Eric C, Blues Or Rock

[woodelf]

Though this may make some of you grind your tooth, I don't know enough about Eric Clapton to know if he's either a Blues or Rock guitarist - or both! - so would a compilation album be the best idea or...I'll probably get some earache from you purists out there, especially L-iK, but if I don't ask.....! Ta Muchly and Take Care.

[Mamyalynne]

He's both really, I dislike labels as such because musicians grow and morph into different styles.

I don't know enough to recommend an album however.

Stay well, Mamya (Smile)

[EdmundD]

I agree with Mamya but I tend to lean towards Blues guitarist having been weaned on John Mayall's Bluebreakers, Yardbirds, Cream.

[JJ109]

Personally my favourite album of his is the double album "Layla" by Derek and the Dominoes, but everyone to their own tastes

[EdmundD]

I love Unplugged.

[Ken4155]

Yeah, i'd say both, too.

[Captain2]

I agree with Mamya's comment above.

If you just want Rock then it would have to be a Cream LP either Disraeli Gears or simply their Best of Cream.

[woodelf]

Hi Mamya, great to hear from you again, even though twas t'other day!...great Big Smiles...I think I'll try the Unplugged album to start with, then er well, there'll probably be more answers soon, with more ideas!

[MargoTester]

I can recommend Clapton Chronicles which has some great tracks on it, including Wonderful Tonight and My Father's Eye's and Clapton Unplugged

[woodelf]

But Cap, if I wanted a blues album?

[woodelf]

Okay Margot, I'll look at Chronicles - has anyone tried the double CD Complete Clapton?...not really complete, but 35 tracks, according to amazon!

[The Builder]

The problem is, Woody, he started with Blues, then Blues/Rock, then a bit of everything.
I don't think any one album is going to represent him properly.

If you want Blues, then maybe go right back to around '65 when he was with john Mayall.............

Known as "The Beano Album"

[Mozz71]

Both. He certainly started out playing bluesier stuff, but post-Sixties, he moved onto more commercial, rock music.

Of course, someone with Clapton's talent can play any genre.

[woodelf]

Many Thanks Bob, another one to listen to - but I've a feeling in my water (Ooo, nasty!...smile) that I'm about to get a Clappola education, if my in-box is not playing silly Bs! Many Thanks to All, so far!

[MargoTester]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clapton_Chronicles:_The_Best_of_Eric_Clapton
Bit more information here, I didn't realise it was released in 1999! I still play it regularly

[andy-hughes]

Musicians like Clapton were at the forefront of British blues music when the style and feel was absorbed by young British bands from the records they imported and played to each other.

Blues morphed into rock music as players took the emotion of blues music and grafted a heavier and more up tempo sound, so that simply means that Clapton is both a blues and a rock guitarist, since he was on the ground floor of the UK development of both styles.

As advised, you need his early material for blues, especially his John Mayall period, and then simply move forward with him as he adopted rock music into his playing.

Music always has, and always will evolve and change, and some of these changes can only be ratified by looking backwards, it's rare for styles to have wholesale changes sweeping in, probably punk was the last seismic shift in UK musical styling.