Eric Clapton
Latest about Eric Clapton
“Musically, Eric was a very generous guy. I loved working with him because he encouraged me to play”: How Eric Clapton used Roger Waters, George Harrison, and Stevie Ray Vaughan as foils to survive the ‘80s – the decade he was not prepared for
By Andrew Daly published
This was the decade that saw Slowhand board a train with Another Ticket and disembark as a fully-fledged Journeyman. Here, Albert Lee, Phil Palmer, and more recall a turbulent time in Clapton's career
“I’ve had all of the great guitarists in the world say to me, ‘Pete, you’re not in the top 10 for virtuosity, but you’re certainly No. 1 as an acoustic rhythm player’”: Pete Townshend on Who’s Next, Lifehouse, and fun times with Superstrats
By Jeff Slate published
In this brand-new interview, the Who mastermind looks back on Who's Next, the grand designs of Lifehouse, and why he is still having fun on the guitar thanks in no small part to Charvel and Jackson
“Duane Allman played a great solo, came back, and Eric says, ‘Well, I want to do mine again!’ This went on for at least an hour or two”: How Eric Clapton went from God to all-round guitar genius in the ’70s
By Bill DeMain published
After the writing on the wall proclaimed him a deity in the ’60s, where else was there to go for Eric Clapton but on a search of self-discovery, musical improvement, and new artistic frontiers
“Nobody in Decca studios had ever witnessed somebody setting up their guitar and amp and playing at that volume. People in the canteen were complaining”: How Eric Clapton revolutionized electric guitar in the ‘60s
By David Sinclair published
It was a febrile time for popular music, and in Eric Clapton, guitar had a hero in waiting who would change forever how we would play the instrument
“Eric Clapton’s a great guitarist, but Gary Moore’s a more exciting player”: Jack Bruce on the brilliance of Gary Moore and why Cream’s real chemistry was between Bruce and Ginger Baker
By Nick Wells published
In 1993 the late Cream bassist joined forces with Gary Moore and Ginger Baker to form the short-lived power trio BBM
“Leslie West said: ‘I prefer your licks, Pete. Eric seems to be playing things he’s learned, that he’s picked up from other blues players’”: Pete Townshend says the Mountain legend favored his expansive rock licks over Eric Clapton’s blues vocabulary
By Matt Owen published
“I think that is a fair comparison, although I have seen Eric play live, where he really goes sky high,” the Who hero added
“Eric Clapton played with a stately authority. It’s missing in guitar today. It seems every great player has to play very fast. It can be distasteful, honestly”: Scott Holiday says Slowhand’s slow hand is still the gold standard for expressive playing
By Ellie Rogers published
Clapton remains an ever-present force in the Rival Sons star’s own sound – here’s why Holiday views his hero as one of the most influential guitarists of all time
A new in-depth look at Eric Clapton in the '60s, '70s and '80s – only in the new Guitar World
By Damian Fanelli published
Featuring brand-new Slowhand-centric interviews with Steve Lukather, Eddie Kramer, Albert Lee, Phil Palmer, Chuck Kirkpatrick, Danny Flowers, Albhy Galuten, Joe Bonamassa and more
“At four in the morning, I got a call from David Bowie. He said they needed a guitar player for Iggy Pop’s album”: As right-hand man for everyone from Mark Knopfler to Eric Clapton, ‘Session Man’ Phil Palmer more than earned his nickname
By Andrew Daly published
Armed with a Nocaster given to him by his uncle, the Kinks’ Dave Davies, Palmer became a go-to guitarist for some of music’s biggest names, landing an official role in Dire Straits – and narrowly missing out on playing Clapton’s MTV Unplugged set
“Eric’s Les Paul gets stolen, and he knows I’ve got the other one. He starts calling me relentlessly. I charged him £200. It’s worth about two million now”: Andy Summers recalls selling Eric Clapton his Gibson Les Paul ‘Burst for a bargain price
By Phil Weller published
After Slowhand‘s legendary Beano ‘Burst was stolen in ‘66, Summers reluctantly sold his own Les Paul to the bluesman for a measly £200
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