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By the time Eric Clapton launched his solo career with the release of his self-titled debut album in mid-1970, he was long established asone of
the world's major rock stars due to his group affiliations -- the Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, and Blind Faith --which had
demonstrated his claim to being the best rock guitarist of his generation. That it took Clapton so long to go out on his own,however, was
evidence of a degree of reticence unusual for one of his stature. And his debut album, though it spawned the Top 40 hit "AfterMidnight," was
typical of his self-effacing ...read more
By the time Eric Clapton launched his solo career with the release of his self-titled debut album in mid-1970, he was long established asone of
the world's major rock stars due to his group affiliations -- the Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, and Blind Faith --which had
demonstrated his claim to being the best rock guitarist of his generation. That it took Clapton so long to go out on his own,however, was
evidence of a degree of reticence unusual for one of his stature. And his debut album, though it spawned the Top 40 hit "AfterMidnight," was
typical of his self-effacing approach: it was, in effect, an album by the group he had lately been featured in, Delaney & Bonnie& Friends.
Not surprisingly, before his solo debut had even been released, Clapton had retreated from his solo stance, assembling from the D&B&Franks the
personnel for a group, Derek & the Dominos, with whom he played for most of 1970 and recorded the landmark album Layla andOther Assorted
Love Songs. Clapton was largely inactive in 1971 and 1972, due to heroin addiction, but he performed a comeback concertat the Rainbow Theatre
in London on January 13, 1973, resulting in the album Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert (September 1973). ButClapton did not launch a sustained
solo career until July 1974, when he released 461 Ocean Boulevard, which topped the charts andspawned the number one single "I Shot the
Sheriff."
The persona Clapton established over the next decade was less that of guitar hero than arena rock star with a weakness for ballads. Thefollow-
ups to 461 Ocean Boulevard, There's One in Every Crowd (March 1975), the live E.C. Was Here (August 1975), and No Reason toCry (August
1976), were less successful. But Slowhand (November 1977), which featured both the powerful "Cocaine" (written by J.J. Cale,who had also
written "After Midnight") and the hit singles "Lay Down Sally" and "Wonderful Tonight," was a million-seller. Its follow-ups,Backless (November
1978), featuring the Top Ten hit "Promises," the live Just One Night (April 1980), and Another Ticket (February1981), featuring the Top Ten hit "I
Can't Stand It," were all big sellers.
Clapton's popularity waned somewhat in the first half of the '80s, as the albums Money and Cigarettes (February 1983), Behind the Sun(March
1985), and August (November 1986) indicated a certain career stasis. But he was buoyed up by the release of the box setretrospective
Crossroads (April 1988), which seemed to remind his fans of how great he was. Journeyman (November 1989) was a return toform. It would be
his last new studio album for nearly five years, though in the interim he would suffer greatly and enjoy surprising triumph.On March 20, 1991,
Clapton's four-year-old son was killed in a fall. While he mourned, he released a live album, 24 Nights (October 1991),culled from his annual
concert series at Royal Albert Hall in London, and prepared a movie soundtrack, Rush (January 1992). Thesoundtrack featured a song written for
his son, "Tears in Heaven," that became a massive hit single.
In March 1992, Clapton recorded a concert for MTV Unplugged that, when released on an album in August, became his biggest-sellingrecord ever.
Two years later, Clapton returned with a blues album, From the Cradle, which became one of his most successful albums, bothcommercially and
critically. Crossroads, Vol. 2: Live in the Seventies, a box set chronicling his live work from the '70s, was released tomixed reviews. In early
1997, Clapton, billing himself by the pseudonym "X-Sample," collaborated with keyboardist/producer Simon Climieas the ambient new age and
trip-hop duo T.D.F. The duo released Retail Therapy to mixed reviews in early 1997.
Clapton retained Climie as his collaborator for Pilgrim, his first album of new material since 1989's Journeyman. Pilgrim was greeted
withdecidedly mixed reviews upon its spring 1998 release, but the album debuted at number four and stayed in the Top Ten for several weeks
onthe success of the single "My Father's Eyes." In 2000, Clapton teamed up with old friend B.B. King on Riding with the King, a set of
bluesstandards and material from contemporary singer/songwriters. Another solo outing, entitled Reptile, followed in early 2001. Three
yearslater, Clapton issued Me and Mr. Johnson, a collection of tunes honoring the Mississippi-born bluesman Robert Johnson. Released in
2005,Back Home, Clapton's 14th album of original material, reflected his ease with fatherhood. Also in 2005, Clapton unexpectedly teamed
withJack Bruce and Ginger Baker for a Cream reunion that included May concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall and shows at New York’sMadison
Square Garden in October, with the former being compiled for a live release that fall.
This turned out to be the first of many reunions and looks back for Clapton. In 2006, he elevated the profile of his latter-day idol J.J. Cale
byrecording an album-long duet, The Road to Escondido. The following year he released his autobiography -- accompanied by a new
careercompilation called The Complete Clapton -- which focused more on his trials with addiction and subsequent recovery than his
musicalcareer. In 2008, Clapton began playing regular shows with his old Blind Faith partner Steve Winwood, gigs that were captured on the
2009double-live set Live from Madison Square Garden. Winwood also appeared on Clapton’s next studio album, 2010’s Clapton, which was
acollaboration-heavy affair also featuring Cale, Sheryl Crow, Allen Toussaint, and Wynton Marsalis. In 2011, Clapton returned the favor toMarsalis
by collaborating on the live concert album Play the Blues: Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center. « hide |
Similar Bands: Cream, Derek and the Dominos, The Yardbirds, Freddie King, Blind Faith Contributors: brochenski, rockandmetaljunkie, TheRamblingElf, demon of surveillance, Nagrarok, Disconnected, DylanDoorsfan, samthebassman, Alex101, Nexion, Simple Man, ogan, rockandmetaljunkie, Willie, Nagrarok,
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