What we're listening to: Eric Clapton 'Slowhand'

We admit it - we're not great fans of Eric but that said, '461 Ocean Boulevard' (the address where he recuperated from drug issues) already featured on our list.

'Slowhand', was Clapton's 1977 Album (from his nickname) and most successful. 

Of course, the singles 'Wonderful Tonight' (which we do not want to hear again ever, nor, 'Lady in Red') drove it - as did 'Lay Down Sally'. There's no criticising 'Lay Down Sally' or JJ Cale's 'Cocaine', or the excellent John Martyn cover, 'May you never' which appear here and give the Album a bluesy rock feel. 

Great summery tracks.

A 2012 Deluxe edition to celebrate 35 years of the record also includes the old stalwarts; Bob Dylan's 'Knocking on Heaven's Door', 'Badge', 'Layla', 'Further on up the road' (see the video from The Last Waltz here in the Joni Mitchell 'Blue' Blog, superb that it is), and Bob Marley's 'I shot the sheriff'. Well worth getting.

Yvonne Elliman featured on backing vocals (The Bee Gees wrote 'How Deep is your love' for her) as she did on a lot of Clapton records and Glyn Johns Produced (who did some amazing records too. Unbelievable career). 

Clapton is 2nd in Rolling Stone's Greatest Guitarists ever (who was first? Hendrix) and is a recovering Heroin addict/alcoholic. 

At the time of 'Slowhand', it was said that they were stoned mostly when recording it. Not sure what that says...except get it. Another great record.

Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......John Mayer 'Room for Squares': Ry Cooder 'Bop til you drop': Jon&Vangelis 'Friends of Mr. Cairo': Mary Chapin 'Come on, Come on': Frank Zappa 'Joe's Garage': Joni Mitchell 'Blue': Steve Gibbons 'Caught in the Act': Elton John 'Tumbleweed Connection': Elton John 'Honky Chateau': Gallagher & Lyle 'Breakaway': Warren Zevon 'Excitable Boy': Donald Fagen 'The Nightfly': Supertramp 'Breakfast in America': George Michael 'Listen without predujice': Radiohead 'The Bends': Beyonce 'Lemonade' Album of the year 2016: Oddisee 'The mix Tape': Soul 11 Soul 'Club Classics': Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat':Art Garfunkel 'Watermark': REM 'Out of Time': Van 'Keep me Singing': Frank Sinatra 'Songs for Swinging Lovers': Al Stewart 'Year of the Cat': Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Texas Flood':Frank Ocean 'Blond': Jimmy Buffett 'Son of a Sailor': Marc Cohn 'Marc Cohn': Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black';Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'; The Clash 'London Calling'; Chris Isaak 'At The Filmore'; Bob Dylan 'Street Legal'; Bad Company 'Straight Shooter'; Jackson Browne 'Love is Strange'; Lou Reed 'Transformer'; Steely Dan 'AJA'; Stones 'Black+Blue'; Stephen Bishop 'Careless'; Nils Lofgren 'Night after Night'; Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells'; Neil Young 'Harvest'; Led Zep '4'; David Bowie 'David Live'; Van Morrison 'It's too late to stop now'; Wings 'Band on the Run'; Rod Stewart 'Atlantic Crossing'; Ryan Adams 'Heartbreaker'; Santana 'Essential'; Bob Dylan 'Desire'; Roxy Music 'For your pleasure'; Bob Marley 'Legend'; Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'; James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'; Deep Purple 'Machine Head'; Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'; Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'; Eagles 'Hotel California'; Jungle; Aretha 'Soul Queen'; Neil Young 'After the Goldrush' ; Zappa 'Overnite Sensation'; Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours'; Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert'; Doobies 'Southbound'; Stevie Earle 'I feel Alright'; Tom Waits 'Closing Time'; Pink Floyd 'Dark Side'; Van Morrison 'Moondance'; Eric Church 'Caught in the Act'; Randy Newman 'Little Criminals'; Elton John 'Madman across the water'; Patti Smith 'Horses'; Doobies 'Captain and Me'; Steely Dan 'Can't Buy a Thrill'.

What we're listening to. Clapton '461 Ocean Boulevard'.

So you're thinking, why is there two Albums here? Well, there isn't. Really. Sort of.

'461 Ocean Boulevard' is the Album we're listening to but, on the 'Give me strength' Album, you get the full 461 Album and some more recordings from 74/75. 

So you get extra, geddit?

'461' (as those in 'the know' call it) was Clapton's 2nd 1974 Album after his battle with heroin. In fact, it was the address of the house where he recovered and I think we're right in saying it was owned by Robert Stigwood in Miami, who helped him. 

At that time he was well known from Cream and The Dominos, but this marked a solo departure into Blues. 

'Motherless Children' is a cracking track if not, his best ever. 'I can't hold out' and 'Let it grow' are classics as of course, 'I shot the sheriff' which was the single (written by Bob Marley in 1973). 

The Album is a classic and well regarded and in a way, very summery. The Album for open top driving with a Miami sound. It's bright, interesting and varied but with blues at the core. The versions on the 'Give me strength' Album are at least as good, if not better and the extra tracks mean that it makes more sense to get it.

Still, if you want to hear Clapton at his lethal best, search up 'Further on up the Road'. It's a gem and no more so, than with blistering guitars with Robbie Robertson of The Band, in The Last Waltz. 

Crank up the sound full blast, sit back, press play and start to dance. Here it is....

  

Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog.......Massive Attack Blue Lines; The Clash London Calling; Chris Isaak At The Filmore; Bob Dylan Street Legal;Bad Company Straight Shooter; Jackson Browne Love is Strange; Lou Reed Transformer; Steely Dan AJA; Stones Black+Blue; Stephen Bishop Careless; Nils Lofgren Night after Night; Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells; Neil Young Harvest; Led Zep 4; David Bowie David Live; Van It's too late to stop now; Wings Band on the run; Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing; Ryan Adams Heartbreaker; Santana Essential; Bob Dylan Desire; Roxy Music For your pleasure; Bob Marley Legend; Stephen Fretwell Magpie; James Taylor Sweet Baby James; Deep Purple Machine Head; Springsteen Darkness on the edge of town; Leon Bridges Coming Home; Eagles Hotel California; Jungle; Aretha Soul Queen; Neil Young After the Goldrush + Harvest; Zappa Overnite Sensation; Fleetwood Mac Rumours; Keith Jarrett Koln Concert; Doobies Southbound; Stevie Earle I feel alright; Tom Waits Closing Time; Pink Floyd Dark Side; Van Moondance; Eric Church Caught in the Act; Randy Newman Little Criminals; Elton John Madman across the water; Patti Smith Horses; Doobies Captain and Me; Steely Dan Can't Buy a Thrill.