Guitar legend Eric Clapton was born on March 30, 1945, in Ripley, England.
This is the first time in our entire review history that we have been left speechless.
(Photo: Ron Pownall)
24 studio albums as a solo artist.
23 studio albums as part of groups and lineups.
16 live albums as a solo artist.
21 compilation albums and boxes.
14 soundtracks.
9 lineups in which he was a member of, including:
1. The Yardbirds.
2. John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.
3. Cream.
4. Blind Faith.
5. Delaney & Bonnie & Friends.
6. Derek and the Dominos.
86 recorded collaborations with various artists, including (and this is only a partial list): "The Beatles", George Harrison, John Lennon, and the Plastic Ono Band, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Artha Franklin, Roger Waters, Phil Collins, Sting, Stephen Stills, Carlos Santana, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Brian Wilson, Kate Bush, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, J. J. Cale and more and more...
How do you even begin to review such a legend?
There is no doubt. The famous graffiti writer from 1966 was right! - "CLAPTON IS GOD", otherwise there is no logical and rational explanation for this man's tremendous catalog, especially considering that for four years, from 1970 to 1974, which was supposed to be the pinnacle of his career, he was inactive due to drug and alcohol problems.
(Photo: Classic Rock In Pics on Twitter)
So this time we decided to pick up with tweezers 35 interesting facts about "The Guitar Legend", Eric Clapton:
1. Until the age of 9 he was sure his mother was his sister. His mother Patricia gave birth to him at the age of 16 as a result of a relationship with a married man, and he was raised by his grandparents.
2. The first band he joined at age 17 was "The Roosters".
3. He was nicknamed "Slowhand" in the days of the "Yardbirds", which he joined when he was only 18. This was due to the time it took him to replace the guitar strings, which he often tore due to his playing style. "Slowhand" is also the name of his fifth solo album.
4. Clapton was very critical of his playing and it almost made him abandon music in 1965. At the age of 20, he was interviewed by a newspaper and he asked not to be flattered because he does not think he plays well. He later traveled to a remote village, secluded himself, and played for hours on end every day until he felt ready and joined "John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers".
5. John Mayall used to change guitarists like socks, Clapton was the only one who was not fired by him. He decided to leave and formed "Cream".
6. "Cream" which is considered the first supergroup in music, was named so because its three members were thought to create the best blues ensemble in the world. The "whipp cream" of tmusic, the crème de la crème.
7. However, one day when Clapton was sitting in a restaurant reading an article in the "Rolling Stone" magazine about "Cream", in which he was defined as the "master of clichés", he fainted on the spot. When he woke up he decided to break up the band.
8. Clapton wasted no time and immediately after the breakup of "Cream", he turned to form the next supergroup with Stevie Winwood - "Blind Faith".
9. Clapton did not want to sing at first in "Blind Faith", not even the ones he wrote. He noted that Winwood was very angry with him, but he just felt he was not a good enough singer.
10. The band's first-ever performance was held in front of over one hundred thousand people in Hyde Park, London.
11. In an interview about "Blind Faith" Clapton noted that the band made all his friends very rich, but in his case, all the money went to drugs.
12. Clapton disbanded "Blind Faith" after falling in love with their warm-up band "Delaney & Bonnie". He started performing with them and later he will admit that he owes his solo career to Delaney who convinced him that his voice is a gift of God and he must use it.
13. The members of Clapton's next supergroup - "Derek and the Dominos" met during the Delaney & Bonnie & Friends tour. These were Bobby Whitlock (vocals and keyboards), Carl Radle (bass), and Jim Gordon (drums). Another guest player who also influenced Clapton's playing and helped write the riff for the famous "Layla" was Duane Allman of the "Allman Brothers".
14. Clapton wanted to be an equal member of this band when he saw before his eyes "The Band" as a role model.
15. Some say that the band's name was born due to a typo since it was supposed to be "Eric and the Dominos".
16. He released his first eponymous solo album "Eric Clapton" in August 1970.
17. Clapton did not receive credit for one of his most famous solos. It was "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" of "the Beatles" "White Album" in which he was a guest. Due to contractual issues between the record companies, he could not get credit for his contribution.
18. Clapton and George Harrison have written two of the greatest love songs of all time about the same girl - Patty Boyd. George Harrison's "Something" and Eric Clapton's "Layla".
19. He wrote the song "Tears In Heaven" in memory of his son Conor, who fell from the 53rd floor of an apartment building in New York when he was only four years old. The song first appeared on the soundtrack of the movie "Rush" and was released as a single about a week before the recording of Clapton's famous Unplugged performance.
20. Clapton's Unplugged Album is the best-selling live album of all time.
21. His second album as a solo artist "461 Ocean Boulevard", is named after the house where he lived in Miami. The house is photographed on the album cover. The "Bee Gees" later moved into the house.
22. Clapton is a living legend not only on Earth but also in space. There is an asteroid named after him - "Clapton 4305".
23. The song "Here Comes the Sun" written by George Harrison for the Beatles, was written in the backyard of Clapton's home.
24. He is the only artist to have been inducted into the "Rock Hall of Fame" three times. In 1992 for his membership in the "Yardbirds", a year later for his membership in "Cream" and in 2000 as a solo artist.
25. Clapton is also the only artist to have been part of three successful and influential supergroups: "Cream" with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, "Blind Faith" with Steve Winwood, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech - "Derek and the Dominos" with Jim Gordon, Bobby Whitlock and more.
(Photo: Hulton Archive)
26. Not many know, but there was also a fourth supergroup, in which Clapton first collaborated with Jack Bruce and Steve Winwood. "Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse" was the band formed before "Cream" in 1966. They were privileged to record several songs that entered the "What's Shakin" collection released in June 1966.
27. During his Great depression in the early 1970s, when he was heavily addicted to heroin and alcohol he played a whole show lying on his back and with a microphone lying next to him.
28. On June 24, 1999, Clapton sold 100 guitars from his private collection, including "Brownie", the guitar he played on the recording of the song "Layla". he donated the $ 5 million he received from the sale to the "Crossroads" organization he founded to help drug and alcohol addicts.
29. Clapton's favorite guitar and the one he played most often in the years 1970 to 1986 is called "Blackie" and it consists of three different "Fender Stratocaster" guitars. Clapton purchased 6 "Fender Stratocaster" guitars during his visit to Nashville during the "Derek and the Dominos" tour. One he gave to George Harrison, the second to Pete Townshend, and the third to Stevie Winwood. Of the remaining three he created "Blackie", taking from each of them his favorite part.
30. Clapton had a relationship with Sheryl Crow, who is rumored to have written the song "My Favorite Mistake" about him.
31. He played alongside Stevie Ray Vaughan the night he was killed in a helicopter crash. Clapton relinquished his seat in a helicopter that crashed in Vaughan's favor. Two Clapton crew members crashed along with Vaughan. Clapton was initially reported killed since he was supposed to be on the helicopter.
32. Clapton was among the first to use a wah-wah pedal as an effect for his guitar. It was on the album "Disraeli Gears" by "Cream". He inspired Jimi Hendrix to incorporate the pedal into his playing. Hendrix was known as a fan of "Cream".
33. The admiration was mutual. Clapton who saw Jimi Hendrix's live in 1966, was in shock from his playing. He noted that Jimi "blew his head off".
34. Clapton is ranked second on "Rolling Stone" magazine's 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
35. During his career he has sold over 100 million albums and won 18 Grammy Awards.