Blind Faith Biography

A desultory spell in a second supergroup, the overhyped and shortlived Blind Faith (1969), which was composed of Cream drummer Baker, Steve Winwood of Traffic and Rick Grech of Family, resulted in one patchy LP and one arena-circuit tour. The supergroup debuted before 100,000 fans in London's Hyde Park on June 7, 1969, and began a sold-out American tour in July before its one and only album had been released. The LP was recorded in such haste that side two consisted of just two songs, one of them a 15 minute jam entitled "Do What You Like". Nevertheless, Blind Faith did include two classics: Winwood's "Can't Find My Way Home" and Clapton's "Presence of the Lord". The album's jacket image of a prepubescent girl was deemed controversial in the U.S. and was replaced by a photograph of the band. Blind Faith dissolved after only a year together, and while Winwood went on to a highly successful solo career, by now Clapton was tired of both the spotlight and the hype that had surrounded Cream and Blind Faith, and wanted to make music that more closely resembled that of The Band.

Clapton decided to step into the background for a time, touring as a sideman with the American group Delaney and Bonnie and Friends. He moved to New York in late 1969 and worked with the band through early 1970. He became close friends with Delaney Bramlett, who encouraged him in his singing and writing which would show determined growth in his next effort.

Using the Bramletts' backing group and an all-star cast of session players including Leon Russell and Stephen Stills whose solo albums Clapton played on, he released his first solo album in 1970 fittingly named Eric Clapton, which included the Bramlett composition "Bottle Of Red Wine" and one of Clapton's best songs from this period, "Let It Rain". It also yielded an unexpected U.S. #18 hit, the J.J. Cale cover "After Midnight".

Clapton's "between-bands" period from 1969 to 1970 also saw him appear on a large number of other artists' records, ranging from George Harrison's All Things Must Pass (for contractual reasons, Clapton's contributions went uncredited for decades) to The Plastic Ono Band's Sometime in New York City and Dr John's Sun Moon and Herbs.

Amazon.co.uk Review:
Short-lived classic rock supergroup Blind Faith's sole 1969 album has aged remarkably well. Blind Faith fused the psychedelic blues of Eric Clapton and the soulful vocals and keyboards of Steve Winwood with the polyrhythmic, Afrocentric leanings of drummer Ginger Baker. "Can't Find My Way Home" is easily one of the hippie era's most lyrically poignant, sonically subtle tunes. The record has a lot of surprises; "Presence Of The Lord" is rousing and melancholy at the same time, while the way the bass and guitar double-team on the introductory melodic line to "Had To Cry Today" makes a hard rock cliché fresh again. The 10-minute drum solo on "Do What You Like" is pretty good as 10-minute drum solos go; Blind Faith is not a purchase for the jam-shy, especially in its present, bloated form, which adds almost an hour-and-a-half of unreleased jams and mixes. And while surely there are levitational moments within the five 12- to16-minute improv sections included here, the excess (and lack of great material; remember that this band was only together a few months) grows tiresome. One notable exception is the "Change of Address Jam", excerpts from which were pressed up as a record label change-of-address announcement back in the day. It's got a pleasant, near-swinging, Graham Bond/Booker T on Quaaludes vibe with Winwood's keyboards rollicking nicely in a manner recalling his work on Electric Ladyland. The rest of disc two is for completists only. --Mike McGonigal

Blind Faith & Delaney and Bonnie and Friends