#411 - Eric Clapton - 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974)

MUSIC HISTORY WRITTEN BY HEAD WRITER DJ MORTY COYLE:

Released in July of 1974 on RSO Records and produced by Tom Dowd this is the second solo studio album by British Blues, Rock, guitar god, Eric Clapton.

Clapton was born in Surrey, England on March 30th, 1945 to his 16-year-old British mom and a 25-year-old Canadian soldier who went off to war before Eric was born and then moved back to Canada.

He was raised by his grandparents and led to believe that his mother was his older sister.

After being given a cheap acoustic guitar that was difficult to play for his 13th birthday he almost lost interest but a few years later he came back to it with a passion... especially playing Blues music.

After high school he spent one year in Art College until he was kicked out for caring more about music.

He was only 16 but he was already getting noticed for his Blues guitar playing. While busking around England in 1962 he formed a duo and then joined a few bands before joining a Blues Rock band called The Yardbirds in 1963.

The Yardbirds would go on to release popular singles and records including them backing up Blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson but as they became more commercial and Pop, Eric, a Blues purist, quit the band.

He joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and played with them on and off until 1966 when he formed the Supergroup trio Cream with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker.

In 1967 after seeing and becoming friends with Jimi Hendrix Clapton‘s guitar style got more flamboyant and psychedelic.

Now even though he was a superstar in England, because he had quit The Yardbirds before they became popular in America it was with Cream that he found stateside success.

After Cream and playing and recording with other artists like The Beatles and John Lennon and George Harrison solo Clapton formed another supergroup, Blind Faith for a year before recording his self-titled first solo album in 1970.

Although the record was successful he wanted to downplay his guitar god status and prove that he didn’t need to be in the spotlight.

So after recording on his good friend George Harrison’s 1970 album “All Things Must Pass” he used that band to put together Derek & the Dominoes which included guitarist Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers.

They made one album with producer, Tom Dowd at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida that included the song, “Layla” about Clapton’s secret infatuation with Harrison’s wife, Pattie Boyd.

During the recording Eric was devastated when he found out Jimi Hendrix had died.

All this time Clapton was building up a sizable heroin and alcohol addiction and after a whirlwind, drug-fueled, tour they tried to do another Derek & the Dominoes record but it fell apart halfway through.

Shortly after tragedy struck again when Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1971.

In a spiral of grief, drug-addiction, depression, and the agony of unrequited affection from his friend’s wife Clapton retreated to his home for what became an almost three-year heroin-binge and career hiatus.

When he emerged in 1974 he had kicked heroin, was living with Pattie Boyd, and was ready to make another solo album.

After hearing Derek & the Dominoes’ bassist Carl Radle’s demos with drummer Jamie Oldaker and keyboardist Dick Sims Clapton he found his band.

Clapton added guitarist George Terry, vocalist Yvonne Elliman, and additional keyboardist Alby Galuten and went back to Miami with Tom Dowd.

Clapton’s manager and record company owner Robert Stigwood rented him the house at 461 Ocean Boulevard to live at while recording.

The album only had three Clapton originals as most of it was reworked Blues songs and other covers.

While his vocals were confident and mature he once again attempted to demystify his guitar god reputation by sparingly playing solos and even chose an acoustic Dobro resonator guitar over electric on some songs.

While some critics thought the album sounded too soft and safe it was a worldwide success and relaunched his solo career.

Since then he’s sold over 100 million records, won 18 Grammys and numerous lifetime achievement awards, and he still comes in near the top of the most influential and important guitarists in rock ‘n’ roll history.

To this day he is the only three-time member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for The Yardbirds, Cream, and his solo career.

And in 2004 he was awarded the CBE, the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.