Tag: Eric Clapton

Rewind Review: Cream – Goodbye (1969)

Wrapping up my journey through the Cream (Ginger Baker – drums, Jack Bruce – bass and vocals, Eric Clapton – guitar and vocals) catalogue, I arrive at their fourth and final record – Goodbye. The band was dealing with the pressures of success and frequent touring, the clashing egos of Baker and Bruce, the eagerness of Clapton to try something new, and a lot of drug use among all three.

Goodbye, which features interior album art of the song titles on gravestones, is only six tracks. Three are live cuts and three are studio recordings. The opener is a version of “I’m So Glad” over nine minutes long. Bruce’s bass is fat on it and they’re soon into a massive jam during which all three members try to outdo one another. This jam is so heavy that it’s a shock when they come back to the lyrics.

The bass and drums on the live cut of “Politican” are almost sludge metal, but Clapton keeps the blues flavor close. He keeps it even closer on “Sitting on Top of the World” with funky riffs, and Baker’s drumming on this cut is outstanding.

The studio cuts begin with “Badge,” which is written and sung by Clapton. It’s almost a Traffic track (and Clapton was trying to get Steve Winwood to join the band around the time, but Winwood was happy with Traffic). Clapton’s guitar work stretches out for a great mix of blues, psych, and even a touch of surf. “Doing That Scrapyard Thing” has Bruce playing bass and piano as he sings a quirky jaunt about his youth.

I’m sure the irony wasn’t lost on Cream, their label, and their fans that the last song on Goodbye is titled “What a Bringdown.” It’s a song that returns to their psychedelic rock (listen to that freaky guitar work by Clapton) and talks of changing times and looking for better opportunities (i.e., “Do you or don’t you wanna make more bread?”).

Goodbye is a good record. It’s no Disraeli Gears, but any Cream is better than none. They were too good to last, not unlike the Police. Theatres weren’t big enough for their rock, and unfortunately the band wasn’t big enough for them.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Cream – Wheels of Fire (1968)

The third stop on my journey through the Cream (Ginger Baker – drums, Jack Bruce – bass and vocals, Eric Clapton – guitar and vocals) catalogue brings me to their double album Wheels of Fire.

The album opens with perhaps their greatest hit, “White Room,” in which Bruce sings about being trapped in a strange place while Baker’s drums try to break him out and Clapton’s guitar wails like someone in a mental asylum. It’s a great way to start a record. Many bands could (and did) learn from it.

Their cover of the blues classic “Sitting on Top of the World” is another fine entry into their list of blues-rock power tracks, and Clapton’s guitars are downright dirty on it. “Passing the Time” floats from rock to calliope-fronted psychedelia. “As You Said” is more tripped-out psychedelia with Bruce’s vocals layered with reverb, his acoustic guitar licks spiced with Arabic influences, and even playing cello on it.

“Pressed Rat and Warthog” brings in trumpet and recorder as Baker sings about an unlikely pair of pals with a weird store and Bruce and Clapton put down heavy riffs.

Everyone had a political statement to make in the 1960’s, and Cream was no exception. “Politician” is a sharp-witted sting on politicians using their position to get laid and ducking responsibility whenever possible (“I’m support the left though I’m leanin’ to the right, but I’m just not there when it’s comin’ to a fight.”). “Those Were the Days” mentions another subject common in 1960’s music – Atlantis. Bruce sings about ancient times and places and how he craves a return to such enlightened times before Clapton unleashes a quick solo that might raise the lost city from the depths.

Their cover of the blues standard “Born Under a Bad Sign” pretty much set the standard for covering the Booker T classic. You can tell they had a good time recording it, and Baker’s groove is so sick it needs penicillin. “Deserted Cities of the Heart” has an excellent guest violin by Felix Pappalardi (who contributes a lot to the album on several tracks and instruments).

The second part of the double album is a live recording from the Fillmore that opens with another one of Cream’s greatest hits – their cover of Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads.” Eric Clapton, as you well know by now, shreds the tune like a crosscut saw. As good as it is, however, it’s really a warm-up for the epic version of “Spoonful” that clocks in at nearly seventeen minutes. “Traintime” has Bruce having a blast on harmonica while Baker keeps a Johnny Cash-worthy beat behind him. Baker then goes bananas on “Toad” – a drum solo over sixteen minutes long.

The live portion of the album is alone worth the purchase price. The psychedelic rock on the studio album is a great bonus.

Keep your mind open.

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