#1 God
20th July, 1974 Long Beach, California
[though § is 4th December, 1974 Hammersmith, London and * are 25th June, 1975 Providence, Rhode Island and ~ is 28th June, 1975 Nassau Collisseum]
In 1974 an album was released called "EC was here" (following the success of '461 Ocean Boulevard') and, although it was fantastic, only three tracks per side were possible (20 minutes each for vinyl being the limit).
The full concert is a joy. This is God at his best.
It's hard to believe that it's the same person who releases such awful drivel as 'Lay Down Sally' & 'Wonderful Tonight.' I have an article somewhere with an interview from this 1974 period, where the journalist is a fellow called Robert Geldof. That chancer took a punt on the New Wave, reggae, then famine and got knighted by the UK for talking bollocks. Wonder what they'd give you for doing something useful?
Anyway, back to the show. What a band this was! Jamie Oldaker, Carl Radle, Dick Sims, George Terry, Marcy Levy & Yvonne Elliman On guitar, too, God.
Here's the track listing:
Smile
Have you ever loved a Woman
Presence of the Lord
Crossroads
I Shot the Sheriff
Layla
Little Wing
Can’t find my way home
Rambling on my Mind
§Willie & the Hand Jive / Get Ready
Badge
Drifting Blues
*Eyesight to the Blind
*Further on up the Road ~[The Sky is Crying appears on the box set "Give Me Strength"]
My mate used to play along to the original album and his dad (who'd been in a skiffle band) always used to stop to have a chat about guitar-players. He progressed to playing along to B.B. King records, too, and nagged me for my Freddie King albums. If you've not heard this, you're missing out. 'Smile' is the old Charlie Chaplin classic. Sometimes they would open with 'Stormy Monday.' The next track gets down to serious blues business. 'Have You Ever Loved a Woman?' remains a classic Clapton track and was on the original release. Things slow down for a ballad with gospel-type lyrics and a shared vocal. But it soon transforms into one of my favourite rock riffs and tracks of all time, before returning to its balladic conclusion. 'Presence of the Lord' was several years old by now but it's a killer. 'Crossroads' is standard blues fare, but 'I Shot the Sheriff' by Bob Marley injects some pleasant variety into proceedings. Should have done more of this stuff, in my opinion.
Odd & ironic that it was Eric who began the "Rock Against Racism" movement with his ridiculous support for Enoch Powell, especially in light of his constant rapport with black musicians and music. Weird. But look at the rewards: reggae and punk bands sharing a platform & the Police making an entire career out of it!
Back to the past and a blistering performance of 'Layla' is next. Jimi Hendrix's 'Little Wing' gets an extended affectionate airing. By now the limitations of the original vinyl (time constraints) are beginning to show. Already he's covered a comprehensive range of styles in majestic fashion. We're back to 1974 with the next two tracks. The first sounds like folk-rock with a female lead vocal. 'Can't Find my way Home' has a neat structure and the solo in D mirrors that in 'Layla' for quality.
'Rambling on my Mind' remains in many ways Clapton's blues hallmark and is the centre-piece of his set in this period. It begins quite slowly with a typical riff in E before veering off with a key-change in F# and exploding. More key-changes follow until it returns to its original key. It's staggering stuff and is sheer brilliance from a man at his peak. Light relief follows with a medley from "461 Ocean Boulevard." A jaunty version of 'Willie & the Hand Jive' (which segues into 'Get Ready') offers some breathing space from the blues. Time for another classic. 'Badge.' A double-version of double delight. Perhaps he should have stuck to the key of D.
When Bowie did his "drum 'n bass" club tour in 1997 he would open with 'Quicksand' and then start playing a blues riff on his acoustic guitar. Then he would sing the intro to this tune in homage to the blues, before morphing his song into 'The Jean Genie,' itself a kind of blues-pastiche. Clapton's version of ‘Drifting Blues’ is a light take on the traditional number, with more of an acoustic approach. 'Eyesight to the Blind' is a suitable stunning finale. Often joined by Santana in America for this, it could easily fill one side of vinyl. Those were the days, eh?
It all comes crashing down with the final number, 'Further on up the Road' written by Bobby Bland. A more fitting name you could not hope to have. What a bland track it is! It featured on the original album and was always ejected at this point. It jogs along but is pedestrian. However, the rest is unadulterated brilliance. Go for it.
Derek is Eric!