# Clapton close to calling it quits



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Catch him if you can...........



> Legendary guitarist Eric Clapton may be playing on his last ever tour.
> The musician, 68, has just performed in Tokyo, 40 years after his first concert in Japan, at the same venue.
> But the star admits he is now finding the pace of life on the road too tiring.
> In his Far East programme notes, he wrote: “I may not be able to come back again.
> ...


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Gotta be tough, even for a rich dude. Particularly at 68, I would think the travel is a grind.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I expect he'll continue to do his Crossroads thing, since it IS a charity, and record as well. But living out of a suitcase is no way for a grown-up to conduct their life.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I feel for him. I'm sure he's comfortably well off, but the constant pressure to perform, tour, and just be Eric Clapton, must be overwhelming at times. Why shouldn't he retire if he wants to? So many of his contemporaries haven't bowed out gracefully, or known when to call it a day.

Peace, Mooh.


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

He fancy's himself a bluesman, and all his "contemporaries" are still out there doin' it , and bringing it hard! B.B., and Buddy, to name a couple. Muddy, John Lee, The Iceman, and the other two Kings did it til they dropped. I imagine so will he.

CT.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

CocoTone said:


> He fancy's himself a bluesman, and all his "contemporaries" are still out there doin' it , and bringing it hard! B.B., and Buddy, to name a couple. Muddy, John Lee, The Iceman, and the other two Kings did it til they dropped. I imagine so will he.
> 
> CT.


All depends on the quality as well. Clapton is still able but I must tell you that a few of these names here are pretty much done. As much as I love BB, and I do, I have seen him at least 4 times, his shows ain't what they used to be. Johnny Winter IMO should have hung it up 5 years ago at least. He can barely play any more. With all due respect to these guys, and they deserve all of it, there does come a time that you can no longer charge people for a substandard performance. Not their fault, age takes its toll.

This below to me is pretty sad. 

[video=youtube;nDW4qVCRHNE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDW4qVCRHNE[/video]


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

I'm with GC on this one - last time I saw both BB & Buddy it was like sitting in the audience at an infomercial taping. Whole lotta talking with things in their hands - but very little actually using it...


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

fretboard said:


> I'm with GC on this one - last time I saw both BB & Buddy it was like sitting in the audience at an infomercial taping. Whole lotta talking with things in their hands - but very little actually using it...


Yes I would add buddy to that as well. Last time I saw him he just told stories for about 50 minutes and threw in a few songs in between. The best guitar solo was by a 12 year old that he let play his guitar on one of his walks around the theatre


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

BB's best days are behind him, to be sure, but Buddy is still able to cook pretty good...even in a tux:
[video=youtube;y-jSaBg9_M4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-jSaBg9_M4[/video]


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## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

GuitarsCanada said:


> All depends on the quality as well. Clapton is still able but I must tell you that a few of these names here are pretty much done. As much as I love BB, and I do, I have seen him at least 4 times, his shows ain't what they used to be. Johnny Winter IMO should have hung it up 5 years ago at least. He can barely play any more. With all due respect to these guys, and they deserve all of it, there does come a time that you can no longer charge people for a substandard performance. Not their fault, age takes its toll.
> 
> This below to me is pretty sad.


yup, that was bad...awful really...I agree they deserve all our respect but you're right - that was sad...


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

These guys really have to love what they're doing to keep up the grueling travel and fast paced life on the road.

Ask yourself...if you had many millions of dollars stashed away and could afford to build a few luxury homes anywhere you chose, wouldn't you be sipping a margarita on a beach on the Caribbean or out in your yacht deep sea fishing? Or how about making experimental recordings on state-of the-art equipment with some of the best musicians and technicians available in a studio by the sea, just for the fun of it? Clapton has the time and the money to do anything he wants, yet he continues to tour. 

I would have stopped touring when I turned 50.


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## deadear (Nov 24, 2011)

One thing that surprised me is Johnny Winter still had teeth. I thought they would have been rotted out twenty years ago.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

I thought a lot of these older acts were forced into touring because the ass has fallen out of their traditional revenue stream ie selling CDs and albums. They have to tour to generate any income. We really saw Elton John in Ottawa and he was really good and played a long show. But, at one point he said something like "I only keep doing this because of you guys". I laughed to myself at that line: "Sure you do Elton".


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Good for him. Theres a certain dignity in going out gracefully. I don't think ti will be the last we see of him. I think he'll just be more selective of what he does and maybe just does the higher profile gigs, tv appearances etc like Paul McCartney does (altho hes getting over exposed as it is).


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Well, as it says, he's 68. He's no longer a spring chicken.


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

bagpipe said:


> I thought a lot of these older acts were forced into touring because the ass has fallen out of their traditional revenue stream ie selling CDs and albums. They have to tour to generate any income. We really saw Elton John in Ottawa and he was really good and played a long show. But, at one point he said something like "I only keep doing this because of you guys". I laughed to myself at that line: "Sure you do Elton".


I agree. Its a shame these legends have to keep playing to pay the bills. The industry doesn't look after its elders as it should. Lots of big industries like that today.

CT.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I don't travel much. maybe twice a year, and in some ways that can be tiring, although it's still fun but to do it over & over at 70, I can see that as something to be endured, rather than enjoyed, and I'm much younger than Eric.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Elton leads a pretty lavish lifestyle even today...Hes not touring to "pay the bills" in any sort of meaning full way. Hes working to maintain an exorbitant standard of living....and I suspect because after a life of being idolized, it would be pretty hard on ones ego to let it go.


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## axeblade (Sep 23, 2008)

GuitarsCanada said:


> All depends on the quality as well. Clapton is still able but I must tell you that a few of these names here are pretty much done. As much as I love BB, and I do, I have seen him at least 4 times, his shows ain't what they used to be. Johnny Winter IMO should have hung it up 5 years ago at least. He can barely play any more. With all due respect to these guys, and they deserve all of it, there does come a time that you can no longer charge people for a substandard performance. Not their fault, age takes its toll.
> 
> This below to me is pretty sad.


I can't deny that these guys (Johnny, BB, Buddy, etc) are no longer in their prime. And its true that concert goers don't get the show they would have 20 years ago. That being said I have nothing but the deepest respect for these guys still getting up there still and giving it everything they've got. They are doing what they love. I hope when I get to be that age I have have a fraction of the heart and soul these guys have!

Age does take its toll. So is it wrong for them to charge for a ticket? I would have to ask the ticket buyer are you paying to hear how good he was 20 years ago, or paying to be in the same room with a music icon who after all these decades still has the heart to get up on a stage and bring the music to the people? I have to believe that the people buying tickets to see these guys are aware of how old they are. Personally I couldn't care less if all I heard was Pop Goes The Weasel.... I'd still be awestruck to be in the presence of a living legend. I haven't seen them play, but if I were to see them today, I would cherish that night for the rest of my life. 

Sounds cool when a guy in his 20's or 30's says "they'll put down their guitar when its pried from their cold dead hands". Impresses the shit out of me when a guy in his 70's or 80's lives it.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

axeblade said:


> I can't deny that these guys (Johnny, BB, Buddy, etc) are no longer in their prime. And its true that concert goers don't get the show they would have 20 years ago. That being said I have nothing but the deepest respect for these guys still getting up there still and giving it everything they've got. They are doing what they love. I hope when I get to be that age I have have a fraction of the heart and soul these guys have!
> 
> Age does take its toll. So is it wrong for them to charge for a ticket? I would have to ask the ticket buyer are you paying to hear how good he was 20 years ago, or paying to be in the same room with a music icon who after all these decades still has the heart to get up on a stage and bring the music to the people? I have to believe that the people buying tickets to see these guys are aware of how old they are. Personally I couldn't care less if all I heard was Pop Goes The Weasel.... I'd still be awestruck to be in the presence of a living legend. I haven't seen them play, but if I were to see them today, I would cherish that night for the rest of my life.
> 
> Sounds cool when a guy in his 20's or 30's says "they'll put down their guitar when its pried from their cold dead hands". Impresses the shit out of me when a guy in his 70's or 80's lives it.


Frankly I want to hear something remotely close to the recorded version that made me want to go to the concert in the first place. If you want to pay $70 and upwards to say that you had the pleasure of being within 300 yards of BB King and he never even so much as glanced at you that's fine. The majority of concert goers are paying to see a concert. This is not the 80"s anymore and $15 tickets. Your mileage may vary though. I am not honking my horn but I have been to a lot of concerts, a lot. After the first 100 or so you start to compare them and the value.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Diablo said:


> and I suspect because after a life of being idolized, it would be pretty hard on ones ego to let it go.


This also leads some athletes to "unretire"--so to speak.


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## DrHook (Oct 28, 2013)

Clapton....my most favorite half Canadian


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

zontar said:


> This also leads some athletes to "unretire"--so to speak.


ya, almost always with disappointing results.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

I saw him on his last last world tour ever. In 2001.

I did find the last line humourous. You know the guy travels in style, but to spend so much on the travel that your tour is losing money is hilarious. 

His old bandmate, John Mayall, is coming to play in my neighbourhood soon. He just turned 80.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Sneaky said:


> I saw him on his last last world tour ever. In 2001.
> 
> * I did find the last line humourous. You know the guy travels in style, but to spend so much on the travel that your tour is losing money is hilarious. *
> 
> His old bandmate, John Mayall, is coming to play in my neighbourhood soon. He just turned 80.


It reminds me of in Sammy Hagars book he mentioned something along those lines...apparently in the 70's when he was just starting to get big, a manager told him theres 2 ways to tour: modestly, but make a lot of money like Steely Dan, or put on a massive production, be famous as hell, like Alice cooper, but have barely any money left at the end.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Diablo said:


> It reminds me of in Sammy Hagars book he mentioned something along those lines...apparently in the 70's when he was just starting to get big, a manager told him theres 2 ways to tour: modestly, but make a lot of money like Steely Dan, or put on a massive production, be famous as hell, like Alice cooper, but have barely any money left at the end.


Thats true in many ways. You take a look at a band like the stones that have to have huge complexes for each member at each venue because they can't stand to look at each other, unreal rider demands like pool tables, full living rooms, giant screen tv's, private jets and separate limos for everyone. That adds up and that's why you pay $300 a ticket to see them. All that crap has to be paid for. If you can get away with it that's great, not everyone can. I can tell you right now that I would have no interest in rolling around North America with 3-4 other people in a bus. I was on the road for 14 years for work and was totally sick of it in short order.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Back then they lost money on tour, but sold albums and singles and T-Shirts.
Now the Tours are supposed to make them the money album sales no longer do.

Or something like that.
Which is one reason concerts usually cost more than they used to.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

_______________


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

nkjanssen said:


> Eric Clapton Wows Audience With Even Slower Version Of ‘Layla’


Ha! I guessed that was an Onion article before clicking it!


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

zontar said:


> Back then they lost money on tour, but sold albums and singles and T-Shirts.
> Now the Tours are supposed to make them the money album sales no longer do.
> 
> Or something like that.
> Which is one reason concerts usually cost more than they used to.


That's my understanding as well.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Talking about performers who should hang it up, anyone seen Ozzy lately?


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Milkman said:


> Talking about performers who should hang it up, anyone seen Ozzy lately?


In and out of rehab, probably.
IIRC, they were liquidating some of their properties not too long ago.


Ppl have to remember, the costs of touring aren't just for the stars lavish lifestyle and hotels and restaurants etc...A lot would go into renting venues, elaborate stages, lighting, sound, security, insurance, promotion/advertising, management and administration, cuts to Ticketmaster etc that go along with running a tour.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## jayoldschool (Sep 12, 2013)

Thought I would bump this one up now that Clapton has announced his gigs at MSG and the Royal Albert Hall in May. Apparently these are his last dates. I've never seen him, and I was discussing the shows with my wife, and she said, "why don't we see if we can get tickets?" Lo and behold, we're going to the last night at MSG. Great seats, too! Should be a special evening.


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