I have always dug this Eric Clapton song*, especially when performed “live” as in this video. Sit back. Enjoy. A great way to start one’s week.
*Cocaine was originally a song written and recorded by J.J. Cale in 1975 and most widely known as a cover version recorded by Eric Clapton.
I attended the Dec ’79 concert at the Tokyo Budokan, which became the “Just One Night” recording…
I never claim to have “seen” EC, as our seats were in the 3rd balcony and the stage was so far away it was impossible to tell who was on it.
But, I definitely remember how good the acoustics were in the building (it was more like wearing really good headphones turned up really loud than a ‘live’ event), and figured that was why so many concerts were recorded there… It was a great sounding show.
And thanks to the Japanese propensity for waiting politely and quietly for the next song to start (unlike the crazed American in the 3rd balcony who would NOT shut up), I made it onto the recording: buried way back – but still audible – in the mix, between the 2nd & 3rd songs (or was it 3rd & 4th?) on the recording, you can hear some idiot scream out “Cocaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnne”!
That was me…
Also of interest: that recording reportedly contained no overdubs and was a straight take of the evening, which I can confirm; however, Layla was left off the release – something I never quite understood, as it rocked my socks off…
Thanks for the ‘re-issue’ of that memory, Kids!
[quote comment=”3267″]I made it onto the recording: buried way back – but still audible – in the mix, between the 2nd & 3rd songs (or was it 3rd & 4th?) on the recording, you can hear some idiot scream out “Cocaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnne”!
That was me…[/quote]
Lol! Now I have got to get my hands on that album…
eric clapton is an abomination to the blues and rock and roll.
[quote comment=”3271″]eric clapton is an abomination to the blues and rock and roll.[/quote]
Where have YOU been all my life?
[quote comment=”3268″][quote comment=”3267″]I made it onto the recording: buried way back – but still audible – in the mix, between the 2nd & 3rd songs (or was it 3rd & 4th?) on the recording, you can hear some idiot scream out “Cocaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnne”!
That was me…[/quote]
Lol! Now I have got to get my hands on that album…[/quote]
0:05 seconds in, just before the song is to begin, right, SOFA? Zappa fans appear in the most delightful of places, don’t they, Barry?
On a side note, I’ve never understood the animosity some FZ fans feel for EC, especially considering all the great music EC has made with the likes of Cream, Sonny Boy Williamson, and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Go figure.
[quote comment=”3277″][quote comment=”3268″][quote comment=”3267″]I made it onto the recording: buried way back – but still audible – in the mix, between the 2nd & 3rd songs (or was it 3rd & 4th?) on the recording, you can hear some idiot scream out “Cocaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnne”!
That was me…[/quote]
Lol! Now I have got to get my hands on that album…[/quote]
0:05 seconds in, just before the song is to begin, right, SOFA? Zappa fans appear in the most delightful of places, don’t they, Barry?
On a side note, I’ve never understood the animosity some FZ fans feel for EC, especially considering all the great music EC has made with the likes of Cream, Sonny Boy Williamson, and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Go figure.[/quote]
Don’t get me wrong, I love Clapton up to and including Derek & The Dominoes – rest is just a major snoozefest for me. Probably due in part to me not being a guitarist. (I is a drummer.)
The Mayall record is AWESOME – and I love me some Cream any old day. The early Yardbirds stuff…meh, especially considering their stuff with Beck (my favorite era) or Page. I like the Blind Faith record just fine, too. I just feel that in the time since then he’s produced more crap than gold. (Same can be said for The Who or The Rolling Stones, post-1978. I LOVE both of those bands, but it’s their early stuff that has me captivated.)
(Sorry, I’m quotation challenged…)
Yeah, ug, right before the next song begins. I also remember that it got a laugh out of our balcony section when it echoed thru-out the Hall. When I saw the LP released, and checked the date on the cover, I bought it just to see if I had made it onto the recording; drove my wife crazy for a couple days playing it over and over…
I’ve always been fond of Eric – I find something enjoyable in all of his “phases”. I think it’s his sense of melody (sorry, I can’t explain it better; I’m an untrained vocalist, cursed with perfect relative pitch. To me, EC feels his way around a chord progression – in a melodic sense – as well as anyone).
I am surprised by the vetriol EC generates. But then, I’m just as surprised by the same when it comes to Frank… I guess it’s like FZ said: “If you like it, it’s bitchin – if you don’t, it sucks”.
I will say that sonically, that Budokan concert was one of best I’ve ever heard/experienced (thanks mostly to the crowd – well, with one glaring. exception). I’d wager that an audience boot of that night would sound almost as nice as the soundboard.
i can’t stand any clapton. he is a sonic vampire that sucks the soul out of any melody unfortunate enough to find itself on his fretboard.
[quote comment=”3277″][quote comment=”3268″][quote comment=”3267″]I made it onto the recording: buried way back – but still audible – in the mix, between the 2nd & 3rd songs (or was it 3rd & 4th?) on the recording, you can hear some idiot scream out “Cocaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnne”!
That was me…[/quote]
Lol! Now I have got to get my hands on that album…[/quote]
0:05 seconds in, just before the song is to begin, right, SOFA? Zappa fans appear in the most delightful of places, don’t they, Barry?
On a side note, I’ve never understood the animosity some FZ fans feel for EC, especially considering all the great music EC has made with the likes of Cream, Sonny Boy Williamson, and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Go figure.[/quote]
Cream, Derek and the Dominos and the other stuff was cool but then he blanded out (especially in the ’80s).
Having attended more EC gigs than you’ve had hot dinners (although not the one at The Budokan) I can say without fear of contradiction that he’s pretty darn good. Agreed, his recent ‘new’ material has tended to be somewhat MOR but when he plays the blues he still sends shivers down the spine.
I feature in the crowd on the bonus live album with the ‘deluxe’ reissue of 461 Ocean Boulevard!
[quote comment=”3280″][quote comment=”3277″][quote comment=”3268″][quote comment=”3267″]I made it onto the recording: buried way back – but still audible – in the mix, between the 2nd & 3rd songs (or was it 3rd & 4th?) on the recording, you can hear some idiot scream out “Cocaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnne”!
That was me…[/quote]
Lol! Now I have got to get my hands on that album…[/quote]
0:05 seconds in, just before the song is to begin, right, SOFA? Zappa fans appear in the most delightful of places, don’t they, Barry?
On a side note, I’ve never understood the animosity some FZ fans feel for EC, especially considering all the great music EC has made with the likes of Cream, Sonny Boy Williamson, and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Go figure.[/quote]
Don’t get me wrong, I love Clapton up to and including Derek & The Dominoes – rest is just a major snoozefest for me. Probably due in part to me not being a guitarist. (I is a drummer.)
The Mayall record is AWESOME – and I love me some Cream any old day. The early Yardbirds stuff…meh, especially considering their stuff with Beck (my favorite era) or Page. I like the Blind Faith record just fine, too. I just feel that in the time since then he’s produced more crap than gold. (Same can be said for The Who or The Rolling Stones, post-1978. I LOVE both of those bands, but it’s their early stuff that has me captivated.)[/quote]
I think the very same thing can be said about any group and/or musician (and I’m no doubt going to be bloody flamed for saying this) including Zappa. I mean, at what point do they release an album because it’s actually something new in the artist’s canon of works, or just to pay the bills and generate some much needed income. I think it can be agreed that the 70s were FZ’s most creative and prolific period musically, yes? The albums released during that time are nearly flawless, in my opinion, both on a musical level, an artistic one, as well as on a satirical/sardonical level. This doesn’t mean I loved the later (or early) albums any less. The same goes for Clapton (as well as Paige, Plant, and Beck, etc). Sure, some tracks are better than others. Some are almost forgettable, quite frankly. But then, once and a while, that old magic resurfaces and bang! they hit it right on the mark (which is no doubt one of many reasons I keep on buying and collecting posthumous FZ recordings: I want to re-live and re-experience that same magic I remember when I first fell in love with his music). Even those EC albums described as “bland” still have their moments: that’s what I listen for.
[quote comment=”3286″]i can’t stand any clapton. he is a sonic vampire that sucks the soul out of any melody unfortunate enough to find itself on his fretboard.[/quote]
I think I’m in LOVE!
[quote comment=”3293″][quote comment=”3286″]i can’t stand any clapton. he is a sonic vampire that sucks the soul out of any melody unfortunate enough to find itself on his fretboard.[/quote]
I think I’m in LOVE![/quote]
Hey – stop using my name. Jerk.
[quote comment=”3291″][quote comment=”3280″][quote comment=”3277″][quote comment=”3268″][quote comment=”3267″]I made it onto the recording: buried way back – but still audible – in the mix, between the 2nd & 3rd songs (or was it 3rd & 4th?) on the recording, you can hear some idiot scream out “Cocaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnne”!
That was me…[/quote]
Lol! Now I have got to get my hands on that album…[/quote]
0:05 seconds in, just before the song is to begin, right, SOFA? Zappa fans appear in the most delightful of places, don’t they, Barry?
On a side note, I’ve never understood the animosity some FZ fans feel for EC, especially considering all the great music EC has made with the likes of Cream, Sonny Boy Williamson, and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Go figure.[/quote]
Don’t get me wrong, I love Clapton up to and including Derek & The Dominoes – rest is just a major snoozefest for me. Probably due in part to me not being a guitarist. (I is a drummer.)
The Mayall record is AWESOME – and I love me some Cream any old day. The early Yardbirds stuff…meh, especially considering their stuff with Beck (my favorite era) or Page. I like the Blind Faith record just fine, too. I just feel that in the time since then he’s produced more crap than gold. (Same can be said for The Who or The Rolling Stones, post-1978. I LOVE both of those bands, but it’s their early stuff that has me captivated.)[/quote]
I think the very same thing can be said about any group and/or musician (and I’m no doubt going to be bloody flamed for saying this) including Zappa. I mean, at what point do they release an album because it’s actually something new in the artist’s canon of works, or just to pay the bills and generate some much needed income. I think it can be agreed that the 70s were FZ’s most creative and prolific period musically, yes? The albums released during that time are nearly flawless, in my opinion, both on a musical level, an artistic one, as well as on a satirical/sardonical level. This doesn’t mean I loved the later (or early) albums any less. The same goes for Clapton (as well as Paige, Plant, and Beck, etc). Sure, some tracks are better than others. Some are almost forgettable, quite frankly. But then, once and a while, that old magic resurfaces and bang! they hit it right on the mark (which is no doubt one of many reasons I keep on buying and collecting posthumous FZ recordings: I want to re-live and re-experience that same magic I remember when I first fell in love with his music). Even those EC albums described as “bland” still have their moments: that’s what I listen for.[/quote]
Urban – I’m with you on that. I might never listen to ‘Emotional Rescue’ in whole, but dammit if “She’s So Cold” isn’t on a driving mix or two. Those little moments serve as a nice reminder that on some level – whatever level – our heroes have still “got it.”
[quote comment=”3277″]0:05 seconds in, just before the SONG is to begin, right, SOFA?[/quote]
What SONG???
A few more questions, please(sorry, that came out like Charlie Chan?!).
Is that Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass. And who is on guitar trading licks with Clapton toward the end?