![]() As MTV's camera crew was setting up a shot between takes, Clapton broke into the song – which he recorded with Cream on their debut album – and the rest of the group soon joined in. "Before You Accuse Me," "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," "Walkin' Blues" and "San Francisco Bay Blues" crackle with life, even in the acoustic setting.Ĭlapton was having so much fun onstage that the album-closing cover of Waters' "Rollin' and Tumblin'" wasn't even planned. While some tracks lacked immediate passion – the revamped "Layla" drained the song of its pained howl until it became a casual blues shuffle – the covers especially captured Clapton at a stage of his career where he didn't need to hide his emotions or debt to his heroes behind flashy solos. Unplugged not only gave him a second life on the charts, it also sparked him creatively as he approached his fifth decade. But the 46-year-old guitarist was also ready for a change – specifically, a stroll into middle age performed with grace and on his own terms. The mournful tone that runs through many of Unplugged's songs were no doubt spurred by the tragic event that shaped Clapton's life at the time. Listen to Eric Clapton Perform 'Before You Accuse Me' Much of this could be attributed to the death of his 4-year-old son Conor, who had fallen from a 53rd-floor window less than a year before. Working with a band of similarly stripped-down musicians – including bassist Nathan East, drummer Steve Ferrone, pianist Chuck Leavell and guitarist Andy Fairweather Low – Clapton sounded peaceful and relaxed throughout the show, replacing the plugged-in intensity of his earlier days with laid-back effortlessness. The set list consisted of a handful of new original songs (like "Tears in Heaven," an elegy to his late son that had just been released on the soundtrack to the little-seen movie Rush), reworked versions of past classics (Derek and the Dominos' "Layla" was drastically altered) and lots and lots of blues covers (Son House, Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters were all represented). It sorta got Clapton back on track, but the bigger boost came three years later when he sat down with an acoustic guitar in front of a small audience at Bray Film Studios and performed the concert that made up Unplugged. So in 1989, a year after the Crossroads box set summed up and renewed interest in his career, Clapton made Journeyman, a semi-return to the straightforward rock 'n' roll that had powered some of his best records, dating back to the Yardbirds, Cream and Derek and the Dominos. But none of the albums reached the Top 10, and the latter two failed to crack the Top 30. ![]() August, another super-polished collaboration with Collins, arrived in 1986. Money and Cigarettes, from 1983, was made after he got sober for the first time its follow-up two years later, Behind the Sun, was made with Phil Collins, who was at a commercial peak at the time. All the band members from Clapton on down look like nice guys who are thoroughly enjoying themselves in this concert.and it shows in the music.The years leading up to his Unplugged session that January at Bray Film Studios in Windsor, England, were pretty typical for Clapton: some ups, some downs, loads of respect carried over from his legendary work in the '60s and '70s. It's doubtful a drummer ever had as much fun as he does in concerts, especially when he's showing off with the tambourine. Meanwhile, percussionist Ray Cooper is the most fun guy to watch. Leavell is best-known as the keyboard man for the Rolling Stones. On "Old Love," he gives one of the better piano solos I've ever heard. There are many familiar faces with Clapton here and I particularly enjoyed Chuck Leavell on keyboard. This was so successful that other performers copied it with their "unplugged" concerts. It's presented in such a classy form that it provides something different: blues/rock 'n roll in a quieter format. This is a nice mellow-sounding concert and most of the songs grow on you. The sound made some low-key songs really come alive. With some good speakers, you can hear all the instruments which is a big advantage to the DVD format. The more you watch this, the better it gets. It's always enjoyable to watch and listen to, even though I've viewed it many times almost over 15 years. ![]() ![]() It was a pleasure to get it on DVD later in the '90s and watching it on tape for several years. I remember seeing this when it was televised on MTV - the only time I ever watched a complete show on that network. ![]()
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