Eric Clapton: The Autobiography
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Product Description
Mail on Sunday
Clapton relates what happened with painful honesty. In other rock stars, such plump contentment might seem hypocritical, even vulgar. But with Eric Clapton, you feel that a little comfort is the least he deserves.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Observer
This is an essential read
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I have been listening to Cream - the live and long improvisations nearly every day for the better part of 40 years, saw them in 2005 at RAH and think Clapton is the best guitarist I have ever enjoyed listening to by a distance. I couldnt wait to read this. Alas, it was disappointing - both the book and, I am afraid, the man.
The characterisation of people in his life was very thin - he rarely describes in any detail the personalities of the people who have been or are important to him, says very little about his guitar playing genius - a huge omission in my view - how can someone be so brilliant at something and not discuss how he developed that talent to all us musically talentless people who have worshipped his playing for years?
On the man, all the drug and alcohol stuff - which granted is very frank - is reasonably interesting although hardly what distinguishes him from everyone else but reveals a seemingly rather weak and generally bemused personality who is incapable of confronting anything. Sadly, also, he never acknowledges his huge army of fans whose lives he has musically enriched so much and who have been so supportive for so many years. Niether does he ever discuss the huge wealth that his success has generated. This lot tends to leave the impression of a man who really has never lived in or experienced the real world. Perhaps he really is the reluctant flawed genius but you cannot have it all ways.
I will continue to enjoy his brilliance every day and despite the disappointment of this book, he would still be my top dinner companion - there is so much more he could have given us in this book.
The characterisation of people in his life was very thin - he rarely describes in any detail the personalities of the people who have been or are important to him, says very little about his guitar playing genius - a huge omission in my view - how can someone be so brilliant at something and not discuss how he developed that talent to all us musically talentless people who have worshipped his playing for years?
On the man, all the drug and alcohol stuff - which granted is very frank - is reasonably interesting although hardly what distinguishes him from everyone else but reveals a seemingly rather weak and generally bemused personality who is incapable of confronting anything. Sadly, also, he never acknowledges his huge army of fans whose lives he has musically enriched so much and who have been so supportive for so many years. Niether does he ever discuss the huge wealth that his success has generated. This lot tends to leave the impression of a man who really has never lived in or experienced the real world. Perhaps he really is the reluctant flawed genius but you cannot have it all ways.
I will continue to enjoy his brilliance every day and despite the disappointment of this book, he would still be my top dinner companion - there is so much more he could have given us in this book.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Large parts of this book are already well known to anyone who is a fan, or even just reads the newspapers regularly. I was hoping for more of the kind of things that the papers don't talk about, like the music perhaps & how it was written & made etc. Whilst technical info may have been boring to a non musician it would have been a great read for those that are interested. And, it would have certainly been no more boring than the parts that were included such as Eric's love of fashion clothes,cars,bird shooting,designer watches,& houses etc. The wealthy entertaining types often have their indulgences but that is not (usually) how/why they became wealthy.
Don't get me wrong, I did find the read enjoyable but I expected more.
Don't get me wrong, I did find the read enjoyable but I expected more.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I'm not going to write a long and in depth review - too much has already been written here for me to be able to add much to it. I will say, however, that Eric clearly has his own agenda. Although he self-flagellates effectively, we only get half the story. What about Eric and Jimi? The afro-perm, the clothes, the guitar, the solo on 'Hey Now Princess' and the rejection of Gibson in favour of Fender (don't forget that early on Eric tells he buys guitars because of who plays them).
And there are inconsistencies. Eric tells us that on the night Jimi died he took his present for him (a left-handed Strat) to a gig he thought he would be at, but Jimi never showed. In the 'Cream Story' DVD he clearly says that he and Jimi were in separate boxes at that gig, but that he never got to meet up with him.
And, for me, the most glaring issue of all is his reference to The Fool and their paint job on his guitar. What is it Eric writes? Oh yes, I gave them a 'Gibson Les Paul'.... While I am well aware that the SG was originally designed as a 'new' Les Paul, the one that Eric owned and that he had painted the The Fool was a Gibson SG. And nobody refers to any SG as a Les Paul, especially not a man who made some of his defining recordings using one. So what is Eric trying to tell us? Take it all with a pinch of salt? Only he knows, but it's a shocker.
This book promises much, and the opening chapter is genuinely engaging, but it soon becomes an exercise in self-castigation and a plea for universal forgiveness in the face of his new life with his new family. Interesting and ultimately disappointing at the same time. It doesn't seem to have occurred to Eric that he wasn't the only guilty party in most cases. Alice had a choice, all those girls who waited for him to tour the provinces, even Pattie. He's not the worst villain the world's ever seen. And for six years or so he was the world's greatest guitarist.
Good thing I didn't go for the long review!
And there are inconsistencies. Eric tells us that on the night Jimi died he took his present for him (a left-handed Strat) to a gig he thought he would be at, but Jimi never showed. In the 'Cream Story' DVD he clearly says that he and Jimi were in separate boxes at that gig, but that he never got to meet up with him.
And, for me, the most glaring issue of all is his reference to The Fool and their paint job on his guitar. What is it Eric writes? Oh yes, I gave them a 'Gibson Les Paul'.... While I am well aware that the SG was originally designed as a 'new' Les Paul, the one that Eric owned and that he had painted the The Fool was a Gibson SG. And nobody refers to any SG as a Les Paul, especially not a man who made some of his defining recordings using one. So what is Eric trying to tell us? Take it all with a pinch of salt? Only he knows, but it's a shocker.
This book promises much, and the opening chapter is genuinely engaging, but it soon becomes an exercise in self-castigation and a plea for universal forgiveness in the face of his new life with his new family. Interesting and ultimately disappointing at the same time. It doesn't seem to have occurred to Eric that he wasn't the only guilty party in most cases. Alice had a choice, all those girls who waited for him to tour the provinces, even Pattie. He's not the worst villain the world's ever seen. And for six years or so he was the world's greatest guitarist.
Good thing I didn't go for the long review!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A good autobiography but not brilliant
I really do love some of Eric Clapton's songs but not all of them and this is more or less how I felt about his autobiography. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Blye
Eyebrow Exercise...
Yes, my eyebrows did indeed get a good workout as I read this book. Why? Well, there are many contentious statements, and other statements that are quite startling to read. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Keith Randall
Great sleep inducer
I'd hoped to learn a little more about this very talented man, not necessarily gossipy stuff, just more about the people he worked with, and his opinions. Read more
Published 1 month ago by J. Wiltshire
Very Fast efficent service
I would give this seller more than 5 stars if i could, it almost arrived before i ordered the product. Service was very fast and, and i was extremely pleased with the product. Read more
Published 10 months ago by kazmania1708
Good read
In good condition and arrived at a decent time.
Only niggle, but I found it amusing, the book was obviously a second as 2 areas in the book I lost parts of paragraphs as... Read more
Only niggle, but I found it amusing, the book was obviously a second as 2 areas in the book I lost parts of paragraphs as... Read more
Published 11 months ago by CCK
Protracted Whine
I have been a Clapton fan since the days of Cream and was very disappointed with his book. Previously I had admired both his music and character in overcoming addictions etc. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Genial Gerbil
Slowhand delivers
I've been enjoying this autobiography. it is truly insightful on the start of the modern music business and great to read about so many true blues influences. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Blue suede shoes
100 too many pages...
I didn't know any details about Eric Clapton's private life, other than the most famous ones, but, as always happens, to hear everything by the man's very voice, tastes totally... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Cristian
Eric Clapton: The Autobiography
Excellent book. Who ever said - Truth was stranger than Fiction - hit the nail right on the head. Apart from the fact the Eric Clapton is one of the all time great guitar... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Quilting Bear
what a disappointing man
He is certainly a genius in his own stuff, but God, what a man is this? So incredibly selfish, needy, inconcludent, boring, weak, just a young boy in an adult's body. Read more
Published 22 months ago by rossoisa
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