Eric Clapton is far more than a rock star. Like Dylan and McCartney he is an icon and a living legend. He has sold tens of millions of records, played sell-out concerts all over the world and been central to the significant musical developments of his era. His guitar playing has seen him hailed as 'God'. Tracks such as Layla, Sunshine Of Your Love,Wonderful Tonight and Tears In Heaven have become anthems for generations of music fans. Now for the first time, Eric tells the story of his personal and professional journeys in this pungent, witty and painfully honest autobiography. Eric was born illegitimate in 1945 and raised by his grandparents. He never knew his father and until the age of nine believed his absentee mother to be his sister. In his teens his solace was the guitar and he soon became a cult hero in the club circuits of Britain. With the foundation of the world's first super group Cream in 1966 he became a world superstar. But the rock star lifestyle has had a darker side. In more than forty years at the forefront of his profession he has twice survived near fatal addictions to drugs and alcohol, the death of his four-year-old son, the deaths of friends such as Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon, the break-up of marriage and the disintegration of relationships with a succession of beautiful women. These are the memoirs of a survivor, someone who has reached the pinnacle of success, who has had it all, but whose demons have never left him. At the age of 62 Eric is now ready to tell his story as it is, hiding nothing, with a directness and searing honesty that will make this book one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.
eMusic Review 0
A celeb autobio that devotes as much detail to nights in the pub as it does to brushes with greatness.
As a guitarist, Eric Clapton is distinguished more by his work ethic than his fits of inspiration; “Clapton is God” graffiti notwithstanding, he seems like a mere mortal next to the mythic figures he emulated, less awe-inspiring but more approachable. Rather than making a deal with the devil, he seems like the kind of guy who might have asked Satan to lend him a few bucks until payday. His soup-to-nuts account of his own life is likewise, a solid, sober (in both senses of the word) look back at his journey from rural England to quasi-deification.
Clapton’s functional, unfussy prose moves steadily through his life, devoting as much detail to his nights in the pub as his brushes with greatness. The details can be a bit random, like this bombshell about his early childhood: “I loved pies.” Luckily, narrator Bill Nighy supplies the enthusiasm that Clapton left out, leaning into every emphasis as if his life depended on it. With Nighy leading the way, the facts of Clapton’s life are gripping enough, especially his long-standing struggle with alcoholism and the tragic death of his son, recounted in a factual but hardly dispassionate style. (Oh, and then there’s that whole thing about him writing “Layla” to steal George Harrison’s wife.) A few myths die ugly deaths along the way; if you’ve ever slow-danced to “Wonderful Tonight,” it may hurt to find that it was inspired by Clapton’s irritation that his wife was taking too long to dress for dinner.
While Clapton at 62 is mellow and reflective — you can hear years of recovery and psychotherapy in his observations about his family and relationships — a few blind spots remain. He may decry his previously piggish attitude towards women, but he still notes that one of the things that appealed to him about his current wife (his second) is that she had “no agenda or ambition.” The abridged version strangely makes no mention of Clapton’s legendary guitar solo on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” but does include Clapton’s first impression of the Beatles as “a bunch of wankers.”
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Great Book
This is a great book. I had no idea Eric Clapton had gone through so much in his music and personal life. It is excellently read and it almost seems like Eric is reading it to you. My only regret is this book was abridged.
good book
I'm not a fan of Clapton's music, but was interested to hear about his life because of all the different musicians he has been involved with. I really liked listening to his story. For a man who plays a guitar inscribed with GOD he has much less of an ego than I would have expected. Technical note, there is a lot of skipping on track 74.
Musical genius vs. small minded behaviour
It's interesting to get a glimpse of the authentic man behind the superstar. I've always highly revered Clapton and understand his passion for a high standard in his musical pursuits, and someone who played some great guitar and wrote some unforgettable songs. That said, it seems almost pathetic that he made so many bad calls in judgement. This autobiographical account seems to be an attempt to "come clean" with a checkered past in which he often rather obliviously hurt people, including himself. It also makes me a little curious as to what Patty Boyd's side of the story might be, but I was more interested in Clapton the musician than all of his ill-fated relationships, save for the last one. It's amazing he survived the hectic nature of a demanding tour schedule as a serious addict, but I was hoping for a deeper perspective on life that maybe he might have gleaned in spite of it all-- more spiritual, as he seemed to be 'tapped' into something great musically.
Excellent!
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Clapton's music has been part of my world - part of me. Learning his story from his words was an unexpected treat. Well written, dozens of fascinating details about what went on behind the scenes as well as the truth of the horror of his addictions and joy of his recovery. Well worth a listen if you are a fan of the man, music or era. His English colloquialisms are charming - the language of the Shire!
slow writing hand
"Simultaneous"?
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