General Music Chat

I've had Cream's Farewell Concert on my Netflix cue for a few months now, and here on this crappy, rainy day, I finally decided to watch it. It's 48 minutes long...and I made it 15 minutes before I couldn't take anymore.

Production-wise, the "film" itself is horrible. Sound quality sucks, way too many close ups and generally just flashing around-it seems like timekeeping was optional, not only from the band, but the audience as well. It even starts with "Sunshine of your Love"-which was the band's finale.

Band-wise, well...where to start? Jack Bruce hit so many bad notes during "Sunshine", I thought maybe he was playing a different song! Out of time, out of key, dreadful. His singing was equally bad, sounding like he was trying to increase his range-on every verse!
Clapton sounded good, except during some of the jam sections (this was the band philosyphy, and there were some long improv sections), where he seemed to only be trying to play as fast as possible. Ginger Baker seemed to be hitting drums and cymbals completely at random (although, thanks to the shoddy production, you can rarely hear him).

I dunno...They were a little before my time, but based on their recorded output, I had a lot of respect for them. This seemed like they all got REALLY stoned and started bashing on their instruments.

Come on, there has got to be some hardcore Cream fans here to set me straight. Let me hear it! This is one of those cases where I really want to like this band, but I have to wonder why I should (I tend to feel the same way about Zepplin and Hendrix, too).


Did you ever throw rocks at a hornets' nest?

I wouldn't judge the band based on that film. Instead, go buy Cream "Goodbye" and listen to it loud.

Same with Zeppelin and Hendrix. Hendrix only authorized the release of four albums; much of the other material was subpar and he knew this. But that doesn't stop people from trying to cash in.

A lot of live music from the era was pretty shaky.
More often than not the bands and the fans were gorked out of their minds.
It's easy to think music is groovy when your so stoned you cant tell a cigar from a dog turd.

never was a Clapton fan. never understood the hype. Zeppelin tho - man, they were creative. I would have liked them even if they never saw the limelight. Just the simplicity but real drive of the drums alone keep me listening.

I've never been a big Cream or Clapton fan for that matter. From what I understand Bruce and Baker hated each other and I imagine their live shows probably showed this to an extent. In his early years Clapton was in bands with various internal feuds not of his doing, probably just bad luck. Why can't we all get along?

I'll take Cream over any other Clapton project. Not big on Cream that much either.

Clapton played some pretty amazing licks when he was with Cream. The lead solo in Badge is one of my favorites. Good songs too.

I didn't really care for a lot of his solo stuff, but he's said he use to drink a bottle of vodka just to get up those days.....

Can't help but respect the man though...

Like many bands, I liked some of their songs, but wouldn't bother to go see 'em live. i, too, have never been a Clapton fan.

I love cream, but I can't vote for them as "Heroes all the way" because of how big a douche Ginger Baker is. He put on the cover of his autobiography that he is "The world's greatest drummer". I like stars with a little modesty, ya know?

Well at the time Clapton came to everyones attention he was light years ahead of the other 'famous' rock guitar wheedlers.
Then hendrix hit the fame.

Interesting how this went from the Farewell video, to what Cream was as a band. Being of the era, Baker was an enormous influence upon me as a drummer. I was just a kid, but even today I believe Toad off the Live album remains a classic drum solo. He didn't have much speed, or much technical facility, and he's always admitted that. What he did admit to having was being Ginger Baker - when you heard him, you knew it was him, in any vehicle. Toad was a really well crafted, powerful drum solo which still holds its own for a jazz/blues drummer playing heavy rock of the era. He always hated the volume levels the band played at and it created friction between him and Bruce and Clapton. They used drugs and drank profusely and it withered them down, like it will anyone who does that stuff. The end of the band shows that.

Today I don't care for Cream. Just not stuff I listen to anymore and haven't for decades, but back in the day they did some pretty interesting things on record. Baker used alot of various percussion in things, much like big band drummers before him. He was an innovator.

Bruce had a unique voice, went on to do some interesting fusion things, even had a band with Billy Cobham in it. Clapton's career speaks for itself, and Derek and the Dominoes was a great band of the day, although its history was bizarre, to say the least. Again, drugs and booze.

I doubt there would be 100% sterling concerts from any band back in the day with all the drugs and liquor being consumed. Farewell is just one example of that.

ZEPPLEN, has sold between 70 - 80 MILLION records
conservatively.

Cream should not be mentioned in the same sentence.
The numbers tell this story.[b]

#3 top selling all time.

I believe it would be historically accurate to say that Cream paved the way for Led Zeppelin and other bands of the genre.

I have read that Wheels of Fire was the first platinum double album. Can't take that away from them. Album sales, alone, cannot depict a group's influence or prominence in music history. That would make Michael Jackson the most influential artist in history, no? Not.

I don't know about you but, I have to be influenced to
reach for my wallet and buy music and I'd say most
others are too.[b]

It would be historically accurate to say "The Yardbirds"
influenced and developed 3 great guitarists.

Jimmy Page
Eric Clapton
Jeff Beck