RE: Page vs. Clapton

["Josh Mooney" <jmooney10@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I think Wayne makes some good points here (see his post below), but I'm
writing as one who IS a Clapton fan. Not of his recent stuff-- I don't think
he's put out anything truly worthwhile since "Slowhand," in what, '77, '78?
But much of his work with the 'birds, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek & Dominoes,
and his solo stuff in the early/mid '70s is beautiful and timeless. That
said, I've always felt that Clapton was intimidated by the success of Page
and Zeppelin from '69 on. Because Zep, via Page, refashioned the blues in a
direction Clapton could never comprehend. Thus Zep's success, while Clapton
lagged behind and Beck, well, God bless Jeff but he chose another road in
the '70s and '80s with his jazz fusion stuff. 

I'm not gonna say, as Wayne does, that Eric isn't in the "same hemisphere"
as Rory. I think he's BEEN in that hemisphere and to a degree he CREATED
that hemisphere. But when I want to get jolted by a guitarist these days,
for sure I'll play Rory as opposed to Eric.

For the record, I saw Clapton on the "Slowhand" tour. I appreciated the show
(I was a teenager then), but I remembered being underwhelmed by it.

And I totally respect Clapton for his establishing the Crossroads drug
clinic. He takes recovery from addiction seriously and God bless him for
that.  

It's funny, because one thinks of the Page/Beck conflicts easily, yet at the
end of the day, it seems that Jimmy and Eric have frictions that are
ultimately more significant. So be it. And they continue to this day.
Whatever. Page is MY god. Am I dismayed that Sheryl Crowe gets invited to
Eric's shindig and Page wasn't? Not at all. I watched the show. It had its
moments, but was ultimately a bore. Page has Zeppelin work to do and he's
doing it. That's what I care about.

That's my 2 cents,

Josh 


Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:47:31 -0800
From: "Wayne&RobinCatalde" <robcatway@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Eric Clapton Guitar Crossroads Chicago....WHERE WAS JIMMY

What always amazed me is that while Clapton thinks he's the keeper of the 
blue's flame, his music the last 20 years has been nothing more the watered 
down pop tripe. As far as the blues go, Rory Gallagher is far superior and 
an all around superior guitarist, Clapton isn't even in the same hemisphere 
as Rory was/is.

I think Clapton is simply jealous of the success that Zeppelin has had and 
he realizes that he will never achieve the status and adulation that both 
Page and Zeppelin have garnered over the years.

I for one have never been a Clapton fan, and this is just one of many 
reasons why.

Wayne