Cream - Sitting on Top of the World RARE performance in Dallas

Ferocious guitar work segments from Cream's live Sitting on Top of the World in Dallas during 1968 Farewell Tour with a few photos from the great Chuck Boyd and others that are on the internet. Its one of Clapton's more vicious treatments and it sounds like he swapped his Firebird for the Les Paul since it is now a known fact, he only used two guitars during the Farewell tour, his Firebird and two different Les Paul standards.

[@georgeminton69]

I was there, 8th row center, and here's the story on guitars. Eric opened the show playing a Les Paul. White Room, Sunshine, and the first half of I'm So Glad. During the middle jam of I'm So Glad he broke a string and left the stage. Jack played a bass solo until Eric returned with the Firebird to finish the song and the rest of the show. Then Sittin On Top, Crossroads, Traintime, Toad, and Spoonful. No encore. Ginger was ferocious on Toad, but clearly wanted to conclude the show at its end - he looked exhausted (or worse). He stood behind his drums to take his applause, and took a huge swig of beer. Eric played the intro notes of Spoonful and Ginger spat a mouthful of beer onto the stage, sat down on his stool, and played the song. Opening act was Terry Reid. A Dallas "underground" DJ, Sandy Stevens, introduced Cream. Her radio handle was "Sandy Super-Chick" (groan), and she introduced them as "The Cream." Not so "super"...

[@vincentl.9469]

a lot of these guys are leaving the stage forever

[@timbuckxxi9690]

Oh what a night...Historic .For sure.. The firebird is a single pick-up Firebird I..Terry Reid wrote some great songs..

[@vivaldi1954]

The fire bird gave him that unique sound and permitted him to go to that next level. Just one man's opinion here.

[@rickkohnken4776]

At that time they were " The Cream".

[@baliscotsurf]

Just a thought but could you imagine Cream w Terry in it?

[@georgeanisowicz6577]

The great thing about Cream was that they provided an environment which allowed them all, especially Clapton, to improvise. This intro to Sitting on Top of the World is a great example. Clapton just lets it go. They were trying to interpret blues songs like jazz musicians would and the great talent of the three players and all that touring produced numerous great interpretations of blues songs which makes Cream's music timeless.

[@monty70]

Jack and Ginger were jazz musicians.

[@georgeanisowicz6577]

@@monty70 Absolutely, and great musicians as is Eric. That's why Cream's extended jams sound so much better than those of other 60' and 70's groups.

[@pabloperez4063]

@@georgeanisowicz6577 no one could ever jam as well as cream

[@rasjjmitchell7977]

🌈 Jah Bless 🌈 Cream was my favorite band at that time! The absolute best!

[@vivaldi1954]

excellent review

[@stevepainter731]

I was also at the concert and was blown away by Clapton's power, he was at his smokin best!!!!

[@gazzaboy2531977]

This is why Clapton was so renowned.. unique

[@MichaelSherrer]

Clapton has good time. Really good time. Where he drops a note on the beat and with the power behind it, is the music of the god's. Ginger noticed that after seeing the Mayall BB's with Eric. And said so. John would later comment: "He was born with the gift." His phrasing is always surprising and fresh.

[@ursulabornhauser1091]

Brilliant guitar love you eric for ever ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@TheRossDuncan]

I was blessed to see this performance - outstanding, to say the least!

[@paulmeek5774]

Ross Duncan from Lake Highlands?... (been a long time!)

[@michaelcavallacci2945]

Lucky you. Must have been incredible

[@frankiedavis8305]

One if the best takes of guitar work ever recorded. The power of it is unmatched

[@beancounter5380]

His vibrato off of quick bends has always blown me away. Smooth and never pitchy. Not quite sure how he does that.

[@brookemcquale5096]

Lots of acid

[@baliscotsurf]

he was God at that time

[@brianwells4507]

Lots and lots of practice!

[@RodFleming-World]

Very strong hands

[@vivaldi1954]

PRACTICE👀

[@theapplepaul]

Best. Clapton. Lead. Ever. A master class in blues lead.

[@raymartinojr5568]

SOME STUPENDOUS MUSIC BY ALL 3 OF THEM. HOW COULD YOU NOT LOVE CLAPTON!

[@20_reinhardp.hutasoit60]

his vibrato just amazed me

[@alpdesis805]

Sadly he hasn’t been using this kind of vibrato since he left Cream.

[@monkeysbum999]

Then he started using Fenders and went up a gauge , started to do the slidy -up nothing attached wobble instead.I have seen in early transition ,the bendy up vibrato on a Strat ,but it is rare to sight.

[@MattClaps]

no one, no one like him, touch, tone, sound, improvisation.

[@quiteright623]

The cleanest most articulate guitar work of the 1960's .. Nobody else even came close ..

[@dlv1977]

Hmmm till hendrix.ade him exit a stage but ok yeh

[@ferrari6975]

This is called music, children. God's music.

[@michaelcavallacci2945]

With due respect to Hendrix and J Page and everybody else, I don’t know if anyone has ever played the electric blues rock guitar better than Clapton in the Cream era. He was just incredible

[@vespucci964]

ABSOLUTELY!

[@brianherrington7226]

Or SRV

[@j.d.o5709]

Neither hendrix or page had clapton’s articulation and clarity.

[@pabloperez4063]

Putting Page in this Group is out of the q

[@baliscotsurf]

I remember when Rod the Mod was singing blues w the Jeff Beck Group and I thought at this moment in time He is the best singer on the planet. Same w Clapton during early Cream when he was still playing Gibson guitars. I know how hard it is to keep that level of intensity and motivation. Rod seemed to turn into Perry Como and Clapton just seemed to settle for lack of a better word.

[@gregorygoldbarth7464]

Saw them in 68 at the New Haven arena. Clapton was playing his FB1 and this sounds so much like that evening many years ago! Epic!

[@ireneruthfox]

I seen them in Providence RI. 1968. The is for sure the Firebird I. Best Trio Ever.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

You used the word Epic which is Eric with a "p"

[@monty70]

@@ireneruthfox Hi Tom. Do you have any memory of the PA system that Cream used for the Providence, RI show? I understand that the band used whatever was available at each venue.

[@HughJengine]

Eric and that stinging Gibson tone sounds like heaven . 🖤

[@Florida_guy]

I dedicate my whole life to listening to different guitar players over the years this might be the greatest guitar work that I have ever heard in my life

[@paistecat]

As good as it ever gets.... Eric's best work!

[@TweedSuit]

For a very brief time - 1965-68, Clapton set the blueprint for modern electric blues and rock. I would argue Hendrix would never have been 'discovered' and come to England if it wasn't for Clapton. His arrival pushed Clapton to even greater intensity and together they changed the sound of electric guitar which their peers (Page, Beck, Green, Blackmore etc.) picked up on and then influenced the next generations.

[@jamesbueker11]

Just in love with this version. Insanely good. All three are on point and amazing. Jack, Jack, Jack: fretless bass at its best. Killer Bee baby

[@jamesbueker11]

Wow. I’m surprised his guitar didn’t just spontaneously combust. Pure fire from his fingers. Never heard him play better.

[@bluesful]

Vibrato at 0:18 is smooth AF.

[@marksutcliffe1242]

This is definitely the Firebird. I have no doubt about it, whatsoever.

[@stinkboneorien1270]

could be....but since he excluslively used both the Firebird and one Les Paul cherry sunburst standard throughout Cream's USA Farewell Tour (never the 335) its borderline due to some of the sustain, taking into account the fairly poor recording. Its not quite as thin or "tinny" as the Firdbird tends to be a sper the famous LA Forum recordings and there seems to be a bit more body baked into the tone but until we can see photos or hear superior recording we won't definitively know which axe it was:-) If anybody has photos of the Dallas performance, please send them! Don't forget, as EC did during the Philly Spectrum performance, he would sometimes switch guitars during the set.

[@tangierband4806]

335?? Maybe?

[@stinkboneorien1270]

The recording quality is so bad its hard to definitively resolve but many of the tonal qualities and sustain are characteristic of a Les Paul which EC used along with his Firebird throughout the entire Cream US Farewell Tour from October through November 68. Clapton never used the ES-335 in the US during any Cream performance. He ONLY used the ES-335 for the second set of the final Royal Albert Hall performance in London on Nov. 26. 1968 plus posed with it during the rehearsal for publicity shots. This misinformation has unfortunately permeated the internet like a super glue virus perpetrated by the Burst Brothers who made tons of money of Gibson's re-issue of EC's 335 which they falsely hyped as his "Cream guitar" after winning the bid at the Christies auction. It was NOT. Only his famous Gibson SG standard known as the "Fool" was his primary axe throughout most of Cream's touring, especially in the US & Europe from May 67 through May 68 when he finally gave it to George Harrison and the rest is history. New evidence turned up recently that EC did not even purchase the ES-335 until roughly two weeks before the 11-26-68 RAH performance in London. Confusion existed due to the mistaken assumption that EC owned this guitar since the Yardbirds when in fact, it belonged to the Yardbirds rhythm guitarist, Chris Dreja who originally owned a square inlay 335 that according to Keith Relf, was "crushed' when a PA cab fell on it necessitating Dreja to buy a second "dot neck" version of the 335. EC would occasionally borrow Dreja's 335s but his main Yardbirds guitar was the light blue Fender Telecaster. EC when onto famously purchase his BEANO Les Paul and the rest is history. If EC had owned his own Gibson 335 (which he obviously did not), he surely would not have needed to scrap his Tele for a new Les Paul after he joined John Mayall and in fact, he still used his Tele for the first few recordings he did with the Bluesbreakers before acquiring the Les Paul. Sorry for the diatribe, but I am trying to purge this virus of disinformation regarding his 335. Its a lonely job but somebody has to do it:-) For the record, after Cream's final RAH farewell performance in November 68, Eric DID finally bring his ES-335 to the US for the Blind Faith tour and that is also how some people have become confused in the 49 years since then, confusing their memories of seeing EC us the 335 with Blind Faith with their memories of seeing Cream.

[@paistecat]

martin mocha That is some excellent information, of great interest..... thank you !!

[@paulmichaelsmith3207]

Totally right. I'm surely no expert and I have nothing to sell here. I only go from personal knowledge as a witness to some '68 gigs and being a guitar player/teacher for forty ears with a decent ear. The 335 stuff is nonsense. Friends, musicians, RS photogs I know and such swear to the SG on earlier tours. Having owned and played both old LPs and FBs, this incredible clip sounds like that one pup FB. Yet as I said in an earlier clip, who knows? After the Cream Olympia gig in Detroit, I saw Clapton sit in with Mayall at the Grande. Taylor got down on his knees and handed his '59 LP to EC. Clapton tore it up, though playing thru a Super Reverb it was hard to hear him. What a night.All that really counts here is what incredible phrasing and touch EC had in those days. Back then a cranked Marshall was a decent guitarists best friend.

[@chrisforrest4581]

That Firebird sounds so damn great

[@sgharris49]

I used to carry a battery powered cassette recorder to concerts and I recorded this song in Dallas too. But my recording wasn't nearly as clean. So nice to hear such a better recording. My friends and I used to listen to this live recording over an over again. Wish I could remember the guitar he was playing.. Too bad we didn't have smartphones back then.

[@geneobrien8907]

"too bad we didn't have smartphones back then" - Bite your tongue!

[@JohnnyNation]

I don't think anyone ever played electric blues guitar any better than the Eric Clapton of this era !!!###

[@pabloperez4063]

@@JohnnyNation at least, never on a Gibson

[@newflavaz1583]

Do you still have your tape of this show? the fans would love to hear it !

[@brianwells4507]

SGHarris49, I'm pretty sure Eric's playing the Firebird I on this? The way he gets those stinging notes, almost like a Telecaster. Some say Clapton Cream era is best with his Gibson ES330 and Gibson SG (The Fool)?But I think it's arguably his work on the single pickup Firebird that really kicks ass!

[@bluestele6523]

....gives me goosebumps !

[@MarshallAmpMan]

Love that grind in his tone. This is the brown sound that VH was referring to. The guitar and amp tone and his incredible vibrato, just right.

[@glenanderson3578]

Awesome guitar work! Thanks for sharing. I saw Cream at Cafe A Go Go and at the Ottawa Civic Center and wish I had recordings of those shows.

[@SlowBluesInc]

Ferocious and vicious is right. Eric was feeling it this night.

[@rasjjmitchell7977]

🌈 Jah Bless 🌈 No one, not even Jimi, or SRV or J Page or any other Rock player played as good as Eric did in his heyday especially with Cream. Cream was the best band in the World at that time, especially for blues rock. It's so sad that his playing declined as bad as it did, after Cream, although Blind Faith was still Okay. It was such a magic time for music...

[@Rockbeareguitars]

This is the most sublime lead guitar playing. Exquisite phrasing. Complete disregard for time signature at some points, but never random. So full of fire and anger. There must have been a hell of a bust up in the dressing room before they went out to do this! If I could peel off one performance like this, I could die happy. Off the scale.

[@FerricHindenburg]

Yeah the phrasing and timing kills!

[@thelaird5033]

I suspect that any creative timing interpretations had more than a little to do with the fact that for a lot of the time they couldn't hear each other. Large and powerful backline, no monitors, no miked drums, no desk and only the house PA (whatever that happened to be on the night).

[@tangierband4806]

Untouchable - I was going to say at the time - but still is and probably always will be untouchable. True hard blues at its purest - really really similar to the Farewell Album Version. Same guitar for sure.

[@johnjohnston4066]

great tone great recording from the best

[@muttullu]

Thanks a lot for posting. It sounds great

[@rvic11]

Amazing performance.

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

Thanks for posting this one.

[@bgebbq314]

Minds were blown!

[@donkloos9078]

Amazing to see so many others with same interest and such detail. I missed seeing Cream live. I've played Clapton for 55 years and get to perform Crossroads in a few weeks. I still have my '69 SG Std and the only way I've come close to duplicating that (Crossroads) sound is direct into Marshall stack and turning volume to 10. Appeeciate all the stories and comments. Would love to know more.

[@joeblow2183]

Some people get better with age like Jeff beck but Clapton in cream is his apex

[@drichard123]

Thank you!!!

[@TheOttercreek]

That’s some THICK cut GREASY bacon. So good!

[@Gretev1]

Why doesn‘t Clapton play like this anymore? He sounds like a completely different musician...

[@monty70]

No more drugs.

[@charleswilson9654]

The same reason Carlos Santana sounds like a facimile of his previous self from the late 60s-early 70s. What happens the musician goes off on a tangent, i.e. Clapton in succession to the Delaney/Bonnie era with more rhythm playing, minor lead playing which then morphed to reggae, (I Shot the Sheriff), then the very commercial pop songs. And what Eric probably realizes is that along the way, he had got addicted to the trills in his solo playing, but had problems with his brain saying enough. That in and of itself derailed the tight dynamic blues that he was known for playing in the 60's. That stripped down drums/bass pocket where Eric had a groove to play freely and generally louder to fill out the song, subsequently disappeared. And playing louder automatically creates more dynamics. As the 70's crept along, Eric became routinely augmented with a rhythm guitarist and keyboardist. So the tension came off and the relaxation set in. Stevie Ray also added a keyboard. There's nothing wrong, per se. Stevie said it helped fill the rhythm and take stress off him. It did so for Clapton too. Though with expanded instruments in a band, the groove can be harder to find and there is less propensity for the guitarist to play more dynamically. Hence, the devastating blues Eric was known for in the mid-late 60s, fell by the wayside.

[@thomasbedell4770]

@@charleswilson9654 He says he wanted to play different music, to write different songs. Some of his best stuff was done in 1970 with his Dominos band. Not like Cream of course but beautiful.

[@pauljones2857]

Arthritis gets to the fingers knuckles sometimes the wrist

[@scttymc1967]

It's got nothing to do with drugs.He made a conscious effort after Cream not to be a " guitar hero" any longer.And you never get the ferocity in your playing back like you had in your 20's. He's still great

[@5150show]

Brilliant

[@jesusbencomo3495]

It is widely said that Eric Clapton was once humiliated, however no one humiliated him in any way, because he amazingly plays the guitar without fancy sounds pedals, (sometimes just only a whawha) ,no gimmicks, no weird efects, no stage drama ,just very smooth but fierces and very well articulated solos with very distinctives bendings and vibratos, going straight and fiery through the Marshall Amps , and by the way, Clapton is a very good singer as well.

[@wacawstygar1180]

Not quite without pedals. He had fuzz and wah wah

[@toulminbrown9166]

He is/was the best the maestro of them all. Stokowski would have selected EC.

[@bluesalamander5527]

@@wacawstygar1180no fuzz

[@BaconTomatoCheese]

Dammit, where is the rest of this?? You can’t just leave me falling off a cliff like that…

[@roberttocci6085]

Clapton is absolutely smokin 🎸 🔥 💀

[@dennisfacundolopezr5424]

the creammmmmmmmmmm

[@philipgreenegreene3454]

I saw them at Arena in Providence in 1968

[@jamesbueker11]

Les Paul would be proud. WOW.

[@rasjjmitchell7977]

🌈 Jah Bless 🌈 This is back from when Clapton could PLAY, before he burned out on heroin

[@stevepayne5965]

Never mind the heroin - this was before he burned out on Stratocasters.

[@paulmichaelsmith3207]

Such an incredible lead. But the tape is off; they're playing in G though it transposes as A flat.

[@deuteronimus750]

Firebird 1 with that bridge mini humbucker for sure.

[@gilldanier4129]

I was right behind the drums with a bowl of soup, my trousers had evaporated so I was in my skids. Eric looked round and said is that tomato soup? I said no, it's leek and onion, he said next time make sure it's tomato, and get some trousers on. I was always amazed at how he still managed to play lead whilst talking about soup. I think thats why I like him.

[@stevehughes1510]

The tone on this is just so good and it's a Firebird from what I see reading below.........EC was on.

[@paulmichaelsmith3207]

When I saw Cream twice at the Grande in '68 EC played the FB; this sounds very much like that sweet yet slightly thin sound of the mini HBs. An LP (no way it's that 335, no way) would have a more throaty sound. Firmer. But unless someone has pics, wth knows? People forget that any decent Gibson with HBs of that era played flat out thru a couple of Marshalls is gonna kill.

[@Rich6Brew]

He only used the 335 with Cream during the second house of the farewell concert in London, and the studio recordings on Goodbye. Apart from that, I think you are correct in surmising that any humbucker through a flat-out Marshall stack is going to sound similar. My money is on the Firebird.

[@shew7029]

he used a 335 during the farewell tour as well.....mark's right on....this has the mid-upper range throatiness of the firebirdn 1 it's not a humbucker......

[@mrJimCharles]

A Firebird has mini-humbuckers

[@ricardovillagrana8569]

Best song from kid rock

[@Jlipnicki]

Jack Bruce is what I am liking a great deal here.

[@stinkboneorien1270]

I am the one who added this great performance on KZbin but at the time, writing many articles on Cream and Clapton's guitar work, I suspected that he might have been using his Les Paul standard (which he used along with his Firebird during the entire US Farewell Tour) based solely upon the audio evidence, although very poor since its a boot recording revealing segments where his tone becomes thicker with more sustain and, based on my years of hearing EC with live Cream, seems to show more characteristics of a Les Paul then the normally much THINNER tone you hear from his single pickup Gibson Reverse Firebird as evidenced during the famous LA Forum recordings that appeared on the "Goodbye" LP and boot versions. Having said that, sure, its POSSIBLE, it is the Firebird and the tonal changes could be the result of the very scratchy, low resolution recording that seems to have been created by somebody in the audience with a hand held mic. Until I can find photos of that Cream concert in Dallas that can be verified, we can only speculate:-)

[@dumbdickler670]

I found out today that this recording is actually in g# whereas the record version (as well as any other live versions I've heard) is in g. This might contribute to people thinking it's the firebird since it sounds higher than usual (because it is). Not to say that this isn't the firebird though, because I don't know

[@joecoleman8271]

Gibson all the way ...Clapton at his best...what tone

[@jamesrecca8533]

I saw the farewell show at Olympia. In Detroit .. E.C. used a Sunburst Gibson 335 the whole night ...

[@paulmichaelsmith3207]

I was at the Grande seeing Mayall that night, couldn't afford Cream tix. Don't doubt your word one bit, friends said he played the FB at Olympia, who knows. All I know for certain is Clapton showed up, we escorted (uh, carried) him from the office (Grande had no back stage) to the stage. Mick Taylor got down on his knees and handed him his LP. Clapton ripped it up, though he played thru a Super Reverb, vastly under powered for the venue, and even upfront it was hard to hear. But a swell fekkkin' night, epic party afterward.

[@stinkboneorien1270]

You must be mistaken or you are CONFUSING the show with Eric's 1969 US Blind Faith tour because Eric NEVER once used or even brought an ES-335 to the US during Cream's Farewell tour....its now a proven fact that Clapton did not even BUY his red 335 known as the "Albert Hall 335" until mid November 1968 just before the final Royal Albert Hall show in London held on November 26, 1968. Tony Bacon put the Burst Brothers "myth" to rest finally when he researched the true facts and reported them in an article which included quotes from the salesman, "Jerry Donahue" who sold Clapton his ES-335 at Selmer's Music in London just one or two weeks before the RHA farewell concert and EC even offered the salesman free tickets to the show. Here are excerpts from Bacon's article on Clapton's famed ES-335: "Eric Clapton bought a ’64 cherry Gibson 335 guitar in November 1968, a week or two before Cream played their final pair of farewell concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The 335, originally released in 1958, featured a double cutaway body that provided full access to the upper frets and a “semi-solid” construction. A solid maple back in an otherwise hollow laminated-maple body resulted in a combination of the sonic qualities of a hollow body guitar and a solidbody. Jerry Donahue, an American who had moved to England as a teenager, remembers the sale. “I sold Eric his red Gibson 335 not more than two weeks before his final performance with Cream at the Albert Hall,” Donahue recalls. “It was one of my main highlights of working at Selmer’s. We had a nice conversation during the process, and just as we were wrapping it up, Eric mentioned the upcoming shows in a manner that felt as though he was about to offer me a complimentary ticket or two. But I told him I’d already bought tickets, and he seemed pleased. You can imagine my amazement and joy later as I sat watching Cream come on to the Albert Hall stage, Eric with the 335 strapped on. He played that guitar for the entire evening. I was filled with pride.” Regarding the endless confusion (including EC's own foggy memories) from borrowing Chris Dreja's 335s during the Yardbirds, Tony Bacon continues: "The Yardbirds had two 335s, but they have nothing to do with the one Clapton bought in 1968, which we’ll call the “Albert Hall 335.” Clapton joined The Yardbirds in October 1963. Rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja usually played a block-marker cherry 335, and Clapton mostly a red Telecaster, but occasionally Clapton would play the 335 and Dreja would switch to another guitar. The serial number of Clapton’s Albert Hall block-marker 335 can be found logged in Gibson’s records, and the entry there shows that the instrument was shipped from the factory on May 20 1964 - but Dreja was playing the Yardbirds block-marker 335 well before that (there are pictures dated May 13 of him with it, for example). Clearly, these are two separate instruments." In addition to Bacon's well researched article, if that's not enough, then consider the fact that of all the thousands of photos taken of Cream during both their early European tours in late 66 through to the massively long US long Disraeli Gears tour and final US Farewell tour....not ONE singular photo has ever surfaced of EC using a 335. ZERO! The ONLY photos and video of EC playing his 335 with Cream are from the rehearsal publicity shots before the Royal Albert Hall farewell show (where EC is wearing a black leather jacket) and the actual concert itself where EC also used his Firebird but then switched to his 335 for most of the show as seen on the famous BBC movie. So it is clear that Clapton not only did NOT yet own his "own" 335, he certainly didn't have a sunburst 335 either. This whole lie has been perpetuated by the Burst Brothers who lied repeatedly spreading the rumor that the 335 they purchased from Christies Auction in the early 90s was his "Cream guitar" which was pure erroneous bullshit to help sell the idea to Gibson for the purposes of creating a limited -re-issue replica of his 335. There is not ONE existing photo of Clapton using his ES-335 with Cream before their November, 26th, 1968 Farewell show at the Royal Albert Hall in London. I saw Cream in April 68 when Clapton was still using his glorious SG Standard called the Fool although by late April he had started to slowly work the Firebird into the act then finally gave his exhausted SG to George Harrison in June 68 who in turn, gave it to Jackie Lomax. By the fall of 68 when Cream embarked on its long US Farewell Tour, Clapton only used two guitars, one Gibson Les Paul standard in cherry sunburst (he actually started with 2) and his Gibson single pickup Reverse Firebird......sorry, no ES-335 contrary to the endless myth created by the lying Burst Brothers. You probably saw Clapton use his 335 with Blind Faith which he DID during the Blind Faith US tour in the summer of 69 because I saw them in Philly where Clapton did use his 335 for that show at the Spectrum Sports arena while Winwood used EC's Reverse Firebird when he switched from keys to guitar. So.....if after reading this you are still convinced you saw EC use a "sunburst ES-335" with Cream then you need to prove it with photos or any evidence....but IF he actually did, then all it means is that for some reason or other, he must have borrowed that guitar for that particular performance in order to replace either his regular Les Paul or Firebird but I an extremely incredulous of such a possibility although he did borrow a Les Paul while jamming with Mayall's Bluesbreakers during Cream's visit to Detroit in the fall of 68. EC did once borrow a Gold Top Les Paul for part of one of the two Hunter College performances, at least based on a fuzzy photo of Cream supposedly playing Hunter although others show him on is typical SG. Lets not forget, I've written tons of articles on Cream and beyond any doubt, Clapton's number one guitar throughout the entire Cream recorded catalog and 90% of their live shows from February 67 through May 68 was his iconic, Gibson SG Standard AKA the "Fool". He also used it throughout the Disraeli Gears recordings, all of the US tours until late April & May 68, the Wheels of Fire LP and of course ALL the famous Winterland and Fillmore performances including his historic Crossroads performance, many of which were added to Live Cream and Live Cream II. Bottom line is this, lets once and for all KILL that adhesive, recalcitrant, relentless myth that EC used the 335 during Cream's tenure, its simply patently false, end of story. However; from Cream's LAST show at the Royal Albert Hall in November 1968 through Blind Faith and on, Eric DID use that guitar off an on, all the way until the Christies Auction. This is not "fake" news, these are real facts.:-) PS it is rumored that Clapton might have used his newly acquired ES-335 for the overdubbed solo on Badge from the "Goodbye" LP recorded just a week before their final Royal Albert Hall show in London and it does sound like one:-)

[@billteneyck3766]

Wow! James Recca, Paul Michael Smith, and Martin Mocha, that about says it all! My first rock show was Cream at Olympia Stadium in Detroit, October 12th 1968. Friend and Lover with Corky Seigal

[@billteneyck3766]

Siegel, opened the show

[@folderol8487]

There's a photo of Cream playing at Sam Houston Arena in October 1968, and Clapton is indeed playing a red 335. The story of Clapton and the 335 is twisty and turny. Only thing I can say is that's definitely not a 335 in this recording.

[@BrodyWalls]

Here 12 years after this is posted but does anyone have tabs for this?

[@kewlfonz]

Eric Clapton was an amazing blues guitarist back in the day. He can't play like this anymore, but back then, he was certainly King of the Blues...

[@robertphillips5619]

I totally agree with that comment...as a lifelong pro player myself,EC had influenced me HUGE...I saw Cream live,2x...life-changing stuff... unfortunately IMHO, nothing he did since, eclipsed what he was in his earliest, hungry years...hate to say it .his present day playing is like as boring as a typical joe bonnamassa show

[@joeblow2183]

Now that’s the Clapton I grew up hearing tone and phrases. Miss that.

[@Rockbeareguitars]

Ps It's certainly the Firebird I IMHO. I'm playing mine right now and it has the same bite, less fat than the PAF's on my or Clapton's bursts, even through a Marshall.

[@stinkboneorien1270]

As I have said, its a close call due to the poor recording fidelity but many of the tonal characteristics suggest it could also be his Les Paul standard since he used BOTH guitars exclusively during Cream's US Farewell tour. The Firebird tends to be more anemic or tinny in general but if anyone has photos of the Dallas performance, that would ice it:-)

[@motherlessblues1565]

martin mocha : it’s a Firebird with one pups ,, the sound is very distinctive Firebird,,, The Les Paul is darker deeper tone,,, recording equipment used was sufficient to capture bottom end & mid range as evident in the bass ,, and lastly I owned a Firebird for 40 years and this is their unique sound ,, having a one piece neck through the body with mini humbucker straight into a double stack Marshall and Eric’s touch. Firebird with mini Humbucker have a pronounced midrange / high end which is clearly evident here,,, so different to LP. Almost like an over driven strat. Given those 2 guitar choices ; Firebird is it .

[@vespucci964]

EXACTLY!!!

[@LizShiflet-xr5kb]

Did anyone SEE JACK BRUCE in those photos ? Heard him play in bass...

[@howardjohnston6112]

He also used a Gibson ES-335 at least once. There is a photograph of him playing it at San Diego. But this sounds like the Firebird to me (although it could be a Les Paul).

[@marksutcliffe1242]

Sounds like the Firebird to me.

[@shew7029]

yep, it's scratchy like a bird.

[@cisco4485]

shurely a Firebird

[@howardjohnston6112]

I agree. The Firebird has a slightly more brittle tone (almost like an overdriven Strat). I think this was a stepping stone on his way towards using the Fender Stratocaster.

[@andy7823]

I

[@Hiwatt100W1]

Agree, I think this was the Firebird I. The Fool SG/LP was used less and less after the Spring of 1968- I had read somewhere that it was developing issues. This is great, great playing.

[@deuteronimus750]

His Firebird 1 cut like a knife.

[@jimmuncy5636]

I wonder if Eric had any '59 Bursts, the holy grail of guitars back then.

[@Ledprostate]

Clapton should have just left Strats alone and stuck with Gibsons.

[@jimtalisker3032]

Hi, Its the over all sustain, thickness and tonality thats characteristic of his back up Les Paul he used during the Cream USA Farewell tour. The Firebird generally had a thinner, more anemic tone even though the Marshall stack. BTW he NEVER use the ES-335 with Cream in the US, its all a Burst Brothers myth but unfortunately, its out there like a internet virus:-) He only used the 335 (with Cream) during rehearsals and second set of their November 26, 68 final performance at the Royal A. Hall.

[@paulmichaelsmith3207]

This is an old thread but man, such a great solo, whatever the hell he's playing. Again, who knows? Having owned and played both old FBs and LPs - and loud - it's really hard to say. The FB at high volume surely doesn't sound thin, God knows. I saw EC play the FB thru stacks and it cut thru everything. Forgetting sound, I think his choice of notes reflects more how the FB sits on your body. EC's not a big guy and the FB, just by design, demands a more out front posture in regards to the neck. I believe an SG is the same that way. With those guitars him/you/me tend to play more on the mid-meat part of the neck. You can hear it in a lot of the pulls. Maybe that sounds wacky, just my utterly useless two cents.

[@colinmcnab6145]

If anyone says a Firebird 1 sounds thin check out JD Simo at Carters Guitars playing Clapton Cream licks with a Firebird 1 through a 100 watt Marshall stack. Eyes closed it could be an SG 335 Les Paul a very full sound.

[@brucereed4297]

Two different Les Paul Standards? He only used the '58 "Darkburst" (later traded to Kossoff in '69) during the tour, which made its debut on October 4th in Oakland. I am not aware of a second one.

[@abebernstein4318]

Abe Union pride wow Clapton is God

[@steinarpedersen7881]

Les Paul!

[@LED1512]

Maybe his fiercest take captured?

[@markrobinson8410]

Gibson guitars through Marshall stacks.

[@williamjc7195]

most drummers have the name of the band on their bass drum(s). Not so, Mr. Baker ;)

[@oldtimetinfoilhatwearer]

Is that a splice at 00:36 ? Are my ears wrong?

[@martshankleman]

Digital edit where the earlier version wasn’t deleted. Easy to fix.

[@pabloperez4063]

When he plays the riff, it sounds so thick and fat that it seems a trumpet

[@alangolias8628]

W.hat happened to him after cream ??????

[@ryandavis2580]

SRV likely in attendance. Source: audio or video of SRV somewhere here on you tube.

[@JustAnotherBlader]

He only used a firebird and LP on the farewell tour? Didn't he use his 335 on the Albert Hall farewell gigs?

[@radiomindchatter7994]

That picture looks like The Marquee..

[@mns8732]

A Firebird and an SG. An ES in London. No L P. in 68. That's a photo from London. No need to lie.

[@bmp-2267]

Gary Moore changed direction but never lost the fire....

[@MrBluenose1950]

Definitely a Les Paul, which as mostly his back guitar on this tour. Got this concert.....all three, Baker, Bruce and Clapton on fire!

[@colinmcnab6145]

On the final concerts Eric only used either the Firebird 1 or ES335 and for most of Creams life used the SG. The Les Paul was stolen just after Cream formed and was never recovered. Eric did use a Les Paul Custom 3 pickup to record Disraeli Gears but that was it as far as Les Paul goes in the short time Cream were together. This is definitely the Firebird 1 I recognise the tone as I have one in my small collection of guitars.

[@MontyCantsin5]

''Definitely a Les Paul...'' Definitely not.

[@jeffcory1056]

I don't get this. 2 and a half minutes, no vocal. What happened to the rest of the song?

[@andrewpride5230]

Jesus god

[@clarkewi]

Along with Jimi. Ruling the roost.

[@MrDino1953]

Who cares exactly which guitar Eric played on this? Such a boring conversation in the absence of any hard evidence. Just listen and appreciate the song for what is.

[@CaenFilms]

anyone doubting whether it's a firebird or les paul - check out this live cream-firebird concert video kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIfKqaSjqcSNgZI

[@1voyher1]

no vocals ???

[@howardjohnston6112]

Any major Cream fans might like to join us on Facebook (1800+ enthusiasts) here: facebook.com/groups/128825440579657/

[@howardjohnston6112]

And those who are particularly into the guitars and equipment might like this place: facebook.com/groups/ECGuitarsandGear/

[@kentholmberg1818]

This is Clapton at his best. Anyone who stress that Hendrix was the world' s greatest guitar player should listen to this. The combination of Gibson/Marshall, vibrato, speed and clarity is unique here. Live Hendrix stuff in ' 68 can sound muddy, noisy and out of tune. Compare Clapton in Cream to Hendrix at Miami Pop Festival and you see what I mean. As we all know Clapton changed his mind and style after Cream. But what if Clapton had died of an overdose in 1971 and an outburned Hendrix had lived on, playing boring funk? Hendrix could never achieve Clapton ' s level in Blues Breakers and Cream in my opinion. 😅

[@johnnyhmash]

worth repeating that this is not as good as the GOODBYE version.I won't take it back!

[@grapegate959]

This IS the version from "Goodbye", on the Firebird I!!

[@johnnyhmash]

Quite similar but it isnt.One of the better ones, though.​@@grapegate959

[@jupitermoongauge4055]

Damn, he got pretty good before he threw it all away