COVER CLASSIC STORY CORNER : BACKTRACK
that was exploding , the foremost evidence being 1969 ’ s Woodstock festival , especially the resulting movie .
I ’ ll argue the film was the breakthrough . For the first time most people SAW these acts .
But they didn ’ t see Eric Clapton , he was not there .
But in the spring of 1970 , having left Cream , having gone on an hejira with Delaney & Bonnie , Eric put out his first solo album . And few cared . It contained two exquisite cuts , “ Easy Now ” and “ Let It Rain ,” both of which were featured on FM radio , and two cuts that were not , but ultimately became even more famous , “ After Midnight ” and “ Blues Power .” But he was just another guy trying to go solo , there was less buzz than there was for his previous acts . The record came and then went . Eric and his new group of merrymen absconded to Miami in the fall whereupon they set about cutting “ Layla and Assorted Other Love Songs ,” and when it was released in November few embraced it , after all , wasn ’ t this the guy with the middling debut ? And why the name change to Derek and the Dominos ?
Steve Jobs has nearly been forgotten . No one knows who Mitch Kapor was , even though he ’ s still alive . But the guitar-playing of Duane Allman survives . His is not a secret history , something only embraced by acolytes . You see Duane Allman is all over huge hits , and not only those of his namesake band . Duane not only presented Eric Clapton with the riff of “ Layla ,” HE PLAYED IT !
And he ’ s the one who makes the magic on “ Anyday ,” along with the organ of Bobby Whitlock .
Serendipity , it ’ s the essence of life . The great things happen when you don ’ t expect them to . That ’ s why innovation always comes from outside the system . Everybody else is on a path which is usually a rut . You ’ ve got to be open to
The Dominos with Duane Courtesy of The Big House Archives
stimulation , never mind change . There are all these new business rules about raising money and embracing failure but if you ’ ve paid your dues as a musician you ’ re always ready to take risks , and some of those risks have resulted in the greatest music of all time . A chance encounter , a chord change , they elicited inspiration that changed the world .
Because music can change the world . If you see it as art as opposed to business . If you reach for greatness . But in order achieve greatness you ’ ve got to hone your chops , practice , be ready . To the point where when Duane Allman showed up at Criteria Studios he was ready .
Derek had gone to see the Allman Brothers live . He was blown away and invited Duane to sit in . What resulted was the absolute peak of Eric Clapton ’ s career , not that the public knew , certainly not right away . Because the marketing channel said otherwise , because people are the last to know . Trust the makers first , the consumers last . As for those in the middle ... they have no tuning fork , that ’ s one of
24 GUITAR TRICKS INSIDER DIGITAL EDITION MARCH / APRIL