Album: Riding with the King

Rocker

Simple question: is the BB King/Eric Clapton album ‘Riding with the King’ a good album? Thanks 

vasselmeyer

No. Both have done much better work individually (try "Live at the Regal" for BB King and you can take you pick of Clapton eras). I think it was a nice thing for Clapton to do with a blues legend, but to be honest, they were both way past their best when they made this album and they're just phoning it in.

crunchman

I like it.

It's on Youtube if you want to listen to it before deciding whether to buy it.

Lewy

The best that can be said of it is that it will have put a few quid in John Hiatt's pocket. Apart from that, it's pretty pedestrian imo. I bought when it came out and it's just one of those albums where you listen to it a couple of times and then conclude that there's little to be gained from listening to it again.

Evan

Not a patch on John Hiatt’s version.

DB1

It's subjective of course, but I'm a big BB King fan and have the record, but don't listen to it. It's not one of my favourites by any means.

mudslide73

It's alright.. iirc Simon Climie of 80s popsters Climie Fisher produced with Doyle Bramhall II having some Jellycream era songs featured. 

It sounds v. Protoolsy to me for a blues album.

DefaultM

I got it from cash converters probably 15 years ago, thought it was a snooze fest and never listened again.

timmypix

Very middle of the road - harmless, but not exciting either.

Jalapeno

Eric's collaboration with JJ Cale, Road to Escondido is far better IMHO

DrumBob

Meh. I bought it because it was B.B. and Eric, but it's nothing special, IMO. I played it twice and put it away. I should trade it in at the used record store, but they'd give me perhaps $1.00 for it. 

scrumhalf

I only listened to it a couple of times but what struck me was that Clapton's voice sounded great but BB's really didn't. 

Devil#20

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking it's nothing special then. Played it a few times when I first got it years ago and it's never seen the light of day since. 

downbytheriver

It’s alright - too relaxed, no tension, no excitement - haven’t revisited. 

Loobs

Good album for the bin 

ArchtopDave

Whilst I haven't played it for quite a while, I do have a soft spot for it. There was time when I played it a lot, and it was the album that solved my prior problem of "not getting" B B King.

 I saw B B King play live in either 1967 or '68, and, whilst I appreciated his guitar playing as such, I just could not get my head around ( given the times then) with a fat man in a shiny suit fronting a band that included brass instruments. The support act was Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, who I preferred.

fretmeister

It's just a bit dull really.

I excited when it came out and did enjoy listening for the first time but it now lives unloved in a box somewhere.

roberty

I bought it for my dad at Christmas. I suppose in that sense it did its job

richardhomer

I think EC played it very safe on this one - probably out of deference towards BB - but the resulting album isn’t what you’d probably hope for if you’re fans of either.

Yorkie

It’s a 3/5 album that gets a bit boring after Key to the Highway. But at least it’s a Blues album. 

My introduction to BB King was through his ‘Deuces Wild’ album, and that put me off for years… also amazing how badly these ‘celebrity duets’ albums age. Not an unrealistic find at your average charity shop. 

Then years later I found my late father’s vinyl copy of Live at the Regal. 

Jon

EricTheWeary

My memory of it is a couple of good tracks plus filler. 

For Clapton playing blues From the Cradle. 

For BB King probably a live album, Indianola Mississippi Seeds or for something a bit more left of centre Midnight Believer.