of deciding to shave off his real beard after the initial takes.Now partnered with Boyd-Harrison (they would not actually marry until 1979) and free of heroin (although starting to drink heavily), Clapton put together a strong new touring band that included Radle, Miami guitarist George Terry, drummer Jamie Oldaker and vocalists Yvonne Elliman and Marcy Levy (later better known as Marcella Detroit of 1980s pop duo Shakespear's Sister). With this band Clapton recorded 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974), an album with the emphasis on songs rather than musicianship; the cover-version of "I Shot The Sheriff" was a major hit and was important in bringing reggae and the music of Bob Marley to a wider audience. The band toured the world and subsequently released the 1975 live LP, E.C. Was Here.The 1975 album There's One In Every Crowd continued the trend of 461. Its original intended title The World's Greatest Guitar Player (There's One In Every Crowd) was altered, as it was felt the ironic intention would be missed. (Clapton's own original cover artwork, a (self-)portrait of a miserable-looking character with a pint glass, was also replaced by a photograph of Clapton's dog Jeep, apparently with its muzzle on a coffin.)Clapton continued to release albums sporadically and toured regularly, but much of his output from this period was deliberately low-key and failed to find the wide acceptance of his earlier work; highlights of the era include No Reason to Cry, whose collaborators included Bob Dylan and Robbie Robertson, and Slowhand, which featured "Wonderful Tonight", another song inspired by Patti Boyd-Harrison, and a second J.J. Cale cover, "Cocaine", which has since become a rock staple.

The late 1970s saw Clapton struggle to come to terms with the changes in popular music, and a relapse into alcoholism that eventually saw him hospitalised and then spending a period of convalescence in Antigua, where he would later support the creation of a drugs and alcohol rehabilitation centre, The Crossroads Centre.In 1981, Clapton was invited by producer Martin Lewis to appear at the Amnesty International benefit The Secret Policeman's Other Ball. Clapton accepted the invitation and teamed up with Jeff Beck to perform a series of duets - reportedly their first-ever billed stage collaboration. Three of the perfomances were released on the album of the show and one of the songs was featured in the film of the show. The performances heralded a return to form and prominence for Clapton in the new decade.As Clapton came back from his addictions, his album output continued in the 1980s, including two produced with Phil Collins, 1985's Behind the Sun, which produced the hits "Forever Man" and "She's Waiting", and 1986's August.....August, a polished release suffused with Collins's trademark drum/horn sound, became Clapton's biggest seller in the UK to date and matched his highest chart position, number 3. The album's first track, the hit "It's In The Way That You Use It", was also featured in the Tom Cruise-Paul Newman movie The Color of Money. The horn-peppered "Run" echoed Collins' "Sussudio" and rest of the producer's Genesis/solo output, while "Tearing Us Apart" (with Tina Turner) and the bitter "Miss You" echoed Clapton at his angry best.The period kicked off Clapton's extensive two-year period of touring with Collins and their August collaborates, bassist Nathan East and keyboard player/songwriter Greg Phillinganes. Despite his own earlier battles with the bottle, Clapton also remade "After Midnight" as a single and a promotional track for the Michelob beer brand produced by Anheuser-Busch, which had also marketed earlier songs by Collins and Steve Winwood.In 1984, he performed on Pink Floyd member, Roger Waters solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking and went on tour with Waters following the release of the album. Since then Waters and Clapton have had a close relationship, and in 2005 they performed together for the Tsunami Relief Fund and on May 20, 2006 performed with Waters at the Highclere Castle playing two set pieces of "Wish You Were Here" and "Comfortably Numb".

Clapton won more plaudits and a British Academy Television Award for his collaboration with Michael Kamen on the score for the critically-acclaimed 1985 BBC television thriller serial Edge of Darkness.Clapton also worked on the music for some of the "Lethal Weapon" films.In 1989, Clapton's commercial and artistic resurgence finally came full circle with Journeyman, which featured songs in a wide range of styles from blues to jazz, soul and pop and collaborators including George Harrison, Phil Collins, Daryl Hall, Chaka Khan, Mick Jones, David Sanborn and Robert Cray.In 1985 Clapton, while still married to Pattie Clapton, had started a relationship with Yvonne Khan Kelly; they had a daughter, Ruth, in the same year. Clapton did not publicly acknowledge his daughter's existence for several years (she eventually made a spoken-word appearance on his 1998 album Pilgrim and in 2001 was pictured in the Reptile album artwork). Clapton and Pattie divorced in 1989 following his affair with Italian model Lory Del Santo, who gave birth to his son Conor in August 1986 (the month of his birth prompting the title of the album released that year).

Solo....and beyond

The early 1990s saw tragedy enter Clapton's life again on two occasions. On August 27, 1990 guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was touring with Clapton, and two members of their road crew were killed in a helicopter crash between concerts. Then, on March 20, 1991 at 11:00AM, Conor, who was four and a half, died when he fell from the 53rd-story window of his mother's New York City apartment, landing on the roof of an adjacent four-story building. A fraction of Clapton's grief was heard on the song "Tears in Heaven" (on the soundtrack to the 1991 movie Rush), co-written with Will Jennings, which, like the MTV Unplugged album that followed it, won a Grammy award.While Unplugged featured Clapton playing acoustic guitar, his 1994 album From The Cradle contains new versions of old blues standards highlighted by fine electric guitar playing.Clapton finished the twentieth century with critically-acclaimed collaborations with Carlos Santana and B. B. King. Clapton's 1996 recording of the Wayne Kirkpatrick/ Gordon Kennedy/Tommy Sims tune "Change the World" (featured in the soundtrack of the movie Phenomenon) won a Grammy award for song of the year in 1997, the same year he recorded Retail Therapy, an album of electronic music with Simon Climie under the pseudonym TDF. The following year, Clapton released the album "Pilgrim", the first record featuring brand new material for almost a decade.In 1998 Clapton had a relationship with singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow. The couple dated briefly but it is rumoured that Sheryl wrote "My Favorite Mistake" about her relationship with Clapton. They remain friends presently. In 1999 Clapton, then 54, met 25-year-old graphic artist Melia McEnery in Los Angeles while working on an album with B.B. King. They married in 2002 at St Mary Magdalen church in Clapton's birthplace, Ripley, Surrey, and as of 2005 have three daughters, Julie Rose (2001), Ella May (2003), and Sophie (2005). He wrote the song "Three Little Girls," featured on his 2006 album "The Road to Escondido," about the contentment he has found in his home life with his wife and daughters.

Following the release of the 2001 record Reptile, Eric performed "Layla" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at the Party at the Palace in 2002 and in November he masterminded The Concert for George at the Royal Albert Hall, a tribute to George Harrison, who had died a year earlier of cancer. The concert featured Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and Ravi Shankar, amongst others.In 2004, Clapton released two records packed full of covers by legendary Bluesman, Robert Johnson. Me & Mr Johnson, contains many delights from the soulful "Love in Vain," to the pacey "Last Fair Deal Going Down," and "They're Red Hot." The second album, "Sessions For Robert J," was released in December and comprised of the outtakes from the "Me & Mr Johnson." Before his Tour of Japan in 2003, Clapton had stated that his new album would have a definite "rocky," feel but the two Robert Johnson records undoubtedly contradicted this. He later revealed that "when we got stuck or if it wasn't moving fast enough we'd stop and do a Robert Johnson song. That would clear the air and we'd go back and carry on for the new album. As a result, we ended up with a complete Robert Johnson album first, which was released last year as 'Me And Mr. Johnson."Back Home, Clapton's first album of new original material in nearly five years, was released on Reprise Records on August 30th. Featuring twelve songs, five of which were penned by Clapton with creative collaborator Simon Climie, "Back Home" also includes "Love Comes To Everyone" by George Harrison, the Spinners' "Love Don't Love Nobody," a rendition of Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright's "I'm Going Left," and compositions by Vince Gill, Doyle Bramhall II and others. It was through the writing and recording process, Clapton explained, that the theme of "Back Home" emerged. "One of the earliest statements I made about myself," he revealed, "was back in the late '80s, with 'Journeyman.' This album completes that cycle in terms of talking about my whole journey as an itinerant musician and where I find myself now, starting a new family. That's why I chose the title. It's about coming home and staying home. Even though," he added with a laugh, "I'll be out on the road again next year, playing this music."

In 2006 it was announced that Derek Trucks and Doyle Bramhall II would join Clapton's band for his 2006 and 2007 tour. Trucks is the third member of the Allman Brothers Band to support Clapton, the second being keyboardist Chuck Leavell who appeared on the MTV Unplugged album. Support act band leader, Robert Cray regularly join Eric on stage for "Old Love" which he co-wrote with Eric for the 1989 album "Journeyman" and on the encore on "Crossroads" The setlist for the 2006-2007 World Tour has been constructed from compositions spanning his entire solo career from After Midnight from the 1970 ""Eric Clapton" " LP to "Back Home" from the album of the same name. On May 20th, 2006 he performed with a set band consisting of ex-Queen drummer Roger Taylor and ex- Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters, at the Highclere Castle. On August 13th 2006, Clapton made a guest appearance at the Bob Dylan concert in Columbus, Ohio. He guest appeared on three songs of Jimmie Vaughan's opening act.

Clapton has performed songs by myriad arists, most notably Robert Johnson and J.J. Cale. Other artists Clapton has covered include Bob Marley and Bob Dylan. He cites Johnson and Cale as major influences on his guitar playing, stating in the liner notes of his Robert Johnson tribute album Me and Mr. Johnson "It is a remarkable thing to have been driven and influenced all of my life by the work of one man... I accept that it has always been the keystone of my musical foundation... I am talking of course about Robert Johnson". He has recorded more than six of Cale's originals and has put out an album with the artist. Other artists Clapton has made collaborations with include Frank Zappa, B.B King, Santana, Ringo Starr, Roger Waters, Bob Marley and The Plastic Ono Band.Recently, Clapton collaborated with singer/songwriter John Mayer on his 2006 album release Continuum. Mayer cites Clapton in his liner notes "Eric Clapton - I copy off of him and he lets me." Clapton and Mayer wrote several songs together which have yet to be released. Clapton's influence inspired Mayer to write "I Don't Trust Myself with Loving You" a song which sounds as if Clapton had written it himself.

A collaboration with guitar legend J.J. Cale, titled "The Road to Escondido," was recently released on November 7, 2006. The 14 track CD was produced and recorded by the duo in August 2005 in California. The resulting music defies being labeled into any one category, but instead finds influence across the spectrum of blues, rock, country and folk. A hybrid sound that is unique musically, while still bearing the signature styles of Cale and Clapton recognized by fans around the world. The songs are warm and rich, with deep flowing rhythms, yet use an economy of words to express much.In a true collaboration, Cale and Clapton jointly produced and recorded the album, each playing and singing on the tracks. Cale wrote 11 of the songs, Clapton wrote "Three Little Girls," John Mayer wrote "Hard To Thrill" and the duo cover the blues classic "Sporting Life Blues." J.J. Cale's touring band accompanies them on the album as well as guest musicians including, Taj Mahal, John Mayer, Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall II, Albert Lee, Nathan East, Willie Weeks and Steve Jordan. Particularly special is the involvement of the late Billy Preston, who donated his classic keyboard talents throughout the album. It was announced via the BBC website in October 2006 that Clapton would add JJ Cale's "Cocaine" to his live set, having previously refused to play it. He now sees it as an anti-drugs song.

Information courtesy The Unofficial Eric Clapton Website www.eric-clapton.co.uk / Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org and Official Website www.ericclapton.com

Trivia

Clapton employs Lee Dickson to take care of his guitars. They are kept in a controlled environment and at the moment he has about 750 guitars. Back when he was at his prime he had some 2,000 guitars.
Clapton was ranked 4th in Rolling Stone's list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
According to the aforementioned list, Clapton is the second greatest living guitarist (behind B.B. King).
Early in his career, Clapton used a 1960 model Gibson Les Paul, and was partially responsible for Gibson's reintroduction of the original Les Paul body style after it was replaced by the Gibson SG.
Although many sources give his surname at birth as Clapp, this is incorrect. Though his grandmother's second husband's name was Clapp, his mother's name was Clapton; his grandparents never legally adopted him.
Clapton was banned from driving in France and had his British driving license confiscated after being clocked driving at 216 km/h (134mph) in a Porsche 911 Turbo on a French motorway in October 2004.
Clapton claims to have slept with over 1,000 women. He supposedly once ordered a fellow musician to let him sleep with his girlfriend.
Minor Planet 4305 is named 4305 Clapton to honor him. It is an asteroid between Mars and Jupiter.
The soundtrack of Goodfellas contains two of his songs: "Layla" (by Derek and the Dominos) and "Sunshine of Your Love" (by Cream). Both of these songs have immediately recognizable guitar riffs (even to those who have never heard the songs in their entirety)
Clapton and Cream bandmates Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce have all played with each other in other groups. Clapton and Baker played together in the short-lived supergroup Blind Faith, Baker and Bruce played together with the Graham Bond Organisation and Blue Incorporated, and Bruce and Clapton played together near the end of Clapton's tenure with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. .
Once while playing a Cream concert, he and Ginger Baker suddenly stopped playing; Jack Bruce, apparently due to the volume of his amplification, did not notice.
Even though all three were band members of The Yardbirds, Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck never played in the band all at the same time. The three guitarists did however all play on stage at the same time at the ARMS charity concerts in 1983 in honour of Ronnie Lane. Clapton and Page had previously played together with The Immediate All-Stars in 1965. And, as noted above, Clapton and Beck played together in 1981 at The Secret Policeman's Other Ball.
Upon his return to England after recording Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, he was supporting a £1,000-per-week heroin addiction.
Clapton holds the #10 ranked guitar solo for the song "Crossroads" in Guitar World magazine's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos. While this is his highest ranked solo, he also boasts four others.
Clapton is the only person inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio three times (The Yardbirds, Cream, and solo).
His name has appeared on some albums distributed in Japan as Eric Crapton, though this is most likely a case of bad Engrish rather than sabotage.
Clapton was good friends with fellow 1960's guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Both musicians went to the same concert the night Hendrix died; Clapton had bought a left-handed Stratocaster to give to his friend after the performance, but he never got the chance.

Selected Discography Solo career (1970s-present)

1970 Derek & the Dominos
1970 Eric Clapton
1974 461 Ocean Boulevard
1975 There's One in Every Crowd
1976 No Reason to Cry
1977 Slowhand
1978 Backless
1981 Another Ticket
1983 Money and Cigarettes
1985 Behind the Sun
1986 August
1989 Journeyman
1994 From the Cradle
1998 Pilgrim
2000 Riding with the King (with BB King)
2001 Reptile
2004 Me and Mr. Johnson
2004 Sessions for Robert J
2005 Back Home
2006 Escondido (with JJ Cale)

Live Albums

1973 Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert
1975 E.C. Was Here
1980 Just One Night
1991 24 Nights *
1992 Unplugged
1996 Crossroads 2: Live in the Seventies
2002 One More Car, One More Rider

* recommended

Keep the rock real ...

Benjy

Contact Rock of Ages

Email:
Website: www.rock.co.za/rockofages
Snail mail:
PO Box 53585, Kenilworth, 7745
Studio phones: 021-4342523 / 4342525

Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, rants, raves and ramblings expressed on this website are the author's own and in no way reflect the views of Radio 2000 or the SABC.

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Rock Of Ages News

The Road to Macca
The tabloid tormented Sir Paul McCartney has plans to trademake his name. This is said to be for the benefit of various merchandising lines including clothes (like he needs the money!)

Who's the Face(s)
Rod Stewart has told American magazine Blender that he may be willing to reuniting The Faces "for the right reasons-maybe a big one-off charity event". However he suggested that the band's catalogue is too limited for a full blown reunion: "We haven't got enough material, we used to play for 45 minutes – now people want 2 hours" ... really Rodney?

'Slave in LA
Audioslave guitarist and committed political activist, Tom Morello was recently arrested for protesting the rights of immigrant hotel workers at Los Angeles Airport. "They make 20% less wages than hotel workers around the rest of Los Angeles" said Morello. However what the workers themselves felt about this issue is unknown, it is thought that most of them were happy just to have a job.

Lemmysaur
A Swedish palaeontologist has named a 428 year old fossil after Motorhead leader, Lemmy Kilmister. Dr Mats Eriksson of Lund University awarded the name 'Kalloprion kilmisteri' to an extinct marine polychaete annelid worm. "Not only is Lemmy already a music business legend his name now has a permanent place in science" said long time fan Eriksson. It is not known what the marginally younger rocker had to say about this.

West signs with Dean
Rock legend Leslie West, from the band Mountain, has signed with Dean Guitars and created a Leslie West Signature Model –a custom, single cutaway, co-designed by West and company founder, Dean B. Zelinsky. West's legend became synonymous with tone when he dialled a ton of it out of his Les Paul Jr. for the classic lick on "Mississippi Queen." In that spirit, West built his Dean signature model "from the sound up." Plenty of natural tone and sustain are achieved through the model's set neck construction, anchoring its mahogany neck to the solid mahogany body. Leslie insisted that the volume knob goes to 11 on this stunning model. After he plugged it in the first time he stated, "10 was not enough!" "Tone like I've never heard before and believe me I know "f'n" tone. I've never played a guitar that sounded or felt this good … if only I had it at Woodstock," said West. "But Zelinsky was only 12 year old."

Rough Cuts ... "I think that the Arctic Monkeys should open a chain of chip shops in North Yorkshire" – The Fall's Mark E Smith is unimpressed ... It now seems that the upcoming compilation 'Black Sabbath: The Dio Years' will be a single CD, and not a box set as previously believed. However, it is to feature at least two new songs ... After just four months of marriage, Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock are to divorce. They cite 'irreconcilable differences' although Short Cuts hears that it had more to do with Pammy's embarrassing appearance in the Borat movie ...

More Classic Rock?
I can highly recommend the About Classic Rock website run by Dave White. Not only does Dave host one of the most knowledgeable classic rock blogs on the Net but the site itself is very entertaining and informative. There are always great indepth stories on the artists and the rock quizzes are addictive. If you are like me, a classic rock fan, then the weekly About Classic Rock newletter is a must. Sign up at classicrock.about.com

More rock on R2K ......
Suffering from Rock withdrawal symptoms on a Tuesday night? Well then tune the dial el pronto to Barney Simon's show between 8 and midnight every Tuesday on Radio 2000 (or R2K as Barney calls it) for the best in South African rock plus gig guide,albums reviews, demos, new releases, news from around the country and much more ...... Unmissable! .... Also don't forget to catch Michelle Constant between 1pm and 3pm Monday-Friday for news, music, interviews and loads of cool stuff .... and of course .... Mo G on the morning drive, weekdays 8-10am ... Exclusively on Radio 2000.

Live Gigs

Boulevard Blues Band
3rd - Berties Mooring, Gordons Bay
9th - Flaming Fox
17th- Berties Mooring, Gordons Bay
23rd- Fogeys Railway House Restaurant, Muizenberg
31st - New Years gig at Berties Mooring Gordons Bay.

Farryl Purkiss and Nibs Van der Spuy
Wed 13 Dec Mojo's Blues Bar and Grill - Umhlanga Rocks
Thur 14 Dec Society - Durban
Fri 15 Dec Umhlanga Beach - Umhlanga Rocks
Sat 16 Dec Ballito Cinema - Ballito
Sun 17 Dec Glass Castle - Durban

Farryl Purkiss and Simon van Gend
Wed 20 Dec Monrose - Knysna
Thur 21 Dec Tidals Pub - Mosselbay
Sat 23 Dec Independant Armchair - Observatory, Cape Town

4 X 4 TOUR (Dorp/ Cassette/ Love Jones/ Bed on Bricks)
15th December Raffles Nite Club, Umhlanga
16th Burn, Durban
17th Speak Easy, Scottburgh
18th Buccaneers, East London
19th Weldon Kaya, Plettenbergbay
20th Cotton Club - Bay Hotel, Port Elizabeth
21th Plush, George
22th Mercury Live, Cape Town
23th Embargo - Southernright Hotel, Glencairn

Karma
14 Dec Back 2 Basix, Johannesburg
15 Dec Back 2 Basix, Johannesburg (SOLD OUT)
21 Dec Independent Armchair Theatre, Cape Town
22 Dec Zula Bar, Cape Town

London Calling (Fairview JHB)
8th December The Privates, Desmond & The Tutu's and Greenisforturbo

Love Jones
14 Dec Back 2 Basix, Westdene
15 Dec Mr White's Big Weekend Out, Umhlanga
15 Dec Back 2 Basix, Westdene
16 Dec Burn, Durban (with Cassette and Dorp)
17 Dec Speak Easy, Scottburgh (with Cassette and Dorp)
18 Dec Buccaneers, East London (with Cassette and Dorp)
19 Dec Weldon Kaye, Plett with (Cassette and Dorp)
20 Dec Cotton Club, PE (with Cassette and Dorp)
21 Dec Independent Armchair Theatre Cape Town
22 Dec Zula Sound Bar, Cape Town
31 Dec Sun-Coast Casino, Durban New Year's Bash

Mojo's, The Square, Durban
Classic rock every Friday night 8.30-midnight with Salty Dog

Reburn, Overheard and Soltree
7th Dec Cool Runnings, Long Street

The Rock 'n Roll Circus (12th Avenue/ Autopilot/ Kings of Vegas)
8th - VW Barons, Private Party, Cape Town
9th - Berties Moorings, Gordons Bay
14th - Southern Right Hotel, Glencairn, Cape Town
15th - The Edge, Parklands, Cape Town
16th - Hectic on Hope, Hope St, Cape Town
19th – Bandit's Battle of the Bands Finals, Mercury Live, Cape Town
20th – Stones, Tableview, Cape Town
21st – Stones, Knysna, Garden Route
22nd – Stones, George, Garden Route
23rd - Town Square, Somerset West, Cape Town
30th - Cool Runnings, Observatory, Cape Town
31st - Corner Bar - New Year's Eve Party, Durbanville, Cape Town

The Parlotones /Wonderboom/ Evolver
15 December Wavehouse, Umhlanga
17 December Rocky Ridge Restaurant, Ramsgate
18 December The Workshop, St. Francis EC
20 December Plush, George
21 December Camelot, Mossel Bay
22 December Vodacom 5 o'clock @ the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
26 December The Deck, Gonubie EC
27 December The Station, Port Alfred
28 December Tapas Al Sol, Port Elizabeth

Prime Circle/ Bloodmoney/ Driverlane
15 December The Deck, Gonubie
16 December The Station, Port Alfred
17 December Tapas Al Sol, Port Elizabeth
19 December Vodacom 5 O_clock @ the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
20 December Camelot, Mossel Bay
21 December Plush, George
23 December Bushpig Events Bar, Kei Mouth EC
26 December Rocky Ridge Restaurant, Ramsgate
27 December Wavehouse, Umhlanga

Springbok Nude Girls/ The Finkelsteins/ Scarlet Box
15 December - DBN – Rocky Ridge Restaurant, Margate (TBC)
16 December - DBN – Wavehouse, Umhlanga (TBC)
18 December – EC - The Deck, East London
19 December – EC – The Station, Port Alfred
22 December – EC – Tapas Al Sol, Port Elizabeth
23 December – WC – The Workshop, ST Francis
27 December – WC- Plush, George
28 December – WC – Camelot, Mossel Bay
29 December – WC – The Finale Show in Somerset west (Venue TBC)

Stoned Goblin
8th Dec - One Ring, Lower Main Rd, Observatory. 9pm, R20 Entry
23rd Dec – Gandalfs, Lower Main Rd, Observatory. 9pm, R20 Entry

Tony Cox
5th December Independent Armchair Theatre,Cape Town

You say it's your birthday...

December 1
Eric Bloom (Blue Öyster Cult) (1944)
John Densmore (The Doors) (1944)

December 2
Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers) (1952)
Tom McGuinness (Manfred Mann) (1941)

December 3
Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath) (1948)
Mickey Thomas (Jefferson Starship) (1949)

December 4
Chris Hillman (Byrds) (1944)
Gary Rossington (Lynyrd Skynyrd) (1951)

December 5
J.J. Cale (1938)
Jim Messina (Loggins & Messina) (1947)

December 6
Kim Simmonds (Savoy Brown) (1947)

December 7
Tom Waits (1949)

December 8
Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers Band) (1947)
Jim Morrison (The Doors) (1943-1971)

December 9
Rick Danko (The Band) (1942-1999)

December 12
Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers Band)(1943)
Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull) (1946)

December 13
Skunk Baxter (Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan) (1948)
Ted Nugent (1948)

December 14
Cliff Williams (AC/DC) (1949)

Courtesy of
About ClassicRock

Birthday archives

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

"Benjy says..." Archive

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Benjy Mudie

Then	Now

Benjy Mudie is a self confessed 'rockaholic' with little chance of recovery ... a music obsessive whose entire life has been spent in search of the lost chord ... from discovering Jimi's "Are you experienced" at 13, he has constantly devoured music through lp's, singles, tapes, cds, dvds, books, magazines, film, concerts, radio, tv and the internet. His entire working life has also been music related: from running a record store and later joining WEA Records in the mid 70's through to his 21 year A&R/Marketing stint at Tusk Music where he signed some of the biggest names in South African rock and pop. The last 8 years have been spent nurturing new talent at his indie label Fresh Music and reissuing classic albums as part of it's ongoing Retro series .... To say that 'music is his first love' (to paraphrase John Miles's classic song) is somewhat understated.

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