If there ever was a musician you'd want to use to play Six Degrees of Separation with, it would have to be Eric Clapton. The guy has seemingly played with everyone. He's synonymous with the term "supergroup," coined in the late 60's. A supergroup is a band formed by musicians who have already made a name for themselves in the business for the purpose of well, being a band. Not a collaboration, like the hip-hop stuff you see today where a rapper will enlist all of his label mates to add a line here or there. Nor is it like Kid Rock sitting in with his newest BFF, or Alison Krauss being enlisted for the 980th time to provide backing vocals for someone. The supergroup is just what it says it is: taking components that are at their peak & reorganizing them into another unit. Kinda like the Yankees...or is it the Damn Yankees?
There are an endless list of great supergroups. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Traveling Wilburys, Asia, The Firm, Velvet Revolver, Temple Of The Dog. I could go on & on. however, when you look back on the career of Eric Clapton, it seems like he's moved on from one supergroup to another. After leaving The Yardbirds in 1965, a disgruntled Clapton joined John Mayall's Bluesbreakers for a short period, only put on his walking shoes again and form Cream with Jack Bruce & Ginger Baker. Perhaps the first "supergroup," Cream - as in "cream of the crop" - the band recorded 4 landmark albums: Fresh Cream (1966), Disraeli Gears (1967), Wheels of Fire (1968), & Goodbye (1969).
By this time, Clapton needed to explore other possibilities for his brand of blues. A side project with John Lennon, Keith Richards & Mitch Mitchell called The Dirty Mac netted the great "Yer Blues" but couldn't last for obvious reasons. He had originally tried to recruit Steve Winwood (Traffic, Spencer Davis Group) into Cream as a buffer between Baker & Bruce. Clapton & Winwood had played together before, but along with Baker decided to form Blind Faith in 1969, which even though a one album deal produced the classics "Can't Find My Way Home" and "Presence Of The Lord." Clapton then migrated to Delaney Bonnie & Friends, preferring to stay in the background and work on what was to become his first solo material. Clapton also put in a lot of work on George Harrison's album All Things Must Pass (1970). During this time what was to become Derek & The Dominos came together.
Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle, & Jim Gordon had been the rhythm section for Delaney & Bonnie, and Duane Allman inadvertently became the 5th member by chance. Of course, fueled by his yearning for Harrison's wife Pattie, the Dominos' signature tune is "Layla." Other greats are "Bell Bottom Blues" and my personal favorite, "Tell The Truth" which contains some of the best slide guitar ever by Mr. Allman. Such ended Derek & The Dominos and Clapton's "supergroup era" as Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident in the fall of 1971.
Therefore, in a period of about 5 years Eric Clapton had done what he's set out to do: play the best blues he was capable of playing with the the finest musicians in the world. Clapton has played with pretty much a steady crew since the 80's, and now has his own Crossroads Guitar Festival annually to showcase the best players in the world, jam with old friends, & remember those passed. It's not been an easy life for Clapton, but what a life indeed.
(Note: Can't wait to see Clapton & Winwood live in C-bus on 6/15...!!!)
Read the Clapton autobiography a couple years back. Saw him in C-Bus with Robert Cray as well. Good times.
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