Eric Clapton: The Life and Times of “Slowhand” part 3

The career of Derek and the Dominos was wrought with tragedy. It was while recording material with this group that Clapton learned of the death of Jimi Hendrix, a mere eight days after recording a tribute version of “Little Wing,” which was eventually added to the album. A year later before the band’s first European tour, friend and collaborator Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident. Clapton was devastated by this double loss and also disheartened by the poor reviews his band’s album received upon its initial release, and their focus on his guitar playing rather than the performance of the ensemble. He later admitted that all band members used alcohol and drugs to get through the U.S. tour, which produced a strong double live album, although the band still dissolved in 1972 shortly after the tour.

After Derek and the Dominos ended, Clapton’s personal life was in shambles. Heartbroken by many losses, he developed a heroin addiction that crippled his performances and isolated him until 1973, when Pete Townshend organized the “Rainbow Concert” in an effort to encourage Clapton to address and address his heroin addiction and start playing again. Clapton returned to the scene to play “The Preacher” in the film version of The Who’s musical Tommy in 1975, beginning his long solo career.

Although he was back performing, in a relationship with long-time unrequited love Boyd-Harrison and no longer addicted to heroin, he continued to have problems with alcohol. Clapton continued to work on his songwriting skills and compiled a touring band, recording the album 461 Ocean Boulevard, most famous for its cover of “I Shot the Sheriff,” which introduced a new group of music fans to the music of Bob Marley and reggae music. The band embarked on a world tour and in 1975 released the live album E.C. Was Here. The same year, Clapton released yet another strong songwriting album There’s One in Every Crowd.

Although Clapton released albums and toured regularly during the mid-70’s, the material was stinted by alcohol abuse and did not truly explore the depths of his talent. He collaborated with many great artists including Bob Dylan and produced hit albums like Slow Hand, which featured the memorable ballad “Wonderful Tonight,” and gave him his nickname “Slowhand.” But by 1976, Clapton’s drug abuse problems had caused him to get a highly controversial reputation, mostly attributed to his frequent outbursts in live performances that were sometimes tinged with what was perceived by the community as racist. His negative comments about the racial diversity of England sparked the “Rock Against Racism” movement in Great Britain, and surprised his contemporaries and fans considering his roots in a predominantly black-created music form. Alcoholism eventually caused him to be hospitalized in Antigua, and his final recovery there inspired the creation of his drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic in the same location called The Crossroads Centre, an homage to famous cream song “Crossroads.” He released two more albums at the end of the 1970’s that received mixed reviews.

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