CREAM – MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 2005 1ST NIGHT (2 CD)

Description

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA 24th October 2005 ULTIMATE SOUND (from Original Masters)
★Super high sound quality.

[A superb stereo audience master recording from the first day of Cream’s reunion concert!]
　This week, we’re releasing a treasured master from a veteran taper based in the UK, renowned for his Eric Clapton recordings! This time, the veteran taper has provided us with a superb master of Cream’s reunion performance at Madison Square Garden on October 24, 2005. In 2005, we released a superb master that was supposedly recorded in stereo on his DAT recorder by a friend of the veteran taper who was living in the Netherlands and flew to New York because he desperately wanted to see Cream. This was released in 2021 as “Madison Square Garden 2005 2nd Night: Original DAT Master,” but this time, the veteran taper has sent us not the master from that recorder, but a digital copy of a first-generation master that he has newly acquired!

　This master had been released on CD once before, but recently a veteran taper has acquired the first-generation master. Consequently, the sound quality and sound image are incredibly clear and powerful. We can confidently say that this is the highest quality master recording of this concert. Our staff listened to this master and immediately concluded that we simply had to release it. It is a complete recording in the highest quality stereo audience recording, surpassing even “Madison Square Garden 2005 2nd Night: Original DAT Master”.

　21 years have already passed since then. Cream, a band that has left its mark on rock history, was a band that, along with Jimi Hendrix, revolutionized “rock” at the time, despite their short activity period of just over two years from 1966 to 1968. For that reason, the voices of rock fans hoping for their reunion have been constantly rising since immediately after their breakup in 1968. However, it was Eric Clapton’s will that prevented this from happening for 37 years. Having achieved great success as a solo artist, he had bitter memories of being caught in the middle of the conflict between Ginger and Jack, becoming exhausted and worn out, and ultimately leading to the breakup of Cream. He thought that a Cream reunion would be nothing more than a meaningless spectacle that would only take him back to the past. However, in 2005, the situation changed dramatically. Jack Bruce’s health had deteriorated to the point where he needed a liver transplant and his life was in danger. Ginger Baker was in a situation where he had fallen behind on taxes in Nigeria, Africa, where he was currently living, and his home was on the verge of being foreclosed. Since 2000, Clapton had been reflecting on his career, collaborating with many musician friends, and rekindling old friendships. It was at this point that he extended a helping hand to two of his old friends.

　And so the reunion concert finally happened. It began in May with four days of performances at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Naturally, many rock fans from all over the world flocked to the Royal Albert Hall. It seems that many fans from Japan also went to see it. Standing on the same stage for the first time in 37 years, they were no longer the “war-waging band with their instruments” they once were. There was no distorted, loud sound either. There were the three of them, occasionally exchanging smiles and praising each other. If we consider this purely from the perspective of “music,” I even think that this might be the sound they originally wanted to make and produce. The uniqueness of Cream’s music and the three members’ outstanding skills were reaffirmed in this concert.

[A superb master recording that realistically recreates the New York performance, which is quite different from the London performance.]
　The London performance was such a huge success and received such great acclaim that a New York performance was scheduled for October of the same year. Let’s take a look back at Clapton’s activities that year leading up to the Cream reunion.

– January 15, 2005: Performed and recorded “Wish You Were Here” with Roger Waters at the BBC Television Studios as a charity event for “TSUNAMI AID”.
– January 22, 2005: Performed at the “TSUNAMI AID” charity concert held in Cardiff, England.　　
– March 11, 2005: Performed at a charity show for “Comic Relief” at the BBC Television Studios.
March 14, 2005: Performed “Reconsider Baby” with Jules Holland’s band as the backing band . Performed on stage with Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Robbie Robertson, and others at the 20th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York
. April 8, 2005: Performed with UB40, Roger Daltrey, and others at a charity concert for the Teenage Cancer Trust held at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
May 2, 3, 5, and 6, 2005: Held Cream reunion concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
June 11, 2005: Performed with Roger Taylor, Ringo Starr, and others at a charity concert held in Bramley, Surrey, England
. August 30, 2005: Album “BACK” “HOME” release >>
• September 3, 2005: Appeared with John Mayer at CNN’s television studios in the US for a charity event to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, performing “Broken Hearted”
• October 24, 25, 26, 2005: Held a Cream reunion concert at Madison Square Garden in New York ←★HERE★
• December 31, 2005: Held the annual charity concert for AA (Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous), “New Year’s Eve Dance”

　As you can see, the main event of that year was the Cream reunion concert (all other activities were sporadic charity work). In other words, Clapton focused on the “Cream reunion” in 2005. For fans, this concert was a dream come true after 37 years. All three were over 60, and the overwhelming power they once possessed was gone, and the improvisations were shorter, but there was a seasoned flavor to their performance. All three played different models of instruments than they had in Cream, and they captivated the audience by bringing out the best in the songs with techniques that could be considered the culmination of their careers. In Clapton’s case, there had been expectations that he would play the same Gibson-style guitar as he did in Cream at high volume, but he easily defied those excited expectations and played only his signature Stratocaster, which he was fond of at the time. The volume was just right, and the instruments were different from those in Cream. This allowed each of them to express their own unique “flavor” in 2005.

　Every song was thoroughly rehearsed, and ideas were incorporated into the setlist. Most notably, they included songs they had never played live during their Cream days: Outside Woman Blues, Pressed Rat and Warthog, and Badge. They also played Stormy Monday, a blues song they played on the club circuit before Cream was formed (live recordings of Clapton from his Bluesbreakers days, and Jack and Ginger from their Graham Bond Organisation days still exist). In the intro to this song, Ginger even provides the backing with a drum roll. It’s an idea that can only be described as uniquely his.

　According to fan reports from those who saw the opening night performance, the trio’s playing was far more powerful than their London show in May. Clapton’s playing on “Stormy Monday” was particularly praised by all the fans who submitted reports. Jack Bruce, who had been in poor health, was seen kicking his legs during several phrases, and despite being more reserved in London, he was apparently jumping around a bit that day, looking much healthier than before. After the performance of “Pressed Rat and Warthog,” Ginger promoted merchandise, saying, “Pressed Rat has reopened its shop and is selling T-shirts and other goods with ‘Cream’ written on them.” Another amusing moment was when they skipped “White Room” and started playing “Toad,” surprising Clapton and Bruce. The band laughed it off and then smoothly transitioned into “White Room.”

　Furthermore, “Tales of Brave Ulysses” was included in the setlist for this American tour. Clapton’s wah-wah-driven playing during the outro was exhilarating. Also, “Badge” was performed in a way that was much closer to the Cream original, starting with Jack’s bass and repeating the section after the break only once, rather than the arrangement Clapton plays in his solo shows, which begins with a guitar intro and repeats the section after the break twice. Clapton was consciously playing with “Cream” in mind throughout. He was probably trying to recapture “that feeling.” In “White Room,” the arrangement where Clapton and Bruce switch the parts they sing in each chorus is a nice touch, and conversely, in “Sunshine of Your Love,” it was pleasing to see them stick to the vocal part that perfectly reproduces the original version. I was worried that Ginger’s long drum solo in “Toad” might be shaky or a mistake, given that he’s a 66-year-old drummer, but it was so magnificent and dignified that I have to apologize for those worries. There are probably not many people currently active who possess this technique and can produce such a wide variety of exciting rhythmic patterns. The audience was equally amazed, and gave him thunderous applause multiple times during the drum solo.

　The reason for their previous breakup is said to be a feud between Jack and Ginger, and it’s said that they didn’t get along offstage during their London concert. However, it seems that they reverted to being bitter rivals backstage during their subsequent New York performance. But it was only a short three-day run. They didn’t let those circumstances show on stage, and the three of them delivered their best performance and successfully completed the tour. An official live album from the London concert has been released, but naturally, the audio from this New York concert is not included. And after this, both Jack and Ginger passed away. Now, a Cream reunion is impossible. I’m so glad that it happened at that time. Just as Cream left their mark on rock history, this concert will undoubtedly be etched into rock history as well. There have been previous releases of audio from the same day, but this release features a superb master recording making its first appearance in Japan. I hope this release will help you rediscover the greatness of “Cream”. We look forward to your early order.

Disc 1 (60:24)
1. Intro
2. I’m So Glad
3. Spoonful
4. Outside Woman Blues
5. Pressed Rat
6. Sleepy Time Time
7. Tales of Brave Ulysses
8. NSU
9. Badge
10. Politician
11. Sweet Wine
12. Rolllin’ & Tumblin’

Disc 2 (63:59)
1. Stormy Monday
2. Deserted Cities
3. Born Under A Bad Sign
4. We’re Going Wrong
5. Crossroads
6. Sitting On Top Of The World
7. White Room
8. Toad
9. Sunshine Of Your Love

Eric Clapton – Guitar / Vocals;
Jack Bruce – Bass / Vocals;
Ginger Baker – Drums