The end of the 70's

Les Roosters and Les Yardbirds
John Mayall and The BluesBreakers
Cream
Blind Faith
Delaney and Bonnie and Derek and The Dominos
The dark years : 1971-1973
1973 : the mystical year
The end of the 70's
The movie soundtracks
The years of the pop Warner
1991-1992 : the sad years
The consecration : "Unplugged"
The crazy years : EC all around the world
"From the cradle"
The new EC : EC "techno"

The end of the 70's

   . Blues but also country, folk, rock, pop, are now of the party for EC. In 1976, on "(No reason to cry)", an optimistic album, the musicians of the band are more noticeable than EC. It is an optimistic record on which we find Ron Wood, Gorgy Fay but above all Bob Dylan who signs and writes en enigmatic : "Sign Language" for EC. EC will find for the last time this band in 1978 for their last concert "The last walls".

  EC leaves in 1977 his old manager Robert Stigwood for Robert Forrester, and continues in 1978 on a tourney with Bob Dylan as guest star. The last night will be done in front of 200,000 persons.

   By his discretion on his albums, EC could appear as a guest than as the real masterpiece. It is only an appearance, it is the new way to be for EC. Always with the same American musicians, Tom Radle (bass), Parteree (guitar), he records "Slowhand" in November 1977. With this album, EC confirms himself as a discoverer of talents and a popularizer. By "Cocaïne", he helps the democratization of the lead back style and his master J.J Clae; as before for the reggae and Bob Marley.

"I really appreciated the melody of "Cocaïne". I liked the riffle which recalled me the one of "Sun shine of your love"; well I adored this music. About the lyrics, I have to confess I was not interested by them . It was the period I took a lot of drugs, and it is later I saw it was a song against drug. I play it again from time to time on stage in order to deliver a message : don't take drugs."

   In November 1978, "Backless" is another discreet album from EC, always produced by Glen Jones, in which we can find 2 reprises of J.J Cale and 2 Dylan's songs.

   On spring 1979 (March 27), EC marries Pattie Boyd just divorced of George Harrison, in Tuscon. He goes back on work and totally reforms his group : the old American musicians are replaced by new English ones : Albert Lee (guitar), Dave Markee (bass), Henri Spinetti (drums) and Chris Stainton (keyboards). A long tour will succeed and give in 1980 a double live album "Just one night".

    EC goes back on the 70's, a very difficult decade for him on several points.

"The 60's were the period of new experimentations in the life style , philosophy, drugs, music, and art in general. In the 70's it was more the crisis, the general exhaustion. I slow down. I lived the first part of the decade in the most complete isolation, without knowing what I would like to do. I was very upset in the 70's, nobody could really identify me musically speaking during his period; excepted some musicians with a very lead-back style as J.J Cale. This style, and the reggae also appreciated from a minority of people, it was the kind of music which suits me in the 70's."

   In 1981,"Another ticket" is a good surprise. EC appears at his best, maybe because of the back of Tom Dowd. He shows himself very present as composer and instrumentalist, even if he is still nonchalant as well in the music as in his general activities. EC doesn't have his group, maybe he is not done for that.

1973 : the mystical year

The movie soundtracks

Back to the Eric Clapton Home Page