Eric Clapton and his music

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2 SergeK***
Вот взляд у одного "птенца" на другого очень "дружественный" нравится( если учесть, шо лет надцать, как они помирились. :))))))

Special for JLH...
КЫстати, в аудио, это тоже есть ;)

Почему 16? Гораздо раньше...

2SergeK:

>Почему 16? Гораздо раньше...
потомушта "надцать" -- эт не "16" :)

Энто шутка была, вспомнил "до 16 и старше", но по правде говоря, "надцать"- это не более 19 ти, а дело было 25 лет назад ;)) ANYWAY, так сказать...! ;)

В дополнение...

...и

......

Blind Faith

Специально для Егения Глухова (бас-гитариста гр. Треугольник)

Nathan East for JAM

For the past 15 years, Nathan East has been Eric Clapton's bass player, friend, collaborator - and on his current tour, musical director. Jam's Dave Hall had a chance to play 20 questions with Nathan in an attempt to recap the career of a guitarist considered God, and to give us an insider's peek into His World. Although Eric Clapton has made himself unavailable for interviews, what follows is a dialogue with the musical director on Clapton's tour following the release of "Pilgrim", renowned bassist Nathan East. East's work with pop superstar Phil Collins and Warner Brothers Records in the early 1980s brought the bassist to Clapton's attention, and the association continues, prospering into the present day.
JAM: Do you recall the process that brought you onboard with Eric Clapton?
Nathan East: It was almost destined. Phil Collins was producing half of (Clapton's album) Behind The Sun, so I actually met Eric when I was in England, working with Phil (Collins) and Philip Bailey. Phil introduced us. Then I was also called to play on Behind the Sun by the other half of the production team, Ted Templeman, Mo Austin, Lenny Waronker, and the guys that were in charge of Warner Brothers, so I kind of ended up playing on it there. I ran into Eric at Live Aid in 1985, and we just kind of kept bumping into each other, and saying, "Aw, we should play together live.' Then we recorded the August album, and that was the beginning of the touring band.
JAM: Since Clapton's musical style changes so often, even in the last 10 years, how does it challenge you as a musician to go through so many changes?
NE: It's a matter of always keeping your ears open to what going's on out there, and trying to keep the music moving forward. I think Eric is constantly listening, I know I'll see him sometimes and he has this big stack of CDs. He's just got his eyes and ears open, watching videos and just staying on the front edge of what's going on.
JAM: That can be a challenge when you're touring can't it?
NE: Oh yeah. A lot of times, you can't get into that kind of listening unless you're home. But that's why he asked Babyface to produce "Change The World," because he was up on what Babyface was doing.
JAM: The sound that emerged from "Change The World" was so refreshing, it kind of took everybody by surprise. Were you surprised by the response to that cut?
NE: I was, but I knew it was a great piece of music, and the response just completed the picture. When we were in the studio, the first thing I thought was, "Wow, what is this? What's it for?," 'cause I had no idea at first that it was for Eric, - I was just working with Babyface. And it turned out it was picked for the film, and I was refreshed to hear that.
JAM: At this point, it's become a standard.
NE: Yeah, I think so. Eric is one of those artists where, when he records a piece of music, it almost does sound like a standard right away. * * * East concedes that continuing his path on Pilgrim was a conscious decision for Clapton, recalling "At one point, I think that Babyface was asked to produce this record, but schedule-wise, he had so much on his plate, he just couldn't do it. Instead Clapton turned to producer Simon Climie, who hadprogrammed for Clapton on a duet with B.B.King, "Rock Me Baby," on King's Deuces Wild. More importantly, a little-known release by a non-group called T.D.F., Retail Therapy, also produced by Simon Climie, would open the door and serve to predict the flavors which surface on Pilgrim. Both Eric Clapton and Nathan East performed, uncredited, on Retail Therapy. The record reflects elements of light jazz, dance/electronica, and even Latin flavors; and while it's largely instrumental, its layered textures are entirely inviting.

JAM: How did Retail Therapy come about?
NE: It actually started out with some songs that were recorded for a Giorgio Armani show in Italy, and that kind of got the ball rolling. In the end, it became a great record of mainly instrumental tunes where Eric played, but never put his name on the record. So nobody really knows about it."
JAM: Why did they call it Retail Therapy?
NE: I know Eric loves to shop, so it may be associated with his shopping. * * * The limelight and fame afforded Clapton have always had their price. Heroin addiction plagued the artist during the making of Derek and the Dominoes' Layla album. And when fellow guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughn needed to hurry away from a collaborative blues performance, Clapton offered Vaughn his seat on the helicopter, a doomed flight that would carry Stevie Ray to his death in a tragic crash.
JAM: That was kind of a bittersweet time for Eric, given the personal tragedies in his own life. How did that manifest itself in the band's approach to music, and in Clapton's career in general?
NE: It was a very sensitive, delicate time, and at about that point, that was when the Unplugged era came along, with more acoustic kind of writing. It was definitely a very emotional period.
JAM: Do you recall a moment of your own reflection where it all came together for you?
NE: There've been several of those, because Conor was a beautiful baby and I had been around him in the past, and I had also been around when Eric's grandmother Rosie, passed, and then also, after the helicopter tragedy with Stevie Ray Vaughn happened. So there were a lot of things that would stir up very deep emotions. It was one of those times where you'd say, "Wow, I wonder what else is going to happen now?' It seemed like one thing after another, and I'm just amazed that Eric got through all this stuff with his sanity.
JAM: And that he was able to, career-wise, prosper artistically.
NE: Absolutely, but I also think everybody was very supportive. I think there's definitely a purpose for him being here.
JAM: Do you remember the first time you heard of Eric Clapton, and in what context that was?
NE: Yeah, that was in the Cream days, and I was just starting to play. I remember learning "Sunshine of Your Love," for a garage band back in high school, and I thought "Hey, this is cool."
JAM: And now you're playing it outside of the garage. You never suspected you'd be playing it with him...
NE: Naw, I never suspected that, but it's funny - kind of like a big, huge, complete circle.
JAM: What do you think you bring to the project that makes you effective in the group?
NE: First, I try to bring a lot of love to the project. I don't know if that sounds too corny or not, but I just try to bring friendship that will translate through the music, you know? I've been an admirer of Eric's for so long that I just try to listen. And when I play with him, sometimes we get into each other's head, so every night it's like a journey, not knowing where it's going to take us, but somehow we get there in the end. It's not a conscious effort to "bring" anything, except just a little bit of magic. And I think he's always appreciated my contributions, because every now and then we like to use chord substitutions, and just rearrange and tweak the music a little bit.

JAM: The acoustic version of "Layla" is a good example of that.
NE: Exactly. I think he likes to see his music move forward and go through some color changes. He's very open to the music constantly growing, not just playing the record - which is to his credit - because now you even have different version of his songs. Like "Layla," - you've got two classic version of that song.
JAM: To young players just coming up, what would you suggest to them as they're looking at a career in music, or just playing music for fun? What can you suggest to younger musicians?
NE: I'd say approach music with a serious and very passionate attitude, and be ready to go the distance when it comes to your craft. That means everything from attitude, to practicing, to learning, to equipment. I think everything from A to Z has to be taken in to take it to a level that is going to warrant making a living at it.
JAM: What about interacting with the people in your group? Obviously the key to your success and longevity in this project is your ability to work, not just musically, but also individually.
NE: Absolutely. It's a people business, and a lot of people will choose the lesser player but the nicer guy to be in the band, rather than somebody that comes in with a built-in attitude. I learned that from Quincy Jones several years ago, and I thought, "Wait a second - this guy can play better, but he's a jerk. But this guy's gonna get the gig 'cause he's a nice guy." It just goes to show you how interacting with people is important. It's very high on the priority list. It's a dialogue on stage, it's a relationship, and it's an interaction. So a lot of times that's going to translate, and hopefully, you have a level of communication that everybody functions under. I know that every night in this band, everybody listens, and there are reactions to what's being played. It's an excellent band. * * * Under Nathan East's musical direction, the touring group for the Pilgrim concerts represent a top-notch team. The ensemble includes long-time Clapton sidemen like bassist East, guitarist Andy Fairweather Low, and back-up vocalist Katie Kissoon, as well as keyboardists Tim Carmen and Kenneth Crouch, drummer Ricky Lawson, guitarist Alan Darby, back-up vocalists Charlean Hines and Chyna, as well as a 20-piece orchestra led by Nick Ingman.
JAM: How did you come to be selected as musical director for this group?
NE: I think they looked up and said, who's been around the longest? (laughs) For another thing, I think my position next to Eric on stage is very unique, so everyone can pretty much see me for the cutoff of the tunes. But it's a great group, and the orchestra is not a pickup orchestra, - they go to every gig. It's challenging to be responsible for thirty people on stage, but it's good fun.
JAM: Over the last 10 years on any major tour, bands have corporate sponsors, - this year it's Lexus Presents Clapton. Does this alienate you in any way, or do you feel that in some ways, this type of sponsorship compromises the music?
NE: It's right in line with the times. For awhile, a lot of rockers thought people sold out if they did commercials, but I think that sponsorship is good because it brings the different markets together. Now that the world is getting smaller in the '90s, it's the thing to do. And people have gotten away from that purist attitude like, "you've sold your soul." A lot of performers have been associated with big companies, and it ends up being like a little merger. It used to be sponsorships with beer and cigarettes, for example Michelob was involved on the Genesis tours; but now people try to do the more politically correct thing, by staying away from the alcohol and tobacco industries. When it's Lexus, it's more respectable.
JAM: Looking closely at Clapton's career, you can see a time-line that mirrors the movement of pop music as a whole, moving from The Yardbirds and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers to Cream, Derek and The Dominoes, Blind Faith, and into Clapton's solo career. How do you, as a band on this tour, bring that whole body of work together in a way that makes sense over the space of two and a half hours?
NE: We start with the new material right from the beginning and introduce the set with several of the songs from the record, then in the middle there's an "unplugged" set, and then it goes back to a lot of the old, cool tunes. So I think it works its way back to the beginning, where you leave people with the definite crowd-pleasers.
JAM: Is it difficult for you to have to play these same songs that you've been playing over the course of say, 10 or 15 years?
NE: Actually, it's challenging your creativity, because you're constantly trying to see if there's a way to just push it forward. And it's a good challenge; I don't get tired of playing these songs. It says a lot about his songs and his artistry when you can, time after time, play these songs so that they'll take you on a journey every night. I think we still have a lot of life in them. It's amazing to think that, for those of us who've been here awhile, after all these years, we can get out onstage and it's just as fresh every night as it was the first time.
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Сорри за пропуск литеры "В"...Евгения естественно!

Спасибо! Очень интересно. В глаза бросается его скромность необыкновенная.

От нашего стола - вашему. Интервью, правда не новое, но мне интересно то, как Нэтан характеризует Эрика, в связи с чем и мой вопрос (см. ниже).
This interview was done in May 1998 by Dominos during the Fourplay Japanese tour. It is reproduced here with his permission. Please check out his site, Eric Clapton - Slowhand Garden by Dominos.
Q: We enjoyed your show at the Blue note Tokyo which was absolutely fantastic, much better than last year. Are there any improvements something like team-work among the members of Fourplay ?
A: Thank you! We as a group usually try to improve the quality of our musical performances. We bring in new material to play and try to make better the performance and arrangements of the existing songs. We like to keep it moving forward.
Q: We felt Fourplay's works are very impressive as a united band. And also, we were surprised at solo plays of each members. Especially, your bass solo such as arpegio on Eastbound was very impressive and surprising !! Is this one of the important band's concepts to feature each one of your solos?
A: Yes. It is important that each musician's individual voice be heard and our expression through solos is spread throughout the band. That keeps each member from feeling like only a sideman in the band.
Q: I think you have very different approach between playing in Fourplay as a front-man and playing blues with E.C.'s band. How would you change your feelings when you play in Fourplay and E.C.'s band?
A: Both bands are a joy to work with and I don't really think about changing my feelings when I go from one to the other. E.C.'s music is very passionate and so is the music of Fourplay. I try to contribute my personality to both situations and enjoy every musical note.
Q: When E.C.'s band's schedule fall on Fourplay's one, which would you choose?
A: I must honor the schedule which was booked first. We try to work around schedules as much as possible. For instance, Last year, Eric's rehearsals were booked for the same time period that Fourplay was scheduled to tour in Japan. I couldn't make EC's rehearsals so I got my brother (bassist James East) to sub for me at EC rehearsals for a week. Then I came home from Japan and picked up the 2nd week of EC rehearsals and did the tour. It worked out well but it was tight!
Q: What kind of music (or band) do you feel confortable to play and be yourself?
A: Any band that plays good music.....Fourplay, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Al Jarreau, all fun musical situations that I feel comfortable playing in and being myself.
Q: Thrilling introduction of Cocaine and sophisticated inter-play of Change the World with Eric are really great. Are they your ideas?
A: For the most part....and we like to bounce ideas off of eachother. It's spontaneous what happens from night to night.
Q: Do you sometimes exchange your ideas of the arrangements with Eric? If so, do you take Eric's feeling into consideration when you suggest something?
A: Absolutely. Eric is very good about welcoming new ideas and contribution to his music.

Q: How would you like to support him in order to bring out his talent?
A: In the same supportive way that I have done for fifteen years now. His talent is beyond most and I enjoy pushing him musically.
Q: What are your favorite Eric's numbers/albums?
A: I like Change The World, Wonderful Tonight, Bell Bottom Blues, Heaven's Door, Unplugged cd, Journeyman, Pilgrim, ...everything!
Q: I feel Eric is a very difficult person. What do you think about it?
A: Not too difficult but very complex.
Q: Does Eric show different personarities when he is on works and off?
A: Sometimes, but Eric is Eric whether on or off the stage and you can bet that he will keep you guessing which is what I admire about him. He's not afraid to take a chance and reach for it......whatever "it" is.
Q:During tour, what do you and Eric do in private time? Do you sometimes go out together?
A:Sure. Maybe for a movie or playing cards or simply a bowl of noodles. He especially enjoys shopping!
Q: Could you tell us treasured and funny episodes about you and Eric?
A: There are many years of fun stories. Once I was performing magic for Eric and the band in London and I told him to select any card from a deck of cards and call my magician friend in LA. He went to the phone and called my friend asking what card he picked and my friend told him the exact card! Eric was shocked and we've been fooling him ever since. :-)
Q: What is your plan the rest of 1999?
A: Fourplay will tour the U.S. and play at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. I will do some concerts with Phil Collins for the premieres of the new Disney film Tarzan, which we worked on the soundtrack. I will also tour in Japan with EC in November. My time at home will be spent writing for a new Fourplay cd to be recorded in December and a solo project. Another fun year!

Ты можешь мне сказать, что здесь имеется ввиду под словом "complex"?

2Евгений Глухов:
Думается мне, что это надо читать так- "Не то, чтобы тяжелый, но трудный" (Имеется ввиду степень)

Просто не имел права скрывать эти раритеты, времен "алкогольного тумана" :)

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