Name: ERIC CLAPTON - TUCSON 1975 SOUNDBOARD MASTER (2CD)
SKU: K39359
Availability: InStock

Description

Tucson Convention Center, Tucson, AZ, USA 17th August 1975 STEREO SBD

★UPGRADE!!!

[The soundboard master from the 1975 US tour appears in full concert form!]

　This week, we’re releasing a soundboard master provided by the veteran UK-based Taper! This is a complete PA-out recording of the Tucson, Arizona performance on August 17th, towards the end of the second leg of the 1975 US tour, recorded on a stereo soundboard. It’s a stereo recording, though it doesn’t have a clear, granular feel. The drums are the most clearly separated. The wide, clear sound image makes it very easy to listen to.

　This sound source already has a pre-release version, but this time the heavyweight taper has provided a remastered version that is faithful to the conventional soundboard master and has not been subjected to excessive equalization.

　Regarding this leaked sound source, it first appeared on the 3-CD “Solid Rockupation” (Watch Tower label), released in 2002, which compiled only incomplete soundboard recordings from the 1975 tour. This CD contains the regular set from that day, but not the encore. This means that the encore was not included in this PA outsource. Furthermore, in order to make the sound more powerful, excessive equalization was applied to thicken the sound, which produced a powerful impact, but on the other hand, this resulted in a distorted sound. This time, the master provided by the veteran taper restored the original sound of the original master and supplemented the encore with a mono soundboard from another performance to achieve a complete recording. Although the sound is slightly thinner than the original release, its greatest merit is that it is clear and not distorted.

　Two songs were included in the encore. This follows the setlist for that day, as listed in the tour archive data on Clapton’s fan site “Where’s Eric!”. The first song, “Tell the Truth,” is a take from the St. Louis performance on July 11th of the same year, and “Eyesight to the Blind” is a take from the San Diego performance on August 16th of the same year. Both songs are soundboard sources that fit seamlessly with the regular Tucson performance.

　The unique benefit of this work is that our engineers have corrected Eyesight To The Blind, which had previously been recorded at a pitch that was too fast, to its original normal pitch. Previously, the pitch was so fast that it even changed Clapton’s voice quality, but with this work you can listen to it at its original performance speed. As explained later, Clapton was in very good shape and the set list was attractive, so this work is worth listening to again, not only for those who have not heard it, but also for those who already own the released version.

[A great soundboard recording of the 1975 US tour that kicked off with Layla!]

　First, let’s review the 1975 tour schedule to see how this performance positioned Clapton’s activities this year.

April 1, 1975: Release of the album “THERE’S ONE IN EVERY CROWD”
April 7-28, 1975: Oceania tour　
June 14-August 30, 1975: US tour ←★here★
September 1975
: Off October-November 1975: Second Japan tour

　As you can see, it was a year filled with touring, but this US tour was the main event, spanning two and a half months. As the tour name suggests, it was originally intended to promote his recently released album, “There’s One in Every Crowd.” However, the setlist for this show featured not a single track from the album, a performance that was in keeping with Clapton’s love of live performances. Rather than promoting the album, it seemed as though he was promoting “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” a surprise single released before the start of the second leg. Following his comeback tour the previous year, this tour also felt like a tour fueled by a desire to perform live again, as evidenced by his aggressive performance of the popular song “Layla.” This was the second year in a row they toured the US, but this year they didn’t include any acoustic numbers like the previous year, and they even had their best friend Carlos Santana as the opening act, making for an even more energetic tour.

　The highlight of this concert, which marked the end of a two-and-a-half-month tour, was a setlist that was truly Clapton-esque. Of particular note were the inclusion of Carnival, a new song that had only been demo-recorded with members of the Stones in June but was still incomplete and would be officially recorded the following March, and Bobby Blue Bland’s 1957 blues “Further on Up the Road,” which was featured on this tour. The former includes a Clapton guitar solo that was cut from the official studio version, while the latter offers an early glimpse of a track that would become a staple in the set for many years to come, right up until 1988. This constant commitment to experimenting demonstrates Clapton’s enthusiasm since his comeback. Also featured were tracks from his comeback album, “461 Ocean Boulevard,” which reached number one in the US the previous year, “I Shot the Sheriff” and “Steady Rollin’ Man.” The performance, featuring more aggressive guitar solos than on the album, is a testament to Clapton’s signature style. The setlist, which includes four tracks from his Derek and the Dominos repertoire (the electric version of “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,” performed exactly as it appears on the album, is a particularly valuable take), as well as two from his Cream days and one from his Blind Faith days, is peppered with representative songs that provide a bird’s-eye view of his career, and is full of charm, expressing “everything Clapton” at this point in his career.

　The impact of Layla’s opening was what made this tour so appealing. What’s unusual is that Clapton plays the solo in the closing credits with a wah pedal. His phrasing is superb, with smooth, unique variations on the wah pedal.

His solo on “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” is also solid. Listening to these two tracks, you can see that Clapton was in top form that day. Carnival is also a much more powerful and complete version than the later official studio version (Clapton’s solo is a real draw, after all). Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, which was just released at the time, has also been transformed into a fantastic live version. Can’t Find My Way Home features Yvonne Elliman on the chorus. She borrows Clapton’s Blackie Strat, and Clapton briefly retreats backstage, but reappears empty-handed for the final chorus, a rare sight. He also performs “Further on Up the Road” with great energy, before moving on to the mellow performance of “Little Wing.” The organ features more prominently than in his Dominos days, adding to the dramatic feel of the performance. Disc 2 finally reveals Clapton’s true essence. His solo performance, which flows from “I Shot the Sheriff” to “Badge” to “Steady Rollin’ Man,” is graceful and thrilling, typical of him. It’s clear he was in top form. “Crossroads” is performed as a medley, inheriting the rhythm from “Steady Rollin’ Man.” It’s a performance that deliberately sheds the image of his Cream days, but his playing is sharp.

　The encores for this day were Tell the Truth and Eyesight to the Blind, so as mentioned above, you can enjoy the flow of the day by filling in the gaps from other performances without any discomfort. Unusually, both performances feature extended drum solos, making for a worthwhile listen. Carlos Santana, who served as the opening act at the time, jumped in on Eyesight to the Blind and performed a guitar duel with Clapton. This master recording clearly distinguishes the structure of Clapton’s solo, Santana, second guitarist George Terry, and drum and percussion solos, with the final solos intertwined by the three. This percussionist is believed to be Alfonso Mouzon of the Santana band, who also jumped in. Enjoy the guitar battle that gives a glimpse into the relationship between these two rivals, and the fact that you can enjoy it at normal pitch only on this recording is a valuable experience. This song was originally performed by Clapton in his role as a preacher in The Who’s film “Tommy,” which had been released the previous year. Clapton had enjoyed the performance and had included it in his own concert repertoire. Santana’s participation in this song became a regular “selling point” for this tour, and it kept the audience excited until the very end.

　The 1975 tour is blessed with the titles of soundboard recordings and audience recordings, but on this tour where the set list changed every day, this work also captures a high-quality day in terms of both sound quality and performance that should be added to it. Please be sure to check it out.

Disc:1 (60:22)
1. Intro.
2. Layla
3. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
4. Carnival
5. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
6. Can’t Find My Way Home
7. Further on Up the Road
8. Little Wing

Disc:2 (59:07)
1. I Shot the Sheriff
2. Badge
3. Steady Rollin’ Man
4. Crossroads
5. Tell the Truth (St. Louis 11th July 1975)
6. Eyesight to the Blind (San Diego 16th August 1975) *

STEREO SOUNDBOARD RECORDING