“Slowhand” has her birthday
Strangible guitar legend: Eric Clapton turns 80
Few shaped rock music as much as Eric Clapton with his bands and as a solo artist. In the end, however, the guitar virtuoso did not only talk to his music.
He is considered one of the most influential guitarists in music history, sold around 280 million albums and was the only artist to be included in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” three times: Eric Clapton is undoubtedly one of the most important musicians of the 20th century. Finally, however, his reputation suffered a little. Now the man who she calls “Slowhand” is 80 years old.
“Layla”, “Tears in Heaven” or “Wonderful Tonight” are just a few of the countless known songs that are connected to your name. In addition to his own compositions, Eric Patrick Clapton made many blues classics. The passion for the blues brought the British, who was born in Surrey on March 30, 1945, to music.
From the Yardbirds via Cream to Derek and the Dominos
He celebrated his first successes in the mid -1960s with the Yardbirds. With John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, he strengthened his reputation as an exceptional guitarist. His influence was so great that the only album with him got the title “Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton”. In London, fans wrote “Clapton is God” on house walls.
With Cream, one of the first super groups in rock history, he managed the international breakthrough. The trio created a mixture of blues, rock and psychedelic elements. Songs like “Sunshine of your love” and “White Room” are rock classics. The band dissolved as early as 1968.
His next two bands only passed a year, but secured their place in music history. With blind faith (“Can’t Find My Way Home”), Clapton gave a concert in front of 100,000 people in the London Hyde Park. He wrote “Layla” for Derek and the Dominos in 1970. He was inspired by his unfortunate love for top model and photographer Pattie Boyd. She was married to Clapton’s friend, ex-Beatle George Harrison.
Solo career, drugs and alcohol
After the end of Derek and the Dominos, Clapton fled in drugs. Nevertheless, in 1970 he managed to start his solo career extremely successfully with his Titelle debut album and songs such as “After Midnight” and “Let It Rain”. But it took years for the guitar virtuoso to overcame its heroin addiction.
In 1974 he released one of his most famous albums – “461 Ocean Boulevard” with the Hitslandle “I Shot the Sheriff”. At that time, the marriage of George Harrison and Pattie Boyd broke. So Clapton and Boyd came together. When they got married in 1979, Harrison was one of the wedding guests. The friendship remained, but the marriage only lasted ten years.
Instead of heroin, Clapton was now alcohol -dependent. He needed until the late 1980s to overcome his addiction. Today he is involved in his CrossRoads Center Foundation for people who suffer from addiction. To support him, he called the popular CrossRoads Guitar Festival, which was last took place in 2023.
Heavy stroke of fate inspires world hit
One of his greatest musical success is associated with the most difficult stroke of fate in his life. The song “Tears in Heaven”, which was awarded several Grammys, wrote Clapton out of grief for the loss of his son. Conor Clapton fell out of the window of a high -rise building in New York in 1991.
As a solo artist, Eric Clapton has published 22 studio albums and numerous live recordings. “MTV Unplugged” from 1992 is a milestone and, with 26 million copies sold, is considered the best-selling live album in music history. With the legendary BB King he brought out “Riding with the King” (2000), with JJ Cale “The Road to Escondido” (2006).
Irritation via Corona statements
Politically, Clapton had rarely commented during his now over 60 years of career. The fact that he suddenly ran out in Corona pandemic irritated some of his friends, colleagues, fans and even his family. Clapton himself reported. He has four daughters, three of them with his second wife Melia Mcenery, with whom he has been married since 2002.
On his most recent album “Meanwhile”, which was released in autumn 2024, the controversial musician continued to be against Corona policy. The fact that he equated the obligation to vaccinate with slavery in the song “Stand and Deliver” was bitterly stood out to his friend and colleague, the blues musician Robert Cray. Friendship broke after more than 30 years.
Other companions remained loyal to the British. His long -time black bassist Nathan East, for example, defended him against allegations of racism, which goes back to an old stage appearance that now came up again. At a concert in Birmingham, Clapton scolded racistically about immigrants in 1976. He later apologized and said he was ashamed of it. He also commented on this in the documentary “A Life in 12 Bars” from 2017. He did not convince his critics.
On tour again from April
The “Washington Post” suspected that Claptons Corona ärger had to do with his personal situation. He has health problems, nerve damage in hands and legs and losing his hearing. He therefore wanted to make as much music as possible. “This is his life of life,” confirmed his drummer Jim Keltner. “You can’t just take away his appearances – that’s how breathing for him.”
In the meantime, Eric Clapton is traveling regularly again. His next tour begins in April. In Japan, Great Britain, Italy, France and the USA, he appears in the big halls. His reputation may have suffered, his career apparently did not harm it.
dpa
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
