CLAPTON: EDGE OF DARKNESS

CLAPTON: EDGE OF DARKNESS                        CHRISTOPHER SANDFORD

“Clapton has stirred powerful emotions with his music; powerful and often overwhelming.” 

From the Yardbirds and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers to a later career in film and television, for over fifty years Eric Clapton has been carving out a unique place in music history. 

Brought up by his grandparents, as a child Clapton was a loner, moody and morose. 

Music became his refuge, an outlet for expression, and it was the blues that truly spoke to him. 

Given his first guitar at thirteen, the instrument became an extension of him; even in his groups there would be a constant feeling of being one man with his guitar versus the world. 

Something of a chameleon in his youth, Clapton’s instinct for survival has seen him through a troubled childhood, drug addictions, alcoholism and glamorous affairs. 

Drawing on insights, ideas, opinions and memories from those who know him, in Clapton: Edge of Darkness Christopher Sandford dispels the mythological aura and presents an unflinching account of the life of one of rock’s all-time greats. 

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
This book about Eric Clapton of course deals with his childhood and the beginnings of his guitar playing. Moves on to some of the first bands he was with until the Yardbirds. The author goes over the songs and differences of the members. He also speaks of the different influences he had also. From their he went to the Bluebreakers, John Mayhall group. He would only do one record with him. He would pick up on his beginning use of drugs, and that would be a focus for part of the book. He also spoke to his lack of friends with some of the other musicians when doing an album. Next he went into Cream and there problems along with the critics view of the work. He would also speak of any concerts that were played in support of the record. Problems with Cream lead to Derick and the Dominos. The author went into how some of the songs were chosen and his beginning friendship with Duane Allman. Allmans death along with Hendrix sent Clapton downward and the band broke up. He also went into briefly about drummer Gordon’s problem and ending up in prison. Sad really. Then more personal information until 461 comes out and the critique’s take on that and every record after that up to From the Cradle. There is a lot about his life up to and after his sons Connors death and the song afterwards. I did not agree with his or the critique’s take on all of the records to this point. Journeyman I thought was and still is one of his better albums. Along with Bluebreakers, he did not talk about a BBC recording with him and Howling Wolf, and other musicians which I have and is an excellent blues record with Wolf speaking on part of it. And the one live record E.C. Was Here is a very good album if you are into blues, but he makes no reference to that album. This book for me was OK nothing great, sorry. If you are a Clapton fan you know it already, if not it is a good read. I got this book from netgalley. I gave it 3 stars. 
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