Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

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GoogaMooga
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Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby GoogaMooga » 18 Jan 2022, 04:45

After Derek and the Dominos, Eric Clapton seemed to settle into a mellower sound, the so-called "Tulsa Sound", which owed a lot to his spiritual father, J.J. Cale. Clapton may bang on about how much he loves Robert Johnson, but if you play the solo albums, you can easily hear how much more informed they are by J.J. Cale, the master of laid back. He even covered some of J.J. Cale's better known songs, like "After Midnight" and "Cocaine", which gave him a big hit. "Cocaine" is also about as rocking as Cale ever got, he didn't feel the need to play hard. But it wasn't just Clapton who covered J.J. Cale's songs, the list is long and counts prominent artists like Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins, Waylon Jennings, and even Freddie King (!) I'd say Cale was perhaps even more influential than Clapton, if cover versions are anything to go by. He should have been huge, but preferred to stay out of the limelight. He never went for fame and fortune, preferring instead to concentrate on recording his consistently great LP's, and playing clubs or smaller venues. He had a much stronger following in Europe than in America, but only toured Europe twice in 40 years. While Clapton can be uneven, Cale never recorded a bad album, or even a duff track. He was a perfect artist who never disappointed.

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Matt Wilson
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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Matt Wilson » 18 Jan 2022, 15:32

Damn, if you wrote that whole paragraph, then I (almost) agree with every word! Have you actually heard all the Cale albums, googa?

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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby C » 18 Jan 2022, 15:36

Matt Wilson wrote:Damn, if you wrote that whole paragraph, then I (almost) agree with every word! Have you actually heard all the Cale albums, googa?


Ye of little faith Matt-lad....!

Ye of little faith




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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Matt Wilson » 18 Jan 2022, 15:37

I am a cynic, it's true.

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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby robertff » 18 Jan 2022, 16:15

Not much to disagree here with Googa, although I don't think Eric's albums were/are all that uneven, just some style changes, some which worked, some which didn't, - okay his albums were patchy, particularly in that very successful period he had during the late 80s/early 90s - all kind of geared towards MTV I guess, which I wasn't keen on but on the whole you get what you expect from Eric. Got a few J.J. albums which I rarely listen to, so your thread will persuade me to give those albums some more time.


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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby mudshark » 18 Jan 2022, 16:23

Clapton has been a leech throughout his mediocre career and JJ was authentic, fantastic and near perfect. Don't care much for the Guitar Man album but the rest is pretty damn good. Not too shabby for an Okie not from Muskogee. Anybody ever heard the Super Duper Record of Super Heroes? I almost always listen to JJ's albums while doing the dishes.
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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby GoogaMooga » 18 Jan 2022, 17:23

Matt Wilson wrote:Damn, if you wrote that whole paragraph, then I (almost) agree with every word! Have you actually heard all the Cale albums, googa?


Yes, I wrote it and I do own most of them. Clapton likewise.
"When the desert comes, people will be sad; just as Cannery Row was sad when all the pilchards were caught and canned and eaten." - John Steinbeck

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Pool Hall Richard
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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Pool Hall Richard » 19 Jan 2022, 22:37


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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Pool Hall Richard » 19 Jan 2022, 22:42

Big Clapton fan although i dont shout that loudly nowadays. He's always been a sponge soaking up other acts, thats not new and im sure Cale was happy for the regular PRS cheques, i would be if i were Cale, stay low keyand cash the money Clapton made for him.

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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Pool Hall Richard » 19 Jan 2022, 22:44


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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby mudshark » 19 Jan 2022, 22:58

To each his own, Richard. No disrespect. For me: he can't sing, he can't really write a good song and in the list of best-ever guitarist he won't make my top 50. Apart from that, he's a cunt.
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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Six String » 19 Jan 2022, 23:55

Pool Hall Richard wrote:Big Clapton fan although i dont shout that loudly nowadays. He's always been a sponge soaking up other acts, thats not new and im sure Cale was happy for the regular PRS cheques, i would be if i were Cale, stay low keyand cash the money Clapton made for him.


One of times I saw JJ Cale he talked about a time he heard Eric was going to record another song of his and his response was something like oh good now I can get a new pickup truck. So yeah I think he always appreciated the paycheck from Slowhand.
I’m a huge fan of Mr. Cale. He has been a big influence on my guitar playing. Clapton, not so much.
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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby mudshark » 20 Jan 2022, 03:16

I attended a JJ concert at the Warehouse Live on 59 in Houston back in 2009. At midnight the audience was asked if it was OK for the band to play on, if the doors and bar got locked up due to local restrictions. It agreed and the band played until 3AM. It was epic. JJ was a superstar, unlike that cunt who used his songs. Just put on Naturally (Vinyl). It makes me feel happy. Always has, still does.
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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Six String » 20 Jan 2022, 20:41

mudshark wrote:I attended a JJ concert at the Warehouse Live on 59 in Houston back in 2009. At midnight the audience was asked if it was OK for the band to play on, if the doors and bar got locked up due to local restrictions. It agreed and the band played until 3AM. It was epic. JJ was a superstar, unlike that cunt who used his songs. Just put on Naturally (Vinyl). It makes me feel happy. Always has, still does.

Lucky guy! I would have loved to have been at that one.
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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Mike Boom » 20 Jan 2022, 22:43



This is great fun , with fellow Okie Leon Russell from 1979

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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Muskrat » 21 Jan 2022, 02:02

Pool Hall Richard wrote:... i would be if i were Cale, stay low key and cash the money Clapton made for him.


If you were Cale, you would be a pile of dust, and that since July 2013.

In better days:

Things that a fella can't forget...

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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby mudshark » 21 Jan 2022, 03:32

That rendition of The Breeze is so so cool. Thank you for sharing.

In 1976 Clapton came out with No Reason to Cry, supported by a stellar cast: Dylan & The Band! Georgie Fame, George Harrison, Billy Preston! Even Mick's Brother. Still, it's only a very mediocre album which I wouldn't have listened to again if it weren't for this thread. Worst Double Trouble ever.

Meanwhile that same year, JJ Cale's Troubadour was released, with the aid of a bunch of session musicians. Magnificent album. 2 of the songs on that album were covered by Eric soon after: Cocaine and the fantastically funky Travelin' Light.

That version of After Midnight that Richard posted above is crap as well, especially compared to the original, objectively speaking.

I do like Skynyrd's The Breeze, though.
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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Muskrat » 22 Jan 2022, 05:49

My favorite version of a Cale song not by Cale.

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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby Neige » 22 Jan 2022, 08:31

Mike Boom wrote:

This is great fun , with fellow Okie Leon Russell from 1979


That's fantastic!!

My first JJ Cale album was Okie and I still prefer it, as an album - all 26 minutes of it.

But my favourite track ever is this, the strings are killer!

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Re: Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale

Postby mudshark » 22 Jan 2022, 15:10

Mr. Muskrat: Listened to that Poco version at 7:30 AM for about 30 seconds and I woke up again at 9AM. Better than Melatonin.
Mr. Snow: Certainly in my top 5. But Travelin' Light will always be my number one, with a bullet. A bullet? A bullet!!!
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