Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton
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Book Reviews of Clapton: The Autobiography
Book Review: Spellbinding
Summary: 5 Stars
Clapton has always been a hero of mine, and I've always known that his personal life, as reported in the media, has been a bit of a mess. But I had no idea what a big mess it was - at least up until he got sober. And for anyone needing a compelling, albeit lengthy, before-and-after 12-step success story, this is it. I have known drunks and addicts who died long before indulging to the degree that Clapton describes in this book. That he has lived to tell this story is a miracle itself.
But this is not the only part of the story that fascinated me. Having been a fan and an aspiring musician since the 60s, I found this book to be the ultimate insider's view of the British invasion and the rock industry since the 60s. Clapton describes how different British artists picked up on various American artists and either modified the original sound to suit their style or sought to faithfully reproduce the original sound. Clapton early on found himself in the purist camp and quickly distanced himself from those who went for a more popular sound, often to detriment of his career. In this part of the story, he tells of the many famous people he played with, his interactions with them, and his personal feelings toward them, which might be the most interesting feature of the book.
And then there's his love life. He tells how his first attempt at a sexual experience blows up in his face and how much of the rest of his life he seem to be having serial meaningless sexual encounters. At one point he appears to finally get it, when he admits that all along he seems to always want what he can't have, and once he does get it/her, it's not all he expected it to be. Once he sobers up, he eventually gets his love life sorted out, too.
In short, this is the most enjoyable book I've read in a long time. I found it absolutely captivating, and I pretty much only put it down to sleep.
Book Review: Good book
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book because I grew up 6 miles away from Ripley (Eric's hometown) in Sunbury. Ripley is now part of the commuter belt but back in the 70's it was just out in the country. So I am very familiar with all the places. Especially the one music store in Kingston he talks about. Eric, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page all grew up within 10 miles of each other. Jeff and Jimmy went to the same primary school.
In fact a friend of mine answered his phone one day and someone on the other line said "This is Eric Clapton..", My friend promptly said "Yeah and I'm Jimi Hendrix" and hung up.
Eric called back and said "Don't hang up, your two daughters (names given) got lost in the woods and showed up at my house. And I am bloody Eric Clapton!" Long story short Eric met up with my friend on his golf cart and gave
him his kids back. True Story.
In the book, the rehab part is pretty funny, Eric had to set the table in his group and I think he was scared of the the big burly New York fireman who was in charge and who didn't know or care who Eric Clapton was.
Being an addict sounds horrible. Always having to mess with shady dealers and bad drugs.
I saw him in concert in 74 which was right after his worst drug spell.
Strange childhood, he was brought up by his grandparents and didn't know his sister was really his mum until much later.
She had been impregnated by a Canadian soldier at age 15 during WWII and his grandparents covered it all up by pretending Eric was their child.
Last thing, he never knew his father, but met him a few years back in Florida. And his father was a musician who liked Florida.
Book Review: Honesty in all his affairs
Summary: 5 Stars
I gave Clapton's autobiography 5 stars because the reading experience was so enjoyable for me. Well actually, the listening experience -- I got the CDs. From reading other Amazon reviews I see people are rating the book with only 1 or 2 stars based on their take on Clapton's character, his writing skills, his "ego" and so on. These reviewers are shocked and disturbed by Eric's self-revelations. Fair play to them for their opinions, though they make me wonder if they fully grasp the very well known fact that Clapton was a rock and roll star from the 60s who partied hard. These reviewers might be better off reading a Charlie Watts bio if they're so easily dismayed by unadorned tales of sex drugs and rocknroll.
What makes Clapton's story so admirable and interesting to me is how freely he lays out the good and bad about himself. In the end, Clapton is not a god, on the inside he's just a guy like the rest of us who had a great deal of talent and luck.
The only thing in the book that bugged me came right at the end, where Clapton naively comments on how "we" would be better off if their were no more record companies. Clapton says this after telling us at length of the many houses he owns across the world, his fabulous yatch, his taste in fine watches, etc, all paid for with the giga google gaga millions he's made in the music biz. I don't begrudge Clapton for making lots of money and spending it any way he likes. But Eric, just how was it you made so much $$$ in the music biz? Even given your talent, could you have ever made any real money in music without the record companies working for you?
Book Review: If you want to read about sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, you won't be disappointed.
Summary: 5 Stars
I often find that the problem with autobiographies is that the author is quite
frequently too soft on himself or herself . . . an exception is CLAPTON by
Eric Clapton, which I found to be brutally honest.
As the author notes: "I found a pattern in my behavior that has been repeating
itself for years, decades even. Bad choices were my speciality,and if something
honest and decent came along, I would shun it or run the other day."
Consequently, if you want to read about sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, this book
won't disappoint you . . . Clapton traces every step of his career, and it was
all fascinating stuff--even his upbringing as an illegitimate child raised by
his grandparents . . . I liked the details of his early stints with the Yardbirds
and Cream, as well as the stories behind his solo successes.
There was also much information about his drug and alcohol addictions, along
with the story behind his obsession with Pattie Boyd . . . then, just as his life was
coming together, he was struck by the death of his beloved son Conor in a freak
accident . . . yet having become a much stronger man, he took comfort in his
music and responded with the beautiful "Tears in Heaven."
I heard a CD version of this book, and though I was disappointed it wasn't read
by Clapton, I was more than satisfied by the job done by Bill Nighy (long one
of my favorite character actors) . . . if I didn't know any better, I could have
been fooled into believing that he was the author.
Book Review: Inspiring
Summary: 5 Stars
I read some of the one star reviews and feel like we must have read different books. I thoroughly enjoyed EC's very honest portrayal of his life. Of course he was terrible in his relationships with women for most of his life - he was a major alcoholic and drug addict! Clapton realized that in spite of all the money and fame he had, that his life was extremely lonely, isolated and in the pits. He went through one heck of a journey to clean up his life and finally beat the incredible hold that drugs and alcohol had on him. I can't even imagine how difficult that was.
He was selfish pre-recovery, but post recovery was slowly evolving into a whole person. Out of this lack of selfishness he felt compelled to establish Crossroads Centre at his own expense. That is walking the walk and clearly wanting to help others escape from the hell that EC knows drugs and alcohol can inflict. And what was Pattie Boyd doing when he came home from his first rehab at Hazelden? She was drinking and doing cocaine in front of him. Great help she was. If you read her book, you'll see that she has yet to renounce the toll that drugs took on her friends and family (many deceased because of these addictions). Clapton however, is a superstar who still goes to recovery meetings! I believe he wrote this book to give people hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I have a huge amount of respect for him opening his life, warts and all. There are definitely two major chapters of his life, and I've no doubt he has a huge appreciation for his life now. I think it was an absolutely wonderful, honest, inspiring book.