Book Review
By LeeAnn Sharpe
“Clapton - The Autobiography of Eric Clapton” (Broadway Books 2007), takes you along for an incredible journey through the history of rock and roll and the blues from the early 1960’s to present day.
Early childhood trauma of being raised by his grandparents, who he thought were actually his parents, only to learn who he thought was his sister was his mother, left him with some deep and obviously painful wounds. Clapton's experiences with alcohol, drugs and women all attest to his emotional fragility that was only addressed well into his 50’s.
That’s all very interesting background, but what is more is how he managed to survive it all (drugs including heroin, cocaine, alcohol, and groupies) and still create incredible music. The fact that he is alive after all the abuse he put himself through is mind boggling.
Clapton goes into great detail about the music, expounding on who he liked and admired and how he felt he had to play true to his heart. The pop rock world kept pulling at him with commercial success, but his heart wanted to be a blues purist. Clapton modeled himself after blues players Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, B.B. King, and Robert Johnson. Clapton’s first success was with the 1965 single “For Your Love” by The Yardbirds. He felt that it was too pop and before it peaked at #6 in the US, Clapton had left the band. He wrote, "I felt it was a dreadful waste of what had potentially been a good rock blues band."
Already his fame as a rock guitarist was known. “Clapton is God” was painted on a tube station wall just outside London and spread to walls throughout the city.
Covering such a long career, it seems he jumped from band to band. Just as they reached some level of success Clapton would bail on to a new adventure. It was often because he felt he was selling out on his goal of playing the blues. Or the opportunity to play with other musicians he admired was too great a lure.
John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers provided the direction Clapton wanted building his reputation as a great guitar player. Then he helped form Cream, a blues trio that in 1968 broke into the US Top 10 with the gold single “Sunshine Of Your Love”. Over their brief three year career, Cream produced four gold albums including the post-breakup sets Goodbye and Best Of Cream, including a cover of Robert Johnson’s “Cross Road Blues” which would be the first single to feature Eric Clapton on vocals.
Personalities were often the cause of Clapton moving on. The artistic directions often clashed and he moved on to new horizon’s always seeking his own voice and learning from each group as he moved on. After Cream’s demise, Clapton formed a new blues-rock band called Blind Faith that produced a gold album and a tour before parting ways. A tour and live album with Delaney & Bonnie was his next stop. Then he went solo on his self-titled album in 1970. Eric Clapton produced the hit “After Midnight” and reached #13 on the charts. Before the album had even been released, Clapton had formed yet another band, Derek & The Dominos, which featured Eric on both guitar and vocals.
It was a turbulent time in his love life and the song Layla spoke of Eric’s passion for Pattie Boyd, wife of his good friend George Harrison. Derek & The Dominos made one studio album, 1970’s Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs. Upon release, Layla was panned by critics and fans alike. However, the record got a major boost with the release of the title track, which featured the recently deceased Duane Allman on slide guitar. “Layla” became a Top 10 US hit and the album went gold. Today, Layla is considered one of the greatest albums of all time.
About this time Clapton began using heroin, which appealed to him because it was steeped in the blues. It connected him to junkie musicians like Charlie Parker, Robert Johnson and Ray Charles. For more than two years, he fell firmly in the drug's grip.
Clapton experiences with Derek & The Dominos ended fairly quickly, but even in later years impacted his musical direction greatly. Learning he was better off recording solo and joining with friends without long term commitments he recorded 1974’s 461 Ocean Boulevard, producing the cover of Bob Marley’s “I Shot The Sheriff”, as well as a minor hit in “Willie & The Hand Jive”. After a couple of less successful albums he returned in 1977 with Slowhand, which became Clapton’s first platinum album. It also yielded his second solo gold single, “Lay Down Sally”.
Pattie Boyd was the great love of his life and once he won her, (married in Tucson 1977)the thrill seemed to fade. Clapton was unfaithful on the road and sexually unresponsive at home. The alcohol and cocaine, now the drug of choice, were more important than anything. Clapton entered the Hazelden Clinic in 1983 to dry out. He wrote, "My fear of loss of identity was phenomenal. This could have been born out of the 'Clapton is God' thing, which had put so much of my self-worth onto my musical career. When the focus shifted toward my well-being . . . and to the realization that I was an alcoholic and suffering from the same disease everybody else was, I went into meltdown."
The early 80’s were not as productive for Clapton as the 70’s. Journeyman, released in late 1989 went double platinum in less than two years, making it Clapton’s career first record to move over 2 million units. In 1991 the soundtrack Rush included “Tears In Heaven”, a touching number dealing with the accidental death of his young son Conor, reached #2 on the US charts in January of 1992. Tragically he had just started bonding with Conor when the boy died. His personal life turbulent and his attempts at maintaining sobriety amid the drug and alcohol world of rock and roll were challenging. A numb, grieving Clapton was determined to stay sober. "At that moment I realized there was no better way of honoring the memory of my son." About this time he learns about another child he fathered, Ruth, and brings her into his life.
The box set Crossroads and Time Pieces both receiving accolades leading to an iconic appearance on MTV’s “Unplugged”, playing acoustic re-workings of some of his best known singles and blues classic. Unplugged, was a massive success, breathing new life into the classic “Layla”, which became a hit for the second time in its life. Clapton followed with 1994’s From The Cradle, a full album of electric blues covers that also reached #1 on the charts.1998’s Pilgrim, with “Change The World”.
With 20 years of sobriety Clapton has reached such a level of success his career is now a mix of old material and the desire to try new things. Reptile, Me & Mr. Johnson, an album of Robert Johnson covers and Back Home solo albums have done well. He’s also recorded two collaboration albums, 2000’s double platinum Riding With The King with blues legend B.B. King and 2006’s gold The Road To Escondido with famed songwriter J.J. Cale. His old stuff continues to sell well, like “Wonderful Tonight” the ode to Pattie written as he waited for her to get dressed for a party, being certified gold in 2005, nearly 30 years after its release.
With his personal life settled into the family life with four daughters and a young wife Melia, he worked on his autobiography while touring Asia. He released a double disc compilation, Complete Clapton featuring songs from his entire forty year career.
Clapton wrote, "For me, the most trustworthy vehicle for spirituality has always proven to be music."
The only thing I missed was more about his life with ex-wife Pattie Boyd. She published an autobiography that included excerpts from the unbelievably passionate letters Clapton sent her while she was still George Harrison's wife. His desperation in her book is apparent with threats of doing himself in if he can’t have her. His songs about her made getting over her difficult, as they would be played in every concert being among his top hits. He’s so open in his own book about everything else, but Pattie is absent in the index, although smattered throughout his book. Perhaps he lets the music speak of that love.
You come away after reading this easily flowing chronological tale understanding that “Clapton is God” was too much to put on the head of a 20 year old rock musician. His life struggles into the heart of rock and roll decadence and his eventual maturing into a musician at the top of his art are amazing to read. It’s as if you were having a pint and hearing the words straight from his lips. I found it very enjoyable and I highly recommend both the music and the book.
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