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Eric Clapton - Me and Mr Johnson


A Lark Ascending

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Heard a track off this forthcoming release which sounded good - 'If I had Possession Over Judgement Day'.

1. When You Got A Good Friend

2. Little Queen Of Spades

3. They're Red Hot

4. Me And The Devil Blues

5. Traveling Riverside Blues

6. Last Fair Deal Gone Down

7. Stop Breakin' Down Blues

8. Milkcow's Calf Blues

9. Kind Hearted Woman Blues

10. Come On In My Kitchen

11. If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day

12. Love In Vain

13. 32-20 Blues

14. Hell Hound On My Trail

Personnel: Eric Clapton (vocals, guitar); Andy Fairweather Low, Doyle Bramhall II (guitar); Jerry Portnoy (harmonica); Billy Preston (keyboards); Nathan East (bass); Steve Gadd (drums)

I know this will be anathema to some. But I've always enjoyed Clapton when doing his bluesy thing. Potentially his best recording since 'From The Cradle'.

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Oh, it could go either way. And the odds are not in his favour.

And yet...there's been a fair few 'return from the grave' successes by these old rockers. He's on home ground with this.

I'm mindful to give it a go.

Not expecting a revelation...but it might just be fun.

One to keep an ear to the radio for.

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I know you have big ears, Bev

I knew it was a mistake to post that picture!!!! It never did Bing Crosby any harm. Why in Britain you can even become heir to the throne with such appendages!!!!

I led a blues-less youth. When I started listening to music attentively c.1969 the UK was awash with endless blues-rock group...normally heavy handed ones who took their example from Cream's more excessive moments. I was much happier with prog-rock, folk-rock, jazz-rock...anything without the blues in it. Clapton just stood for all I disliked.

Then I caught jazz and from there I sort of came backward into the blues. And the Layla album was one of the discs that woke me up.

So I've got a pretty driftless blues collection - lots of good things from all over (picked up the 1928 Mississippi John Hurt sessions only last week). But I don't really have an overall handle on it.

I accept that Clapton may be well down the pecking order for those to whom pecking orders matter. But over the years I've found lots of stuff by him that I really enjoy...and lots that I don't care for (he should have done time for 'Wonderful Tonight'!). This one sounds like I might like it.

Had a look online for some references to that Paul Geremia record and I very much like the look of it. I've never even heard of him! Many thanks for the recommendation.

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Clem, no argument from me about Clapton, but what's your beef with Doyle II? When he's not doing his SRV rehash stuff I find him to be an amazing player and an exciting performer. Good voice too. What was that band he had in the early 90's with Charlie Sexton?

At any rate, I wonder if he'll be consigned to anything beyond a rhythm spot on this new Clapton thing. What is it about Robert Johnson that makes his music so prone to capitalization? Gotta be the mystique.

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ARC Angels was the band with Doyle, Sexton, Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton (Double Trouble - SRVs old band)

I think if Clapton has got anything to say musically it will be said on this album. He is so passionate about Robert Johnson's music if anything can inspire him to greatest it aught to be this. Also, knowing he's such a huge fan of RJ, why has it taken 40 years to make a tribute album? I think because he hasn't felt ready to and the fact he feels ready now make me anxious to hear the results. Although he loves Robert Johnson he hasn't always played in that style. In recent years he has really worked on his fingerpicking and this album should showcase the fruits of his labor.

Edited by scottb
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Uh... the point? I guess ya'll ain't heard enough Dolye Bramhall to make you extra wary...

In any case, maybe I'll start another thread, maybe I won't but even if you don't think as I do, that Clapton has had ** nothing ** interesting to offer us past his brief J.J. Cale phase--

And this maybe more than ** nothing **. I'm curious, that's all. <_<

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Back when Duane Allman was still alive, they did some acoustic duets. I wouldn't mind hearing hearing some thing like that with Clapton and some other guitar "heros" from the old days. No drums. Maybe an upright acoustic bass.

Capton and Johnny Winter?

Clapton and Jeff Beck? Beck doesn't really play much acoustic.

Clapton and Jimmy Page? Page doesn't really play guitar in public anymore. Too busy counting his money.

Clapton and Keb Mo? Please don't plug in any synths. Please.

Clapton and some young lions? Derek Trucks? Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi All Stars)?

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  • 3 weeks later...

A very enjoyable disc.

14 tracks, all about 3 to 4 minutes long. No extended jams. Sounds very live in the studio and doesn't sound as if they spent long on the arrangements. He seems to fluff the lyrics on the first track...unless its an imitation from the original. I've not checked. Mainly in Clapton's normal electric bluesy style but a couple of more vaudvillian style arrangements.

I suspect people who've enjoyed Clapton doing this sort of thing will enjoy it.

Not recommended to those who hate him (unless you love to hate him in which case you'll have lots of fun!).

A fun record but not a world beater. It'd be interesting to hear the material after they've toured it a bit. I'm sure we'll get the 'live' disc in due course!!!!

BTW, clementine,

'The Devil's Music' fell through the door today. Will listen later! Looks good!

Edited by Bev Stapleton
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Out of the three hot guitarslingers to come out of the Yardbirds(Clapton, Beck & Page), IMHO Beck has done the most musically. While Page is counting his money and digging out old Led Zep tapes, and Clapton is still trying to do something of substance(IMHO, the last one was 'Layla', and even that had a lot to do with Duane Allman), Beck is still smokin'. His latest live disc ROCKS extra hard, with Beck showing that he hasn't lost his fastball or his way with a riff.

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Out of the three hot guitarslingers to come out of the Yardbirds(Clapton, Beck & Page), IMHO Beck has done the most musically. While Page is counting his money and digging out old Led Zep tapes...

I'm not one to defend Page's post-Zeppelin work, but it took them a long time to release live stuff from the vault. In '97 there was the BBC Sessions release, and then last year the 3 disc live CD and the 2 disc DVD. That's it. They could sell a lot more of that but supposedly Page is hyper-critical of his playing. So rather than spending time counting money, I think he spends it editing tapes. :rolleyes:

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Hey Bev,

What do you think of the Geremia?

Havn't had a chance to listen yet. I'm buried in marking coursework at present and want to sit and listen to it with full attention rather than in the background. Will report back. I'm fully expecting to be impressed.

I'm listening to it now. It's OK. I should try it again at a later date to see if it's a keeper.

note: at this point, I'm talking about this Paul Geremia fella, Clementine keeps going on about.

Edited by 7/4
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