Eric Clapton and his music

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1993 REUNION

CREAM 1993 REUNION

http://www.independent.co.uk/

Enemies reunited: Cream gig ends 36 years of hostility
By Danielle Demetriou
Published : 03 May 2005

Their ego-fuelled conflicts were as well chronicled as their style of "psychedelic blues" that cemented their position as the world's first supergroup.

Yesterday, 36 years after a bitter split, Cream, the influential but short-lived '60s band, was reunited in apparent harmony for a sell-out performance.

The guitarist Eric Clapton joined forces with the drummer Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, bass player, for the first of four performances at the Royal Albert Hall in central London.

The belated reunion was reportedly prompted by Clapton, 60, due to concerns about the failing health of band members.

Despite a hiatus of more than three decades - which easily overshadows the three years the band were together - it was clear that their pulling power remained undiminished.

Within two hours of the four performance dates being announced, all the tickets were sold out.

Its status as a must-see event was confirmed withtickets on the auction website eBay selling for more than £1,000.

It was poised to be an emotional event for band members and fans alike. The band had performed at the same venue at the height of their global fame in 1968.

The last time the trio had appeared on stage together was for a one-off union in 1993 for the group's induction into the American Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

It was in 1966 that the band Cream was formed and for three heady years they were defined as the original supergroup with a string of hits including Crossroads, Born Under a Bad Sign, Strange Brew and Tales of Brave Ulysses.

Renowned for its live shows, the trio used to heavily improvise and toured the US extensively, winning armies of fans with its distinct "psychedelic blues" style.

Despite the brevity of the existence of Cream, they churned out four successful albums which sold more than 35 million copies.

However, it was not long before cracks began to appear. It was during a 24-date US tour in 1968 that tensions came to a head and the group disbanded.

Clapton went on to enjoy a successful solo career while Bruce and Baker both went on to play with a number of other bands.

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Cream Reunion Concert: The 3rd Night
by Saiichi Sugiyama

It is the third night of the concert series and before the show begins I wonder if the novelty is wearing off for the band. Will I feel that way, having been fortunate enough to get through the booking phone in 5 minutes and acquiring one ticket for each night?

The answer is an emphatic "no" - and how wrong were those who said, after the first or second Cream reunion concert, that their performance couldn't get any better.

Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker walk on stage to great applause for the third time and “I’m So Glad” is sounding good. Another great night like the last one? Not to me. Maybe it is only that my ears are getting more tuned into their sound, but tonight is in fact better again – I feel that the performance is getting stronger each night. I think they played 10 minutes or so longer this evening, too.

Each night Jack’s performance is more free flowing, musical and intense – like I heard him on records. “Spoonful” was just great. I never thought I would be saying this after the first night, but I think their version tonight is as good as, if not better than the version on Wheels On Fire. It re-captures and develops that certain something that was there in March, 1968. I sense for the first time, on an intuitive level, that I am listening to the same band that played on that LP. In other words, for the first time during these reunion concerts, my musical brain starts getting the same emotions/sensations that I get when I turn down the lights and put my headphones on and listen to the recordings from 1968. I didn’t honestly expect that. Am I just getting carried away with this extravaganza and imagining things?

“Outside Woman Blues” is strong and come to think of it, it sounded better than that great 1967 BBC studio live version. More worldly-wise, savvy, but with the same amount of aggression. This reunion is on to something more than nostalgia. “Sleepy Time” is great in the same vein and the entry to the harmony parts on the chorus is perfect, well, except the last two lines of the last chorus.

“NSU” is excellent with very strong bass parts and imaginative guitar parts in the ad lib section, again, connecting directly to the 1967/8 performances. There's a slightly dodgy entry from the ad lib section (in the key of A) to the verse (in C). Why don’t they play it like they used to and go into the connecting section with harmonies to the key changes to make the transition easier? Sorry, I am a boring muso.

In between songs, Eric keeps taking off his glasses and wiping his face with a towel and sips water from a red paper cup. To play these numbers in this way is physically quite challenging.

A majestic bass entry on “Badge”, sounds more and more like the record each time it is performed. After the gorgeous groove of “Politician”, the way only Ginger can do it, “Sweet Wine” is a treat and I am already anticipating what the DVD is going to be like.

Jack changes over from his Gibson EB-0 to a blues harp for “Rollin’ & Tumblin’” and then to his fretless Warwick Thumb 4-string for Eric’s slow blues. Although “Stormy Monday” doesn't particularly sound like the “Classic Cream”, a phrase coined by the band’s new website, www.cream2005.com, it shows the latter-day Eric Clapton-the-blues-guitarist at his best with a great, bent, single-note tension builder halfway through the solo getting the crowd very excited.

Jack seems to be more talkative tonight, which is great. “Deserted Cities of the Heart” rocks and “Born Under A Bad Sign” is more than competent. The menacing “We’re Going Wrong” will make a great DVD feature (and I can do without a BBC announcer voiceover reading the lyrics for my benefit this time, thank you).

“Crossroads” is fine with Ginger providing the effective accents on hi-hats, but I personally prefer the guitar solo on Tuesday night. “Sitting On Top Of The World” is good tonight with more dynamics and improvisations from Jack and Ginger supporting and challenging Eric’s solo, but what is impressive is “White Room” this evening. Although the first verse still sounds slightly lame, from the second verse on, the bass part begins to groove and the three instruments sounds more cohesive. A good solo by Eric is underpinned by Jack and Ginger playing out in the classic Cream style, but with more modern rhythmic variations at times. Great! This was what I wanted to hear from them on this number.

“Toad” that follows "Crossroads" finds Ginger at his best. After the intro, which sounds quite spirited tonight with Eric using a feedback sound, Eric and Jack walk off to let Ginger get on with his drum solo. Eric’s black Stratocaster, that's left behind on a guitar stand, looks lonely. Quite an unusual sight at a Clapton gig. Ginger’s extended drum solo tonight is so fluid and musical – the best one so far and another moment that transports me right back to the 1968 recordings.

As Eric and Jack return to the stage at the end of a firework of a drum solo, the fan club crowd comes running from the back of the Royal Albert Hall. The band takes a bow to a standing ovation and walks off the stage. The lights are still down and Cream (how nice to think of the collectively again) returns to kick off “Sunshine of Your Love”.

Eric starts the solo off by reproducing the first four bars of his recorded “Blue Moon” solo from 1967. But, by the time he hits the chorus chords for the first time, he is at full tilt and, unlike the Eric Clapton Band version of the song, takes a double length solo, giving him a chance to stretch a bit more and he makes full use of the space.

As the band reaches the single chord outro of "Sunshine of Your Love", Jack and Eric join in on Ginger’s African groove and it sounds terrific. I love this band. I am now so completely spoiled that I can no longer get excited by a solo Eric Clapton or Jack Bruce gig. I want CREAM. Could it really be true that this band will play only one more night? We only said “hello” four days ago so is it really a time for another “Good-Bye Cream” concert? That would be too bad.

Cream Reunion Concert: 4th and Final (?) Show at the Royal Albert Hall
by Paul Olsen

Friday, May 6, 2005. The last of the four Cream reunion concerts featuring Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker is just a few hours away. I’ve been calling the Royal Albert Hall ticket office all day for returns...the line’s been solidly busy. Guess I’m not the only one. Saiichi Sugiyama calls me at 3 pm and asks how I’ve been getting on and I tell him. He says he doesn’t think he can make the show because of everything he has to do to prepare for his own Hard Rock Café gig with Pete Brown (co-writer of some of the famous Cream songs) that's scheduled for after the final Cream concert. Saiichi asks if I would I like to go in his place.

The things your friends ask you to do...really. I told him I’d have to think about it, and what cheek to ask me to do this for him, etc., etc. He actually giggled.

So, my friends, the long and the short of it is I went to the final Cream Concert and sat in the second row right in front of Jack Bruce and the show can be summed up in one word.

Perfect.

Here is the set list...and let me preface it by saying Cream played every number flawlessy. It truly was a perfect set Jack was incredible and really rose to the occasion, smiling all night and giving it stick. Eric was totally in form and played every number beautifully....you couldn’t ask anything more of him. Ginger was right on the button, driving the whole thing along in his inimitable fashion. They were Cream at its best. Every number got a standing ovation.

"I’m So Glad" - perfect...everything you ever wanted.

"Spoonful" - perfect again...Jack was really happy and having fun with it.

"Outside Woman Blues" - Eric’s voice was outstanding, and his playing, well, exquisite. Jack was smiling and loving every minute of it.

"Pressed Rat and Warthog" - not as much smiling and joking around as previous gigs...very straight.

"Sleepy Time Time" - Jack’s singing was right on the button. Eric’s solo was a masterpiece and the audience quite rightly went wild...what a cracker.

"N.S.U." - Eric shines on this one with lots of sustain...an excellent solo, unlike anything else in the set.

"Badge" - perfection...and then, Jack segues into...

"Politician" - really tasty and the audience loved it.....I did too! "Politician" was terrific, and Eric did a great solo.

"Sweet Wine" - great Ginger Baker counterpoint rhythms. Eric was superb while Jack and Ginger were really driving and thumping along...the old Cream! Eric was really into the groove and it looked like he could have gone on and on, but Ginger brought the band back to the finish too early, I thought. Eric was really sailing on this one and looked like he was quite happy to wail for awhile.

"Rollin’ and Tumblin’" - Jack at his best - really great - and Eric sounded slick as hell on bottleneck...very tasty.

"Stormy Monday" - there are no words...Eric was away with the birds on this one....it never gets better than this....what a guitarist he is. Frightening.

"Deserted Cities of the Heart" - Ginger rocked out on this one!

"Born Under a Bad Sign" - Jack was really happy on this one...it was all his and he made the most of it....absolutely the best he has ever been. Nice one, Jack.

"We’re Going Wrong" - great feel, very subdued and a lovely contrast, perfectly played and sung. Jack was flawless.

"Toad" - Ginger was perfect again, with a few fireworks. Jack and Eric sat just offstage. Eric was with his wife and daughter who was on his lap and everyone was smiling while Ginger showed everyone in the world who was who and what was what! Tuesday night was a better solo to my ears, but this was again, flawless.

"Sunshine of Your Love" - excellent, played superbly, but again, Tuesday was a better performance - they really opened it up and were more like the old Cream. Still, I’m not complaining!

The final show. I added the question the mark to the title because there's hope, I suppose, that there could be more to come. I understand the DVD of the concert series will be available this fall, but nothing, nothing could ever be quite the same as seeing and hearing these three perform together live. We can only wait, see and hope.