Not Really OT: Blind Faith Reunion In The Works!

[b3keys]

Nothing's been confirmed yet, but it looks like Eric Clapton is following up last year's Cream reunion with a Blind Faith run. We have learned that Clapton and Steve Winwood are planning to resurrect the supergroup, which released a single, self-titled album and did one tour in 1969 before breaking up. There's no word yet on when the two will officially announce their plans, and it's unknown whether Ginger Baker will man the drumkit for the project. Blind Faith bassist Rick Grech died in 1990.

 

Clapton said his desire to play with Winwood began during the Cream days: "If I'd had more power of personality and more authority, I would have insisted that we had a keyboard player, and I would've chosen Steve. I mean, it kept being a fantasy of mine that Steve would join Cream, but I just didn't feel confident enough to broach the subject. Maybe I did a couple of times, but I think I, maybe I was, it was discounted."

 

A DVD of Blind Faith's debut performance, which took place in front of 100,000 people in Hyde Park in London on June 7th, 1969, recently debuted at Number Three on the Billboard music DVDs chart.

 

Winwood and Clapton have worked together since the band's breakup, most recently on Clapton's Back Home album last year.

[Garrafon]

There was an article yesterday of Clapton doing work with J.J. Cale...now THAT will be cool!

[Mr. Nightime]

CLONK HERE

[DafDuc]

I've heard a cut from the Clapton/Cale project. nice.

 

A BF reunion would be nice - one of my favorite albums ever - but without Baker and Grech I dunno. Grech's bass work was mostly perfunctory, but his violin was a nice touch. And no one else plays like Baker.

 

I think WITH Baker I'd probably go see them. Without, I dunno. It'd be like seeing the Band without Danko and Manuel.

[Mark Schmieder]

Too bad Grech is gone. He did well with Traffic also, and never seems to get his due as a player and general musician.

 

I'm not sure what to expect. I bought the Cream DVD and sold it the next day -- one of the most self-indulgent and pretentious concerts I've ever seen. And yet Clapton had moments of brilliance, and Baker's playing was good if not top of his game.

 

When I think about it, though, I only ever liked a few Cream songs and always hated their live recordings. Considering also the solo output of each artist, I am beginning to think more and more than I just don't like Jack Bruce very much. Although his bass playing inspired me in many ways, I find his singing to generally feel affected and overdone. And Ginger Baker tends to drag everything out into a 10-15 minute jam -- though this works well in the context of his Afro-jazz experiments such as the Air Force.

 

Winwood is one of my favourite musicians of all time, and I always felt the Blind Faith album was first and foremost a prototype of the next version of Traffic, along with Grech's overlooked contribution. Some of Baker's best playing and writing as well, and Clapton had honed his playing by then into a more confident style that led directly to the unsurpassed Derek & the Dominos project. I guess ego killed BF after one album/tour. It will be interesting to see who they get to complete the "reunion" line-up.

[mate stubb]

Originally posted by Mark Schmieder:

I guess ego killed BF after one album/tour.

I always heard that it wasn't ego problems as much as Clapton and Winwood's self doubt under the crushing weight of super group expectations.

[BluesKeys]

I am going to see Clapton tomorrow (Sunday) night in the RBC Center in Raleigh, NC. I will be there with the guitar player/Eric Clapton look a like from our Slowhand Tribute band. Derrik Trucks and Wilie Wilkes are with him and I have heard it's a lively show.

 

However I would pay any price to see Clapton and Winwood together. Blind Faith was way before it's time.

[Joe Muscara]

Not to bag on Clapton, but I just read that article and saw that Doyle Bramhall II and Derek Trucks are his guitar players. Holy carp that's some line up. Willie Weeks on bass, Steve Jordan on drums? EC could not show up and it's a killer show. Too bad I probably missed them coming through Houston as all the dates listed are no where near here.

 

I don't know much about Chris Stainton nor Tim Carmon on keyboards. Do any of you?

 

I'd love to see a Blind Faith reunion. What Moe said is also what I heard about BF breaking up. It makes sense if you read what b3keys posted that EC said about Winwood. EC just wasn't very strong at the time, and Winwood was still pretty young.

[DafDuc]

Stainton's been around for decades. Played on Cocker's first couple of albums (was that him on Feelin Alright?), played with Spooky Tooth after Gary Wright split, some other stuff I'm disremembering now. Solid, solid player.