Eric Clapton
Latest about Eric Clapton

“We would listen to that album nonstop.” Eric Clapton reveals the surprising pop influence behind Cream's sound
By Phil Weller published
The guitarist says a Beach Boys record played a key role in shaping the music of his 1960s power trio

Pete Townshend put Eric Clapton on the road to recovery. Now he’s finally coming to the Crossroads Festival
By Christopher Scapelliti published
In 1973, Townshend’s all-star Rainbow Theatre concerts forced Clapton back onstage at the height of his addiction — a moment that eventually led to the creation of the Crossroads Centre and Clapton’s famous guitar festival.

“What kind of idiot does that?” Eric Clapton hit by object thrown from crowd at Madrid show
By Elizabeth Swann published
The guitarist abruptly ended the concert after the item struck him in the chest

The last music Steve Cropper heard before he died was his own new album
By Phil Weller published
The Stax guitar icon gave his blessing to ‘Watching the Tide’ hours before his passing, leaving behind one last statement from the soul-music pioneer.

“It would lift me up so I could work that night.” Eric Clapton says Jeff Beck pulled him out of a late-career slump
By Phil Weller published
Clapton says he was struggling during a 2020s tour — until nightly YouTube clips of Beck’s performances changed his mindset

“Even Clapton came out and gave me the thumbs up.” The day Ministry’s Al Jourgensen shut down a studio — while Eric Clapton was recording next door
By Elizabeth Swann published
The distortion-loving guitarist recalls how a tape experiment blew out the power while Clapton was recording his 1989 album ‘Journeyman’

Pattie Boyd, muse to George Harrison and Eric Clapton, just saw Clapton play “Layla” live 37 years after their breakup
By Elizabeth Swann published
The former model who inspired classic songs attended one of Clapton’s intimate U.K. warm-up shows where she heard the tunes he wrote about her

“The problem was that Jim Gordon got Eric into heroin and things just bogged down.” Behind late Dave Mason’s work with Derek and the Dominos and Jimi Hendrix
By Christopher Scapelliti published
Mason, who died on April 19, was present for some of rock’s big moments, including the formation of the Dominos and the making of Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower”

Todd Rundgren reflects on Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and the moment he nearly jammed with Hendrix
By Gary Graff published
As he nears the 50th anniversary of ‘Faithful,’ his tribute to 1960s classic rock, the songwriter and producer recalls the guitar heroes who shaped him

“We were really limited onstage.” Eric Clapton on the group he said achieved what Cream could not
By Christopher Scapelliti published
Jack Bruce said Clapton had doubts about Cream from the start. “I remember him saying, ‘This is a good recording band, but it will never be a good live band.’”
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