Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton (March 30, 1945 - ) is a British guitarist, nicknamed slowhand or, in the 1960s, God. Having learned to play as a boy, and growing up listening to blues recording by the likes of Robert Johnson, Clapton first made his name as a member of the Yardbirds?, a pop influnced rock and roll band whose biggest hit "For Your Love" came whilst Eric was a member. Feeling the need to return to his blues roots he joined the Bluesbreakers, with [John Mayall]?. His emotional playing on their first album (which features Eric reading a copy of the Beano on the cover) made his name as a blues player, and inspired a short lived craze of graffiti deifying him ("Clapton is God", it read). Limited by Mayall's traditional blues format, and inspired by Jimi Hendrix's newly formed Experience, amongst others, he left in 1966 to form Cream, one of the earliest examples of the supergroup, with [Jack Bruce]? and [Ginger Baker]?. Cream's repertoire varied from pop ("I Feel Free") to lengthy instrumental jams ("Toad"). Splitting in 1968, the posthumous Goodbye album featured the single Badge, co-written by Clapton and Beatle George Harrison. The friendship between the two, which had resulted in Clapton playing on While My Guitar Gently Weeps from The Beatles' White Album, was sorely tested when Harrison's wife, Patti Boyd-Harrison, left him for Clapton.

Following a second spell in a supergroup, the far less successful Blind Faith, Clapton first played as one of Delaney and Bonnie and Friends before releasing a disappointingly restrained solo album. The next record, however, was better received. Taking the sidemen from his solo record, and adding slide guitar virtuoso [Duane Allman]? he recorded "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs" as Derek and the Dominos. The title track, a statement of unrequited love for Boyd-Harrison with an immediately recognisable guitar riff, remains one of the most widely played rock songs of the 1970s. The remainder of the album, which was heavily blues influenced, featured a winning combination of the two guitars of Allman and Clapton.

Despite his success, Clapton's personal life was a mess. In addition to the romantic entanglements, he had become addicted to heroin, which resulted in a career hiatus interrupted only by the "Rainbow Concert" in 1973, organised by [The Who]?'s [Pete Townshend]? to help Clapton kick the drug.

Rest of Career (to fill)

461 Ocean Boulevard, more drugs, more booze, death of son, Unplugged, critical renaissance...