Eric Clapton and his iconic album "Unplugged" (1992)
Содержание
The year 1992 saw a lot of interesting things happening on the music scene. Some consider this milestone to be one of the last in the history of good rock music. Among the many exciting releases in 1992 was an album that not only became one of the most important live albums in music history, but was also a commercial success, selling 26 million copies worldwide. It won three Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song. Today we're going to talk about Eric Clapton's Unplugged album.
In January 1992, armed with a Martin acoustic guitar, Eric Clapton and several of his musicians performed acoustic versions of original compositions as well as a few blues classics before a small audience: for the world-famous Unplugged television show on MTV. By the way, the word "Unplugged" is used when talking about guitars and amplifiers, wires and plugs, it translates to "Unplugged", meaning the concert is purely acoustic. This live album was one of the first ever MTV albums and therefore a turning point in Eric Clapton's career. Even critics consider this album to be the best, most sincere release of all time. Cool, yet charming and very soulful, Unplugged was as important for Clapton as it was for MTV: the album proved that music is the one place where ordinary people and icons like Eric Clapton himself can freely express and redefine the boundaries of their musicality.
Tears in Heaven.
It takes a lot of courage and inner strength to overcome life's endless challenges, and Eric Clapton must have faced many of them. In addition to being a drug addict and alcoholic (and he managed to overcome these ailments), Eric also had to bury his good friends. And probably the most important tragedy of his life was the tragic loss of his 4-year-old son Conor in 1991. Because of this grief and the musician's indescribable pain, one of his most heartbreaking and emotional ballads was born: "Tears in Heaven" debuted as the soundtrack to the film Gust. Eric Clapton, however, recorded a new version of the song for his Unplugged album. The tender and absolutely heartbreaking hit single was one of the most remarkable achievements of his musical career. It's the highlight of this concert, if you will.....
https://youtu.be/7g2IlaDLVLo
Layla (Unplugged)
Eric Clapton's most famous work during his time with Derek & The Dominos, "Layla" is reincarnated into cosy acoustic bliss on Unplugged. To compare it to the original 7-minute epic ballad would be unwise, though many fans found more solace in this slower, less aggressive and more easily digestible version of the legendary song. Delicate guitars along with Clapton's heartfelt and soulful vocal singing make "Layla" the perfect lullaby.
https://youtu.be/sQ5idZHWVn4
Old Love.
One of Journeyman 's (1989) most successful singles, "Old Love" was also selected as one of the 14 tracks featured on Unplugged. An equally worthy new version of the bluesy tune guarantees the listener an unforgettable experience.
Alberta
"Unplugged" is filled with beautiful musical moments, representing the honest and pure talent of musician Eric Clapton. One thing he never forgets to do in his projects is to pay homage to the legendary bluesmen he grew up listening to, immortalising their songs and introducing them to new generations. Among the blues classics he has chosen for Unplugged are "Before You Accuse Me" (Bo Diddley's), "Alberta" (Leadbelly's), "Walkin' Blues" and "Malted Milk" (Robert Johnson's).
On the lavish Unplugged release, we can also hear early versions of "My Father's Eyes" and "Circus" that would eventually be featured on Eric Clapton's 13th studio album, Pilgrim, six years later.
"Unplugged" is Eric Clapton's party in the 90's! The 80's are gone, and with them went the era of radios, AOR (the format of mainstream American FM radio stations), and a very thoughtful and serious approach to music....
Although Eric Clapton has maintained his authenticity as a bluesman, these 80's recordings still fall under the category of modern 80's soft rock. When the '90s arrived, Clapton embarked on a new journey - a journey of self-discovery and absolute honesty. That's why "Unplugged" became so successful - it was the perfect realisation of the phrase: "what you see is what you get". Eric Clapton simply rose from the ashes with ease and comfort! You can feel his confidence and sincerity in every song!
This album revitalised the musician's career and helped him get on with his life after the tragic death of his son. On top of that, he was supported by the biggest musical force of the new age - the MTV audience. After the immense popularity of Unplugged, the show became an even bigger force, featuring some of the most talented musicians of all time - Roxette, Nirvana, Bruce Springsteen, Eagles, Sting...
It's been over 20 years since its release, but this live album will forever be one of the highlights of Eric Clapton's career and, in fact, one of MTV's most significant legacies!
