Clapton

guitarjack66

I had no idea that Clapton had also spouted drivel about the vaccine stuff in modern times. I knew about the racist stuff but not the covid denial nonsense. @Tannin summed that up perfectly. 
Strangely I always wondered how he had such a strong friendship with George Harrison given how Harrison was regarded as a promotor of different music types and cultures. In particular his love of Indian music. This must really have put Clapton's head in a spin in the 1970s given the abuse those people who settled in Britain from the sub continent used to suffer back then. 

BillDL

@Devil#20, was the documentary the 1987 one presented by Melvyn Bragg for The South Bank Show?

Esoterick

He's not a very good person and has produced a lot of boring music in the decades since he shot to fame. Surely that pretty much sums it up?

Although I can't see the logic in asking a question then hand waving the responses that cover why people don't like him.

guitarjack66

I did also wonder how he felt given that one of his biggest hits was a Bob Marley song and Marley spent a lot of time in the UK. May have died here too? Was he a w*g who should have gone back?

BillDL

Another one here (same programme) with a bad beginning from a chewed up video tape.

scrumhalf

There's no denying that, having read his autobiography, he comes across as a whiny individual.

There's also no doubt that, listening to The Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream and Blind Faith, he was an excellent and influential musician.

He made comments when off his face fifty years ago when such views were not uncommon across the political spectrum. I'm not defending him or his views, just pointing out the context.

I don't take lessons in politics from him in the same way that I don't take lessons in music from anyone who has stood for elected office.

Revolutions

Clapton needs to be taken in context, imo. Imagine being a superstar at 18. You’ve never grown up, you don’t know what being a normal person really feels like. Just like Harrison & Dylan, who’ve famously been awful to others.

What he said was abhorrent. No way around that. Questionable political views that are popular can be somewhat forgiven out of hand - we’re easily influenced. Spouting those views on a stage in front of huge audience is less easy to forgive. And yet, Clapton has been sober for 40 years. Unless you’re in a similar position, it’s difficult to understand how utterly hard that it is to achieve. I hear stories from ex-addicts almost every day that are far worse, and these are stand-up people who I can’t imagine being the person they describe. 

Anti-vaccine was a choice lots of people made. History won’t treat those people well, and for good reason. It doesn’t sit well with me, but then neither do a lot of the views of my uncles & grandparents. My life is too short to waste energy on things I can’t influence like entrenched political views. My choice is to either engage or not engage with them as people. I usually choose the former as most people are, for the most part, doing what they think is the right thing.

We’re all flawed. I err on being open to forgiveness. YMMV, of course.

Chimpankie

I don't think any musician should mix their music with politics or religion. 

I mean, with the blues it basically emerges from politics and religion….

Greatape

I can dislike him purely for the guitar playing.
 I think that for a pro player, he had a pretty poor sense of time, no storytelling in his phrasing and plays way too many notes with little musical value. I think he compares poorly to his idols in this regard. 

You did ask. 

On the positive side, I think we can thank him for motivating a great many people to play, and for his early passion for the blues, which exposed his influences to a wide audience. 

As ever, if you like it, you like it. Why care about other peoples' opinion? 

Barnezy

scrumhalf said:

He made comments when off his face fifty years ago when such views were not uncommon across the political spectrum. I'm not defending him or his views, just pointing out the context.

Everyone was beating and raping their wives fifty years ago too. 

https://nypost.com/1999/06/27/eric-clapton-i-beat-my-wife/

https://www.cracked.com/article_35204_the-complete-history-of-eric-clapton-being-a-douchebag.html

OilCityPickups

Ignoring politics for playing -
My Missus was a Production manager at the Royal Albert Hall and as Clapton has played there quite a bit I got to see him quite a bit for nowt (I like nowt :-) ) culminating with seeing the full 'original lineup' Cream reunion at the Hall. 

To be honest I never really rated Claption from hearing him on record. I always preferred either folks like Albert King and Albert Collins - or later stuff like Jeff Healey. 
I didn't go into seeing him live with very much enthusiasm ... and I have to say I really didn't find his playing inspiring or entertaining ... that is until the Cream concert ... where a light seemed to go on for him. He actully played with a dose of fire I felt he didn't have the rest of the time. 
So liked him live with cream ... but his blues stuff to me is just going through the motions. 

Politics and personal life wise ... he's clearly a bit of twat. That having been said, so was Ike Turner, Phil Spector, John Lennon and a host of others ... being good at music doesn't automatically make you a nice person.  I'm not particularly fond of Roger Daltrey's political stance ... but all these people have to a degree a place in music history that can't just be ignored.

Would I seek out Clapton's music? No ... but it doesn't mean he isn't 'good' or 'important'. 
 

victorludorum

What we really need is a definitive blacklist of musicians who've done or said something in the past that is considered unacceptable. So if we have Eric Clapton on there, who's next? Maybe David Bowie, or Elvis Costello? Help me out here fretboarders.

MikeP

When he played right he was magic, I like the beano, his playing on howlin wolf London session is fizzing and melodic, tasty and recognisable. He also plays his heart out on  the red 335 in 94 I think some freddie King tribute. 

OilCityPickups

victorludorum said:

What we really need is a definitive blacklist of musicians who've done or said something in the past that is considered unacceptable. So if we have Eric Clapton on there, who's next? Maybe David Bowie, or Elvis Costello? Help me out here fretboarders.

There's a hell of a lot of difference between musicians who have used their celebrity to commit crime like Ian Watkins and Garry Glitter - and folks who are just twats. I can think of a lot of musicians I've played with in the past who were not particularly likable ... but not being likable isn't illegal (otherwise a whole bunch politicians would be banged up and the keys thrown away). 
No need for a blacklist of twats - it would be far too long and cover too many walks of life ;-)

richardhomer

He’s recently done a gig that was available as a paid for stream in aid of the children of Gaza, which gets a physical release in July. I’m sure to some, this will make him an antisemite and terrorist sympathiser…

Andy Fairweather Low had to cancel almost all his live work while he looked after his seriously ill wife. EC has him on his forthcoming tour as support.

He founded and maintains the Crossroads recovery centre.

With regard to the ‘anti-vax’ allegations, he was vaccinated twice and had a very bad reaction to it. His position was that no government should dictate medical interventions on its people. He also had concerns that lockdowns had an enormously bad effect on mental health - particularly those who were recovering addicts. He still regularly attends AA meetings and was concerned that those who needed to were unable to do so during lockdown - and so risked their recovery.

In relation to the Birmingham racist outburst, he states the Life in Twelve Bars film, “I was so ashamed”. 

I’m not for one second suggesting he’s lead a blameless life but (particularly since the death of his son) he seems to have done a great many positive things.

If I come across as a bit of a fanboy, I am. I love his playing, can relate very personally to his childhood and admire the way he’s turned his life round. Sorry if that doesn’t fit in with the ‘approved’ Fretboard EC position but that this is my opinion. 

Gandalph

Barnezy said:

scrumhalf said:

He made comments when off his face fifty years ago when such views were not uncommon across the political spectrum. I'm not defending him or his views, just pointing out the context.

Everyone was beating and raping their wives fifty years ago too. 

https://nypost.com/1999/06/27/eric-clapton-i-beat-my-wife/

https://www.cracked.com/article_35204_the-complete-history-of-eric-clapton-being-a-douchebag.html

You can beat an egg, you can beat your wife, but you cannot beat a wank. 

Heard the above on a train a few months ago when a few lads, a bit worse for wear from a day on the sauce, got on board.
They were a bit loud and boisterous but friendly enough.
 Creased me up! 

Obviously that is not an endorsement for such activities. 

victorludorum

"that is until the Cream concert ... where a light seemed to go on for him. He actually played with a dose of fire I felt he didn't have the rest of the time."

This is the thing with Clapton; he raises his game when he's pushed and produces playing that's way above his 'normal' level. The solo he plays during 'We're Going Wrong' is a good example of this for me. It's not technically incredible, but it's faultless and is full of feeling/sincerity as far as I'm concerned.

Sarge

shaunm said:

Sarge said:

blueskunk said:

He was pissed as a fart and eating Colombian Marching powder like sugar, in the midst of a dark time in life. I’m gonna forgive him, the good outways the bad, he’s built rehab centres for addicts etc. 

It’s official. Eric gets a pass.  

Thats odd, because myself and millions of others like me have been blind drunk and under the influence of white powders amd never once uttered a racist slur.

Oh he's got enough money to buy a pass? riiiiight 
Wrong. 
he sucks as a person and his music is beyond boring. 

@Sarge you are saying you have never once in your life uttered a racist slur? I don’t know you but I am going to call bull on that. Most people have at some point in their life said something they regret and that doesn’t mean only regarding race. 

For someone admitting to doing and taking drugs you seem to be stood on a soapbox? Odd. 

You're correct, you don't know me so do not judge me by your own low standards.

I can't say for sure as a child I didn't ignorantly use a racist slur, but I'm absolutely fucking certain from the age of 11 at the start of highschool I have not.

Are you also saying my past drug use prevents me from stating my opinion? 

jonnyburgo

What he said was disgusting no doubt but he was in the middle of a serious mental health crisis, completely on a self destructive path. An addict will seriously sabotage any kind of success, he hated himself in that period far more than he hated anyone if colour. The death of Jimi broke him remember, and he was genuinely friends with some of the blues greats, not an excuse but a way of understanding him at that time I guess. I don't own any if his stuff though.

LionAquaLooper

jonnyburgo said:

What he said was disgusting no doubt but he was in the middle of a serious mental health crisis, completely on a self destructive path. An addict will seriously sabotage any kind of success, he hated himself in that period far more than he hated anyone if colour. The death of Jimi broke him remember, and he was genuinely friends with some of the blues greats, not an excuse but a way of understanding him at that time I guess. I don't own any if his stuff though.

If so, where were his apologies?