Trying to find a clapton documentary

darcym

I'm trying to find an old documentary about a clapton tour.

My mum recorded it for me on VHS many years ago, and I'm trying to find it again now. 

I think it was an ITV or Channel 4 thing (probably ITV aired).

The documentary was a standard "about clapton" documentary, but focussed on his tour of "from the cradle", that time period, lots of live tracks being played, he played a white clapton strat mostly, had a fantastic harmonica player, did a reggae style version of crossroads etc.

If anyone has any information about this documentary, name, year etc anything that gives me a shot of tracking it down, that would be great.

Gassage

Here's a clip from it.

The harp player is Jerry Portnoy

This is one piece of eric that's amazing.

Gassage

@darcym

Here you go

darcym

great work, how did you find it ? thank you

Gassage

Because I had Ain't Nobody's Business bookmarked and I knew Scorsese directed it.

I saw EC at Hyde Park that year. He was jaw dropping. Best I have ever seen him.

Gassage

An anorak note re this- Andy Newmark was pencilled to be the drummer on that tour and Eric hated his fills. So he got Gadd back.

More from that tour.

darcym

thank you for sharing this, I remember watching this documentary and being really gripped by his take on some of these classics and his whole passion and knowledge of the topic. Not seen it for a long time.

Gassage

Same tour, Hyde Park. Eric at his most sublime:

2:00 is the best blues playing I've ever heard.

darcym

I've got that hyde park gig, it's great.

Gassage

The opening note of White Room outro solo was worth the admission fee alone.

cj73

Gassage said:

The opening note of White Room outro solo was worth the admission fee alone.

I'd never seen that before.. I'll be my doing damnedest to play it like that at our next gig...it is awesome

chromatuna

Thanks for the link. I don't recall seeing it either although I do remember about an hour of the earlier Albert Hall blues nights being broadcast that didn't get on the 24 nights release. I saw him at Hyde Park and on the Cradle tour and thought he was on fire at times. Next tour was a dull hits gig at Earls Court and I haven't seen him since except on the telly. I really like him most for his bluesy rootsy stuff, for me that is where he shines, far more than in Cream even. But then he couldn't have done these great blues gigs in the 90s the way he did without that whole wide orbit of experience, gaining a great singing voice etc. His slide playing on one track is stellar and I just love it when he plays those Gibson semis.

richardhomer

^ Like this?

His slide playing is so visceral - and the vocal is just great.

mburekenge

Great thread! Apologies for the resurrection.  This is from the Scorcese one, but there was another one. My mum bought it for me as a nipper, it came in a gold VHS box and he broke down all the 'From The Cradle' songs one by one in the studio. it was amazing, and even though it was way over my head at the time, they had his racks of vintage gear, all his Gibson's etc. it was amazing. I remember him breaking down 'It hurts me too' talking about how he had to distort his amp 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3scHmEZ5Ww

this is gold too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0J9B1faKYM


That rack of vintage gold!

rlw

Just watched a few bits of these clips and what comes across most is the emotion in his playing.  Many will say, not me, that he is a bit dull and obvious but he plays from the heart like no-one else alive now.

fftc

I know the OP asked for a specific Clapton doc, but are there any recommendations for a general Clapton doc? Preferably a general bio and freely available on the interwebs would be nice.
I watched the 'I still do' film the other week and enjoyed it so would like some more.

cruxiform

Loved those clips but prime Clapton for me is the Bluesbreakers and Cream years. Some of his playing from that period is vicious.

Skipped

The clip (from Gassage) showing Clapton playing a Les Paul (long after switching to a Strat) is almost cruel for some of us.
It is almost like Clapton is taunting us.
He can still do that thing but he chooses not to. Not even at the Cream reunion shows.

I think there is something very stubborn in his personality.

mburekenge

cruxiform said:

Loved those clips but prime Clapton for me is the Bluesbreakers and Cream years. Some of his playing from that period is vicious.

I love those, but for me the 'Live at the Filmore' Derek and the Dominos album is equal to them.

He's using Brownie, but his tone is so fat and the interplay with that rhythm section is off the hook.

I have to agree though, 99.9% of the time he sounds so much better with a Gibson.