Spoonful live version from a concert in Detroit, in 1967. It was released on the album "Sun Vanishes - Birth Of The Six Strings God". One of the best solos I've ever seen by Clapton !! This guy is truly a GOD !
I agree. This solo is a mind-blower. I heard Clapton and the Cream shortly after this at the Shrine Auditorium in LA around March '68. The song that stood out to me was "Tales of Brave Ulysses" with the "Wah Wah" effect in the solo. I was high as a kite on some little purple pill I dropped. I became completely mesmerized with Clapton's solo of chorus after chorus and how he kept relentless momentum while never repeated himself. I heard Hendrix around the same time and he was even more radical. Pure genius right on the spot. Clapton and Jimi ruled for live performance. It was a different and more "risk-taking" era. None of us had heard this kind of virtuosity before. This was jazz.
The greatest power trio ever in my humble opinion. They were awesome together. The talented jazz-honed skills of Baker and Bruce combined with Clapton’s soaring blues-based guitar work made for a truly unmatched sound
@@kingbrinston hey don't understand all this Hendrix bashing. After Jimi played that night when Cream invited him onstage, Clapton himself was found backstage by his manager hands shaking so much he could barely light his cigarette.. saying to his manager "you said he was good but not THAT good!"
After listening to so many of the great rock guitarists over the past 50 years, I still think Clapton/Bruce/Baker not only outshine every other group, but they embody the eternal truth that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Mark Wilensky Couldn't of said it better my friend. I argue all the time about why Cream is the greatest. You don't need to be a music expert to see what separates them from the rest. All you need is your ears to hear what's going on between the three of them.
They are no slouches independantly either! ! ! But no other member shines as bright as their timekeeper. Ginger Baker is notoriously the most under rated drummer/percussionist in rock & roll history. His rock steady beat and techniques are second to none.
Yes!!!! How lucky I was! Twice I saw them in New Haven. I was only feet away from Clapton. My first music photographs. They had the music and the 60's in the palm of their hands!
Hello Alan! I am sure Clapton would say the same about you! Exactly yesterday I was listening one gig -2005?-where you both play together (maybe Surrey), it's in RU-vid by the name "MAN WITH NO LEGS" , it actually starts with a prayer, then the set starts with "IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR", Eric doesn't sing, he simply screams like fire, then you sing (like God can only sing too) one song from Peter Green, you both have a beautiful guitar interplay, and your Strat tone is also amazing... I remember it made me search about your career as I had never heard the name, and I read the funny incident with your music teacher at school, etc... I wish you had kept on in Eric, s band, because for me, it was as when 79-83 Albert Lee and Eric teamed up. You made Eric play and sing better. I hope you keep singing like in those days, and stay healthy. Regards from Spain 🎸🎸
What a privilege it's been, to live in this era, to hear this music. I hope future generations find this. We miss you already, Jack. Rest in peace... But please come back soon.
Kerrie, I do so agree with you. It is a privilege to be able to hear this music so easily. I spent 1000's of hours, months, years, 22/24/7/365, on the P2P's after Napster Crashed and Burned, collecting a collection of collector's music. Now it is so easily available. Gaad!. Future Generations will listen only if we aging folks turn them onto this. I haven't found a 20 to 40 something that hasn't bounced their head to this. I'll be 70 soon. I never tire of hearing Cream, or EC
Kerrie Redgate I suppose it's possible. Reincarnation could be making a comeback, though if he did manage to do this he probably wouldn't want Ginger to know about it.
I was drawn to Cream in 1966 by Jack Bruce's bass and singing. He really was the powerhouse of this group. But on the other hand Ginger and Eric were both top of the list players. Unique is a good word for them. I got to see them live in '67 and of course I was smoked up. When they started playing I went into a trance and was totally mesmerized by the sounds they were putting out. Just 3 guys who dressed like me were putting out all of this? I couldn't believe it. Great concert.
My favorite band. The first super group. For being together for such a short time no other band made such an impact. Ginger and Clapton solos are pure magic.
Cream is STILL my favourite Band. These 3 Talented Musicians just had a Power they brought to Stage. It's too bad there was so much friction between Bruce and Baker.
Every time I hear these Spoonful jams, I always get a sense of competition among the three musicians. Each one is working to play their best riffs and I still am in awe how each musician strives to set their own standard of excellence within the song. Every version of this is a little different, I still like the Wheels of Fire version the best,
Spoonful is my favorite Cream song. There are times when Bruce is leading it, but this is by far the best Clapton guitar version I have ever heard. Thanks for posting.
Was blessed to see them in San Diego on the Wheels of Fire tour. Eric broke into this long, long solo then walked off stage. As incredible as his solo was when Jack started his bass solo it made Clapton sound like he was a Thalidomide guitarist. After a mind blowing bass solo, Jack left the stage too leaving Ginger rockin and sweatin like a mad man. I remember somewhere during the drum solo Ginger spoke into the mic saying "I could sure use something to keep this going!" The stage was showered with joints! Eric and Jack came back and played another 15 - 20 minutes ending Spoonful. Baker must have played non-stop for an hour easily.
i saw them in mt adams cincinnati it must have been 67 or 68..a small venue,,, same incredible routine all soloing then leaving....it was amazing just like u say;;;
+Papa McCain The Thalidomide comment wasn't exactly funny...... ginger prob didn't mean weed........ I saw him do his unreal "Do what u like", B.F. solo with the sticks flying in the air and him catching them perfectly with his head bowed, eyes closed.... fuck'n nuke-u-lar. The local establishment cut the power and he pounded the mic into the stage floor in anger as the crowd wailed.... summer '69
I was there also, but it might have been the year before that, 1967, though they were playing WOF material anyway. Exhibition hall, next door to Golden Hall Community Concourse. Brain Police opened. Jack killed me with Traintime also. Never to be forgotten.
For that time period (late 1960's) he was a good blues/rock guitarist but certainly not even close to the classical and jazz guitarists of that time period or before or after that time-period. Alvin Lee and Jimi Hendrix were both better blues/rock guitarists than Clapton. Don't confuse the sound of loud electric guitar amps with skill.
@@JimDeferio Personally, Hendrix is the best for me, then Jeff Beck, and Alvin Lee is special to me and others are exceptional, but Clapton is not to be underestimated either. And as a man, he is fair.. And Jmmie Page ...
Holy shit...Clapton was seriously ON here.....killing it..... IMO, nobody ever, that I've heard anyway, brought out his greatness as a guitarist like Ginger and Jack....nobody!!!
I'm fascinated by Jack Bruce. Instantly recognizable voice, unique in the world of music. Most amazing vibrato and note-bending skill. I've been bonded to his voice since the 60s.
That little bit of filler < "Dreaming" >off of 1966's Fresh Cream ,is a good example of Bruce's measured breathing ,pace.It's almost a warm up exercise - but it gives the listener a clue , that this is going to go,beyond Macca's capabilities.
Spoonful has been my favourite piece of music since I first heard the Wheels Of Fire album 50 years ago. This is the first time I heard this version. It is just as amazing as the Wheels version!
Agree I know the previous song on the album Cross Road Blues more famous but this is THE Blues|Rock song up to this point or maybe All time (JIMI AT WOODSTOCK MORE ROCK???) Loved the laid back Blind Faith would have loved to see them at Woodstock but would either them or Cream have outshine Jimi??!!
This was the great power trio of all time. Jack is right there with Eric soloing away on this jam. His bass lines are like solos. It's what every musician who improvises strives for; sure it's in a rock idiom but it's totally free and in the moment. What total greatness.
Imagine having popular audience that actually listens to extended instrumentals, that would not happen today, there are no popular extended instrumentals because the audience would have to pay extended attention, today only extended electronic music has a popular audience, at least there is that.
Imagine an audience sitting through 18 mins. of "Toad" I could sit through 18 hrs. of "Toad"! Every time I come home and my boxer puppy wags her tail against her kennel, I hear Ginger's double bass drums!
Also the band Jimi kicked off the throne ;) Given that Clapton is friggin magnificent here. Better than the filmore...which before i played this I would've though it was impossible to beat the version on Wheels Of Fire 1
@@dimethaltryptamine1He would not have withstood the challenge by two more equals to his undeniable talents. Which is why he alone , was showcased.Kinda gets old ,fast.There are hundreds of 'bar band " Jimis who eclipse what Hendrix managed , at his zenith.
@@anauticalgate5496 i do truly believe in my heart that Jimi was a stand alone. Purely unique in every way. So respectfully I must disagree that there are hundreds of bar band Jimis that outshine him even and especially in Jimi's prime. He was unique and the passion in his music will never be seen or heard again
A little "Cat's Squirrel" at 10:55. Phenomenal band. One of a kind. All these guys were at the very peak of their awesome creative powers in 1967-1968. They don't make sufficient adjectives to describe this.
Blessed by 60s LOVE of Supreme music. Blessed by Cream. Blessed by the Sunshine of beautiful composition and arrangements that shine with a sparkling, magical music rays of eternal passion to ignite the hearts of fans and music lovers, appreciating the grandest selection of 60s sublime songs in a blues, rock era psychedelic influence of magnetic compilations of great albums with super songs, so special. Your music lives forever, your memories everlasting. R.I.P. JACK BRUCE, Brilliant Bassist ever!
IMO opinion the band that set the standard for all blues rock bands past and present. There will never be another like it. Three musicians that smoked the house down. Pity egos ruined the group.
7:20 is really cool then after that melody he starts tearing it up like I never heard him tear it up before. Him improvising like that with an amazing rhythm section improvising under him is hard. Most people refuse to understand his role in Cream. It's the reason why people think he's overrated.
attended 3 Cream concerts 67,68 at Grande Ballroom. Popular venues then Fillmore East-West. Top Groups love. Grande crowd. , acoustics. They played 3 nights row. In prompt ( 5 minutes Eric and band…just spontaneous playing Off each other . My( middle ) of a song was Unique, Great art Cream set. Listening now Spoon-full song example but must b 10 min. In Prom-too My fav band 60’ s.
Around 14:00 Clapton gets tired of caterwauling and starts listening to Bruce play. He then does something amazing, he begins to make music with him. It's a moment in the true sense of the word music. He can actually here them talking to each other.
+WilhelmScream at 7;20 too i think..checking in then checking out,,,,going off,,they are so in psynch tho/// inspiring each other i guess,,, cream of the crop alright,,,empowering music !!
+WilhelmScream -- dig this comment and made me listen to this with more intent -- Also must say Ginger is also killing it here esp during the summation of the jam at 16:00
Clapton is a beast, a guitar machíne, wow 😎🎶🚬✌️, he came to this world to make many people happy with his talent, thanks god, ala, buda whatever, respect 👏👍.
@@chrisayres7948 OMFG you and basil are so far off. Neither was imitating the other as they are very different kinds of players. In Cream Drums a la Baker kept time and fantastically well I should add and Jack Bruce used that as freedom to solo-bass much of the time. As a result Clapton had to continually define the circle of chords in time, which he did extremely well. In Experience, Drums a la Mitchell SUSPENDED time with polyrhythms (see Elvin Jones) and cymbal gas which would have left a Bass player of Bruce's caliber wide open but Noel was a guitar player and sucked on Bass, not badly but comparatively, so he kept time. This freed Jimi to not have to and he could play "outside" with abandon. Please note that Miles Davis didn't desire to play with Clapton but he did with Jimi. Trying to compare the two is apples and oranges, and please notice there are no scoreboards at concerts..
@@enorbet2 Don't believe basil bathbone is writing he believes Eric Clapton was imitating Jimi Hendrix - rather he is alluding to what some other people may say anecdotally. basil bathbone then continues writing explaining he believes that it is BS what some other people may say anecdotally. In other words basil bathbone does NOT believe Eric Clapton was imitating Jimi Hendrix at all during 'Spoonful'. I agree with your comments and I learnt something. May I add that Jimi Hendrix also jammed with Traffic in the late '60s. FYI: jimi-hendrix.servidor-alicante.com/discs/Jimi_Hendrix_and_Traffic_-_A_Session.html
@@Blackscorpion1963 - Yes it seems I jumped the gun and owe Basil an apology. I have no idea why I included Basil at first glance other than that - first glance.
@@acepaul407 No, Clapton was even after that. I have never heard a single live take that Jimi played that ever came anywhere close to this recording alone.
Led Zeppelin showed genius on the first album, but even then, the studio effects are what make the Led Zeppelin sound. People don't do barbershop quartets with themselves, as Plant does on countless LZ recordings. Same for Page. Very good sounds from both groups, but Cream defines power trio, and in most ways, it defines psychedelic rock, blues rock, and hard rock.
Zeppelin sounded best on record, while they were mostly underwhelming live. Cream was the opposite; their studio recordings, while good, were nowhere near the live sound they produced. Cream on record was like a bird trapped in a cage. When they could stretch their wings and improvise at high volumes with a lot of overdrive and spontaneous ferocity for 10 or 15 minutes on stage, they truly came alive.
Stephen Jones What you talking about man He wrote Layla since then and Badge and Wrote the theme music to Lethal weapon and performed live with Phil Collins etc etc he got better as a musician he couldn't keep playing heavy rock forever it would've gotten old just look at GNR today still playing the same songs they played since 86 lol
22 minutes of the best psychedelic blues rock-inspired musical era songs, the roots being born on stage evolving live before a mesmerized crowd following each bend and twist and beat to a frenzied finale, amazing!!!!
Watch the video/movie Beware of Mr Baker and you'll understand that no rock drummer could touch him. He had "drum-offs" with the top American jazz drummers. No other rock drummer would attempt to do that. But when he played rock, he played what the song needed, and that was not jazz drumming.
Ginger Baker is definitely the best drummer of all time given when he was doing that and the lack of technology they had back then. He IS the hammer of the gods!!! I am a bass player and LOVE Jack Bruce, but it is true, without Ginger Baker (really without any one of them) they would not have been the creative powerhouse they were. Not to diss on Bonzo, he was heavy but sloppy and I laugh anytime someone tries to put him on the same level as Ginger.
@@susanmartin9021 sorry, i saw LZ as the opening act for Vanilla Fudge in Seattle. Way better than the Fudge; not up to Cream's enormous talent,energy,and creativity! Although I really love LZ's 1st 2 albums when they were very much more of a Yardbirds/blues rock band :). bty I am a musician, been playing bass since I saw Jack Bruce/Cream back in 1968!!!! be well!
I believe they played New Haven that year. I was their. Beyond Amazing!!! And before we knew it. Cream was having their farewell tour. I was only feet from Clapton. Pure Magic!
EC has been my favorite since high school---40 years. I wore out Wheels of Fire. Then Layla. This recording is 1967 for goodness sake. Live Spoonful showcases the sounds, the talent, you couldn't hear anywhere else.
Only one left standing , Clapton!! Only two from the allmans, jamioe and Betts!! Two from The Who. Those of us lucky enough to have lived through this time simply had the best Rock music ever!!!!
So many British musicians of this era loved to play Detroit - Savoy Brown even dedicated their "Savoy Brown Boogie" to the great people of Detroit. They know how to rock and appreciate great music.
The venue in Detroit was the Grande Ballroom. I saw Cream play there in October 1967, and this may well be the performance of Spoonful from that night. The Grande was a place all unto itself. If you were never fortunate to go there, you missed the very heart of the 1960s. Most killer venue of all time. The musicians themselves said so.
@@JackOstinato I've met people from that era and ask them about it. They usually look down, shake their heads and give me that "you had to be there" smile. It was a venue that I wish I could've gone to. But I still had the Fillmore East and many east coast venues.
When these three were on they were ON! Clapton couldn't help but play his ass off with that amazing rhythm section pushing him like a runaway train of bluesrock fusion! WHOA!!!!
He still is..it's just that he's matured. Saw Capton/Winwodd in Vegas and no white guy, ever played the Blues with more feeling and skill than Eric. He has a lifetime of experiences, now. Some, extremely tragic. Losing his son to a freak accident and Stevie Ray died touring with him. He knows what the blues are supposed to be. When he played with Cream he had to blow away the crowd with technique. Today he comes out, plays and leaves you speechless with emotion.
Phenomenal playing by all three musicians, soloing simultaneously. It had only previously been done in jazz, and never in jazz-rock, by Scott La Faro and Paul Motion. What a shame relentless touring killed the band, but in 67 they still sounded fresh. EC is well and truly on here, and jack and Ginger laying trails that few rhythm sections in history surpassed.
Tim charles what killed the band was that Jack and Ginger hated each other with a passion. They competed to set the rhythm of band. Neither of them were particularly likeable with Ginger’s son having very harsh words to say on his father’s death. Ginger likewise repeated his loathing of Jack after their reunion concert, saying he would never play with the ‘....,’ again because he still hated him. Of course Eric was well documented as being up to his eyeballs in drugs during and after his time with Cream. For all that my first LP at 13 was Disraeli Gears and still listen to regularly at 65. Being a good guy is not a requirement to be a top musician.
I think if you check it out Clapton was doing this before Hendrix hence Hendrix sound pretty england and post. Both great guitarists without any doubt but for me Clapton is number 1.
@@richardrybinski2320 Don't forget Terry Kath, check 25 or 6 to 4 song guitar solo from Chicago Transit Authority and You Will see also the incredible talent spreaded this amazing guitar player.
This use to be a big debate! It was finally settled after many years of debating with Jimi coming out on top. Of course some still say Eric was better. But if you don't know why Jimi gets the nod I can't explain it to ya.
I can't believe 37 people gave this a thumbs down, they must have come to this page by mistake, probably looking for some rap music, when they heard real instruments being played by real musicians they gave it the thumbs down and went about their cappy music business
You never hear enough about Baker, if you don't agree that he's one of the greatest drummers of all time then you have probably been deaf since birth (No disrepect to the deaf). Cream was a great band. What has happened to music? The 60's and 70's truly was the golden age of music.