Clapton to retire...

richardhomer

^
Yes. He tours somewhere pretty much annually.

blueskunk

Actually i take back my last comment , has anyone seen him in the concert for George ?

Nothing flashy just excellent musicianship

littlegreenman

Can't really blame the fellah. If I was pushing 70, I'd be doing the same. It's not as if he's said he'll stop playing or recording, just doing headline tours.

With laurels like that to rest on, I'd say he's earned the right to do whatever he likes now. And I say that as someone who only really rates the stuff he did on Pro's and Con's. Always liked the story behind that where Waters told his wife he'd like Clapton on the record but said you don't just phone Clapton up and ask him, to which she replied "that's silly, just phone him!".

Danny1969

He had a strop over the monitors a few nights ago in Scotland and stormed off stage. Great player but he's had a good run

matone

If he`d played more stuff the way he did on `Pros & Cons` I`d listen a lot more !

johnnyurq

I hope he is not just teasing us.

Only kidding, but the time is right if he is struggling.

Neil

He deserves a bit of rest.

His legendary status is already assured. 

jonnyburgo

He didn't say he's retiring but just scaling down, doing a bit of leafleting for the BNP, stuff like that.

jacksparrow

^ lol.     

Deijavoo

Taking up street combat for Britain First could be interesting at his age.

In all truth I don't like any of his stuff, his politics or him in general but a lot of people do and he has made a massive difference to those people and their lives. For those reasons I wish him a long, quiet and happy retirement. 

noisepolluter

vasselmeyer said:

blueskunk said:

Tbh he retired when cream broke up

Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominos have their moments. Virtually everything from the solo era is forgettable.

I quite like the more acoustic/mellow stuff from the 70's when he was influenced by people like The Band and JJ Cale. Unplugged is really good too.

It's mostly the production on the later stuff that I don't get along with. I wonder what would happened if he'd worked with Rick Rubin?

dilbert

GuyBoden said:

Like a lot of English/London based electric Blues players of the 1960's, he was in the right place at the right time, there can't have been many good English electric Blues players at that time.

Please tell me that is sarcasm............

Lew

I've not got much interest outside of his Gibson days apart from the odd 70s album. But he's surely allowed to be a bit of a diva? He's Eric fucking Clapton!

Phil_aka_Pip

noisepolluter said:

vasselmeyer said:

blueskunk said:

Tbh he retired when cream broke up

Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominos have their moments. Virtually everything from the solo era is forgettable.

I quite like the more acoustic/mellow stuff from the 70's when he was influenced by people like The Band and JJ Cale. Unplugged is really good too.

It's mostly the production on the later stuff that I don't get along with. I wonder what would happened if he'd worked with Rick Rubin?

JJ Cale's music amounted to an insipid pile of 'meh'. Pointless chugging along on the same chord or at least not much that ever amounted to harmonic progression, no real guitar solos that actually go anywhere, guitars being played though amps that sound as if they've been turned down so as not to annoy the neighbours in the next flat instead of being cranked up enough to excite the listener. For a man who a few years previous had been a powerful guitar hero blasting exciting stuff out from a wall of maxed-out stacks to come down to this was a serious disappointment.

richardhomer

Phil_aka_Pip;279132" said:

JJ Cale's music amounted to an insipid pile of 'meh'. Pointless chugging along on the same chord or at least not much that ever amounted to harmonic progression, no real guitar solos that actually go anywhere, guitars being played though amps that sound as if they've been turned down so as not to annoy the neighbours in the next flat instead of being cranked up enough to excite the listener. For a man who a few years previous had been a powerful guitar hero blasting exciting stuff out from a wall of maxed-out stacks to come down to this was a serious disappointment.

'Wow' awarded for all the wrong reasons....

OilCityPickups

Seen Clapton many times ... and while I don't really understand the Clapton worship ... I think there have been better electric blues artists (and worse): I think it will be a poorer scene without him on it. So good luck to him ... it will be the passing of an era.

JDE

I actually love Clapton. I think the Ocean Blvd. record is one of the best albums of the 70's, full stop. His music holds a lot of happy memories for me, especially with regards to bonding with my dad when I was a teen and a horrible little shit. Sad to see him "step off" but Jesus, he's done enough. You can't relentlessly ride the big wheel forever. I hope he still makes records - the recent LP with Wynton Marsalis and his band (admittedly one of my fave musicians ever anyway) despite showing his chop "flaws" is great, IMO.

End of the day, the fucker played "All Your Love" and changed the sound of rock guitar.

richardhomer

JDE;279220" said:

the recent LP with Wynton Marsalis and his band (admittedly one of my fave musicians ever anyway) despite showing his chop "flaws" is great, IMO.

I think he pulled that gig off remarkably well, given how unlikely the combination was.

Clearly he doesn't (and never has had) the harmonic knowledge to play through the changes that those guys are capable of - but what he did was cop exactly the right feel. He does a little speech on the DVD where he pretty much admits he's out of his depth...

It seems to me that this was a massive risk for him and that he seemed to want to test himself.

Thanks for reminding me of it - I need to dig it out and watch it again.

DrBob

I don't say this as a dig at Clapton as I have no particular opinion about him either way but some of the reasons stated for his stepping back do amuse me a bit.

As one that has to fly frequently for work I totally get that airports aren't a fun place to spend time but I'm guessing that at his level he's beyond having to stand in the same queue of oxygen thieves at the Sleazyjet desk as I do and I'm guessing the hotels he stays in are probably pretty plush as well ?

And of course the pivotal point is, he 's Eric Clapton, I'm guessing he's probably alright for few quid and unlike the rest if us schmucks who will probably have to work until we're 70 just to have enough cash to live the relatively short bit after retirement he surely could've jacked it all in 20 years ago if he'd have wanted ?

Like I say, there genuinely is no bitterness in this, just think it's funny how one's perspective gets a bit skewed by your surroundings..

sted

Funny really, being a guitar player and of a certain age (nearly 40) I was only subjected to the 80's stuff in my youth, its only when you get older and dig around you realise just how massive he was in terms of guitar playing.

I didnt read the article (Sorry, I dont read any newspapers or shit like that) but I wish him the very best in whatever he does.