BLIND FAITH
General Rating: 1
ALBUM REVIEWS:
A one-album band, it has nevertheless managed to earn its place in history.
It was destined to be and not to be the sequel to Cream, but it failed
on both counts (hah! now there's a good pun!) To be, because how could
a band that included Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker not be a sequel to Cream?
And not to be, because Eric really wanted to have a different kind of sound
- that's why keyboard wiz Steve Winwood (of Traffic fame! Yahoo! MURDER!)
was approached as the likeliest candidate for inclusion. Together with
Steve and Rick Grech on base and all kinds of sound-producing machines
from handclaps to fiddles, they planned to envisage the new face of popular
music - and cracked. It's a well-known fact that Clapton doesn't really
get it on with bands where he's not an absolute leader (and he doesn't
really get it on with bands where he is - how many backup bands has he
changed through the thirty years of his solo career?), and the other guys
were probably tough just as well. A skilled expert would have predicted
the band's downfall before it even got together; the stupid, sensation-hungry
press, however, publicized this 'supergroup' to the point of suffocation,
and whatever creative ideas the guys might have shared originally were
stiffed in but a couple months. They did make a US tour of some twenty
dates, as far as I know (lucky was the guy who was able to see one!), but
no further activities were undertaken. A sad thing it is, too - had the
project succeeded, Stevie Winwood wouldn't have returned back to Traffic,
and we wouldn't have to suffer through the band's ramblings for five more
bloody years (heh heh). And yeah, I don't think John Barleycorn Must
Die is a good album at all, so sue me sue me sue me now. The
funny thing, Stevie sounded quite fine in the band, better than he ever
did (at least, in Traffic; I have yet to check out the Spencer Davis Group).
And Rick Grech turns out to have been a really talented multi-instrumentalist.
They made one album, though. It's not a great album, but at least it's
a good one. After that, Eric probably felt that the hateful Cream legacy
was working its way back to him, so the group was hastily dispersed before
they even had the chance to start fucking up. So why am I doing this little
separate page for them? Oh, no special reason. See, I wouldn't like to
include this one onto the Cream page, because it really doesn't sound very
much like Cream, and of course I wouldn't include it onto the Clapton page
because there's more than just Clapton to the band. So would you like me
not to review it at all?
Maybe you would. But I'll still go ahead and review it.
Lineup (well, I already told you about it, didn't I?): Eric Clapton
- guitars, vocals; Steve Winwood - keyboards, vocals; Rick Grech
- bass guitar, fiddle; Ginger Baker - drums. The band is regularly
spoken of as the first 'supergroup', since all the members came from well-established
combos - Cream (Clapton & Baker), Traffic (Winwood) and Family (Grech).
Strictly speaking, though, it was not Blind Faith, but Cream itself that
were the first supergroup, but the reason of this terminology mess probably
resides in the fact that the very term 'supergroup' was coined around the
time of Blind Faith's formation by some honey-mouthed journalist or critic.
So, to put it straight, Cream were the first 'supergroup', and Blind Faith
were the first band to be dubbed a 'supergroup'.
What do YOU think about Blind Faith?
Mail your ideas
ALBUM REVIEWS
Year Of Release: 1969
Record rating = 10
Overall rating = 11
An entertaining blues-art-rock creation, even if the songs are somewhat
too long... well, what could you expect from a Cream-Traffic mutation?
Best song: CAN'T FIND MY WAY HOME
First of all, let me tell you that this album doesn't get a 10 because
it deserves an objective 10. It gets a 10 because a 10 stands for 'best-of-artist',
and this is certainly the 'best-of-artist' - at least since there's nothing
else by same 'artist'. Unlike Cream, who started with something unexpected
(their early jazz/pop recordings instead of straightforward blues-rock),
this time the guys probably know what they're doing, and there's no doubt
about it: this is what they want to play and this is what you get.
And what is this what you get?
Well, about half of the record is devoted to Winwood compositions. If you've
already read my reviews of Traffic, you're probably well aware that I have
a special feeling towards the band, and that feeling can be called 'boredom
epithomized'; I'm not the biggest fan of Stevie's tenor voice, I don't
see anything particularly impressive in the way he handles his instruments,
and I could count all of his Traffic compositions that stand about 'average'
and still have a couple of fingers left on my hands. Strange as it may
seem, though, the tunes he offered to Blind Faith mostly work - even though
they do have Steve's identity firmly etched onto them. But at least it
seems that the other members etched their identity onto them as
well. Thus, the album opener 'Had To Cry Today' is built around a good
riff and, indeed, is the closest thing to a Cream jam on the record, clocking
in at under nine minutes. But the riff is indeed good, as is Winwood's
singing in the refrain, and Clapton plays some decent, if at times overlong,
solos. On the other hand, 'Can't Find My Way Home' is a gorgeous ballad
sung in a very gentle tone, and it is neither Traffic nor Cream. It's something...
really special. (It was a highlight of Clapton's live shows, too:
Yvonne Elliman used to sing it). And 'Sea Of Joy' has some jolly Rick Grech
fiddle, played in the midst of a heart-warming, pretty, albeit rather lightweight
countryish shuffle with Stevie really stretching out on vocals.
The other three songs are credited one to Clapton, another one to Baker,
and a third one to... Buddy Holly. 'Well All Right' sounds nothing like
the Buddy original, and for a long time I used to despise it, but over
time it got better: I think the way they structure the song, turning it
into a sweaty blues jam with elements of fresh jazzy piano sound, is quite
nice, and even the vocal harmonies on the chorus aren't cheesy. Maybe it's
the weird main riff of the song, almost resembling some obscure tribal
chant, that used to put me off; however, it doesn't any more. You know
the rumour that the band intended to record an entire album of nothing
but Buddy Holly covers? Now that would be a truly perverse way to
start a 'supergroup''s career! Not that I have anything against Buddy -
I love the 'First Intelligent Person In Rock' as good as anybody, but nobody
would probably take the band seriously had they realised their ambition.
Meanwhile, Baker's fifteen-minute 'Do What You Like' is a good example
of wretched excess: Traffic-like organ, multiple Santana-esque guitar solos
and, of course, a Baker drum solo. Jeez. Fifteen minutes of standing on
the head! Yeah, really! And whatever you say, if you've heard one
Baker drum solo (presumably on 'Toad', his major Cream days highlight),
you've heard them all. At least Eric's guitar sounds really good
on this one, and the frantic solos succeed in salvaging a significant chunk
of the number, although my long-time personal plans call for a significant
editing... I just can't figure out which exact parts it is necessary to
cut out. Let me just say that I absolutely don't care if 'Do What You Like'
was a well thought-out, carefully conceived, self-indulgent demonstration
of artistic ambitions or just an ingenious way of filling up some empty
space on the record.
In any case, Clapton is at his absolutely best not on 'Do What You Like',
but mainly when he lets rip with his frantic solo on 'Presence Of The Lord'.
This number is famous for being the first totally solo Clapton-written
song (even the two and a half songs of his Cream days were written in co-authorship
with lots of dudes ranging from one Martin Sharp to one George Harrison),
and also being his first serious religious statement, and in a certain
way - the beginning of his 'spiritual' and 'musical' 'rebirth'. Other than
that, it has a truly good melody, and the guitar break, which, to tell
you the truth, doesn't fit in well with the overall slow, moody, solemn
feel of this quasi-gospel number, I've already mentioned. Be sure to check
out an excellent live version on Clapton's Rainbow Concert, too,
or the slightly more inferior one on his 1975 live record E. C. Was
Here; apparently, the tune was a highlight of his shows for quite a
long time, although I don't know if he still performs it to this day or
has given up long since in favour of more horse manure from Pilgrim
(I apologize).
So what's so special about this record? Nothing, really. Well, apart from
the fact, of course, that most of the songs are truly superprofessionally
played. The combination 'Winwood's organ'/'Clapton's guitar'/'Baker's drums'
did seem to work, and who knows what they could have gone on to later?
Then again, maybe they'd suck. Aaarrgh. You know Clapton. He hasn't stayed
in any permanent band for long. In fact, he even disbanded his own backup
bands with a sheer regularity! They say he's a very nice guy, but I somehow
start to doubt it. How could a nice guy have changed six bands in six years?
Now Jimmy Page, that one is a complete dork, judging by his way of life,
but at least he only played in one serious band before forming Led Zep...
Do what you like, but mail your ideas
Your worthy comments:
Bryan B. <petroeh@hotmail.com> (24.03.99)
Okay, you explained your '10' rating of this album...but I still don't
buy it! A lot of bands must have recorded single albums that weren't very
good so they ended up recording no more; you wouldn't give all those a
10 too would you, simply because it's their only album? Now, the album
isn't awful, but it's much closer to a 7 or 8 than a 10 in my opinion.
I don't much care of Stevie Winwood's manner of playing the keyboard (It
puzzles me why he was so revered during this period of time. Everyone wanted
to jam with him, even Hendrix.) Winwood is, much like Tony Banks, a "good"
keyboardist, but rather dull. There, I said it. Eric Clapton wouldn't begin
to slump for years yet, and Ginger Baker is one of the more innovative
rock drummers ever heard, so that's fine. The trouble is Winwood is the
dominant force in the band. I don't think this is a vital recording except
for the fanatics. If you're a fan of Stevie Winwood, you'll absolutely
love it. Otherwise...it's your call.
[Special author note: the general
band rating of 1 is what reduces the album to its deserved status. See
the general ratings page].
Glenn Wiener <Glenn.Wiener@Entex.com> (13.08.99)
Truthfully this record should have been in your Odds and Sods section.
If Ringo Starr's only solo record was Sentimental Journey, would
you still give that record a 10 and as an artist a one resulting in a grand
total of 11 out of 15 points putting it in the Very Good category. This
record by no means is very good. I bought the cassette several years ago
for four or five dollars and thats about all its worth. This recording
consists of merely six songs and the Ginger Baker number long overstays
its welcome. Even 'Had To Cry Today' becomes tiresome after hearing the
same riff for nine minutes. 'Presence Of The Lord' is one beautiful piece
of music most notably Eric's guitar solo but the lyrics, vocals, and mix
between the instruments are top notch as well. 'Can't Find My Way Home'
is also very good and the other two numbers are better than average but
not outstanding. This collection is nice for Stevie Windwood fans or those
who would want to hear want a supergroup sounds like at a bargain price.
On your 15 point scale this rates about an 8 in my book.
[Special author note: If Ringo
Starr's only solo record was Sentimental Journey, I would never
have reviewed him AT ALL because his band/artist rating would have been
lower than 1. You are mistaken to think that a band/artist rating of 1
is the lowest on my scale - it still represents a fairly interesting entity.
The Spice Girls, for instance, would have earned a -4 or -5 rating on this
scale, and so would Ringo, if he'd only recorded Sentimental Journey
(luckily it was just a toss-off which he recognizes himself). Blind Faith
with its one album was unarguably a band of much more merit than a potential
Ringo Starr with just one album, and the overall rating of 11 is what I
feel is right for this record. If you feel that the record is worse,
that's another matter. My ratings work!]
Ted Goodwin <Ftg3plus4@cs.com> (24.07.2000)
Thoughts (in no particular order) on this album:
(1) I've often seen this album in record stores filed under "Clapton".
Why is this, when Winwood is so clearly the dominant force here?
(2) It's interesting to hear Winwood's own lyrics on 3 songs here because
his lyrical credits for all of Traffic's music amount to about half a song
(literally). His lyrics sound more airheaded, and yet more graceful, than
those of Traffic lyricist Capaldi. My only complaint about them is that
the hippie/druggie connotation of "I'm wasted" mars the almost-deserving-of-its-classic-status
"Can't Find".
(3) I don't have any particular favorites or least favorites on this album
-- it sounds rather even to me.
(4) Thoughts on "Do What You Like": Your description of it as
"15 minutes of standing on your head" is appropriate -- the whole
thing is in 5/4 time, right down to the background shouts. I like Winwood's
solo best, wish Grech's wasn't obscured by the shouting, and would like
Baker's to be shorter (and I usually LIKE drum solos). The lyrics are oh
so childish yet, embarrassingly, they're deeper than those of "Presence
Of The Lord".
(5) A lot of people call this album's cover "the greatest album cover
ever". I don't find it particularly offensive (the way most conservative
types like me would), but it always struck me as not fitting the music.
It looks to me like it belongs on some complex yet sensitive art-rock something-or-other.
The original U.S. "alternate" cover design (which later appears
on the LP's back cover & the CD's inside cover), showing the guys sitting
& standing around a bunch of equipment, fits the music much better.