Re: Eric Clapton

[chandler@xxxxxxxxx]

Smo-joe,

I think if you do a little checking, you'll find that Clapton's blues
credentials are bonafide.  For that matter, the blues/rock schism is pretty thin
when you think about it.  Like the man said, "The Blues had a baby, and they
called it Rock & Roll".  No one's sure who the dad is, but the kid looks a lot
like the mom.  In a way, all of these labels just obscure the fact that all of
these styles sprang from the same gene pool.  Most of the rock of the 60's was
blues and/or R&B based.  It was just kind of tidied up for white folks in the
'50's.  In the '60', it was fashionably tie dyed.  In the '70's it was declared
dead.  In the 80's it was resurrected as country music.  In the '90's they
institutionalized it by building a R&R hall of fame (kind of a grown up sort of
thing to do).  So, if these rockers grow up to become bluesmen, well, we
shouldn't be so surprised.

Now about MTV, don't get me started.  In my opinion, most of what they show
there is not R&R.

Howard Chandler
Mandeville, LA


> 
>   I am not too young (61) and I "may" not be as informed as some 
> people, but I was unaware that Eric Clapton had anything to do with 
> blues till a couple yrs ago when he started appearing on TV, was 
> SOLO, and playing an Acoustic Guitar (Acoustically).
> 
>   Seems like all of a sudden, after decades of playing Rock, guys are 
> turning up as blues musicians? I was sitting in an IHOP the other 
> week and a "Household" name in the Rock genre was saying that he was 
> going to come out of semi-retirement and head a BLUES band. As a 
> "no-body" at the table, I kept my mouth shut (which, if you know me, 
> you know how impossible that IS). Someone else (God bless him) asked 
> "Why" and this fellow answers "Now that we're older blues is less 
> strenuous". Hmmmmmmm? Interesting.
> 
>   I DIDN't have any mis-conceptions with Jerry Garcia (La Gratia 
> Morte), who was a "Boni-Fide" folk player from the "get-go", and 
> while not know for playing Banjo, Mandolin, or Acou. Guit. (and YES, 
> fiddle), THAT was his starting point. I wonder why this is?
> 
>   The other night there was a Biography of Tom Dowd (the soundman). 
> Featured were Allman Bros., Lnrd Sknrd, and CLAPTON. These people ALL 
> fit the story because it was the format was about Dowd's career with 
> musical "Greats".
> 
>   Clapton is featured on a LOT of stuff lately. Why? because he's 
> 1..available. 2..reachable. 3.. (Known) to be a nice guy. 4..won't 
> bad mouth anyone. 5..Is a gentleman.  6..Knows what he's talking 
> about. and on and on (ad nauseum).
> 
>   The problem in U.S. IS: even if you DON't want to support a certain 
> (artist?) you don't have a choice. The Schemps who run the business 
> have it all figured out. Even if you only have "rabbit ears" on your 
> TV, you ARE supporting these people. Every time you purchase ANYTHING 
> part of your money goes toward advertising. Same thing if you JUST 
> listen to the radio.
> 
>   If you have satellite or cable, your money goes into the big pool 
> and everyone takes a slice. Then they buy programming. They buy the 
> programming THEY feel like buying. The bill I pay winds up in the 
> pockets of people I have either NO interest in OR out and out DON't 
> like. That's the price of entertainment.
> 
>   If I could dump MTV/E and a couple others I would. but I can't 
> because they are part of a package. Even though I NEVER purchased a 
> "Beetles" product, I am SURE these arrogant @(%+*)(&%@^* got SOME of 
> my money.
> 
>   As for the harmonica? Where IS it? I haven't seen MUCH. I've seen 
> biographies about Waters (with almost NO harp) and a couple other 
> (so-called) Legends??, but where is the harp? How about chromatic? 
> have you ever seen ANY?
> 
>   I don't know about ya-all, but I'm about ready to throw MY cable box 
> into the creek.
> 
>   Disgusted & Deprived......smo-joe
> 
> 
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