Previewing Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars

There was a time in my life had you asked me who my favorite artist was, I would have told you Eric Clapton. We spend most of our first decade on this planet basically listening to whatever the radio told us to listen to or just what your parents do. Then comes the time when you discover that there was actually music released before you were born and even stuff, good stuff being released that did not even get radio airplay.

This time for me just so happened to coincide with a career resurgence of Eric Clapton whose Tears in Heaven was his first top five single since the seventies and first in my lifetime. That was quickly followed by his installment of MTV Unplugged which most would consider one of the top two episodes ever (other people can argue if Nirvana’s was better) which would sweep that year’s Grammy’s and introduce a whole new generation to what most would consider one of the top two guitarist of all time (though some may argue Jimmy Hendrix).

Now at seventy-two, hopefully it is time for another generation to discover the greatness of Clapton even though you rarely even hear a guitar on pop radio today unless it is a quick sample. For those looking for a quick recap of his life and career, look no further than Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars, an expansive look at the guitarist career. Or really, his sixties career as over half of the two plus hour documentary focuses on that time in his career.

And that decade is jam packed of action as Clapton bounced around from band to band. Clapton was a fickle musical, spending two years with The Yardbirds, John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers, three years with Cream, two years with Blind Faith, and two years with Derek and The Dominos, before finally going solo in 1970. But his solo work is mostly just an alcoholic haze and really the music during the seventies and eighties basically just get a one minute montage treatment.

This is my biggest complaint of the documentary. Slowhand, one of the greatest album ever made is barely mention other that hoe Clapton does not like listening song from that era because he can tell just how drunk he was while listening to those songs. The quick montage through this time comes to an abrupt end with the birth of his first child Connor whose tragic death at four inspired Tear in Heaven. But after all the Grammy’s were won, we get another quick montage to modern day. For a two hour and eighteen minute more time could have been spent from the seventies to now. Still Life in 12 Bars is a good primer on the artist life and would a look for music fans of all ages. And for those youngsters not that familiar with his work, I would recommend starting with The Cream of Clapton and his Unplugged album and go from there.

Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars premieres tonight on Showtime at 9:00.

I Want My Music Television: 5/31/16

Into You – Ariana Grande


I pretty much trashed the new Ariana Grande album last week, but I will say this is one of the least bad songs off the album. It helps that it just her and not one of those embarrassingly bad guests she had on the album. The video reminds me of like a less drug filled version of Rihanna’s We Found Love video; that may even be the same dude. But that pretty much sums up her career, despite naming her album Dangerous Woman, Grande comes off like a less dangerous version of Rihanna.


Lake By the Ocean – Maxwell


Cake by the Ocean was one of the songs that you hear and go meh, and move on. Except that it starts getting more and more airplay and the more you hear it, the more you hate it to the point where I see Maxwell has a new song out called the similarly titled Lake By the Ocean and my first thought was ugg. Which is a shame because it actually is a good song that should go in the Babymaking Playlist, but man, I really hate that Cake By the Ocean song.


Spiral – Eric Clapton


Kind of a cool concept for a music video for a song entitled Spiral but the problem is that Eric Clapton does not really have any distinctive visual periods. I would call myself a fan, but I really could not name the corresponding period to each picture in the video.


Hell No – Ingrid Michaelson


I have never done a list of the worst music videos of the year list, but if I did, Ingrid Michaelson’s social media filter themed video would definitely be number one. There is nothing more annoying than scrolling through Instagram and your feed is flooded hot chicks using whatever the new annoying filter is. (Um, not that I have an Instagram account solely devoted to following hot chicks or anything.)

Best of the Week: 3/16/13

Quote of the Week: First thing we are going to do is acknowledge this guy is awesome. He shoots Theo Tonin, fakes his own death in a spectacular fashion, pushes a guy out of an airplane while he’s flying it, parachutes into Harlem County with enough coke and cash to kick start the economy of a small country, and then he has the balls to get a job in law enforcement, not once, but two times. He’s spends a couple days riding around with you while you’re looking for him, and now he’s run off with a hooker that’s half his age. That’s some bad (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted). (Art Mullen, Justified)

Song of the Week: You Get What You Give – The New Radicals (Community)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: There Is a New Pope: Surprisingly about a month ago the pope stepped down for the first time in a couple centuries and this week the Catholics got a new pope who… eh, who cares, that was not even the biggest news on Wednesday. More on the real biggest news story in the Video of the Week segment.

Preview Picture of the Week:

Bates Motel premiering Monday at 10:00 on A&E

Free Download of the Week: No Sympathy – Eric Clapton (iTunes)

Deal of the Week: Big Blu-Ray Blowout: Three Amigos, Pan's Labyrinth, Purple Rain

New Album Release of the Week: Same Trailer Different Park - Kasey Musgraves

New DVD Release of the Week: Zero Dark Thirty

Video of the Week: Forget you new pope, the biggest announcement this week was the launch of the Veronica Mars movie. The Kickstarter campaign broke records raising a million dollars in about four hours and reached its two million goal in ten and went up to three million in about thirty hours (the previous record raised for a film project total was only $808,000). Even if they did not reach their goal, it was just worth it to watch the hilarious accompanying video featuring Ronnie herself Kristen Bell along with Ryan Hansen (I’m not the one with the When in Rome (expletive deleted) you money), Jason Dorhing, Enrico Colanton, and creator Rob Thomas.


Even though they have already reached their goal, as Dick Casablancas explains, that will be their car chase and nudity fund. Rob Thomas has also thought about adding more big ticket rewards, of which Corbin Bernsen even offered his services for free (which is not complete implausible considering the shows love of eighties stars Harry Hamlin and Steve Guttenberg). So now the question is how much money will they raise; enough for a sequel? Trilogy? Maybe if they get enough extra cash, they could get Jessica Chastain to reprise her role or Amanda Seyfried can play Lily Kane’s long lost evil twin. And the question after that is what prematurely canceled show get a crowd sourcing movie? Shawn Ryan already said he was interested in how the Veronica Mars campaign goes as a possible way to get a Terriers movie (Zach Levi of Chuck and the dude behind Men of a Certain Age have also pondered the possibilities). I am slightly disappointed that the moment after Veronica Mars reached its goal that Jason Katims did not start a Friday Night Lights movie Kickstarter or Brian Fuller with Wonderfalls (or Pushing Daisies). Or Rob Thomas setting up another Kickstarter for a Party Down movie.


Next Week Pick of the Week: Pretty Little Liars, Tuesday at 8:00 on ABC Family: The last two season finales of Pretty Little Liars have revealed members of The A-Team with Mona and Toby. They jumped the gun this season as Spencer pulled out a black hoodie from her pillow case which makes me wonder just what is in store for this week’s finally. Will we finally learn who is under the red hood? Cee-Cee? A not so dead Allison? A not so dead Toby in a wig?

In Time the Rockies will Crumble, Gibraltar will Tumble, They’re Only Made of Clay

At age sixty-seven, Eric Clapton has recorded twenty-eight studio albums, twenty as a solo artist, so are we really supposed to expect much from the twenty-ninth? For a guy once regarded as “God” sure. Really the most notable aspect of Old Sock (do not ask) is that it is the very first released not on a major label but on his own record label Bushbranch (again, do not ask). Like most of his albums from this millennium, Old Sock relies heavy on covers, there are two covers, and features a bevy of guest stars that you probably will not know are there unless you are reading along with the liner notes.

The album starts up with a reggae version of Further on Down the Road by Taj Mahal (who contributes harmonica and banjo to the album) and also dips back into the island sound on Peter Tosh’s Till Your Well Runs Dry. Clapton’s old buddy, and sometime recording partner, J.J. Cale contributes vocals and guitars to the softly sung Angel. Another Clapton contributor, Steve Winwood from the Blind Faith days, plays the organ on Still Got the Blues. While Chaka Khan sings back up on the rare original track Gotta Get Over which stands as one of the best on the album, a funky song and one of the rare tracks where Clapton lets loose on his guitar.

Clapton also spends some time dipping into the old standards much like Paul McCartney did on his latest album, and the Beatles shows up on All of Me (most famously done by Billie Holiday) playing the bass and providing backing vocals. He also breaks out the old Leadbelly old timey classic Goodnight Irene and even closes the album with Love Is Here to Stay written by the Gershwin Brothers. Eric Clapton has clearly mellowed as he has gotten older, I just wished he would unleash one more guitar god album before putting on another pair of old socks.

Song to Download – Gotta Get Over

Old Sock gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Feed Your iPod the CD vol. II

Feed Your iPod was created to highlight songs that may not have been hits, or even released as singles, but deserve a much bigger audience. And now I have posted enough for a second CD. Of course Feed Your iPod is just a catchy title and any of these can be for any mp3 devise, just your computer and now you can make a CD out of them as the first set comes in at 78:57. You can even help create volume three by emailing me (or use the comment section) song suggestions and a short description on way everyone should have it on their iPod for me to post. Click the links below to be taken to iTunes or the Amazon MP3 widet at the bottom where you can sample the songs or use the label function to scroll through what I had to say about these songs when I originally posted about them and full song previews.

1. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room – John Mayer

2. Two Wrongs – Wyclef Jean featuring Claudette Ortiz

3. Breakdown – Handsome Boy Modeling School

4. Like a Feather – Nikka Costa

5. Fireflies – Rhett Miller Featuring Rachael Yamagata

6. I Got Mine – The Black Keys

7. Bold as Love – Jimi Hendrix Experience

8. ‘Til I Get Over You – Michelle Branch

9. If God Would Send His Angels – U2

10. Hitchhiker Joe – Rugburns

11. Summertime – D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

12. On the Radio – Regina Spektor

13. Summer in the City – The Lovin’ Spoonful

14. Broken Hearted – Eric Clapton

15. Mass Appeal – Gang Starr

16. We’re Going to Be Friends – The White Stripes

17. Follow the Leader – Eric B. and Rakim

18. Regulate – Warren G featuring Nate Dogg

19. Spin the Bottle – The Juliana Hatfield 3

Feed Your iPod vol. XXXIII: Broken Hearted

Eric Clapton is one of those artists that it is nearly impossible to have one favorite song of. His catalogue is so extensive and diverse; you really cannot single out one. But with a gun to my head, I may have to go with Broken Hearted. While the album version (which the link below goes to) came during his electronic era where he became fascinated the drum machine (which was to rock bands in the late nineties, what the auto-tuner is for rappers today: overused). But where the song truly shines is in the acoustic setting where the video below come from with some help from John Mayer.


Broken Hearted – Eric Clapton

The More You Love Music, the More Music Loves You

For any music fan, you know a title of the 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die is worth a look. For novice fans, the book makes good suggestions ranging every musical genre you can think off. For the music fanatic you can read it to pick it apart, because even with a thousand entries, certainly everyone can come up with a least of a hundred recordings that should have been included in the list and a few that you make you scratch your head at their inclusion.

From his picture on the back of the book, it should be noted that author Tom Moon is of the Baby Boomer generation so naturally there is an overabundance of music from the sixties while Bob Dylan and the Beatles are more than represented. Okay old people, we get it, you really loved the Beatles, but really eight albums featuring the band members? Dylan landed four while a few ranked twice. Keep in mind Bruce Springsteen (Born to Run) and Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon) and U2 (The Joshua Tree) only made the list once. I would really like Moon to justify just how Usher’s Confessions, Britney Spears’ Toxic and No Doubt’s Rock Steady (which isn’t even the band’s best work) rank higher than Born in the USA, Wish You Were Here and Achtung Baby.

I also am not sure if I should complain about the exclusion of any Eric Clapton album (seriously, no Slowhand), he does show up with Derek and the Dominos, Cream, John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, The Yardbirds, and Blind Faith. Where the sixties is well populated, looking at this book it is as the nineties didn’t exist unless you were a grunge band or a dead rapper. That did lead to possibly the best write up in the book for Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chamber) where Moon bizarrely starts up the review quoting poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. But enough with the complaints of the selections because if I continued to nit-pick I would write a review that rivals the book’s 1007 pages.

116 of those pages are just indexes. But with indexes for Genre, Occasions (like Parties, Romance), Composers, and Performers. Although it would have been nice if they would have thrown in an extra five pages to list the recording chronologically. But each write up is well done even if Moon doesn’t seem to really understand any the music he included that release after 1980. Each recording also include Key Tracks, Catalog Choice, other works by the artist worth listening to, as well as Next Stop and After That, two recording that are related musically to selection worth checking out.

Easily the most interesting inclusion has to be The Grey Album by Danger Mouse considering that to listen to it you are technically breaking the law. For those unfamiliar, The Grey Album a mash up between The White Album by The Beatles (which of course is also listed) and The Black Album from Jay-Z (which is conspicuously missing from the list) that launched Danger Mouse into a succesful producer and one half of Gnarls Barkley.

But whatever type a music fan you are, there is plenty of gems to find in the book. And the short segment are perfect to have laying around when you only have short spurts of time to kill, as it is currently taking up space in my bathroom. Just keep in mind the 1007 page thick frame is a little cumbersome to hold at time, so the short spurts of reading is really ideal.

1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

25 Best Mash-Ups of 2007

One of the coolest musical innovations in recent memory is the mash-up. For those that may not be familiar with the term, it can best be described when you take the vocals from one song and place them over the instrumental from a different song. The artform may have not gotten as much press this year as it has in past years but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great new mash-ups floating around the internet. I tried to give credit to the creator of the mash-up, but due to some poor labeling, some have gotten lost and I even had to create a name for a few mash-ups that I discovered nameless. Also some of these songs may have been created earlier than 2007 but this is a list of songs I’ve found this year.

Please do not ask for me to send you any of these songs because for legal reasons I cannot confirm or deny that any of these songs actually exist (but I will point out there is a Google search box on the sidebar as well as other helpful links). You know, because I would not illegally download copyrighted material even though that material has been altered from any version that could be bought anywhere. If you want the unaltered album version of the songs, on the second line I will list the main songs that make up the mash-up (note some have more songs than I’ve listed):


1. Dip it Joe - Pheugoo
Christina Milian (Dip It Low) vs. Jimi Hendrix Experience (Hey Joe)

2. Escasy of Gold - DJ Erb
Nas (One Mic) vs. Ennio Morricone (The Ecstasy of Gold)

3. Lord Move Me on Up - locK3Down
DMX (Lord Give Me a Sign) vs. Primal Scream (Movin’ on Up)

4. Mashups in Heaven - Norwegian Recycling
Eric Clapton (Tears in Heaven) vs. Lionel Ritchie (Say You, Say Me)

5. Red Umbrella - DJ Topcat
Rihanna (Umbrella) vs. UB40 (Red, Red Wine)

6. Keep the Car Crazy - DJ Vic
Beyoncé (Crazy in Love) vs. Arcade Fire (Keep the Car Running)

7. Listen Twice - DJ BC
Talib Kweli (Listen!!!) vs. The Doobie Brothers (Listen to the Music)

8. Clock a Minute - Pheugoo
The Pussycat Dolls featuring Timbaland (Wait a Minute) vs. Coldplay (Clocks)

9. The World Changes on its Own - Cro
Amy Winehouse (Tears Dry on Their Own) vs. Eric Clapton (Change the World)

10. Mercy for the Scientist - Bobby Martini
Peter Gabriel (Mercy Street) vs. Coldplay (The Scientist)

11. Drop it Like it’s a Whole LottLed Snooppelin - Party Ben
Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell Williams (Drop it Like it’s Hot) vs. Led Zeppelin (Whole Lotta Love)

12. Got My Crush Set on You - DJ BC
Lil’ Ceaz and Lil’ Kim (Crush on You) vs. George Harrison (Got My Mind Set on You)

13. (Are You Gonna Be My) Dirrrty Girl - Soundhog
Christina Aguilera featuring Redman (Dirrty) vs. Jet (Are You Gonna Be My Girl)

14. How Six Songs Collide - Norwegian Recycling
Jason Mraz (I’m Yours) vs. Howie Day (Collide)

15. You Don’t Know My Sweet Emotion - Aggro1
Alicia Keys (You Don’t Know My Name) vs. Aerosmith (Sweet Emotion)

16. Stir Up Problems - McSleazy
Jay-Z (99 Problems) vs. Charlatans (Song Unknown)

17. The Weather Episode - Go Home Productions
Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg (The Next Episode) vs. Crowded House (Weather with You)

18. Turn Off Bubba - Norwegian Recycling
Nelly Furtado (Turn Off the Light) vs. Bubba Sparxxx (Deliverance)

19. Gimmie the Nightclub - Dan Meth
50 Cent (In da Club) vs. George Benson (Give Me the Night)

20. My Favorite Name - Loo & Placido
Destiny’s Child (Say My Name) vs. The Cardigans (My Favourite Game)

21. More Falls Down - DJ Crook Air
Kanye West (All Falls Down) vs. Len (Steal My Sunshine)

22. Woohaa - DJ Nicky
Busta Rhymes (Woo Ha!! Got You All in Check) vs. AC/DC (Back in Black)

23. Killing Boombastic - DJ Zebra
Shaggy (Boombastic) vs. Rage Against the Machine (Killing in the Name)

24. Puppet Rock - CCC
Queen (We Will Rock You) vs. 5th Dimension (Puppet Man)

25. Penthouse Temperature - Essexboy
Sean Paul (Temperature) vs. Alan Braxe and Fred Fauke (Penthouse Serenade)

(Psst... Here is number 1, do not tell the RIAA)

If You Can't Hear the Music, Turn it Up Loud

Back in 2000, there was collation of epic proportions, in one corner you had the greatest blues player ever to pick up a guitar, in the other was the greatest rock guitarist ever. And in a dream made in music history, the two greats decided to team up for an album Riding with the King. Those two were of course B.B. King and Eric Clapton. The album was a classic in its own right and the only complaint anyone could have was that they didn’t do it earlier or more often. Well Clapton is back at it again, this time with another hero of his, J.J. Cale.

Cale may not be the household name that Clapton is but you have undoubtedly have heard his songs before including a couple of Clapton’s biggest hits, Cocaine and After Midnight. One of the reasons Clapton reached out to Cale to make a record together is that he has for a while tried to make a Cale sounding album but could never get it right so the best way to accomplish that feat would bring in the man himself which culminated in the album The Road to Escondito. And the session musicians the pair brought in to help them are no slouches which including Steve Jordon, Pino Palladino, Derek Trucks, Taj Mahal, and John Mayer and also featured the last songs Billy Preston ever played on.

Cale naturally took over most of the writing for the session writing all but three of the tracks. Clapton then had credits of two of the song, one of which, Hard to Thrill, he co-wrote with Mayer that turned out to be the albums most bluesy song. The rest of the songs are harder to pin down as they blend folk, blues, country, bluegrass, and rock but never focus on a specific genre for any given song. The duo even get political on When the War Is Over where the sing that even if we bring the boys home that still doesn’t help the ones already dead from the war.

The pairing on the album also seems to help Clapton. On his last couple albums it sounded as if he was struggling with being the guitar god he once was and the elder statesman he was becoming now that he’s in his sixth decade. With King Cale’s guidance and more laid back approach to music, maybe Clapton’ next solo outing will finally make that transition complete.

Song to Download - Ride the River

The Road to Escondido gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Best Mash-Ups of 2005

One of the coolest musical innovations in recent memory is the mash-up. For those that may not be familiar with the term, it is when you take the vocals from one song and place them over the instrumental from a different song. This technique was popularized last year when a DJ by the name of Danger Mouse took Jay-Z’s The Black Album and mashed it up with the Beatles White Album to create the Grey Album. Since then the art form has exploded with DJ getting more creative and sometimes mashing up five or more different song at the same time. So to honor the brilliance of this new art form I decided to list the best mash-up I have heard for the first time this past year. I tried to give credit to the creator of the mash-up, but due to some poor labeling, some have gotten lost and I even had to create a name for a few mash-ups that I discovered nameless. Please do not ask for me to send you any of these songs because for legal reasons I cannot confirm or deny that any of these songs actually exist not that I would illegally download copyrighted material even though that material has been altered from any version that could be bought. If you want the unaltered album version, I will list some of the songs featured in the mash-ups in parentheses.


1. Boulevard of Broken Songs - Dean Gray (Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dream; Oasis – Wonderwall)
2. Spending One of These Nights with Kelly - Aggro1 (The Eagles – One of these Nights; Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone)
3. You're The One I Want in the Next Episode - Artist Unknown (Songs from Grease; Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg – The Next Episode - 2001)
4. Behind These Immigrant Eyes - Aggro1 (Led Zeppelin – Immigrant Song; Kelly Clarkson – Behind These Hazel Eyes)
5. Karmastition - Artist Unknown (Alicia Keys – Karma; Stevie Wonder – Superstition)
6. It Takes a New Sensation - Big Ruckus (INXS – New Sensation; Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock – It Takes Two)
7. We Will Rock and Roll You - DJ Matt Hite (Joan Jett – I Love Rock and Roll; Queen – We Will Rock You; 50 Cent – In da Club)
8. Yoshimi Battles Snoop Dogg - DJ BC (Snoop Dogg – Song Unknown; The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots)
9. Make Love in Ohio F*** War - Aggro1 (Public Enemy – Make Love F*** War; Crosby Stills Nash and Young – Ohio)
10. Somebody Rock Me - Party Ben (The Clash – Rock the Kasbah; The Killers – Somebody Told Me)
11. Rock wit Hurt - Aggro1 (Johnny Cash – Hurt; Ashanti – Rock wit You)
12. Behind This Summer Madness - Aggro1 (Kelly Clarkson – Behind These Hazel Eyes; Kool and the Gang – Summer Madness)
13. Drop When The World Ends Freak - Aggro1 (Snoop Dogg – Drop it Like it’s Hot; Dave Matthews Band – When the World Ends; Missy Elliott – Get Ur Freak On)
14. Feel Like Making La-Di-Da - FiDELSKi – (Bad Company – Feel Like Making Love; Slick Rick – La-Di-Da-Di)
15. Left You a Closing Lullaby - BigBadBaz (Avalanches – Song Unknown; Semisonic – Closing Time; Shawn Mullins – Lullaby)
16. Oblateeth - bass 211 (Obie Trice – Got Some Teeth; The Beatles - Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da)
17. Nothing In It's Right Place - DJ BC (The Roots – Don’t Say Nothin'; Radiohead – Song Unknown)
18. How We Do Cocaine - DJ Spenny (Eric Clapton – Cocaine; 50 Cent – How We Do)
19. Tipsy Bros - Artist Unknown (J-Kwon – Tispy; The Blues Brothers)
20. Thundertrain - DJ Over-EZ (AC/DC – Thunderstruck; Quad City DJ's – C’mon ‘N’ Ride It)
21. Somebody Told Me to Feel Good - Aggro1 (Gorillaz – Feel Good Inc.; The Killers – Somebody Told Me)
22. What I Got is Two Turntables – Artist Unknown (Beck – Where it’s At; Sublime – What I Got)
23. Dope Man Stew - Listen up! (N.W.A. – Dope Man; Green Day – Brain Stew)
24. Hey Ladies Night - DJ BC (Beastie Boys – Hey Ladies; Kool and the Gang – Ladies Night; Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun)
25. I Ain't Got Daughters - c.h.a.o.s productions – (Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You; John Mayer – Daughters)

I Need to Hear that Sound

Back in middle school, Eric Clapton changed my life. Up until then, I had listened to exclusively hard core gangsta rap. Than a tape trader friend of mine passed me along a copy of Slowhand and I quickly realized why people called him God. Shortly thereafter, Clapton participated in the legendary Unplugged series showing a different side to his already accomplished guitar repertoire. I have picked up every one of his new albums since then. Which lead me to today with the release, Back Home.

The title Back Home can be linked to Clapton returning to more of his 60’s sound of blues rock after his recent affinity for straight blues including last years album of Robert Johnson songs. Listen to the opening track, So Tired, Back Home can also mean being back home with his family, including his three young girls. The song chronicles the life a new dad who can’t seem to take it in but at least, “momma’s a natural.” The song even features a baby screaming at the end.

Clapton also rediscovered his love of reggae on this album, but instead of a Marley cover, he decided to write his own in Revolution. The slowed down song deals with a person who want to start a revolution not necessarily because he feels the cause deep down in his heart but rather because he has nothing better to do. The album does feature a couple cover songs including George Harrison’s Love Comes to Everyone and the Stevie Wonder penned I’m Going Left. And just like B.B. King had Clapton come play with him, Clapton has brought in a few of his disciples to play on the album including John Mayer and the current king of the slide guitar, Robert Randolph. Steve Winwood and Vince Gill, who wrote One Day for the album, also appear along with Billy Preston who contributes on the keys throughout the whole album.

Song to Download – So Tired

Back Home gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

She Don't Like Cocaine

Back in the early nineties, I listened to nothing but hardcore gangsta rap. For me, the more offensive the better, N.W.A., Ice-T, I listened to it all. I had a few buddies that I would trade tapes with, as one of them had a cousin that worked at a record store and would hook us up with the new releases. Then one day in 1991, one of those friends handed me a tape with a guitar on the cover. Since I trusted the guy (coincidently, he's the same guy I talked about during Dave Matthews Band Week), I gave it a listen.

What I heard on that album changed my life. The album, Eric Clapton's Slowhand, starts off with the rock staple Cocaine. I'm sure there is nothing more endearing then hearing a kid repeat, "She don't like, she don't, she don't like... cocaine" over and over again as I did back then. And this song has even kept me off drugs because if she don't like cocaine, then I don't. Granted, it wasn't until a few years later that I found that Eric Clapton was quite found of the white powder back in the day.

Following Cocaine is the school dance, wedding, girl's dorm staple, Wonderful Tonight. It is, still, to this day the best song to play if you need to a little help with the ladies. I have yet to meet a female that doesn't swoon the moment the first guitar lick comes on. And the SCB commercial with playing Wonderful Tonight and the dude repeating the line, "she's wondering what cloths to wear" is just pure humor.

The rest of the album is filled with equally great songs. All the songs were great lyrically and sonically with some classic guitar riffs and solos. The album also covers the musical spectrum from strait ahead rock to blues to power ballad and even throws in the danceable Lay Down Sally to boot. We also get some female lead vocals on a couple tracks leaving Clapton to focus on what he does best, play the guitar.

Back in my youth, I didn't even realize that they made any good music before I was born and Slowhand changed all that. But Slowhand change all that. After Clapton, I quickly discover other "classics" such as Marley, Petty, Steve Miller, and Hendrix, among others and constitute a majority of what I listen to today. So for its life changing moment, Eric Clapton's Slowhand is June's induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame.