Ouch, Someone Doesn't Like Clapton

[Tone2TheBone]

They say alcohol is a truth serum. Part of me can't believe it (the whole Clapton thing and comment made) and then part of me easily believes it. We humans can get ugly when we want to. And we can also get brilliant at times. Life varies as my brother in law used to say.

[R_of_G]

Brian makes a very interesting point. In light of EC's comments, and his long-standing refusal to retract them, how would you feel if you were of African origin and were supposed to play with Clapton? Personally, I think wouldn't pass up the opportunity to play with someone of his calibre, but I probably wouldn't want to associate with him offstage. As long as he kept his racism to himself while we played I'd be cool.

[Brian Krashpad]

Brian makes a very interesting point. In light of EC's comments, and his long-standing refusal to retract them, how would you feel if you were of African origin and were supposed to play with Clapton? Personally, I think wouldn't pass up the opportunity to play with someone of his calibre, but I probably wouldn't want to associate with him offstage. As long as he kept his racism to himself while we played I'd be cool.

I think I'd probably handle it the same way. Hard to say. While I wasn't born into money or anything (nor do I make any to speak of nowadays), still I've had a fairly privileged white upbringing and can't begin to understand what it might feel like to have to deal with such issues.

Again, I should reiterate that I'm not saying Clapton is a racist, only that there's no way of telling and he's actually making it harder on himself by not clearing the air more directly than he has.

I remember a long time ago Elvis Costello got snockered while on tour here in the States and said some directly racist things (iirc using the N-word), and Jerry Lee Lewis once famously set his piano on fire before invoking the N-word to see if the black performer who got top billing (iirc it may've been Little Richard or Chuck Berry) "could follow that."

I've always wondered to what extent they apologized or recanted, or blamed the booze. It certainly shows Clapton is not alone in such things.

[Lev]

As an Irishman I would rarely defend a Conservative British politician. However in order to give some balance to this debate I thought I should point out that Enoch Powell was not some extreme marginalised right wing looney (well history may show he was..) But at that time he was in fact one of the most popular British politicians.

Britain was in the midst of an economic depression at the time while having no immigration policies to speak of - unsustainable in any economic model. Powell was the first to speak out publicly about this and his views were labelled as racist by many of his opponents in order to gain political advantage.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree and that's not why I'm making the point. What I'm trying to say is that Clapton was certainly not alone in the view point that he held. For what it's worth I don't believe for one second that Clapton is a racist now or was at that time.

...this journalist should hang his head in shame for writing such an unbalanaced character assasination!!

[R_of_G]

Brian, glad you brought up the Elvis Costello story as I had been thinking of that as well. At least he distanced himself from his comments once he sobered up.

One more trivia note on the Enoch Powell thing. If I am not mistaken, the Beatles' "Get Back" originated out of a jam they were doing ad-libbing lyrics in critical response to Powell's infamous "Rivers of Blood" speech. Apparently, some of the bootleg "Let it Be" sessions feature recordings of "Get Back" with some of these lyrics remaining [not any that I have though].

[duhvoodooman***]

I doubt any of us would like to be reminded of some of the things we said when we were young, cocky and drunk (or otherwise altered). If you truly believed that Clapton was a racist, do you think he'd garner the genuine respect that he does from African-American blues players? Or that he'd allow himself to be depicted as B.B. King's driver on the cover of Riding with the King? A completely ridiculous implication, IMO.

Forgetting about his musical contributions completely for the moment, just considering what he's done for addicts with his Crossroads Centre in Antigua should be enough to earn the admiration of any fair-minded person. Which pretty much leaves out this clown Kieron Tyler.....

[R_of_G]

So at least we are all in agreement that the author of the article is an imbecile.

[Mark]

You know what I care very little about the demands of the hand wringing self appointed supposed "guardians" of what is right demanding apologies. On the racial topic there is plenty of blame to go round in the whole racial arena for both sides and Ill stop here as this will eventually devolve into a political debat and the fret isnt the place for it. So for me suffice it to say I judge people by their actions today I will not take EC to task as a racist by one comment years ago but by judging from his actions. This article was a cheap shot hit piece.

One last note in my 53 years of life having grown up in the Bronx and then in Miami and now living in SoCal plus having traveled all over the US. I have found those in the public eye that accuse others of racism behind closed doors are the biggest flippin racists of them all. This isnt directed to anyone posting here just my life experience that I have seen personally numerous times.

Thanks Lev for bringing such convienently left out facts of the days when these statements were made. So much BS derives in out of context drivelc parroted by dolts like the one who wrote the hit piece.

[R_of_G]

i thought we all deserved some positive EC time, so here is some video.

"Furthur On Up the Road," and while I have no info on the date, the band has George Harrison on rhythm, and EC and George seem to be having a lot of fun.




BTW, thanks to Tung for starting this thread. This has been an interesting discussion.:

[Spudman***]

See what a jerk Clapton is. He makes Harrison stand behind him the whole time. I mean come on...that's George Harrison. He shouldn't have to stand behind anybody. Especially the guy that stole his wife. Come on now. Who wrote "Something" and "Old Brown Shoe" anyway?

[just strum]

I doubt any of us would like to be reminded of some of the things we said when we were young, cocky and drunk (or otherwise altered). If you truly believed that Clapton was a racist, do you think he'd garner the genuine respect that he does from African-American blues players? Or that he'd allow himself to be depicted as B.B. King's driver on the cover of Riding with the King? A completely ridiculous implication, IMO.

Forgetting about his musical contributions completely for the moment, just considering what he's done for addicts with his Crossroads Centre in Antigua should be enough to earn the admiration of any fair-minded person. Which pretty much leaves out this clown Kieron Tyler.....

+1

And screw the politically correct crap. There are racist everywhere and as much as you, me or anyone else might not like it, it's their right to an opinion. The same can be said for many of the statements made in this thread - it's only opinion and not much else.

And as for the "N word", that is getting pretty old.

[R_of_G]

See what a jerk Clapton is. He makes Harrison stand behind him the whole time. I mean come on...that's George Harrison. He shouldn't have to stand behind anybody. Especially the guy that stole his wife. Come on now. Who wrote "Something" and "Old Brown Shoe" anyway?

Hilarious Spud. You know the part early in the video where Clapton whispers something to George? I bet it's a racist joke.

[Spudman***]

Hilarious Spud. You know the part early in the video where Clapton whispers something to George? I bet it's a racist joke.

Or reminding George not to stand in front of him...or maybe saying how great he is on guitar and thanking George for playing rhythm...or best yet, I'm peaking!