Eric Clapton FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Slowhand

David Bowling · Eric Clapton

May 2013 · Hal Leonard Corporation

About this ebook

(FAQ). Eric Clapton has been a rock god for half a century. From busking on street corners and in local pubs to the raw blues of the Yardbirds, the rock/blues fusion of Cream, the guitar brilliance of Derek and the Dominoes, and the unforgettable songs of his solo career, he has proven his incomparable talent in the music world. His enduring presence has made him the subject of countless books, articles, reviews, websites, and gossip. Is there really anything new to learn about the man they call Slowhand? Eric Clapton FAQ combines the obvious, the well-known, the obscure, and the unknown into one place. It was not written as a definitive Clapton biography or a tell-all book that has the final say. It is, as the title suggests, a book of facts. Clapton is one of those public figures we know much about, but he still seems to be partially shrouded in mystery. Sometimes the stories and facts about his life change and evolve, which is all a part of his mystique. Eric Clapton FAQ uncovers some of that mystery and celebrates his talent in an entertaining style. Packed with dozens of rare images, this book is must for Slowhand fans.

About the author

Eric Patrick Clapton (born March 30, 1945) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist and separately as a member of the Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time. Because of this, he was also coined with the nickname "Clapton is God" in graffiti on the wall at an Islington Underground station in 1967. The phrase began to appear in other areas throughout the mid-1960s. Clapton grew up with his grandparents in Surrey, England. He studied at the Kingston College of Art but was dismissed because his focus was more on music than art. At age 17 he began playing with bands. Two of his most popular recordings were "Layla", recorded while he was a member of band Derek and the Dominos; and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads", recorded by band Cream. Following the freak accident which killed his son Conor in 1991, Clapton's grief was expressed in the song "Tears in Heaven", which featured in his Unplugged album. Clapton has been the recipient of 18 Grammy Awards, and the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. In 2004, he was awarded a CBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music. In 1998, Clapton, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua, a medical facility for recovering substance abusers. Clapton was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 as a member of the rock group, Cream. In 2015, Clapton's autobiography (entitled Clapton: The Autobiography) became listed on the New York Times bestseller list. It was originally published in 2007.