Eric Clapton/Italy 1985

[A new definitive version of the final period of the “Behind the Sun Tour” has arrived!] We will release Eric Clapton’s 1985 ultra-high quality audience source. This is a 2CD set that contains a complete recording of the performance held at the Teatro Tenda in Bologna, Italy on November 4th from the 1985 “Behind the Sun Tour” in the finest stereo audience recording. The sound source of this performance was previously distributed in Europe on a limited CD bootleg (privately made?) and was listed on the bootleg evaluation site Geetarz, where it received a high rating of 5 points out of 6 points. Since audience recordings tend to be accompanied by audience noise and recording problems, the rating of “5 points” indicates that the quality is completely problem-free, comparable to the finest stereo soundboard sound source. Moreover, this time, the recorder himself used modern digital technology to upload the first generation master with hiss removed to the Internet, and the best version of this sound source can finally be heard. In fact, if you listen to it, you will understand that the quality is comparable to soundboard recording, or even blows away a poor soundboard. The sound quality is extremely clear, the sound balance is good, and the stereo separation is flawless. It is a powerful recording. Italy also had a taper like Mark Millard. I’m surprised. In our shop, we change the device point, which was abrupt in the original master, to the optimal device point considering Clapton’s MC between songs and deliver it to you. This makes it easier to listen to and makes it a perfect press CD. Speaking of the 1985 tour, it was a memorable tour in which Clapton almost overcame alcoholism and played in a fearless appearance. This was also seen in the music video of Forever Man, which was a single cut from the album released that year, and his completely different dandy appearance. This is the new definitive version of this tour, which is highly rated in Clapton’s career. [The charm of the second half of the tour when the set list was changed] This performance was at the end of the world tour. Let’s clarify the position of this performance in this year in chronological order. ・February 28th to March 15th, 1985: European tour including the UK During this time, <March 1st, 1985: Album “BEHIND THE SUN” released> ・April 9th ​​to May 3rd, 1985: US tour, first leg ・May 8th, 1985: Appearance on the US music live program Late Night With David Letterman ・June 21st to July 27th, 1985: US tour, second leg ・October 5th to October 11th, 1985: 6th Japan tour ・October 14th to November 6th, 1985: Short European tour after touring Alaska and London ←★Here★・December 3rd to 23rd, 1985: A break, but during this time they made appearances at concerts by Buddy Guy & Junior Wells, Sting, Gary Brooker, Dire Straits, and others. The year was spent touring to promote the album “Behind the Sun,” which was released on March 1st and recorded the year before they took to the stage, and this performance was the final leg after the Japan tour in October. In terms of the schedule, it was the time to close the tour by showing off the culmination of the tour. There was a change in the members from the Japan tour, with Laura Creamer replacing backing vocalist Marcy Levy, but the band’s dynamics did not change (Marcy went on to form Shakespeare’s Sister to further her career. Also, Sean Murphy built his career as the lead singer of Little Feat after this tour). The stage followed the set list that had changed from the second leg of the American tour, featuring Cream’s classic White Room for the first time in 17 years, with an arrangement that featured Badge and Let It Rain in a medley format, and the encore featured the single hit number Forever Man. The opportunity to play the White Room came from an appearance on the American TV show “David Letterman Show” on May 8th, as shown above. In response to a request from Paul Shaffer, who was the musical director of the show, they played the White Room with the show’s house band for the first time in 17 years (the house band included Steve Jordan, who supported Clapton from 2006 to 2007 and is currently a support member of the Stones, as the drummer). Clapton, who was satisfied with the result, had this song included in the set from the second leg of the tour. Four new songs from the album were performed (Same Old Blues, Tangled In Love, She’s Waiting, Forever Man). Even among his signature songs, the performances are excellent and do not fall behind. Since these songs require a lot of energy, we cannot expect any of them to be included in the set, so we hope you can feel the enthusiasm of Clapton at the time when he was burning with the desire to perform new songs. However, even in a flashy and varied set consisting of new songs and his signature songs, he includes minor blues such as Double Trouble and major blues such as Further On Up The Road, which is what makes him Clapton. It can be said that this set list was a well-balanced set that fully conveyed Clapton’s charm, with signature songs, new songs, and blues. [Clapton’s singing is outstanding and his aggressive guitar solos are a wave attack] On this tour, Clapton’s recovery in health was clearly reflected in his playing. It felt like his singing had improved dramatically. His confident and dignified singing style also gave off a sense of masculine sex appeal. Please listen carefully. Furthermore, the guitar solos are more aggressive than ever, with a pattern of fast passages, and his own slow-hand playing style appears everywhere. This is very thrilling! Following the two songs with sharp slide playing in the opening, he shows off his true form early on with the solo in the closing of I Shot The Sheriff, and the tension rises all at once with the following Same Old Blues. In the closing of White Room, he decides on a thrilling long solo using a wah pedal comparable to his Cream days. Clapton’s wah playing is great after all. In Tangled In Love, Badge, and Let It Rain, high-speed slow-hand playing explodes. In the midst of all this, Blackie is crying as much as he can in the blues’ Double Trouble. Listening to this play, you can really feel that Clapton is a blues guitarist. That’s right, this tour was the last tour where he played his beloved Blackie, which he debuted in 1973. You can hear Blackie’s nostalgic tone, which is sharp even in its dryness, at various points. The tone of the signature custom strat that followed was also powerful, but the tone of Blackie heard here really made you realize that it was the unique charm of this guitar. The solo at the end of the powerfully performed masterpiece Layla is also hot and full of energy (the mistakes at the beginning of the intro and in the middle of the solo are probably just a result of the momentum). There were two encores. From Forever Man, which can only be described as cool, to Further On Up The Road, where all the members take turns playing solos, you will feel refreshed by Clapton’s appearance at full throttle. [Top-class backing men only available during this period] The backing men included Stax’s famous bassist Donald Duck Dunn and Tulsa Tops’ Jamie Oldaker, who could be said to be the strongest rhythm section in Clapton’s history, from the 1983 tour. Please enjoy the bouncy bass playing of the late Donald Duck Dunn, who supported Clapton only during this period, and the dynamic drumming of the late Jamie Oldaker, as well as Duck Dunn’s unique comments introducing Clapton during the band introduction (Clapton seemed to get along well with Duck Dunn, so well that when he started his own label in 1983, he named it “Duck Records”). This is also the only tour where you can hear the play of Tim Renwick, a veteran British guitarist who later supported “Gilmore Pink Floyd”. His solid playing without any mistakes is also a highlight. His unique playing can be heard in the obbligatos in I Shot The Sheriff and White Room, the second solos in Badge and Cocaine, and the closing solo in Forever Man. And let’s not forget Chris Stinton, who still supports Clapton today. From the synth and piano prologue at the beginning, he plays piano, organ, and synthesizer in each song. It is no exaggeration to say that it was because of him that the songs on “BEHIND THE SUN” could be reproduced live. The bond between these two was strong even 37 years ago. This is a wonderful stage where you should listen to the resonant tones of Blackie Strat and their support. This work can be said to be one of the most famous sound sources of the “Behind the Sun Tour”. It’s an amazing sound. The level of the audience recording is so high… It’s probably the best of Clapton’s audience sound sources. (From the reviewer) Teatro Tenda, Bologna, Italy 4th November 1985 ULTIMATE SOUND Disc 1 (52:26) 1. Introduction 2. Tulsa Time 3. Motherless Children 4. I Shot The Sheriff 5. Same Old Blues 6. Tangled In Love 7. White Room 8. You Got Me Hummin’ 9. Wonderful Tonight 10. She’s Waiting Disc 2 (61:08 ) 1. Lay Down Sally 2. Badge / Let It Rain 3. Double Trouble 4. Cocaine 5. Layla 6. Forever Man 7. Band introductions 8. Further On Up The Road Eric Clapton ? guitar, vocals Tim Renwick – guitar Chris Stainton – keyboards Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn – bass Jamie Oldaker – drums Shaun Murphy – backing vocals Laura Creamer – backing vocals