ERIC CLAPTON

E R I C ...C L A P T O N
M E G A P O S T

CROSSROADS (1988)
320 KBPS

A four-disc box set spanning Eric Clapton's entire career — running from the Yardbirds to his '80s solo recordings — Crossroads not only revitalized Clapton's commercial standing, but it established the rock & roll multi-disc box set retrospective as a commercially viable proposition. Bob Dylan's Biograph was successful two years before the release of Crossroads, but Clapton's set was a bona fide blockbuster. And it's easy to see why. Crossroads manages to sum up Clapton's career succinctly and thoroughly, touching upon all of his hits and adding a bevy of first-rate unreleased material (most notably selections from the scrapped second Derek and the Dominos album). Although not all of his greatest performances are included on the set — none of his work as a session musician or guest artist is included, for instance — every truly essential item he recorded is present on these four discs. No other Clapton album accurately explains why the guitarist was so influential, or demonstrates exactly what he accomplished.

Disc 1
1. Boom Boom - The Yardbirds
2. Honey in Your Hips - The Yardbirds
3. Baby What's Wrong - The Yardbirds
4. I Wish You Would - The Yardbirds
5. Certain Girl - The Yardbirds
6. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl - The Yardbirds
7. I Ain't Got You - The Yardbirds
8. For Your Love - The Yardbirds
9. Got to Hurry - The Yardbirds
10. Lonely Years - John Mayall and Eric Clapton
11. Bernard Jenkins - John Mayall and Eric Clapton
12. Hideaway - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
13. All Your Love - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
14. Rambling on My Mind - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
15. Have You Ever Loved a Woman [Live] - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
16. Wrapping Paper - Cream
17. I Feel Free - Cream
18. Spoonful - Cream
19. Lawdy Mama - Cream
20. Strange Brew - Cream
21. Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
22. Tales of Brave Ulysses - Cream
23. Steppin' Out - Cream

Disc 2
1. Anyone for Tennis - Cream
2. White Room - Cream
3. Crossroads [Live] - Cream
4. Badge - Cream
5. Presence of the Lord - Blind Faith
6. Can't Find My Way Home - Blind Faith
7. Sleeping in the Ground - Blind Faith
8. Comin' Home - Delaney & Bonnie
9. Blues Power - Eric Clapton
10. After Midnight - Eric Clapton
11. Let It Rain - Eric Clapton
12. Tell the Truth - Derek And the Dominos
13. Roll It Over - Derek And the Dominos
14. Layla - Derek And the Dominos
15. Mean Old World - Derek And the Dominos
16. Key to the Highway [Live] - Derek And the Dominos
17. Crossroads [Live] - Derek And the Dominos

Disc 3
1. Got to Get Better in a Little While - Derek And the Dominos
2. Evil - Derek And the Dominos
3. One More Chance - Derek And the Dominos
4. Mean Old Frisco - Derek And the Dominos
5. Snake Lake Blues - Derek And the Dominos
6. Let It Grow - Eric Clapton
7. Ain't That Lovin' You - Eric Clapton
8. Motherless Children - Eric Clapton
9. I Shot the Sheriff [Live] - Eric Clapton
10. Better Make It Through Today - Eric Clapton
11. Sky Is Crying - Eric Clapton
12. I Found a Love - Eric Clapton
13. (When Things Go Wrong) It Hurts Me Too - Eric Clapton
14. What'cha Gonna Do? - Eric Clapton
15. Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Eric Clapton
16. Someone Like You - Eric Clapton

Disc 4
1. Hello Old Friend - Eric Clapton
2. Sign Language - Eric Clapton
3. Further on up the Road [Live] - Eric Clapton
4. Lay Down Sally - Eric Clapton
5. Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
6. Cocaine - Eric Clapton
7. Promises - Eric Clapton
8. If I Don't Be There by Morning - Eric Clapton
9. Double Trouble [Live] - Eric Clapton
10. I Can't Stand It - Eric Clapton
11. Shape You're In - Eric Clapton
12. Heaven Is One Step Away - Eric Clapton
13. She's Waiting - Eric Clapton
14. Too Bad - Eric Clapton
15. Miss You - Eric Clapton
16. Wanna Make Love to You - Eric Clapton
17. After Midnight - Eric Clapton

CROSSROADS 2:
LIVE IN THE SEVENTIES (1996)
320 KBPS

Crossroads was a box set that appealed to both beginners and fanatics. Crossroads 2: Live in the Seventies only appeals to fanatics. Spanning four discs and consisting almost entirely of live material (there are a handful of studio outtakes), this is music that will only enthrall completists and archivists. For those listeners, there is a wealth of fascinating, compelling performances here, as well as a fair share of mediocre, uninspired tracks. The key word for the entire album is detail — it is an album for studying the intricacies of Eric Clapton's playing and how it evolved. For example, it's easy to hear the differences and progressions between the four versions of Robert Johnson's "Rambling on My Mind." And it is Clapton that evolves, not his supporting band — although they are proficient, they are hardly exciting. However, their static, professional support provides a nice bed to chart Slowhand's growth over the course of the decade, simply because he is always the focal point. Crossroads 2 may only be for a collector, but for those collectors, it is a treasure, even if some of the tracks are fool's gold.

Disc 1
1. Walkin' Down The Road
2. Have You Ever Loved A Woman
3. Willie And The Hand Jive/Get Ready
4. Can't Find My Way Home
5. Driftin' Blues/Rambling On My Mind
6. Presence Of The Lord
7. Rambling On My Mind/Have You Ever Loved A Woman
8. Little Wing
9. The Sky Is Crying/Have You Ever Loved A Woman / Rambling On My Mind

Disc 2
1. Layla
2. Further On Up The Road
3. I Shot The Sheriff
4. Badge
5. Driftin' Blues
6. Eyesight To The Blind/Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?

Disc 3
1. Tell The Truth
2. Knockin On Heaven's Door
3. Stormy Monday
4. Lay Down Sally
5. The Core
6. We're All The Way
7. Cocaine
8. Goin' Down Slow/Rambling On My Mind
9. Mean Old Frisco

Disc 4
1. Loving You (Is Sweeter Than Ever)
2. Worried Life Blues
3. Tulsa Time
4. Early In The Morning
5. Wonderful Tonight
6. Kind Hearted Woman
7. Double Trouble
8. Crossroads
9. To Make Somebody Happy
10. Cryin'
11. Water On The Ground