Description
A compilation of incomplete soundboard masters from Eric Clapton’s 1974-1975 US tours! These soundboard masters were provided by a veteran taper based in the UK, a familiar name to Eric Clapton fans! This two-disc set compiles soundboard recordings from the 1974 and 1975 US tours, of which only a few tracks had previously been recorded via PA out. These recordings were far from complete and therefore could not be released as individual concerts, but the soundboard quality is excellent, making it a shame not to release them. Many of the recordings are in mono, and due to the problematic PA outsources, there are some minor technical issues, but the content alone makes it well worth listening to. The 1974 recording is said to feature surprise appearances by Pete Townshend and Keith Moon of The Who. This alone is worth listening to for rock fans, but the 1975 recording includes a rare track featuring a surprise appearance by Carlos Santana, who was the opening act at the time. It will be fascinating to hear how the collaboration with these surprise guests turned out. However, because it includes recordings from multiple shows—two in 1974 and two in 1975—there is some variation in sound quality despite it being a soundboard recording. But rest assured, all are at a good level, and there are no takes with poor sound quality. This is a work that gives us a glimpse into how much Clapton enjoyed touring during the period when he made a miraculous comeback after a three-year period of seclusion. A compilation full of highlights! So, let’s start by reviewing the tour schedules for 1974 and 1975 to see where these performances fit into Clapton’s activities that year.・June 19th and 20th, 1974: Warm-up gigs in Scandinavia for the US comeback tour ・June 28th – August 4th, 1974: US tour ←★HERE★≪August 5th, 1974: Album “461 OCEAN BOULEVARD” released≫ ・August – September 1974: Recording album “THERE’S ONE IN EVERY CROWD” in Miami ・September 28th – October 6th, 1974: Second US tour ・October 31st – November 6th, 1974: First Japan tour ・November 27th – December 5th, 1974: European tour ≪April 1st, 1975: Album “THERE’S ONE IN EVERY “CROWD” Release≫・April 7th-28th, 1975: Oceania Tour・June 14th-August 30th, 1975: US Tour ←★HERE★・September 1975: Off・October-November 1975: Second Japan Tour As you can see, these two years were dominated by touring, but even within that, the US tours were the main events, lasting from one to two and a half months each year. Originally intended to promote the newly released album, it turned out that the setlist was a free-for-all where the comeback Clapton played whatever songs he wanted. First up is the audio from the Palm Beach, Florida performance on August 4th, the final day of the 1974 US tour. In the Muddy Waters cover “Sail On” (the correct song title is “Honey Bee”), performed solely by the Clapton band, there is a tape change-like section at 0:24, but it’s not very noticeable. Moreover, this song was an extremely rare number, played only on this one day during the long US tour. It’s precious to be able to hear it performed just once. There’s some kind of contact sound at 0:08 in Mainline Florida, written by second guitarist George Terry (these are also typical of PA output), but it’s a rare number that wasn’t played much on this tour, so it’s worth listening to. Also, as mentioned earlier, it is said that Pete Townshend and Keith Moon of The Who made a surprise appearance on this day (this is also stated on the fan site “Where’s Eric!” which records Clapton’s tour archives). The two were in the US at the time to promote the movie “TOMMY,” which was about to be released, and apparently rushed over when they heard about Clapton’s concert. They had also made a surprise appearance at the previous show in Greensboro, North Carolina. They must have wanted to celebrate their old friend’s comeback so much that they accompanied Clapton all the way there. Furthermore, it is said that Joe Walsh (James Gang – currently with the Eagles) also made a surprise appearance on the same number that day. You can hear that collaborative part. As you’ll see from the song list, it’s extremely rare to hear them perform (or have someone perform?) “Can’t Explain,” a song from The Who’s repertoire. There’s a backstory to this: Yvonne Elliman, who was a member of Clapton’s band, included this song on her solo album “FOOD OF LOVE,” released the previous year in 1973, and Pete Townshend played guitar on that version (this studio version is also a wonderful piece overflowing with Pete’s individuality). However, listening to this album, you can hear Keith Moon’s growling vocals along with Elliman’s, but you can’t hear Pete or Walsh’s guitars. In Clapton’s introduction of the band members just before this, only Keith Moon is introduced, so it seems that only Keith Moon actually made a surprise appearance. Furthermore, in the following song, “Badge,” the records indicate that the three guests remained on stage, but there is no trace of them participating in the performance. The facts are unclear, but judging from the sound on this album, it’s possible that Keith Moon was the only one who made a surprise appearance. It sounds like Clapton is playing rhythm guitar in a style similar to Pete, and the recording captures Clapton getting stuck because he doesn’t know how the song is going, causing him to stop playing. It’s very rare to hear “Smile,” which was always played on acoustic guitar during the 1974 tour, played in an electric version here. Before the song, Clapton announces, “There are no guitar solos in this song, but please listen,” but interestingly, he actually inserts a short electric solo. However, as is clear from the introductions of the band members here, Clapton was quite drunk, introducing drummer Jamie Oldaker as “the best bassist in the world” and referring to the surprise guest Keith Moon as “Keith ‘Half’ Moon” (“Full Moon” becomes “Half Moon”), showing he’s in a very playful mood. In the final line of Badge’s lyrics before the bridge, “now he’s married to Mabel,” he shouts at the top of his lungs, “Mabel?!…Fxckin’ Mabel!…Why Mabel?!” In fact, to get through the grueling tour after a sudden comeback from three years of drug addiction, Clapton had resorted to drowning his sorrows in alcohol to forget the tension and pressure of reality. This influence is evident in the band introductions and in Badge, but judging from his guitar playing here, there is absolutely no sign of the effects of alcohol. When he’s not playing, he displays the ugly behavior of a mere drunkard, but the fact that he becomes so uninhibited when playing guitar is, in a way, a testament to Clapton’s greatness (lol). The 1975 US tour lasted two and a half months, with recordings from June, July, and August. From June, there are two songs from the Memphis performance on the 18th. In particular, the 1975 version of “Let It Grow,” although a cut-in, is a rare take. Here too, it’s played in a rare electric version. “Can’t Find My Way Home,” featuring Yvonne Elliman, has a pitch fluctuation at 3:36. From July, there are two songs from the St. Louis concert on the 11th. “Tell The Truth” is a passionate 14-minute performance including a drum solo. During the drum solo, a playful moment is captured where Elliman blows a police whistle and Clapton blows a duck call. At the time, “Eyesight To The Blind” (a cover of bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson’s song), which he sang as a preacher in The Who’s movie “Tommy,” seemed to be one of Clapton’s favorites, and he played it as an encore almost every night on this tour. And Carlos Santana made a surprise appearance almost every time, showcasing his characteristic, soaring, passionate guitar playing. This take also captures that, and the structure of the 19-minute performance is clearly distinguishable, with Clapton’s solo, Santana, second guitarist George Terry, a drum and percussion solo interspersed, and finally a chaotic interplay of solos from all three. The percussion is thought to be Alfonso Mouzon of Santana’s band, indicating that he also made a surprise appearance. From August, there are four tracks from the San Diego performance on the 16th. Crossroads, known for Cream’s famous performance, gets the audience excited, but this is a rare take with a slow blues version arrangement (reminiscent of the take from the Kyoto performance on October 24th of the same year). Clapton’s playing here is wonderfully thrilling, with a mix of tempo changes, and is well worth a listen. Santana also made a surprise appearance during the encore that day, and surprisingly, they collaborated on Little Wing. Santana’s playing on such a dramatic number is also a highlight. And of course, Eyesight To The Blind is also performed. Although the themes of the songs are predetermined, the performance is entirely improvised, offering a different feel from the St. Louis concert. This release compiles high-quality PA output recordings that couldn’t be released at the solo shows, conveying the excitement of the tour at the time. Disc:1 (73:09)Palm Beach International Raceway, Palm Beach County, FL, USA 4th August 1974 1. Sail On 2. Mainline Florida 3. band introduction 4. Can’t Explain (with Pete Townshend, Keith Moon, Joe Walsh) 5. Badge (with Pete Townshend, Keith Moon, Joe Walsh) 6. Smile Eric Clapton – Guitar / Vocals George Terry – Guitar Dicks Sims – Keyboards Carl Radle – Bass Jamie Oldaker – Drums Yvonne Elliman – Backing Vocals Henry W. Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, MO, USA 11th July 1975 7. Tell The Truth 8. Eyesight To Th e Blind (with Carlos Santana) Eric Clapton – Guitar / Vocals George Terry – Guitar Dicks Sims – Keyboards Carl Radle – Bass Jamie Oldaker – Drums Yvonne Elliman – Backing Vocals Marcy Levy- Backing Vocals Disc:2 (59:44) Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN, USA 18th June 1975 1. Let It Grow 2. Can’t Find My Way Home San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA, USA 16th August 1975 3. Crossroads (Slow Blues Version) 4. Tell The Truth 5. Little Wing (with Carlos Santana) 6. Eyesight To The Blind (with Carlos Santana) Eric Clapton – Guitar / Vocals George Terry – Guitar Dicks Sims – Keyboards Carl Radle – Bass Jamie Oldaker – Drums Yvonne Elliman – Backing Vocals Marcy Levy – Backing Vocals SOUNDBOARD RECORDING
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