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Clapton: The Autobiography
I found a pattern in my behavior that had been repeating itself for years, decades even. Bad choices were my specialty, and if something honest and decent came along, I would shun it or run the other way.”
With striking intimacy and candor, Eric Clapton tells the story of his eventful and inspiring life in this poignant and honest autobiography. More than a rock star, he is an icon, a living embodiment of the history of rock music. Well known for his reserve in a profession marked by self-promotion, flamboyance, and spin, he now chronicles, for the first time, his remarkable personal and professional journeys.
Born illegitimate in 1945 and raised by his grandparents, Eric never knew his father and, until the age of nine, believed his actual mother to be his sister. In his early teens his solace was the guitar, and his incredible talent would make him a cult hero in the clubs of Britain and inspire devoted fans to scrawl “Clapton is God” on the walls of London’s Underground. With the formation of Cream, the world's first supergroup, he became a worldwide superstar, but conflicting personalities tore the band apart within two years. His stints in Blind Faith, in Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, and in Derek and the Dominos were also short-lived but yielded some of the most enduring songs in history, including the classic “Layla.”
During the late sixties he played as a guest with Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan, as well as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and longtime friend George Harrison. It was while working with the latter that he fell for George’s wife, Pattie Boyd, a seemingly unrequited love that led him to the depths of despair, self-imposed seclusion, and drug addiction. By the early seventies he had overcome his addiction and released the bestselling album 461 Ocean Boulevard, with its massive hit “I Shot the Sheriff.” He followed that with the platinum album Slowhand, which included “Wonderful Tonight,” the touching love song to Pattie, whom he finally married at the end of 1979. A short time later, however, Eric had replaced heroin with alcohol as his preferred vice, following a pattern of behavior that not only was detrimental to his music but contributed to the eventual breakup of his marriage.
In the eighties he would battle and begin his recovery from alcoholism and become a father. But just as his life was coming together, he was struck by a terrible blow: His beloved four-year-old son, Conor, died in a freak accident. At an earlier time Eric might have coped with this tragedy by fleeing into a world of addiction. But now a much stronger man, he took refuge in music, responding with the achingly beautiful “Tears in Heaven.”
Clapton is the powerfully written story of a survivor, a man who has achieved the pinnacle of success despite extraordinary demons. It is one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.
With striking intimacy and candor, Eric Clapton tells the story of his eventful and inspiring life in this poignant and honest autobiography. More than a rock star, he is an icon, a living embodiment of the history of rock music. Well known for his reserve in a profession marked by self-promotion, flamboyance, and spin, he now chronicles, for the first time, his remarkable personal and professional journeys.
Born illegitimate in 1945 and raised by his grandparents, Eric never knew his father and, until the age of nine, believed his actual mother to be his sister. In his early teens his solace was the guitar, and his incredible talent would make him a cult hero in the clubs of Britain and inspire devoted fans to scrawl “Clapton is God” on the walls of London’s Underground. With the formation of Cream, the world's first supergroup, he became a worldwide superstar, but conflicting personalities tore the band apart within two years. His stints in Blind Faith, in Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, and in Derek and the Dominos were also short-lived but yielded some of the most enduring songs in history, including the classic “Layla.”
During the late sixties he played as a guest with Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan, as well as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and longtime friend George Harrison. It was while working with the latter that he fell for George’s wife, Pattie Boyd, a seemingly unrequited love that led him to the depths of despair, self-imposed seclusion, and drug addiction. By the early seventies he had overcome his addiction and released the bestselling album 461 Ocean Boulevard, with its massive hit “I Shot the Sheriff.” He followed that with the platinum album Slowhand, which included “Wonderful Tonight,” the touching love song to Pattie, whom he finally married at the end of 1979. A short time later, however, Eric had replaced heroin with alcohol as his preferred vice, following a pattern of behavior that not only was detrimental to his music but contributed to the eventual breakup of his marriage.
In the eighties he would battle and begin his recovery from alcoholism and become a father. But just as his life was coming together, he was struck by a terrible blow: His beloved four-year-old son, Conor, died in a freak accident. At an earlier time Eric might have coped with this tragedy by fleeing into a world of addiction. But now a much stronger man, he took refuge in music, responding with the achingly beautiful “Tears in Heaven.”
Clapton is the powerfully written story of a survivor, a man who has achieved the pinnacle of success despite extraordinary demons. It is one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.
343 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Eric Clapton
233 books132 followersEric Patrick Clapton, CBE, nicknamed Slowhand, is a Grammy Award-winning English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. He is one of the most successful musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries, garnering an unprecedented three inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (The Yardbirds, Cream, and solo). Often viewed by critics and fans alike as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Clapton was ranked fourth in Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #53 on their list of the Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Although Clapton's musical style has varied throughout his career, it has always remained rooted in the blues. Clapton is credited as an innovator in several phases of his career, which have included blues-rock (with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and The Yardbirds) and psychedelic rock (with Cream). Clapton has also achieved great chart success in genres ranging from Delta blues (Me and Mr. Johnson) to pop ("Change the World") and reggae (Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff"). Clapton also achieved fame with Derek and the Dominos through the hit song "Layla".
Although Clapton's musical style has varied throughout his career, it has always remained rooted in the blues. Clapton is credited as an innovator in several phases of his career, which have included blues-rock (with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and The Yardbirds) and psychedelic rock (with Cream). Clapton has also achieved great chart success in genres ranging from Delta blues (Me and Mr. Johnson) to pop ("Change the World") and reggae (Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff"). Clapton also achieved fame with Derek and the Dominos through the hit song "Layla".
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November 9, 2017
It seems as if Eric Clapton wrote this tell-all autobiography in an attempt to debunk the oft-heard graffiti-fied slogan “Clapton is God”. If so, mission accomplished.
I’ve loved his music since I can remember, but I never really considered what he was like as a person. Turns out that he's an average joe, who can sometimes be a bit of a dick...like most average joes. He’s got his reasons: illegitimacy, abandonment and a bevy of the usual childhood dramas. Clapton lays them out fairly generously and you have to give him credit for owning up to his less than stellar side.
Clapton will always hold a place in my heart for the work he did in the '60s with such legendary bands as the Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, and this is why I really read this book.
I would've been oh-so happy to read an entire book dedicated to his work during those years, but this is not it. And that's understandable. This is after all an autobiography about his entire life thus far and it's always best if those don't bog down in any one era of a person's life.
But considering the work he did in the '60s and how huge a rockstar Clapton is now, can you even imagine the level he’d be on if he didn’t waste the greater part of the 70s and 80s drinking and doing drugs? I mean, this guy had serious addiction problems and once the book moves on to discuss that portion of his life it turns almost entirely into a broken record, revolving around and around, detailing year after year how fucked up he was on coke and heroine. Then, once he finally kicked drugs, it became all about the booze. How he managed to live through the '70s and '80s, never mind actually put out albums and perform, is beyond me. By all rights the man should be dead after all the shit he’s ingested.
I was fairly sure going in that I wasn’t going to enjoy the book after he was done discussing his career in the '60s, but I read on and I don’t regret it. It’s a decently written book laid out with a linear timeline, so it’s generally easy to follow.
Clapton knows quite a few famous and influential people, who get mentioned herein. He also seems to name just about every person whomever ever came into his life. Hell, his local pub landlord even gets a mention! It's nice that he shows his appreciation, however, it does bog down the story a little at times.
Clapton bravely tackles an embarrassing aspect of his life, his unfortunate racist comments, which he might have glossed over and I'd be none the wiser. He also touches upon the death of his child (which I do remember quite vividly) and his efforts to sober up, so for those who need to see a dose of humble repentance and redemption, you get a measure of it here.
All in all, this is a decent book for those looking to learn more about its author beyond just the music.
I’ve loved his music since I can remember, but I never really considered what he was like as a person. Turns out that he's an average joe, who can sometimes be a bit of a dick...like most average joes. He’s got his reasons: illegitimacy, abandonment and a bevy of the usual childhood dramas. Clapton lays them out fairly generously and you have to give him credit for owning up to his less than stellar side.
Clapton will always hold a place in my heart for the work he did in the '60s with such legendary bands as the Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, and this is why I really read this book.
I would've been oh-so happy to read an entire book dedicated to his work during those years, but this is not it. And that's understandable. This is after all an autobiography about his entire life thus far and it's always best if those don't bog down in any one era of a person's life.
But considering the work he did in the '60s and how huge a rockstar Clapton is now, can you even imagine the level he’d be on if he didn’t waste the greater part of the 70s and 80s drinking and doing drugs? I mean, this guy had serious addiction problems and once the book moves on to discuss that portion of his life it turns almost entirely into a broken record, revolving around and around, detailing year after year how fucked up he was on coke and heroine. Then, once he finally kicked drugs, it became all about the booze. How he managed to live through the '70s and '80s, never mind actually put out albums and perform, is beyond me. By all rights the man should be dead after all the shit he’s ingested.
I was fairly sure going in that I wasn’t going to enjoy the book after he was done discussing his career in the '60s, but I read on and I don’t regret it. It’s a decently written book laid out with a linear timeline, so it’s generally easy to follow.
Clapton knows quite a few famous and influential people, who get mentioned herein. He also seems to name just about every person whomever ever came into his life. Hell, his local pub landlord even gets a mention! It's nice that he shows his appreciation, however, it does bog down the story a little at times.
Clapton bravely tackles an embarrassing aspect of his life, his unfortunate racist comments, which he might have glossed over and I'd be none the wiser. He also touches upon the death of his child (which I do remember quite vividly) and his efforts to sober up, so for those who need to see a dose of humble repentance and redemption, you get a measure of it here.
All in all, this is a decent book for those looking to learn more about its author beyond just the music.
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June 9, 2023Eric Clapton's attempt at writing an interesting account of his life was pretty much a failure.
I read the book because I am a fan of his music (though not a huge one), because I had read another rock star's (Anthony Kiedis) drug-related biography and enjoyed it, and because my mom got it for me so I felt obligated to do so. From beginning to end, I found rare interest in anything the knight had to record about himself. Unfortunately, I am writing this well over a year after reading it, but I can fairly attest to the repetitiveness of his writing. What I enjoyed most was reading about his influences and all the great blues musicians that got him started. After that, hearing about his infidelity and generally how he treated his friends and family made me really despise the man. Having an affair with one of his best friend's wives (George Harrison's) and writing a song about her (Layla) while they were still married is one of the things I remember best. It was dreadful to hear about his son's tragic death, however with such a sad story, he could have presented a truly poignant piece...but he let that opportunity to get the reader more involved in his life slip away. The way he portrayed his life basically seemed cold and distant. He has had an interesting life, but he should have let someone write this for him.
(Editing this review in 2016: Since having read the book, I've also discovered how bigoted he is toward foreigners to the UK or Brits that he (mis)judges for their heritage alone. He is even more despicable to me now, and it stands out as especially ironic that he was so influenced by black musicians, many of whom he called friends.)
I read the book because I am a fan of his music (though not a huge one), because I had read another rock star's (Anthony Kiedis) drug-related biography and enjoyed it, and because my mom got it for me so I felt obligated to do so. From beginning to end, I found rare interest in anything the knight had to record about himself. Unfortunately, I am writing this well over a year after reading it, but I can fairly attest to the repetitiveness of his writing. What I enjoyed most was reading about his influences and all the great blues musicians that got him started. After that, hearing about his infidelity and generally how he treated his friends and family made me really despise the man. Having an affair with one of his best friend's wives (George Harrison's) and writing a song about her (Layla) while they were still married is one of the things I remember best. It was dreadful to hear about his son's tragic death, however with such a sad story, he could have presented a truly poignant piece...but he let that opportunity to get the reader more involved in his life slip away. The way he portrayed his life basically seemed cold and distant. He has had an interesting life, but he should have let someone write this for him.
(Editing this review in 2016: Since having read the book, I've also discovered how bigoted he is toward foreigners to the UK or Brits that he (mis)judges for their heritage alone. He is even more despicable to me now, and it stands out as especially ironic that he was so influenced by black musicians, many of whom he called friends.)
August 8, 2008
His memoir, just like his life, is seemingly compelling at first and utterly vacuous at the end. Clapton's story starts out with a confusing childhood and then builds a bright flame of artistry on top. This all crumbles as his desire and dependecy steer him to the brink self-destruction. But all of the compelling rock n' roll stories that should be in this autobiography are replaced with remorseful and arrogant AA/group-therapy recounts of his misadventures.
As he winds down his story I'm left, as a reader, wondering why am I reading this? The last several chapters read like a digest of his diary: Clapton gets married, clapton has kids, clapton goes on tour, claton gets homesick, clapton sees his kids and is happy, clapton is done with tour, clapton sits around and then goes fishing, clapton writes an autobiography. Who the fuck cares?
As he winds down his story I'm left, as a reader, wondering why am I reading this? The last several chapters read like a digest of his diary: Clapton gets married, clapton has kids, clapton goes on tour, claton gets homesick, clapton sees his kids and is happy, clapton is done with tour, clapton sits around and then goes fishing, clapton writes an autobiography. Who the fuck cares?
September 6, 2008
It wasn't until I started the autobiography that I considered why it appealed to me in the first place. I'm a rather indifferent fan of Clapton's/Cream/Derek & the Dominos, etc- Unplugged is the only album of his that I own. It was more of a curiosity about that era- the hardcore sex, drugs, rock & roll of the 70s- and to read about the experiences of someone who barely made it out alive that compelled me to read. As a child in the 70s, I was watching Mr Rogers when EC was writing Layla and wreaking havoc on his physical and mental health with heroin. But having older brothers meant that rock and roll played a major role in my life- I could sing along to Blue Oyster Cult, Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd by the tender age of 8. Almost Famous is one of my favorite movies...
Clapton wrote this memoir at the age of 62, looking back with humility and not a small degree on wonder on a life that brought him fame, piles of cash, lasting friendships and a profound love of the blues and dedication to that musical genre. It also nearly killed him as he battled addictions to heroin, alcohol and doomed relationships.
He's not the most eloquent writer and I felt the most at loose ends when reading about his early days as a musician. He also seemed to keep an emotional distance from most of his personal relationships- particularly those in the 70s. It was more like a reporting of facts than an analysis of his actions and feelings. To be fair, he likely has a hard time recalling most of those years; but for his keeping a journal, most of the 70s and early 80s would be lost in a haze of highs and hangovers. But when addressing his addictions, particularly alcohol, and the process of recovery, his writing becomes quite articulate and almost tender.
His hardly knew his son Conor, who died in a horrible accident in the early 90s, and the depression & recovery that followed Conor's death seems to be the catalyst that created the far more humble and positive person he has become.
It's amazing that anyone could survive what he and so many others did to their bodies, their psyches (clearly, Hendrix, Morrison, Joplin, and many others did not). Makes me grateful for my dull life :) But there's no denying that we lived vicariously through these musicians & the romance of that lifestyle ended with the hyper-commercialism of the modern music industry.
Clapton wrote this memoir at the age of 62, looking back with humility and not a small degree on wonder on a life that brought him fame, piles of cash, lasting friendships and a profound love of the blues and dedication to that musical genre. It also nearly killed him as he battled addictions to heroin, alcohol and doomed relationships.
He's not the most eloquent writer and I felt the most at loose ends when reading about his early days as a musician. He also seemed to keep an emotional distance from most of his personal relationships- particularly those in the 70s. It was more like a reporting of facts than an analysis of his actions and feelings. To be fair, he likely has a hard time recalling most of those years; but for his keeping a journal, most of the 70s and early 80s would be lost in a haze of highs and hangovers. But when addressing his addictions, particularly alcohol, and the process of recovery, his writing becomes quite articulate and almost tender.
His hardly knew his son Conor, who died in a horrible accident in the early 90s, and the depression & recovery that followed Conor's death seems to be the catalyst that created the far more humble and positive person he has become.
It's amazing that anyone could survive what he and so many others did to their bodies, their psyches (clearly, Hendrix, Morrison, Joplin, and many others did not). Makes me grateful for my dull life :) But there's no denying that we lived vicariously through these musicians & the romance of that lifestyle ended with the hyper-commercialism of the modern music industry.
January 18, 2008
Eric Clapton, guitar god, has written his autobiography, aptly titled Clapton, The Autobiography. It covers his entire life, from his poor upbringing, to the present day as happy family man. He addresses every phase of his personal and professional life, which is amazing in the fact that the book clocks in at only 328 pages. Maybe this is why, as honest as Clapton is, it left me wanting a bit more. For instance, during his drunk periods he admits to being "chauvinistic" to his then-wife Patti, and starting fights with various people, but he never actually gives the details. (Maybe I have to read Patti Boyd's autobiography if I want more.)
The overall read this memoir gives on Clapton's personality is one of obsession. From his love of the blues, to his infatuations with many women, to his desire to work with different musicians, to his abuse of drugs and alcohol. Everything is done full bore, damn the consequences. It took age and years of recovery for Clapton to mature enough to start a family with his current wife, Melia, and settle into a less destructive lifestyle.
I give Clapton credit for being so forthcoming in his text, and admitting to faults and mistakes that most people would choose to keep hidden. Possibly being such a public figure for so long didn't really give him an option here; other people have and will write books, and some of the stories are already legend. But, still, I was almost embarrassed reading some of his adventures. Especially one in particular, that involved a strange woman who preyed on his vulnerability by claiming she could help him win back Patti with different spells. The situation gets way out of hand.
Maybe it was just a case of fighting a tight deadline, but I feel this book could have benefited with a stronger editor to guide the text. The writing was good (Clapton wrote it himself), but someone really needed to just step in a few places and ask for more here, and here, and here. John Lennon's murder wasn't even mentioned. Surely this must have affected Clapton in some way, even if it was just to concern himself with his own safety. Not to mention Clapton's friendship with George Harrison. Didn't he discuss this with Harrison, or call and console him about the death of his Beatle brother?
Despite my few problems with the book, I really found it to be a quick read and a real page turner. It allowed me, the reader, to get an intimate glimpse into the life and mind of one of the most successful artists of the last 40 years. And the glimpse isn't always a pretty picture.
The overall read this memoir gives on Clapton's personality is one of obsession. From his love of the blues, to his infatuations with many women, to his desire to work with different musicians, to his abuse of drugs and alcohol. Everything is done full bore, damn the consequences. It took age and years of recovery for Clapton to mature enough to start a family with his current wife, Melia, and settle into a less destructive lifestyle.
I give Clapton credit for being so forthcoming in his text, and admitting to faults and mistakes that most people would choose to keep hidden. Possibly being such a public figure for so long didn't really give him an option here; other people have and will write books, and some of the stories are already legend. But, still, I was almost embarrassed reading some of his adventures. Especially one in particular, that involved a strange woman who preyed on his vulnerability by claiming she could help him win back Patti with different spells. The situation gets way out of hand.
Maybe it was just a case of fighting a tight deadline, but I feel this book could have benefited with a stronger editor to guide the text. The writing was good (Clapton wrote it himself), but someone really needed to just step in a few places and ask for more here, and here, and here. John Lennon's murder wasn't even mentioned. Surely this must have affected Clapton in some way, even if it was just to concern himself with his own safety. Not to mention Clapton's friendship with George Harrison. Didn't he discuss this with Harrison, or call and console him about the death of his Beatle brother?
Despite my few problems with the book, I really found it to be a quick read and a real page turner. It allowed me, the reader, to get an intimate glimpse into the life and mind of one of the most successful artists of the last 40 years. And the glimpse isn't always a pretty picture.
November 19, 2017
Because of Clapton's connection to the Beatles via his close friend George Harrison, I was intrigued to read his autobiography. As we all know, he wooed Pattie Boyd Harrison away from George and later married her. I read Pattie Harrison's autobiography "Wonderful Tonight" which came out at almost the same time as Eric's.
Although I am not a fan of Clapton's music, I found his life story very interesting and even inspiring. His writing style was wonderful as it was as though he was truly speaking to the reader. He penned this himself, and it shows. He was honest throughout with his addictions, failed relationships, and the tragedy of losing his son Conor. This is a book with a happy ending, and that's where the inspiring part comes in. I came away from this book with hefty respect for this man. He triumphed over drug and alcohol addictions and began really living life as a result. Today his is happily married with four children and loving the normal life. Well done!
Although I am not a fan of Clapton's music, I found his life story very interesting and even inspiring. His writing style was wonderful as it was as though he was truly speaking to the reader. He penned this himself, and it shows. He was honest throughout with his addictions, failed relationships, and the tragedy of losing his son Conor. This is a book with a happy ending, and that's where the inspiring part comes in. I came away from this book with hefty respect for this man. He triumphed over drug and alcohol addictions and began really living life as a result. Today his is happily married with four children and loving the normal life. Well done!
September 30, 2018
Besides music, Eric Clapton can write prose. I wondered who the ghostwriter was, but towards the end he said he carried the drafts with him on tour. Not only is the book coherent in a way many autobiographies are not, it appears to be an honest presentation of his life as he lived it.
Most autobiographers tell little jokes on themselves, but very few of will tell of their deepest disappointments in themselves. Clapton tells how tried to be sober to visit his son but thought of drinking the whole time with him (yes, the son who fell to his death at age 4). He tells how he longed for Patty/Layla while in other relationships (including with her sister) and how in pursuit of her, he got taken in (very strangely so) by a self described seer a continent away. He tells how his perceived (somewhat real, but not complete) rejection by his mother shaped his sexuality for years and specifically how some women rejected him. Most brutally, he tells the story of Alice who was 16 when he became involved with her.
There is insight into the music, the bands he joined and left, his respect for musicianship and craftsmanship. You learn the full story of "Layla" and that “Wonderful Tonight” was written in anger (fooled me!). He has disdain for the music business and the music he feels is written for the market.
Many biographers and autobiographers drop the parent relationship after the first chapter, and might give a death a page or two. Clapton describes the adult relationships (again in brutal honesty) he has with his mother, grandparents, step siblings and uncle. (As an aside, Bobby Darin had a similar childhood, but his mother’s ruse lasted into adulthood; Clapton was luckier in that the secrets weren’t kept very well.)
This book has not been well received by reviewers. Maybe the honesty is too raw, the treatment of women too objectified (but he wasn’t alone: George Harrison was all too ready to swap his wife for a romp with her sister and Mick Jagger would easily hustle the women Clapton brought in his orbit) and the tone too interior. Maybe the ending (about family life and the drudge parts of touring) is dull compared with the rambling early life. Maybe it is his weak defense of/excuse for ("I'm not political") racist comments with no awareness of whose music made him wealthy. Maybe they think he should not have so many houses, cars or finance a boat with just one tour. Maybe they think he should express more grief for the people he hurt. Maybe they are evaluating the disturbing elements of his life and not the book.
This book can be valuable to anyone with an addiction in any phase of recovery and the people who care about them. It is also a primary source on the birth of the music industry. I think it is a 4 star, but I am giving it a 5 because its honesty. It might be able to help others accept their addictions and help reconcile what they did to conserve or deny the addiction. This unique period in musical history and the culture that made the music could use more honest documentation like this.
Most autobiographers tell little jokes on themselves, but very few of will tell of their deepest disappointments in themselves. Clapton tells how tried to be sober to visit his son but thought of drinking the whole time with him (yes, the son who fell to his death at age 4). He tells how he longed for Patty/Layla while in other relationships (including with her sister) and how in pursuit of her, he got taken in (very strangely so) by a self described seer a continent away. He tells how his perceived (somewhat real, but not complete) rejection by his mother shaped his sexuality for years and specifically how some women rejected him. Most brutally, he tells the story of Alice who was 16 when he became involved with her.
There is insight into the music, the bands he joined and left, his respect for musicianship and craftsmanship. You learn the full story of "Layla" and that “Wonderful Tonight” was written in anger (fooled me!). He has disdain for the music business and the music he feels is written for the market.
Many biographers and autobiographers drop the parent relationship after the first chapter, and might give a death a page or two. Clapton describes the adult relationships (again in brutal honesty) he has with his mother, grandparents, step siblings and uncle. (As an aside, Bobby Darin had a similar childhood, but his mother’s ruse lasted into adulthood; Clapton was luckier in that the secrets weren’t kept very well.)
This book has not been well received by reviewers. Maybe the honesty is too raw, the treatment of women too objectified (but he wasn’t alone: George Harrison was all too ready to swap his wife for a romp with her sister and Mick Jagger would easily hustle the women Clapton brought in his orbit) and the tone too interior. Maybe the ending (about family life and the drudge parts of touring) is dull compared with the rambling early life. Maybe it is his weak defense of/excuse for ("I'm not political") racist comments with no awareness of whose music made him wealthy. Maybe they think he should not have so many houses, cars or finance a boat with just one tour. Maybe they think he should express more grief for the people he hurt. Maybe they are evaluating the disturbing elements of his life and not the book.
This book can be valuable to anyone with an addiction in any phase of recovery and the people who care about them. It is also a primary source on the birth of the music industry. I think it is a 4 star, but I am giving it a 5 because its honesty. It might be able to help others accept their addictions and help reconcile what they did to conserve or deny the addiction. This unique period in musical history and the culture that made the music could use more honest documentation like this.
October 19, 2018
Autobiografija.. Hm, ako o nečemu netko zna, onda bi to trebalo biti o samome sebi. Stekla dojam da je neki novinar pisao i nabrajao na daleko i naširoko osobe s kojima je Clapton došao u bilo koji kontakt tijekom života. Tisuće imena, nabrojanih koje nitko ne bi uspio povezati i zapamtiti. Hladno, odmaknuto.. Nikako za ono što je izdano. Imala sam dojam da je knjiga duplo deblja s obzirom koliko sam ju dugo čitala. Na momente dosadno!
Ako volite lik i djelo protagoniste, interesantno za škicnuti.
Btw, divim se kako je čovjek još uvijek živ! Tolike količine svih mogućih opijata... Nevjerojatno!
"Glazba preživljava sve i, poput Boga, ona je sveprisutna."
Ako volite lik i djelo protagoniste, interesantno za škicnuti.
Btw, divim se kako je čovjek još uvijek živ! Tolike količine svih mogućih opijata... Nevjerojatno!
"Glazba preživljava sve i, poput Boga, ona je sveprisutna."
December 6, 2016
Najviše volim slušati klasični rock od 1965. do 1975. godine i to britanske bendove koji su napravili revoluciju i ponovno "izmislili" blues rock. Clapton je tu bio bitan igrač, a i jedan je od najboljih gitarista svih vremena. Nisam ga puno slušao, ali volim Cream i odličan mi je John Mayallov album Blues Breakers na kojem je svirao. Mislio sam da ću ga poželjeti više slušati dok budem čitao ovu autobiografiju - većinom tako bude kada čitam o nekom bendu ili glazbeniku - ali on piše tako suhoparno i ravnodušno da mi se činilo da čitam o nečijoj kolekciji poštanskih markica, a ne o zanimljivoj glazbi.
Općenito je reportažni stil pisanja i to dosta loš, pa mi se čini da je ovo stvarno napisao sam bez pomoći neimenovanog profesionalnog pisca. Ta neispoliranost proze i sirovost čak daje i neku draž - pogotovu kada se ne štedi i ide u detalje u opisu svog problema s alkoholom koji ga je pratio gotovo cijeli život. U poznim godinama kada se više nije mogao nositi s problemom ovisnosti pronašao je Boga. Sad je mirniji, ne muči ga više krivnja, konačno može živjeti sa samim sobom i stvarima koje je napravio pod uticajem raznih opijata.
Ova knjiga je nekakva njegova poduža ispovijest i čini mi se da je to jedini razlog zašto ju je napisao, ne da bi nekom novom približio svoju glazbu ili da bi se prikazao u boljem svjetlu. Što je i pošteno te se slaže s njegovom glazbenom filozofijom; unatoč eksperimentiranju i virtuoznosti, on je oduvijek želio svirati samo sirovi izvorni blues.
Nisam nešto posebno uživao u čitanju ove autobiografije niti sam saznao nešto novo o Claptonu što bi me zanimalo, ali fanovima bi ovo moglo biti zanimljivije jer je, kako rekoh, ovo izvorni Clapton.
Općenito je reportažni stil pisanja i to dosta loš, pa mi se čini da je ovo stvarno napisao sam bez pomoći neimenovanog profesionalnog pisca. Ta neispoliranost proze i sirovost čak daje i neku draž - pogotovu kada se ne štedi i ide u detalje u opisu svog problema s alkoholom koji ga je pratio gotovo cijeli život. U poznim godinama kada se više nije mogao nositi s problemom ovisnosti pronašao je Boga. Sad je mirniji, ne muči ga više krivnja, konačno može živjeti sa samim sobom i stvarima koje je napravio pod uticajem raznih opijata.
Ova knjiga je nekakva njegova poduža ispovijest i čini mi se da je to jedini razlog zašto ju je napisao, ne da bi nekom novom približio svoju glazbu ili da bi se prikazao u boljem svjetlu. Što je i pošteno te se slaže s njegovom glazbenom filozofijom; unatoč eksperimentiranju i virtuoznosti, on je oduvijek želio svirati samo sirovi izvorni blues.
Nisam nešto posebno uživao u čitanju ove autobiografije niti sam saznao nešto novo o Claptonu što bi me zanimalo, ali fanovima bi ovo moglo biti zanimljivije jer je, kako rekoh, ovo izvorni Clapton.
July 17, 2023
Best tribute ever to a wife/lover: "Patti could hold her cocaine and alcohol better than I could".
Best diatribe ever against a music rival: "I told Mick Jagger about stealing Carla Bruni away from me, 'Please Mick, Not this one. Find another Italian model'. But it was too late. She left me for Mick Jagger".
Like another genius in another genre, Tennessee Williams, Clapton devotes more space in his memoirs to his drug and alcohol habits than to his art. A good call, as the eloquence of the artist is in his art, not in speaking or writing to the public. Eric's version of "the stoned age" was the Seventies and early Eighties, and even he wonders how he was able to perform and record under self-sedation. And, oh yeah, there's the long-affair and short marriage to Patti Harrison.
Best diatribe ever against a music rival: "I told Mick Jagger about stealing Carla Bruni away from me, 'Please Mick, Not this one. Find another Italian model'. But it was too late. She left me for Mick Jagger".
Like another genius in another genre, Tennessee Williams, Clapton devotes more space in his memoirs to his drug and alcohol habits than to his art. A good call, as the eloquence of the artist is in his art, not in speaking or writing to the public. Eric's version of "the stoned age" was the Seventies and early Eighties, and even he wonders how he was able to perform and record under self-sedation. And, oh yeah, there's the long-affair and short marriage to Patti Harrison.
April 29, 2015
Wow. I'm not familiar with Clapton or his music. This book made him seem like a very selfish, inconsiderate individual. But it wasn't too boring. His struggles with heroin and alcohol were the most interesting. I don't really believed he loved/loves any woman...only himself. It's surprising that he comes off as so badly in his own words...I don't think he even realizes how unsympathetic a character he makes himself.
March 31, 2008
If you're a total Slowhand freak (and I am) this book is invaluable in that it comes right from the "horse's mouth." I've read a number of EC biographies, and, obviously, the main events of his life story are the same here as they are in the past (Cream still implodes, "Layla" still gets recorded, etc.). In that sense, there isn't much new information as there is the personal perspective and voice of Clapton himself.
Most revealing are the details of his youth growing up. Everyone knows about the illegitimacy issues and the resulting confusion, but there's an added poignancy when you get the details that EC provides himself.
You also get a taste of his experience in Hazeldon that you don't get anywhere else--again, with emotional depth that even an authorized biography can't touch.
Ironically, it's the happiness in EC's life that make the tail end of the book a bit anticlimactic. His apparently happy marriage and family life after a series of traumatic (and sometimes bizarre) relationships and affairs are good news for those of us who wish him well, but don't make for page-turning reading.
For example, about halfway through the book, Clapton recounts the agonizing, epic love triangle among Pattie Boyd, George Harrison, and himself, along with the fall into addiction and the creation of the glorious "Layla" album.
Skip ahead 150 pages, and EC is describing the emotional turmoil that comes with deciding whether or not he (and his bank account) has it in him to purchase his own personal luxury yacht.
I'm glad for Clapton that his major source of soul-searching now is whether he's merely obscenely wealthy, or super-obscenely wealthy, but this isn't the sort of sturm und drang that created Layla.
But it's not fair to critique the man's life for not being sufficiently traumatizing to follow a traditional dramatic arc. He's simply telling it like it is.
The one thing I would have liked more of is some details about his approach to his craft. Musicianship is not a concept covered in any appreciable depth in the book, and that's ultimately what I'm most drawn to in Clapton. But then again, that's what the music itself is for.
Most revealing are the details of his youth growing up. Everyone knows about the illegitimacy issues and the resulting confusion, but there's an added poignancy when you get the details that EC provides himself.
You also get a taste of his experience in Hazeldon that you don't get anywhere else--again, with emotional depth that even an authorized biography can't touch.
Ironically, it's the happiness in EC's life that make the tail end of the book a bit anticlimactic. His apparently happy marriage and family life after a series of traumatic (and sometimes bizarre) relationships and affairs are good news for those of us who wish him well, but don't make for page-turning reading.
For example, about halfway through the book, Clapton recounts the agonizing, epic love triangle among Pattie Boyd, George Harrison, and himself, along with the fall into addiction and the creation of the glorious "Layla" album.
Skip ahead 150 pages, and EC is describing the emotional turmoil that comes with deciding whether or not he (and his bank account) has it in him to purchase his own personal luxury yacht.
I'm glad for Clapton that his major source of soul-searching now is whether he's merely obscenely wealthy, or super-obscenely wealthy, but this isn't the sort of sturm und drang that created Layla.
But it's not fair to critique the man's life for not being sufficiently traumatizing to follow a traditional dramatic arc. He's simply telling it like it is.
The one thing I would have liked more of is some details about his approach to his craft. Musicianship is not a concept covered in any appreciable depth in the book, and that's ultimately what I'm most drawn to in Clapton. But then again, that's what the music itself is for.
March 16, 2009
Full Disclosure. Before reading this book, I was not a huge Eric Clapton fan. Sure, I'd enjoyed him in concert a few times and I owned some of his albums. I respected him. But I wasn't all that interested in reading about him. I was more interested in reading what he had to say about George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
In this book, Eric Clapton has plenty to say about all three. But he's got even more to say about a lot of other people, events, places and things. And in doing so, he penned an incredible autobiography.
This an amazing journey narrated by an incredible man. From abject poverty in Ripley, England, Eric Clapton ascended to the top of guitar virtuosity, crashed, burned, won it all, lost it all, rose again, crashed again, somehow survived and then wrote this book.
And this is a brilliantly written book. Clearly it is Clapton's story told by Clapton. And he tells it with great humility and grace.
The story features almost every figure of the blues and rock music as well as contemporary art, design, cinema, fashion and, yes, addiction therapy. All the suspects are here. And Clapton delivers precise insights into each and every one of them. (Including, of course, the narrator himself.)
Eric Clapton reveals the harrowing tale of his alcoholism and the carnage it created in his life (and the lives of those around him). He unloads the sordid details of his personal failings and the costs incurred. (I don't know much about books on addiction and recovery, but I'd bet this is one of the best books under that heading ever written.)
And, even when he's trying to get his act together, cruel fate deals him unimaginable grief and suffering.
Yet, Clapton perseveres and emerges the better for it. He dedicates himself to noble pursuits and stakes everything he has on them. And in doing so he is redeemed.
This is a great book. It's a compelling story told by a genuinely human narrator. And it is very well written. I didn't hesitate to give it five stars.
In this book, Eric Clapton has plenty to say about all three. But he's got even more to say about a lot of other people, events, places and things. And in doing so, he penned an incredible autobiography.
This an amazing journey narrated by an incredible man. From abject poverty in Ripley, England, Eric Clapton ascended to the top of guitar virtuosity, crashed, burned, won it all, lost it all, rose again, crashed again, somehow survived and then wrote this book.
And this is a brilliantly written book. Clearly it is Clapton's story told by Clapton. And he tells it with great humility and grace.
The story features almost every figure of the blues and rock music as well as contemporary art, design, cinema, fashion and, yes, addiction therapy. All the suspects are here. And Clapton delivers precise insights into each and every one of them. (Including, of course, the narrator himself.)
Eric Clapton reveals the harrowing tale of his alcoholism and the carnage it created in his life (and the lives of those around him). He unloads the sordid details of his personal failings and the costs incurred. (I don't know much about books on addiction and recovery, but I'd bet this is one of the best books under that heading ever written.)
And, even when he's trying to get his act together, cruel fate deals him unimaginable grief and suffering.
Yet, Clapton perseveres and emerges the better for it. He dedicates himself to noble pursuits and stakes everything he has on them. And in doing so he is redeemed.
This is a great book. It's a compelling story told by a genuinely human narrator. And it is very well written. I didn't hesitate to give it five stars.
January 14, 2021
I enjoy biographies about musicians. I thoroughly enjoyed the autobiography of Clapton's long time love/wife Pattie Boyd WONDERFUL TONIGHT. I'm not a Clapton fan, always considered him highly overrated, but I loved the LAYLA album because of the songs, the genius of the late Duane Allman's slide guitar work and the duets Eric sang throughout the album.
When LOUISE reviewed CLAPTON, I decided to read the book because I was intrigued by her review (not the book). Boyd considered Wonderful Tonight song to be a love song, but Louise wrote that after reading Clapton it seemed he had written it out of annoyance, the song was sarcastic. Louise, that made me want to read the book to ascertain if I agreed with you.
After reading this autobiography, I found Clapton to be a unfaithful, serial adulterer, a liar, misogynistic narcissist. It's not the first time I read a biography that made me dislike the person! I found Clapton to be an incredibly boring person because it's based upon his journals, so it's full of a lot of details about his life that aren't interesting. Clapton is not a visual person, so his writing lacks the descriptions that might make this bio more interesting. He does detail his heroin, cocaine & alcohol addictions. Clapton name drops like crazy, this gets nauseating after a while. I realize he's been famous for a LONG time, but Eric refers to so many people as his "good friend" and I don't think anyone has that many good friends, unless they're shallow and don't have a depth of feeling for anyone. BINGO!
Another annoying problem of his writing (he REALLY needed a ghostwriter) when there's two men with the same name, he'll discuss them without the reader being able to tell who he's writing about, this happens a number of times throughout the book. I truly had no idea who he was talking about.
What made me detest him is his callous disregard for his girlfriends; they were as disposable as toilet paper. After living with Charlotte for three years, Eric is finally able to woo Pattie away from George Harrison. Pattie leaves Harrison (probably because he ignored her and had no interest in sex) to move in with Eric. Stunningly, Eric writes that he "told Charlotte to leave, so she moved back to France! She met Jimmy Page and had a relationship with him that gave him his daughter Scarlett." That's it! It's also what he does with every other woman he'd involved with. When someone who's new comes along, Eric beds her and dumps that girlfriend without a thought.
Incredibly, after Pattie, the love of his life, moves in, Eric almost immediately begins to cheat on her! Throughout their marriage, Eric cheated on Pattie with many women. For someone who grew up poor from a broken family, Eric lives the life of a patrician; he collects antiques, paintings, Ferraris, clothes, shoes and eventually he joins Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), Steve Winwood & a few others hunting on the estates of their uber wealthy friends!
Eric cheats on Pattie with an Italian actress who (it seems deliberately) gets pregnant almost immediately; within weeks. Eric doesn't seem to think there's anything wrong with this because he NEVER thinks about the consequences of his actions to others. But having read Pattie's bio, she was DEVASTATED when Eric got his Italian girlfriend pregnant, because Pattie was unable to have children. By the time his son Conor falls out the window (due to his mother's negligence) of the 50 story NYC condo that Eric had rented or bought for the actress, his relationship with the Italian actress is over; because Eric has discovered that she's apparently crazy, prone to tantrums, unreliable.
During this time, Eric finally gets sober. He plans the funeral and amazingly, Pattie attends the funeral. I found the book sad because I'd always assumed that Clapton was besotted by his muse (Pattie), he calls her "the most beautiful woman in the world" and "as I got to know her (when she was still rebuking his advances and married to George) I discovered that she was as beautiful inside as she was out." During this period Eric writes Layla & Other Love Songs, which has a number of passionate love songs about Pattie, records the album and a few years later, plays the album for Pattie to try to get her to leave Harrison. Pattie refuses and they don't see each other for a few years. Eventually, Pattie leaves Harrison, yet as soon as she moves in with Eric he begins cheating on her! Much of their marriage is fighting due to his alcoholic, selfish personality and the lack of sex due to his alcoholism. Pattie went from one husband who ignored her to meditate, to another man who ignored her to drink. So, their big love affair seems to have occurred when Pattie was still with Harrison, refusing Eric's advances; the passion was unrequited love. Eric always got everything he wanted, except Pattie. Once Eric had Pattie, he cheated on her and verbally abused her.
After a lot of touring and a lot more women, none of whom he was faithful to, Eric gets involved with two fans that are half his age. He dates them both, then sleeps with one and when Melia returns, he then sleeps with Melia; she is the woman Clapton married and with whom he had three daughters. Their life is that of the super wealthy, estates in the UK and Antigua, vacations all over the world, nannies, expensive cars, clothes, shopping. Eric fly fishes alone and hunts with men. I suppose marrying a 25 year old woman when he's 56 gives Eric the CONTROL that he needs over everyone and everything. Being insanely wealthy with a callous disregard for the feelings of others, Clapton fires musicians with whom he tours/records without a thought as to their financial futures.
Throughout the book, Eric calls many, many men his "good friend", yet he doesn't seem to be emotionally involved or care about anyone but his current need; shopping, clothes, his career, bedding another "beautiful" woman. Marrying a much younger woman (a fan who asked for a selfie with him & her girlfriend) gave Clapton the right to have a woman who'd give him children, a woman who would make no demands or question his abusive behavior. George Harrison's battle with brain cancer and death are not discussed.
The book left me as empty as Clapton's heart; to quote Gertrude Stein: There's no there, there. He's an empty person, broken as a child, years of addiction prevented him from growing a heart or maybe he's just the narcissist that many famous people are.
Although he's a proponent of the 12 Step Program, Clapton never discusses making amends to all the people her hurt, especially Pattie Boyd, who must be an incredible person because she went to the funeral of the child that Eric conceived with another, younger woman, while Pattie was married to him!
I do think Wonderful Tonight is a love song that was inspired by Eric's annoyance of how long Pattie was taking to get ready... but the lyrics do contain a line about "how much I love you" which makes it a beautiful love song that he got great joy from performing during his tours.
When LOUISE reviewed CLAPTON, I decided to read the book because I was intrigued by her review (not the book). Boyd considered Wonderful Tonight song to be a love song, but Louise wrote that after reading Clapton it seemed he had written it out of annoyance, the song was sarcastic. Louise, that made me want to read the book to ascertain if I agreed with you.
After reading this autobiography, I found Clapton to be a unfaithful, serial adulterer, a liar, misogynistic narcissist. It's not the first time I read a biography that made me dislike the person! I found Clapton to be an incredibly boring person because it's based upon his journals, so it's full of a lot of details about his life that aren't interesting. Clapton is not a visual person, so his writing lacks the descriptions that might make this bio more interesting. He does detail his heroin, cocaine & alcohol addictions. Clapton name drops like crazy, this gets nauseating after a while. I realize he's been famous for a LONG time, but Eric refers to so many people as his "good friend" and I don't think anyone has that many good friends, unless they're shallow and don't have a depth of feeling for anyone. BINGO!
Another annoying problem of his writing (he REALLY needed a ghostwriter) when there's two men with the same name, he'll discuss them without the reader being able to tell who he's writing about, this happens a number of times throughout the book. I truly had no idea who he was talking about.
What made me detest him is his callous disregard for his girlfriends; they were as disposable as toilet paper. After living with Charlotte for three years, Eric is finally able to woo Pattie away from George Harrison. Pattie leaves Harrison (probably because he ignored her and had no interest in sex) to move in with Eric. Stunningly, Eric writes that he "told Charlotte to leave, so she moved back to France! She met Jimmy Page and had a relationship with him that gave him his daughter Scarlett." That's it! It's also what he does with every other woman he'd involved with. When someone who's new comes along, Eric beds her and dumps that girlfriend without a thought.
Incredibly, after Pattie, the love of his life, moves in, Eric almost immediately begins to cheat on her! Throughout their marriage, Eric cheated on Pattie with many women. For someone who grew up poor from a broken family, Eric lives the life of a patrician; he collects antiques, paintings, Ferraris, clothes, shoes and eventually he joins Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), Steve Winwood & a few others hunting on the estates of their uber wealthy friends!
Eric cheats on Pattie with an Italian actress who (it seems deliberately) gets pregnant almost immediately; within weeks. Eric doesn't seem to think there's anything wrong with this because he NEVER thinks about the consequences of his actions to others. But having read Pattie's bio, she was DEVASTATED when Eric got his Italian girlfriend pregnant, because Pattie was unable to have children. By the time his son Conor falls out the window (due to his mother's negligence) of the 50 story NYC condo that Eric had rented or bought for the actress, his relationship with the Italian actress is over; because Eric has discovered that she's apparently crazy, prone to tantrums, unreliable.
During this time, Eric finally gets sober. He plans the funeral and amazingly, Pattie attends the funeral. I found the book sad because I'd always assumed that Clapton was besotted by his muse (Pattie), he calls her "the most beautiful woman in the world" and "as I got to know her (when she was still rebuking his advances and married to George) I discovered that she was as beautiful inside as she was out." During this period Eric writes Layla & Other Love Songs, which has a number of passionate love songs about Pattie, records the album and a few years later, plays the album for Pattie to try to get her to leave Harrison. Pattie refuses and they don't see each other for a few years. Eventually, Pattie leaves Harrison, yet as soon as she moves in with Eric he begins cheating on her! Much of their marriage is fighting due to his alcoholic, selfish personality and the lack of sex due to his alcoholism. Pattie went from one husband who ignored her to meditate, to another man who ignored her to drink. So, their big love affair seems to have occurred when Pattie was still with Harrison, refusing Eric's advances; the passion was unrequited love. Eric always got everything he wanted, except Pattie. Once Eric had Pattie, he cheated on her and verbally abused her.
After a lot of touring and a lot more women, none of whom he was faithful to, Eric gets involved with two fans that are half his age. He dates them both, then sleeps with one and when Melia returns, he then sleeps with Melia; she is the woman Clapton married and with whom he had three daughters. Their life is that of the super wealthy, estates in the UK and Antigua, vacations all over the world, nannies, expensive cars, clothes, shopping. Eric fly fishes alone and hunts with men. I suppose marrying a 25 year old woman when he's 56 gives Eric the CONTROL that he needs over everyone and everything. Being insanely wealthy with a callous disregard for the feelings of others, Clapton fires musicians with whom he tours/records without a thought as to their financial futures.
Throughout the book, Eric calls many, many men his "good friend", yet he doesn't seem to be emotionally involved or care about anyone but his current need; shopping, clothes, his career, bedding another "beautiful" woman. Marrying a much younger woman (a fan who asked for a selfie with him & her girlfriend) gave Clapton the right to have a woman who'd give him children, a woman who would make no demands or question his abusive behavior. George Harrison's battle with brain cancer and death are not discussed.
The book left me as empty as Clapton's heart; to quote Gertrude Stein: There's no there, there. He's an empty person, broken as a child, years of addiction prevented him from growing a heart or maybe he's just the narcissist that many famous people are.
Although he's a proponent of the 12 Step Program, Clapton never discusses making amends to all the people her hurt, especially Pattie Boyd, who must be an incredible person because she went to the funeral of the child that Eric conceived with another, younger woman, while Pattie was married to him!
I do think Wonderful Tonight is a love song that was inspired by Eric's annoyance of how long Pattie was taking to get ready... but the lyrics do contain a line about "how much I love you" which makes it a beautiful love song that he got great joy from performing during his tours.
July 7, 2009
If you're a music fan -- this book is fab. But, if you're interested in Eric Clapton's life, it's a little drab. You feel so sad for him as he chronicles his life spent in a haze of drugs and sex, even sacrificing for his music, but more than that, I was a little creeped out and even angry about his lack of respect for the poor women in his life -- especially Patti Boyd, the "love of his life." By his own admission, he lacked maturity, but after a while, you think, come on, you're a rock star with lots and lots of money, the whole world is at your feet -- pick it up! Finally he does, but the wasted time is almost sickening to witness.
October 22, 2011
'The Autobiography' from Eric Clapton, published in 2007, is perhaps a book I would never have read were it not for the fact that my better half picked this up for me at a local car boot sale. As expected E.C. fills the pages with the usual sixties excess of alcohol, sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll. The family name is actually Clapp. Fortunately this was changed, otherwise that 60's graffiti would have been 'Clapp is God' which thankfully we were spared.
As Eric recounts his rise to rock music icon, from Yardbird to John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominoes and all the way to 461 Ocean Boulevard, the dedicated fan or casual reader will struggle to gain empathy or warm to this man. Clapton's autobiography grows into a full, frank and honest confessional of his struggle with life in the fast lane. A serial adulterer, heavy heroin use and after almost forty years of the booze, a full blown alcoholic.
Thankfully, this book really takes off when this man is on his knees. After rehab, relapse and more rehab, the demons and Eric's dark night of the soul are overcome. Recounted with a searing psychological analysis, the mans career and life are resurrected. Perhaps after reading this, that old sixties graffiti 'Clapton is God' is still misworship. However, there is no doubt, (and at the time of reading this, he is still on the road with a World Tour), funding his Crossroads rehab charity, with a settled and happy family life, he has found his soul and sobriety.
Well done Eric!
As Eric recounts his rise to rock music icon, from Yardbird to John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominoes and all the way to 461 Ocean Boulevard, the dedicated fan or casual reader will struggle to gain empathy or warm to this man. Clapton's autobiography grows into a full, frank and honest confessional of his struggle with life in the fast lane. A serial adulterer, heavy heroin use and after almost forty years of the booze, a full blown alcoholic.
Thankfully, this book really takes off when this man is on his knees. After rehab, relapse and more rehab, the demons and Eric's dark night of the soul are overcome. Recounted with a searing psychological analysis, the mans career and life are resurrected. Perhaps after reading this, that old sixties graffiti 'Clapton is God' is still misworship. However, there is no doubt, (and at the time of reading this, he is still on the road with a World Tour), funding his Crossroads rehab charity, with a settled and happy family life, he has found his soul and sobriety.
Well done Eric!
July 16, 2019
Fascinantan uvid u život iza kulisa jednog od najznačajnijih muzičara ne samo bluz scene već i same istorije muzike druge polovine 20. veka. Uzbudljiv put samospoznaje protkan životnim lekcijama, ali i mnogim zanimljivim činjenicama iz sveta umetnika, muzičara i drugih ljudi koji su igrali manje ili više važnu ulogu u životu autora. Ispričana iz prvog lica odaje utisak iskrenosti autora čiji životni put zaista predstavlja nešto nesvakidašnje. Posebno zadovoljstvo u čitanju redova naći će muzički sladokusci i oni koji traže možda neku inspiraciju za preslušavanje albuma i pesama koje autor i prevodilac ističu. Treba istaći da je Dejan Cukić izuzetno obavio posao prevodioca i uneo niz više nego korisnih i zanimljivih fusnota koje čitanju daju posebnu draž.
April 18, 2008
After reading this I come away with a new perspective on this fellow.
The positives: i) he is obviously a very talented guitarist; ii) he has worked succcessfully to overcome his many personal deamons, and; iii) he has extended a hand to help others overcome their personal deamons.
The negative: this fellow seems more than a little self-absorbed and his closing talk about his yacht just about put me over the edge.
The positives: i) he is obviously a very talented guitarist; ii) he has worked succcessfully to overcome his many personal deamons, and; iii) he has extended a hand to help others overcome their personal deamons.
The negative: this fellow seems more than a little self-absorbed and his closing talk about his yacht just about put me over the edge.
February 26, 2021
Eric Clapton muistelee värikästä ja musiikillisesti enimmäkseen varsin antoisaa elämäänsä simppelisti nimetyssä kirjassa "Eric Clapton - Elämäkerta" (Otava, 2008). En ole ikinä ollut Claptonin ykkösfani, mutta 1960- ja 70-lukujen musiikin ystävänä olen kyllä kuunnellut oman leiviskäni hänen soittoaan niin Creamin ja Blind Faithin kaltaisissa yhtyeissä kuin soolonakin.
Elämäkerrassa keskeiseen osaan nousee bluesin ohella monta vuosikymmentä kestänyt päihdehelvetti, jota addiktiolle altis kitaristi muistelee uorastaan inhorealistisesti. Claptonin ihmissuhteisiin liittyi myös - tai ehkä edellämainitusta johtuen - monenlaista ikävää ja suorastaan julmaa säätämistä. Lienee syytä nostaa hattua niille ihmisille, jotka ovat moisia touhuja joutuneet vierestä katselemaan. Samalla voi uhrata muutaman ajatuksen sille, miten helposti luommekaan kliseisen rock'n'roll-kohelluksen ympärille jonkinlaisen romanttisen sädekehän. Clapton mainitsee itsekin ottaneensa mallia Charlie Parkerin kaltaisten jazzlegendojen elämäntyylistä, eikä se päättynyt kovin hyvin.
Clapton myönsi lopulta olevansa alkoholisti, hankkiutui hoitoon ja sai itsensä kuiville. Elämäkerran loppupuolella myös tarina muuttuu kuivaksi ja sitä olisi voinut aavistuksen verran tiivistää, mikä johtuu siitäkin, että kiinnostavimmat levytykset ovat jo takana eikä kauhean rikkaan rocktähden seestynyt perhe-elämä puhuttele erityisemmin.
Suomennoksesta en keksinyt muuta napisemisen aihetta kuin sen tavallisen, eli miten ihmeessä niin moni kääntäjä haluaa nimetä maailman suurimman urheiluturnauksen "jalkapallon maailmancupiksi"? Se on MM-kisat, hyvänen aika!
Kolme ja puoli tähteä.
Elämäkerrassa keskeiseen osaan nousee bluesin ohella monta vuosikymmentä kestänyt päihdehelvetti, jota addiktiolle altis kitaristi muistelee uorastaan inhorealistisesti. Claptonin ihmissuhteisiin liittyi myös - tai ehkä edellämainitusta johtuen - monenlaista ikävää ja suorastaan julmaa säätämistä. Lienee syytä nostaa hattua niille ihmisille, jotka ovat moisia touhuja joutuneet vierestä katselemaan. Samalla voi uhrata muutaman ajatuksen sille, miten helposti luommekaan kliseisen rock'n'roll-kohelluksen ympärille jonkinlaisen romanttisen sädekehän. Clapton mainitsee itsekin ottaneensa mallia Charlie Parkerin kaltaisten jazzlegendojen elämäntyylistä, eikä se päättynyt kovin hyvin.
Clapton myönsi lopulta olevansa alkoholisti, hankkiutui hoitoon ja sai itsensä kuiville. Elämäkerran loppupuolella myös tarina muuttuu kuivaksi ja sitä olisi voinut aavistuksen verran tiivistää, mikä johtuu siitäkin, että kiinnostavimmat levytykset ovat jo takana eikä kauhean rikkaan rocktähden seestynyt perhe-elämä puhuttele erityisemmin.
Suomennoksesta en keksinyt muuta napisemisen aihetta kuin sen tavallisen, eli miten ihmeessä niin moni kääntäjä haluaa nimetä maailman suurimman urheiluturnauksen "jalkapallon maailmancupiksi"? Se on MM-kisat, hyvänen aika!
Kolme ja puoli tähteä.
February 3, 2009
I got into Eric Clapton because of The Yardbirds, who I got into because of Jimmy Page. Now, the story is that Clapton left The Yardbirds because they were “going pop” and he was a “blues purist.” This bore out with his next band, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Then he started Cream, which was a little bluesy. Sometimes. Blind Faith, same story. Then Clapton made 461 Ocean Boulevard followed by, I don’t know, too many tepid, mediocre, middle of the road albums, sometimes scoring a… that’s right… pop hit. But the “blues purist” angle was pretty much out the window until the 90’s. When his music was bluesy, it tended to follow what I think of as prescribed, by the numbers, modernized Chicago blues nonsense. This isn’t to say Me And Mr. Johnson isn’t a cool record or that there weren’t good songs. It’s more like Clapton’s full of it.
Clapton’s autobiography is a study in ego, arrogance, self absorption and self destruction. It comes off as Clapton apologizing for all the bad decisions and ruined lives he left behind him but it’s a very insincere apology. It’s like this guy really doesn’t feel much. His childhood goes a long way towards explaining this but, geez louise.
The sharp contrast to this is when Clapton talks about his son’s death and how this instigated him to become a better father to his other children. The boy’s death was so tragic, senseless and horrible.
Clapton also talks about his rehab journey, setting up the Crossroads Foundation, helping friends kick their habits and so forth. I know he’s a compassionate person, but it just doesn’t come across in this book. And the way he talks about fashion, buying Ferraris and yachts, traveling, he comes off like a snob.
I was disappointed that he didn’t talk more about the music and musicians from The Yardbirds, Cream, even Blind Faith or Derek & The Dominoes. Hey, Eric! You’re a guitar player! It’s nice you were a junkie and a father and a business man and whatever but you wouldn’t even be Eric Clapton without the music. Imagine, a musician thinking they were interesting! What a laugh!
I kid, I kid.
Clapton’s autobiography is a study in ego, arrogance, self absorption and self destruction. It comes off as Clapton apologizing for all the bad decisions and ruined lives he left behind him but it’s a very insincere apology. It’s like this guy really doesn’t feel much. His childhood goes a long way towards explaining this but, geez louise.
The sharp contrast to this is when Clapton talks about his son’s death and how this instigated him to become a better father to his other children. The boy’s death was so tragic, senseless and horrible.
Clapton also talks about his rehab journey, setting up the Crossroads Foundation, helping friends kick their habits and so forth. I know he’s a compassionate person, but it just doesn’t come across in this book. And the way he talks about fashion, buying Ferraris and yachts, traveling, he comes off like a snob.
I was disappointed that he didn’t talk more about the music and musicians from The Yardbirds, Cream, even Blind Faith or Derek & The Dominoes. Hey, Eric! You’re a guitar player! It’s nice you were a junkie and a father and a business man and whatever but you wouldn’t even be Eric Clapton without the music. Imagine, a musician thinking they were interesting! What a laugh!
I kid, I kid.
February 22, 2020
I have been struggling with how one rates an autobiography. Do you rate based on writing style/literary merit? Or do you rate based on how much you learned about the author, or how detailed the information is about the author's life, or based on how honest you think the author has been?
Well, other than writing style, which is surprisingly better than I would have thought, this one fall short in the other areas listed above. In fact, this book is a perfect example of the saying that "you shouldn't meet your heroes". There are definite gaps in the author's life, to a large extent because he was addicted to heroin for three years and then went directly from there to alcohol addiction which lasted over 20 years. So there are a large number of experiences the author does not remember at all.
And what I found really distressing is how the author treated people throughout his life, often abusively, and the negative impact he had on so many people's lives.
I am glad Clapton has been able to turn his life around, but I can't seem to forgive him for his selfishness and ego-centricity.
Well, other than writing style, which is surprisingly better than I would have thought, this one fall short in the other areas listed above. In fact, this book is a perfect example of the saying that "you shouldn't meet your heroes". There are definite gaps in the author's life, to a large extent because he was addicted to heroin for three years and then went directly from there to alcohol addiction which lasted over 20 years. So there are a large number of experiences the author does not remember at all.
And what I found really distressing is how the author treated people throughout his life, often abusively, and the negative impact he had on so many people's lives.
I am glad Clapton has been able to turn his life around, but I can't seem to forgive him for his selfishness and ego-centricity.
June 29, 2020
Kinda wish I hadn't read this. 😒So poorly written and full of hyperbole, this autobiography reveals what an epic douchebag Clapton is: misogynist, womanizer, serial cheater, unaccountable for almost everything until he's 60, lame god revelations, and an inability to see women as human beings. Have copious amounts of heroin and alcohol depleted this person of the use of adjectives? The man can't seem to describe women in his life without talking about their body shape or the length of their hair. Gross. Felt sick to my stomach reading about his final affair and marriage to yet another child, as he described falling for someone with "no ambition." What? His words, not mine. Talk about compensating!
Damnit though, I like his music. I wish I were one of those people who can separate the art from the artist, but I'm not.
Damnit though, I like his music. I wish I were one of those people who can separate the art from the artist, but I'm not.
November 8, 2022
Jack Black emerging from the forehead of the Queen might or might not elicit the raising of an eyebrow from Clapton. He was right there for everything yet seems to have found the action boring and the characters wanting. Mystery hour. He is honest, that and his position at ringside give this book the faint pulse it has. This could easily have been a great book like Levon Helms' This Wheel's On Fire. Instead we get great material told by an indifferent participant in a flat style.
August 15, 2020
I'm not a huge Clapton fan, although I will say I named my cat Layla. If you are a huge fan I think you will love this book. He is brutally honest about his drug use and infidelities. It dragged some for me when he got into the business end of the music industry. I think this book could have been a bit condensed but otherwise it was a 3 star book for me...liked it, didnt love it.
February 25, 2019
Ich habe die Autobiographie als Hörbuch in Englisch gehört, gelesen von Simon Vance. Mir hat die Stimme und die Art zu lesen von Simon Vance so gut gefallen, dass ich nach weiteren Hörbüchern von ihm Ausschau halten werde.
Die Autobiographie von Eric Clapton hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Es ist eine sehr offene Darstellung seines bisherigen Lebens, mit allen Höhen und Tiefen. Es gab viele Tiefen, aber zum Glück mit einem Happy End.
Ich habe mich darüber gewundert mit wie vielen Musikern und Bands er gearbeitet hat und aufgetreten ist. Das war mir vorher gar nicht so bewusst. Auch die Geschichte hinter einigen seiner Lieder lernt man kennen.
Sehr lesenswert.
Die Autobiographie von Eric Clapton hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Es ist eine sehr offene Darstellung seines bisherigen Lebens, mit allen Höhen und Tiefen. Es gab viele Tiefen, aber zum Glück mit einem Happy End.
Ich habe mich darüber gewundert mit wie vielen Musikern und Bands er gearbeitet hat und aufgetreten ist. Das war mir vorher gar nicht so bewusst. Auch die Geschichte hinter einigen seiner Lieder lernt man kennen.
Sehr lesenswert.
February 23, 2024
Eric Clapton is lucky to be alive…good grief…Parts of this is very cringy and just gross….I've been a fan of his since I was a kid of course…and I’ve heard some not so great things about his character…he addresses some things in this book, and it makes sense, and he’s definitely cleaned up his act a lot, and did explain himself quite a bit…I listened on audible…not read by Eric, but very well done…what a life he’s led for sure…
February 23, 2020
I recently read Pattie Boyd’s book, Wonderful Tonight. After reading Pattie’s story, I wanted to find out more about Eric Clapton’s story. I’m aware of Clapton’s history of addiction to drugs and alcohol, so I can’t say I was surprised by some of what I read. What really surprised me was how awful he treated people, especially the women that he was involved with. I also found him to be a bit of a snob when it came to other music genres.
The only thing that somewhat redeemed Clapton was that he seems to own his terrible behaviors. Granted most of his bad behaviors stemmed from his substance abuse problems and his childhood issues. I also sensed a sadness with Clapton throughout the book. He just always seemed to be chasing the next best thing with his music and his personal relationships and never seemed to find it until he married his current wife, Malia.
The saddest part of the story for me, was the chapter on his son. Connor, who died at the age of 4 in a freak accident. Connor’s death inspired the hit song, “Tears in Heaven”. It also appears that Connor’s death was a catalyst for Clapton to get his life on track. Overall, I found Clapton to be somewhat remorseful for his terrible behavior. I’m sure like most of us, as we get older we reflect on our lives and realize that we are all somewhat flawed human beings. Overall, I enjoyed the book and found it to be informative.
The only thing that somewhat redeemed Clapton was that he seems to own his terrible behaviors. Granted most of his bad behaviors stemmed from his substance abuse problems and his childhood issues. I also sensed a sadness with Clapton throughout the book. He just always seemed to be chasing the next best thing with his music and his personal relationships and never seemed to find it until he married his current wife, Malia.
The saddest part of the story for me, was the chapter on his son. Connor, who died at the age of 4 in a freak accident. Connor’s death inspired the hit song, “Tears in Heaven”. It also appears that Connor’s death was a catalyst for Clapton to get his life on track. Overall, I found Clapton to be somewhat remorseful for his terrible behavior. I’m sure like most of us, as we get older we reflect on our lives and realize that we are all somewhat flawed human beings. Overall, I enjoyed the book and found it to be informative.
February 6, 2022
Very interesting if you are interested in Eric Clapton's career, especially the early days.
Clapton seems to have had it all; fame and money at a very early age, not always a good combination. His descent into alcohol and drug abuse is all to see in this book. You feel like you are going down with him - its a no holds barred kind of feeling .
He writes from the heart about losing his son and meeting his wife Melia and his feelings on becoming a father to three girls.
The fire and passion that he put into his early playing are conveyed by the way that he used his guitar for expressing his emotions in ways that he otherwise felt shy about. He is very honest about his addictive personality and his over dependence on drugs and alcohol. He is also honest about his womanizing and inability to commit to one woman at a time.
There were periods in his life where he was suicidal, but I found myself not especially sympathetic. Here was a man who jumped on the music bandwagon of the Sixties, always did what he wanted to do and made a good living doing the one thing in life that he was especially good at. Clapton comes across as articulate and comprehensive regarding the darker periods in his life, in spite of whatever substances were affecting him at the time.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the British Rock/Blues scene or anyone with an interest in conquering addictions.
4 stars 🍺💉🎸🎶💘
Clapton seems to have had it all; fame and money at a very early age, not always a good combination. His descent into alcohol and drug abuse is all to see in this book. You feel like you are going down with him - its a no holds barred kind of feeling .
He writes from the heart about losing his son and meeting his wife Melia and his feelings on becoming a father to three girls.
The fire and passion that he put into his early playing are conveyed by the way that he used his guitar for expressing his emotions in ways that he otherwise felt shy about. He is very honest about his addictive personality and his over dependence on drugs and alcohol. He is also honest about his womanizing and inability to commit to one woman at a time.
There were periods in his life where he was suicidal, but I found myself not especially sympathetic. Here was a man who jumped on the music bandwagon of the Sixties, always did what he wanted to do and made a good living doing the one thing in life that he was especially good at. Clapton comes across as articulate and comprehensive regarding the darker periods in his life, in spite of whatever substances were affecting him at the time.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the British Rock/Blues scene or anyone with an interest in conquering addictions.
4 stars 🍺💉🎸🎶💘
December 7, 2022
An interesting and candid autobiography from this master of blues music and guitar-player extraordinaire, stretching from his illegitimate birth in Surrey in 1945 to rock superstar via severe problems with addiction (both alcohol and drugs), his womanising and his attempts to be a better person. Good read - 8/10.
April 7, 2011
After a second run-through, this time listening to the audio book, I noticed a lot that I missed the first time around.
Most of the first half of the book talks about his childhood and establishing himself as the greatest guitarist in the world - My words, not his - talking about how he got involved with the various bands and musicians he played with and that influenced his career and his playing styles. Interspersed is talk of drink, drugs and the women he was involved with.
The second half of the book focuses primarily on his well-known addictions to heroin and alcohol, the women in his life, and how he got clean and sober. The music is still a large part of the book, but not the MAIN topic.
Over-all, this was a GREAT read. My only wish is that Eric would have read the audio-book himself.
Most of the first half of the book talks about his childhood and establishing himself as the greatest guitarist in the world - My words, not his - talking about how he got involved with the various bands and musicians he played with and that influenced his career and his playing styles. Interspersed is talk of drink, drugs and the women he was involved with.
The second half of the book focuses primarily on his well-known addictions to heroin and alcohol, the women in his life, and how he got clean and sober. The music is still a large part of the book, but not the MAIN topic.
Over-all, this was a GREAT read. My only wish is that Eric would have read the audio-book himself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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