Eric Clapton/CA,USA 1978 Complete Upgrade

The definitive pre-FM master, the standard sound source of the 1978 tour! In addition, the master brought by the heavyweight taper living in the UK familiar with Eric Clapton is the low-gene master of the pre-FM broadcast stereo sound board source of “King Biscuit Flower Hour (KBFH)”, the most famous live sound source in 1978. There is a previously released version of the same content, but the master of this work has an intro 35 seconds longer than the previous one, and there is no equalization feeling peculiar to radio broadcasting overall. Therefore, you can see that it is a completely different master from the previously released version. The sound quality is unquestionable with an official stereo sound board recording that boasts outstanding clarity and sound balance. The mix is ​​Clapton’s guitar and Dick Sims’ keyboard on the right, George Terry’s guitar and Marcy Levy’s vocals and harmonica on the left, and Clapton’s vocals, bass and drums in the center. The sound image is very wide, and the drums are mixed dynamically, with the toms moving from high to low tones from right to left (Marcy Levy’s acoustic guitar is mixed to the right only in the opening number). For the broadcast of “KBFH”, two concerts were recorded on February 11th and 12th, 1978, but the master from the 12th was leaked after the broadcast master was produced. The master of this work is a copy of the master reel that was the original. The fact that it was recorded over two days can be confirmed in the official live compilation 4CD box “CROSSROADS 2”. This box contains takes from this FM master, and the credits list both “February 11th” and “February 12th” depending on the song. In other words, it is officially proven that it was not recorded on just one day. As a result of our verification, the song credited as “February 11th” in “CROSSROADS 2” was clearly a different take from the song in this work, so there is no doubt that this work is the longest and best master that completely recorded the full stage of “February 12th”. A representative sound source of the “Slow Hand Tour” that showed the best performance! Now, let’s review the topic of this year and see how this US tour was positioned in Clapton’s activities. <<November 1, 1977: Release of the album “SLOWHAND”>>・February 1 to April 19, 1978: US tour　←★Here★・June 23, 1978: Appeared at a festival in Rotterdam, Holland with the Bob Dylan Band・July 1 to 15, 1978: Short European tour (including a festival appearance with Bob Dylan) <<August to September, 1978: Recording of the album “BACKLESS”>>The album “SLOWHAND” was released on November 1 of the previous year, and the first single, “Lay Down Sally c/w Cocaine,” was a huge hit that reached No. 2 on the US singles chart, and the album itself became a huge hit, reaching No. 2 on the US album chart. This US tour was a promotional tour that was built on that momentum. At this point, Yvonne Elliman, who participated in the album, left the band to pursue a solo career, and Marcy Levy was the only female member. Considering that it was a long tour of more than two months with this lineup, it can be said that this was Clapton’s turning point. After that, the tour continued intermittently, but it ended in July, and Clapton immediately began recording his next album, “BACKLESS”. In that sense, by the time this tour started, American fans had already purchased the album, “SLOWHAND” was a big hit, and they were looking forward to performing the song at a live performance. Therefore, for Clapton, it was more of a “thank you for the big hit” tour than an “album promotion”. And this Santa Monica performance was the opening stage of this very welcome tour. It seems that Clapton was also aware of the high evaluation of the album, as seven of the nine songs on the album were set in. The romantic opening instrumental number Peaches and Diesel starts off with Clapton playing the main phrase a little lackluster, but he goes on to deliver a rock-solid performance. The Core, a hard-edged number on the album, is a great live performance, with the Tulsa Tops’ advanced technique and full of groove, and Cocaine features Clapton’s sharp solo twice. The ending of this song is far from the now-standard ending of the audience singing along, but has a fresh ending unique to his early days (the main riff is repeated and it ends with a bang). Clapton plays the whole song, but for some reason he leaves the postlude of Layla to George Terry, which is unfortunate. Clapton later fired Terry (and Marcy) and made the band a four-piece, so perhaps he had already decided on that policy at this point, and the solo feature on Layla was his farewell gift to Terry. Another feature of this tour, which featured songs from “SLOWHAND,” was that Clapton liked to feature country and western numbers, which he was into at the time. Clapton’s stage costumes at the time were cowboy-like, with a ten-gallon hat and a plaid vest, and he played songs such as We’re All the Way, which was also included in “SLOWHAND,” Rodeo Man, and You’ll Never Walk Alone as an encore. This was a time when he was deepening his friendship with country artist Don Williams and was attracted to indigenous American music. In the midst of all this, the encore performance of Bottle of Red Wine was fresh. It’s likely that they continued it after taking it up on the previous year’s Japan tour and liking the feel of it, but listening to it like this, it seems like a good song again (although the chorus part at the end is a bit of a prank). Clapton is enthusiastic until the end and plays two sharp solos. Overall, Clapton is here with his guitar and vocals in top form. Although he was in the midst of his alcoholism, Clapton’s alcohol content was low, and it was a fulfilling day of playing properly. This is the definitive version of the “Slow Hand Tour” heard on the first appearance low gene master. The sound quality is impeccable with an official stereo soundboard recording that boasts outstanding clarity and sound balance. Just as written on the original tape, this is truly the “Complete Edition, February 12th” Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA, USA 12th February 1978 STEREO SBD (from Original Masters) UPGRADE & LONGER!!! Disc:1 (70:06) 1. Intro　★35 seconds longer than previously released 2. Peaches and Diesel 3. Wonderful Tonight 4. Lay Down Sally 5. Next Time You See Her 6. The Core 7. We’re All the Way 8. Rodeo Man 9. Fool’s Paradise 10. Cocaine 11. Badge 12. Double Trouble 13. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out Disc:2 (57:56) 1. Let It Rain 2. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door 3. Last Night 4. Key To The Highway 5. Goin’ Down Slow / Ramblin’ on My Mind 6. Layla 7. Bottle of Red Wine 8. You’ll Never Walk Alone STEREO SOUNDBOARD RECORDING Eric Clapton – Guitar / Vocals George Terry – Guitar Dicks Sims – Keyboards Carl Radle – Bass Jamie Oldaker – Drums Marcy Levy – Backing Vocals