Name: ERIC CLAPTON - HANLEY 1978 MULTITRACK MASTER
SKU: K521202504
Availability: BackOrder

Description

Victoria Hall, Hanley, England 28th November 1978 STEREO SBD

　This week, Eric Clapton’s secret live recording will be released again! This master is also a shocking master provided by Taper, a heavyweight living in the UK, whom we trust. This work is a complete recording of a crisp stereo soundboard recording of the official live album, which was mixed down from the multi-track master of the official recording of the “Backless European Tour” in the fall of 1978, at Hanley in the UK on November 28th, the final day of the tour!

　This time, the heavyweight taper provided us with a direct copy from the original master tape to DAT. There is a previously released version of this sound source with the same quality, but as you can hear from this work, the texture of the sound is quite different from the previously released version. The previously released version intentionally raises the mid-range, and although it is powerful, it gives the impression that the natural feeling is fading. In contrast, this work has a natural feel that is still mixed from the multi-track. It should be considered as a different thing.

　In addition, five songs from the soundboard source of this day are also used in the 4CD box “CROSSROADS 2 (Live In The Seventies)” officially released in 1996 (Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever, Worried Life Blues, Crossroads, Double Trouble, Early In The Morning). Looking at that, it can be said that it proves how excellent the performance on this day was. What’s interesting is that the mix phase is reversed between this work and “CROSSROADS 2 (Live In The Seventies)”. In both, Clapton’s vocals, guitar, bass, and drums are located in the center, but the keyboard is on the right channel in this work and on the left in “CROSSROADS 2 (Live In The Seventies)”. The instrument placement on the stage on the day was the keyboard on the right facing the stage, so it can be said that this work faithfully reproduces the live sound of the day. In addition, in this work, the sound of the drum floor tom is clearly mixed into the right channel. This is more than official. Furthermore, the chorus vocals by Jamie Oldaker and Dick Sims are intentionally mixed to come to the forefront in “CROSSROADS 2 (Live In The Seventies)”, but in this work they are mixed to a natural level that supports Clapton’s vocals. Even with this, you can see that this work has a more natural sound image than the official version.

[A rare set list unique to the end of the tour and Clapton’s sharp playing!]

　First, let’s review the topic of this year and see how this European tour was positioned in Clapton’s activities.

・February 1st to April 19th, 1978: US tour　
・June 23rd, 1978: Appeared at a festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands with the Bob Dylan Band
・July 1st to July 15th, 1978: Short European tour (including a festival appearance with Bob Dylan)　
<August to September 1978: Recording of the album “BACKLESS”>
<November 1st, 1978: Release of the album “BACKLESS”>
・November 5th to December 7th, 1978: European tour ←★Here★
・December 11th, 1978: Sudden appearance at Muddy Waters’ concert in Dingwall, London

　Following the huge success of the album “SLOWHAND,” this was one of the shows during the European tour to promote the new album “BACKLESS,” which was recorded by the same British producer Glyn Johns and released just two months after the album’s release. This was an important tour to close the year and to greatly contribute to the promotion of the album. For this tour, Clapton, who was tired of the usual airplane travel, came up with the idea of a unique European style, and he rented out the famous Orient Express train to travel to all the performance locations. For Clapton, the opening act was Muddy Waters, a beloved bluesman, which was a happy situation. It can be seen that he was fresh and full of motivation (Muddy also traveled on the same train).

　The highlight of this tour was that the band was composed of four pieces, the same as Derek and the Dominos, after the second guitarist George Terry and female singer Marcy Levy, who were in the band during the recording of the album, were fired. The fact that Clapton was the only guitarist meant that the weight and importance of his performance increased. This tour attracted attention because he himself asked for such a heavy responsibility despite his ongoing alcoholism. Another attraction of this tour was that, as we learned later, the set list was very different at the beginning and end of the tour.

　As mentioned above, many numbers from the album “BACKLESS” were featured only in the very early performances, but from the middle of the tour onwards, the number of numbers from the album was extremely reduced, and the repertoire of old blues and the previous tour was the main focus, making it a “regular tour”. Nevertheless, this day was a rare day when the opening song was Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever (written by Stevie Wonder), a famous cover version of The Band (Clapton probably had a longing for The Band). And although the number of songs from “BACKLESS” was reduced, they played three songs: If I Don’t Be There By Morning, Tulsa Time, and Early in the Morning.

　Clapton was in top form that day, regardless of his alcohol level. He performed great solos in each song. In particular, the groove-filled playing in Crossroads, and the emotional playing in slow blues such as Double Trouble and Early in the Morning are outstanding (to be honest, it’s better than “JUST ONE NIGHT”). Layla is played as the last number of the regular stage as in a normal concert, but it’s a take worth listening to, with fast playing that includes habitual phrases. Since there is no second guitar, what happened to the seven-note main phrase? I wondered, but it was actually the keyboard. This fit perfectly and I was surprised. It’s a great take. All the songs are worth listening to, and this is the first time they’ve appeared in a recording that has been around for 45 years.

This was the only tour where he performed with a four-piece band during the time when he was using the Tulsa Tops from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who had supported him both in the studio and live performances since “461 OCEAN BOULEVARD”. In addition, it is drummer Jamie Oldaker who adds nice choruses over Clapton’s vocals in all the songs. Yes, while playing the drums. Up until now, there have been chorus members such as Yvonne Elliman, Marcy Levy, and George Terry, so I wondered who would be in charge of this four-piece, but it was actually Oldaker. I was surprised at how good he was. It makes you realize that Clapton’s entire career was blessed with band members.

　Multi-track master of historical recording from 47 years ago! This is a limited release with a serial number sticker indicating the first pressing. As numbers are limited, please order early.

Disc:1 (51:47)
1. Introduction
2. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
3. Worried Life Blues
4. Badge
5. Wonderful Tonight
6. Crossroads
7. If I Don’t Be There By Morning
8. Double Trouble

Disc:2 (32:42)
1. I’ll Make Love To You Anytime
2. Tulsa Time
3. Early In The Morning
4. Layla
5. Cocaine
6. Further On Up The Road