Eric Clapton
Unplugged

Eric Clapton, born Eric Patrick Clapp, was born in Ripley, Surrey, on March 30, 1945. His extreme passion and innate sensitivity towards blues music bring him, at a very young age, in terms of listening and attempts at imitation with the first electric guitar given to him by his grandparents, closer to artists of the caliber of Bo Diddley, Robert Johnson, and Muddy Waters. A versatile musician, he gained notoriety thanks to valuable collaborations first with the Yardbirds, where he earned the nickname "SlowHand," and subsequently with the Cream of the acclaimed Baker&Bruce team, where his talent and creative flair found ample space and stimulation.

In the mid-'60s, the streets of London were literally covered with graffiti: "Clapton is God", exalting the talented electric six-stringer who was then at the peak of his creative and musical expressionism. But if the work with Cream represents the peak of Clapton's long musical journey, his solo career does not do justice to that "God" who so many fans were “faithful and assiduous believers” of. It is a continuous decline towards nothingness, towards a "void" of ideas and experimentation that had characterized him so much in the first phase of his career. Too often, by now, he approaches reassuring melodies of mannerist Rock/Blues and POP of dubious value. By this time, Hendrix has already dethroned "God." By this time, Clapton has already met another “God.” Who also takes away his guitars. A brief qualitative but (unfortunately) not innovative renaissance of Mr. SlowHand begins from the mid-'90s. One only needs to remember the stunning album “From The Cradle,” of pure blues origin, and a series of exceptional live performances, among which we particularly mention the 1992 MTV Unplugged, where he fully expresses his execution qualities. As always. Clapton live transmits something that in the studio remains static. Almost motionless. Recorded in the United States, the Unplugged remains a finely crafted gem in Clapton's discography. It gathers some of the most important Blues classics and, among many, a poignant autobiographical composition “Tears In Heaven” in which he pours out all the pain for the loss of his son Conor, born from his relationship with the Italian islander Lory Del Santo, who died in an accident at the age of four.

The overall quality of the Live is extremely high for a multitude of reasons: almost perfect acoustic rearrangements, exceptional supporting band, a finally rediscovered Clapton, and spot-on musical offerings. “Before You Accuse Me,” “Rollin’ & Tumblin’,” and “Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out” are just some of the excellent sixteen tracks presented here. Here "God" is present once again. Only by listening to him can one clearly grasp his greatness.