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Clapton: The Autobiography

3.72 of 5 stars 3.72 · rating details · 8,142 ratings · 884 reviews

“I found a pattern in my behavior that had been repeating itself for years, decades even. Bad choices were my specialty, and if something honest and decent came along, I would shun it or run the other way.”

With striking intimacy and candor, Eric Clapton tells the story of his eventful and inspiring life in this poignant and honest autobiography. More than a rock star, he i...more “I found a pattern in my behavior that had been repeating itself for years, decades even. Bad choices were my specialty, and if something honest and decent came along, I would shun it or run the other way.”

With striking intimacy and candor, Eric Clapton tells the story of his eventful and inspiring life in this poignant and honest autobiography. More than a rock star, he is an icon, a living embodiment of the history of rock music. Well known for his reserve in a profession marked by self-promotion, flamboyance, and spin, he now chronicles, for the first time, his remarkable personal and professional journeys.

Born illegitimate in 1945 and raised by his grandparents, Eric never knew his father and, until the age of nine, believed his actual mother to be his sister. In his early teens his solace was the guitar, and his incredible talent would make him a cult hero in the clubs of Britain and inspire devoted fans to scrawl “Clapton is God” on the walls of London’s Underground. With the formation of Cream, the world's first supergroup, he became a worldwide superstar, but conflicting personalities tore the band apart within two years. His stints in Blind Faith, in Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, and in Derek and the Dominos were also short-lived but yielded some of the most enduring songs in history, including the classic “Layla.”

During the late sixties he played as a guest with Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan, as well as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and longtime friend George Harrison. It was while working with the latter that he fell for George’s wife, Pattie Boyd, a seemingly unrequited love that led him to the depths of despair, self-imposed seclusion, and drug addiction. By the early seventies he had overcome his addiction and released the bestselling album 461 Ocean Boulevard, with its massive hit “I Shot the Sheriff.” He followed that with the platinum album Slowhand, which included “Wonderful Tonight,” the touching love song to Pattie, whom he finally married at the end of 1979. A short time later, however, Eric had replaced heroin with alcohol as his preferred vice, following a pattern of behavior that not only was detrimental to his music but contributed to the eventual breakup of his marriage.
In the eighties he would battle and begin his recovery from alcoholism and become a father. But just as his life was coming together, he was struck by a terrible blow: His beloved four-year-old son, Conor, died in a freak accident. At an earlier time Eric might have coped with this tragedy by fleeing into a world of addiction. But now a much stronger man, he took refuge in music, responding with the achingly beautiful “Tears in Heaven.”

Clapton is the powerfully written story of a survivor, a man who has achieved the pinnacle of success despite extraordinary demons. It is one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.(less)

Paperback, 352 pages

Published May 27th 2008 by Three Rivers Press (first published January 1st 2007)

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Jan 18, 2008 Donald rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Eric Clapton, guitar god, has written his autobiography, aptly titled Clapton, The Autobiography. It covers his entire life, from his poor upbringing, to the present day as happy family man. He addresses every phase of his personal and professional life, which is amazing in the fact that the book clocks in at only 328 pages. Maybe this is why, as honest as Clapton is, it left me wanting a bit more. For instance, during his drunk periods he admits to being "chauvinistic" to his then-wife Patti, a...more Eric Clapton, guitar god, has written his autobiography, aptly titled Clapton, The Autobiography. It covers his entire life, from his poor upbringing, to the present day as happy family man. He addresses every phase of his personal and professional life, which is amazing in the fact that the book clocks in at only 328 pages. Maybe this is why, as honest as Clapton is, it left me wanting a bit more. For instance, during his drunk periods he admits to being "chauvinistic" to his then-wife Patti, and starting fights with various people, but he never actually gives the details. (Maybe I have to read Patti Boyd's autobiography if I want more.)

The overall read this memoir gives on Clapton's personality is one of obsession. From his love of the blues, to his infatuations with many women, to his desire to work with different musicians, to his abuse of drugs and alcohol. Everything is done full bore, damn the consequences. It took age and years of recovery for Clapton to mature enough to start a family with his current wife, Melia, and settle into a less destructive lifestyle.

I give Clapton credit for being so forthcoming in his text, and admitting to faults and mistakes that most people would choose to keep hidden. Possibly being such a public figure for so long didn't really give him an option here; other people have and will write books, and some of the stories are already legend. But, still, I was almost embarrassed reading some of his adventures. Especially one in particular, that involved a strange woman who preyed on his vulnerability by claiming she could help him win back Patti with different spells. The situation gets way out of hand.

Maybe it was just a case of fighting a tight deadline, but I feel this book could have benefited with a stronger editor to guide the text. The writing was good (Clapton wrote it himself), but someone really needed to just step in a few places and ask for more here, and here, and here. John Lennon's murder wasn't even mentioned. Surely this must have affected Clapton in some way, even if it was just to concern himself with his own safety. Not to mention Clapton's friendship with George Harrison. Didn't he discuss this with Harrison, or call and console him about the death of his Beatle brother?

Despite my few problems with the book, I really found it to be a quick read and a real page turner. It allowed me, the reader, to get an intimate glimpse into the life and mind of one of the most successful artists of the last 40 years. And the glimpse isn't always a pretty picture.
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Oct 12, 2011 Max Fetter rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I see all these four stars and I can't help but ask whether I read the same book. We are, of course, all entitled to our own opinion, but Eric Clapton's attempt at writing an interesting account of his life was pretty much a failure.

I read the book because I am a Clapton fan (though not a huge one), because I had read another rock star's (Anthony Kiedis) drug-related biography and thoroughly enjoyed it, and because my mom got it for me so I felt obligated to do so. From beginning to end, I foun...more

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Mar 30, 2008 Ted rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporay-nonfiction

If you're a total Slowhand freak (and I am) this book is invaluable in that it comes right from the "horse's mouth." I've read a number of EC biographies, and, obviously, the main events of his life story are the same here as they are in the past (Cream still implodes, "Layla" still gets recorded, etc.). In that sense, there isn't much new information as there is the personal perspective and voice of Clapton himself.

Most revealing are the details of his youth growing up. Everyone knows about the...more If you're a total Slowhand freak (and I am) this book is invaluable in that it comes right from the "horse's mouth." I've read a number of EC biographies, and, obviously, the main events of his life story are the same here as they are in the past (Cream still implodes, "Layla" still gets recorded, etc.). In that sense, there isn't much new information as there is the personal perspective and voice of Clapton himself.

Most revealing are the details of his youth growing up. Everyone knows about the illegitimacy issues and the resulting confusion, but there's an added poignancy when you get the details that EC provides himself.

You also get a taste of his experience in Hazeldon that you don't get anywhere else--again, with emotional depth that even an authorized biography can't touch.

Ironically, it's the happiness in EC's life that make the tail end of the book a bit anticlimactic. His apparently happy marriage and family life after a series of traumatic (and sometimes bizarre) relationships and affairs are good news for those of us who wish him well, but don't make for page-turning reading.

For example, about halfway through the book, Clapton recounts the agonizing, epic love triangle among Pattie Boyd, George Harrison, and himself, along with the fall into addiction and the creation of the glorious "Layla" album.

Skip ahead 150 pages, and EC is describing the emotional turmoil that comes with deciding whether or not he (and his bank account) has it in him to purchase his own personal luxury yacht.

I'm glad for Clapton that his major source of soul-searching now is whether he's merely obscenely wealthy, or super-obscenely wealthy, but this isn't the sort of sturm und drang that created Layla.

But it's not fair to critique the man's life for not being sufficiently traumatizing to follow a traditional dramatic arc. He's simply telling it like it is.

The one thing I would have liked more of is some details about his approach to his craft. Musicianship is not a concept covered in any appreciable depth in the book, and that's ultimately what I'm most drawn to in Clapton. But then again, that's what the music itself is for.
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May 14, 2013 Genevieve Sharon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Clapton : You must just read the other reviews.

After his son's death I saw Eric Clapton play a smallish club in San Juan Capistrano, THE COACH HOUSE. He appeared and played with B.B. King.

The book was mostly about things I already knew. Not meant to be a literary triumph, I suspect it had something to do with achieving his sobriety, trying to make sense of it for himself---then of course there is always the endless money.

My brother did not think Eric Clapton was Guitar God , but after a few de...more

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Sep 06, 2008 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bio-autobio-memoir

It wasn't until I started the autobiography that I considered why it appealed to me in the first place. I'm a rather indifferent fan of Clapton's/Cream/Derek & the Dominos, etc- Unplugged is the only album of his that I own. It was more of a curiosity about that era- the hardcore sex, drugs, rock & roll of the 70s- and to read about the experiences of someone who barely made it out alive that compelled me to read. As a child in the 70s, I was watching Mr Rogers when EC was writing Layla...more It wasn't until I started the autobiography that I considered why it appealed to me in the first place. I'm a rather indifferent fan of Clapton's/Cream/Derek & the Dominos, etc- Unplugged is the only album of his that I own. It was more of a curiosity about that era- the hardcore sex, drugs, rock & roll of the 70s- and to read about the experiences of someone who barely made it out alive that compelled me to read. As a child in the 70s, I was watching Mr Rogers when EC was writing Layla and wreaking havoc on his physical and mental health with heroin. But having older brothers meant that rock and roll played a major role in my life- I could sing along to Blue Oyster Cult, Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd by the tender age of 8. Almost Famous is one of my favorite movies...

Clapton wrote this memoir at the age of 62, looking back with humility and not a small degree on wonder on a life that brought him fame, piles of cash, lasting friendships and a profound love of the blues and dedication to that musical genre. It also nearly killed him as he battled addictions to heroin, alcohol and doomed relationships.

He's not the most eloquent writer and I felt the most at loose ends when reading about his early days as a musician. He also seemed to keep an emotional distance from most of his personal relationships- particularly those in the 70s. It was more like a reporting of facts than an analysis of his actions and feelings. To be fair, he likely has a hard time recalling most of those years; but for his keeping a journal, most of the 70s and early 80s would be lost in a haze of highs and hangovers. But when addressing his addictions, particularly alcohol, and the process of recovery, his writing becomes quite articulate and almost tender.

His hardly knew his son Conor, who died in a horrible accident in the early 90s, and the depression & recovery that followed Conor's death seems to be the catalyst that created the far more humble and positive person he has become.

It's amazing that anyone could survive what he and so many others did to their bodies, their psyches (clearly, Hendrix, Morrison, Joplin, and many others did not). Makes me grateful for my dull life :) But there's no denying that we lived vicariously through these musicians & the romance of that lifestyle ended with the hyper-commercialism of the modern music industry.

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Apr 10, 2008 Johnny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: rock fans. cool dads. people in AA or NA

Recommended to Johnny by: My Dad

Shelves: rock-music-stuff

The first third of this book is really interesting. All the inside scoop about Cream, The Yardbirds, Blind Faith etc. And all the accompanying debauchery. The second third focuses on Clapton's descent into drugs and alcohol. You know, the usual 70's rock star stuff. Still pretty interesting if a bit old hat. The last third is all about how he cleaned up his act. How even when his little son fell to his death from a window, Eric didn't relapse (which is a fucking miracle in itself). Then it gets...more

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Feb 07, 2008 Elyssa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir, addiction, recovery, music

My colleague loaned this to me and told me it was a great story about substance abuse recovery. He was right about that! The parts of the book that deal with Eric Clapton's active addiction, recovery attempts, relapse, sobriety, and the creation of his own treatment center were interesting and honest.

I thought Clapton demonstrated great insight into his addiction and recovery process. He was forthright in exposing his weaknesses and limitations. I think his ability to surrender and humble himsel...more

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Feb 02, 2008 Michele rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I received this book for my birthday from my husband, who knows how much I LOVE Eric Clapton and his music. The book is an autobiography, covering Clapton's life from a child up until summer 2007. It was so interesting to read about his casual relationships with other extraordinary musicians, such as the Stones, the Beatles, BBKing and more. His struggle through addiction and his ability to finally rise above and surround himself with people to help him maintain sobriety was inspiring, even as h...more

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Apr 14, 2008 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Music lovers, addicts, people in recovery

If you love music, the ‘70s, rock stars and all the drama that naturally ensues than you will love Clapton's no holds barrred account of his life. It’s exciting, it’s sincere and it’s jam-packed with stories of some of music’s greatest personalities as lived through Slowhand himself.

As objectively as possible, the God of the Blues attacks a very biased topic, his own life and writes about it with the humility and humor of a man who viscerally experiences life. He is incredibly open and candid ab...more If you love music, the ‘70s, rock stars and all the drama that naturally ensues than you will love Clapton's no holds barrred account of his life. It’s exciting, it’s sincere and it’s jam-packed with stories of some of music’s greatest personalities as lived through Slowhand himself.

As objectively as possible, the God of the Blues attacks a very biased topic, his own life and writes about it with the humility and humor of a man who viscerally experiences life. He is incredibly open and candid about the highs, both naturally and chemically induced and the lows, also caused by natural and chemical enhancement, that have led him on the most fantastic journey. Ultimately we get to revel in the story of a boy coming of age in a common country town in England, living a most uncommon life, who grows up to be the world's greatest living guitarist.

The man moves you to fits of laughter with familial anecdotes, like his little elderly aunt who had Tourettes and couldn’t help but insert obscenities when she greeted you at the door. In the same vain, Clapton will make you weep harder than a two-pound onion being sliced under your nose, when he shares the sadness his life is rife with since birth. His ability to write so nakedly about his son Conner and the many women he mistreated, including his eldest daughter Ruth, let’s us see Clapton as a man who truthfully acknowledges his past and makes no excuses for his mistakes.

It’s pretty obvious that Clapton is an innately obsessive and addictive personality. These are constant themes in his life, he’s absolutely obsessed with and addicted to music, women, drugs and alcohol. It skews his entire perspective in life and conversely, is the sole reason he was able to master the guitar. If it weren't for the feeding frenzy of those traits he never would have been able to play for hours on end, listening to records then imitating what he heard. He would do this over and over until his rendition sounded exactly like the record. Most of us wannabe musicians would practice for a little while, then get bored or frustrated and call it a day. Not so for this blues-obsessed adolescent. It appears then that his shortcomings, which caused him so much personal destruction, to the point of despair, are also the caveats for his life's greatest accomplishment. Shocking? Not really, since geniuses are often deeply troubled people who enjoy wallowing. Thankfully, he’s been able to grow up and grow out of the destructive narcissistic lifestyle that cripples many masters.

The autobiography is a ray of hope that all people can evolve and that even rock "Gods" are still human, subject to the same personal hurdles that plague us all.
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Aug 07, 2008 Brendan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Brendan by: Gonzalo

His memoir, just like his life, is seemingly compelling at first and utterly vacuous at the end. Clapton's story starts out with a confusing childhood and then builds a bright flame of artistry on top. This all crumbles as his desire and dependecy steer him to the brink self-destruction. But all of the compelling rock n' roll stories that should be in this autobiography are replaced with remorseful and arrogant AA/group-therapy recounts of his misadventures.
As he winds down his story I'm left,...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Sir rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 16, 2009 Ryan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Because Eric Clapton has been part of the the blues / rock community for so long, reading about his life is like reading the history of rock n' roll. This book is a true autobiography, written by Clapton with little or no outside help. Because of that, it reads like the memoirs of a rock star, written in his own sometimes rambling voice. English professors beware, unlike many autobiographies that I've read where a professional writer has sat down with the subject and parsed up their life into ni...more

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Mar 15, 2009 George Bradford rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: rock-n-roll, heroes

Full Disclosure. Before reading this book, I was not a huge Eric Clapton fan. Sure, I'd enjoyed him in concert a few times and I owned some of his albums. I respected him. But I wasn't all that interested in reading about him. I was more interested in reading what he had to say about George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

In this book, Eric Clapton has plenty to say about all three. But he's got even more to say about a lot of other people, events, places and things. And in doing s...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Jody rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

His music has alway reached my soul, after reading the book the man has touched my soul.

Never knew much about his career - WOW!!!!!1, knew the music, just that I did not know it was him. Nor did i know he was such a rock n roller (in lifestyle) Cream being one of my favorites from the time I was in jr high, along with beatles (george being my favorite), dillion (who my mother band me from listening to). So in reading his book you learn alot about music history. His history is so vast - he must...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Carrie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: recently-read

I really only enjoyed the segments in this book that contained Clapton's encounters with other musicians of his time. That was just about only the first third of this book. His autobiography only succeeded in broadening my scope for the blues--the rest of the manuscript contained mostly complaints about his screw-ups throughout his lifetime. There never seemed to be much of a real main point to his writing this autobiography. I kept on giving it chance after chance to reveal its purpose, but non...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, biography

I should confess, I've been a huge Eric Clapton fan for far more years than I care to admit. When I was in high school, I played guitar, and just about everything I learned came from Clapton albums: Just One Night, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Slowhand. The list goes on.

My 17 year-old self would have been perfectly happy if Eric Clapton had written a detailed account of each album: "Well, on `Crossroads,' I was planning to use my Gibson Les Paul, but somebody stole it, so I used an ES-33...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a autobiography of Eric Clapton's life. Eric wrote this book for fans, or people who like music as much as he does. In this book Eric writes about all the crazy stuff that happened to him when he first started to play music. Some of the crazy stuff that has happened are either really good, or just insanely bad. Eric mentions all the bands he used to be in, as well as who he would jam with or tour with. If he had an amazing time playing with that person then he wrote like how they inspir...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Rel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: auto-biography

It was a bit slow, and I found it hard to keep reading.
Probably right up until the middle of the book.
Eric knew and met an amazing amount of famous people, which was interesting.

However, I found the volume of people mentioned just blurred into each other, and I had to go back and re read paragraphs to see who that was again.
Then more unknown people would pop up later on in the book that weren't mentioned earlier.

Some of the things he did with women really annoyed me, and I didn't like reading a...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Frank Parker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Clapton: From Drug and Alcohol Addiction to Life as a Family Man,

Eric Clapton's autobiography, describes his battles with addiction

The book begins with his childhood in the Surrey, England, village of Ripley and ends with the completion of the 2006/7 world tour. In between is a harrowing account of his problems with drugs and alcohol. Once he came through rehab for the second time however he established his own treatment centre in the Caribbean and became an ambassador for the 12 step programme....more

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Sep 20, 2012 Abbe added it · review of another edition

Shelves: in-library

...more

SUMMARY:
“I found a pattern in my behavior that had been repeating itself for years, decades even. Bad choices were my specialty, and if something honest and decent came along, I would shun it or run the other way.”With striking intimacy and candor, Eric Clapton tells the story of his eventful and inspiring life in this poignant and honest autobiography. More than a rock star, he is an icon, a living embodiment of the history of rock music. Well known for his reserve in a profession marked by self-promotion, flamboyance, and spin, he now chronicles, for the first time, his remarkable personal and professional journeys. Born illegitimate in 1945 and raised by his grandparents, Eric never knew his father and, until the age of nine, believed his actual mother to be his sister. In his early teens his solace was the guitar, and his incredible talent would make him a cult hero in the clubs of Britain and inspire devoted fans to scrawl “Clapton is God” on the walls of London’s Underground. With the formation of Cream, the world's first supergroup, he became a worldwide superstar, but conflicting personalities tore the band apart within two years. His stints in Blind Faith, in Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, and in Derek and the Dominos were also short-lived but yielded some of the most enduring songs in history, including the classic “Layla.” During the late sixties he played as a guest with Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan, as well as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and longtime friend George Harrison. It was while working with the latter that he fell for George’s wife, Pattie Boyd, a seemingly unrequited love that led him to the depths of despair, self-imposed seclusion, and drug addiction. By the early seventies he had overcome his addiction and released the bestselling album 461 Ocean Boulevard, with its massive hit “I Shot the Sheriff.” He followed that with the platinum album Slowhand, which included “Wonderful Tonight,” the touching love song to Pattie, whom he finally married at the end of 1979. A short time later, however, Eric had replaced heroin with alcohol as his preferred vice, following a pattern of behavior that not only was detrimental to his music but contributed to the eventual breakup of his marriage. In the eighties he would battle and begin his recovery from alcoholism and become a father. But just as his life was coming together, he was struck by a terrible blow: His beloved four-year-old son, Conor, died in a freak accident. At an earlier time Eric might have coped with this tragedy by fleeing into a world of addiction. But now a much stronger man, he took refuge in music, responding with the achingly beautiful “Tears in Heaven.”Clapton is the powerfully written story of a survivor, a man who has achieved the pinnacle of success despite extraordinary demons. It is one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.

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Jun 25, 2012 Paul Lyons rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What a great read. For someone like me, who loves to read books about music...and engage myself in countless stories about decisions and events that have occurred behind the music...this book is just perfect. First published in 2007, Clapton: The Autobiography is a fantastic tome written by the great singer, songwriter and guitarist Eric Clapton. For those who don't know, Clapton is the Forrest Gump of rock and roll...having had experiences with some of the greatest artists in music history...Th...more

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May 19, 2012 Charlene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's one of those books you have to read if you are a boomer or love music beginning from the 60's forward. If you don't fall into those two categories, you just might be interested in the study of a life tormented by sex, drugs, alcohol and rock and roll. If you know Bob Dylan's song, "Blown in the Wind" Clapton's story makes you wonder how many deaths does it take til you learn. Suicide attempts, recovery and rehab tries, multiple grand mal seizures, massive bleeding ulcers, the death of a you...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Steve Mcgrath rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ok,

I took into this book because I dont know much about Clapton. I read Hammer of the Gods and some other music book recently and Clapton kept popping in. So I thought to myself, "Why not learn more about him." I have always categorized Clapton as a little bit boring. I think his music has no dynamic and is rather boring. But to be fair, my first exposure to really who Clapton was was during the MTV Unplugged years.

With the exception of everyone in Van Halen, everyone in Stone Temple Pilots, a...more Ok,

I took into this book because I dont know much about Clapton. I read Hammer of the Gods and some other music book recently and Clapton kept popping in. So I thought to myself, "Why not learn more about him." I have always categorized Clapton as a little bit boring. I think his music has no dynamic and is rather boring. But to be fair, my first exposure to really who Clapton was was during the MTV Unplugged years.

With the exception of everyone in Van Halen, everyone in Stone Temple Pilots, and everyone in the Killers and Celine Dion, I will have to say that Clapton is the biggest asshole in music. He broke up every band he was in whether it was the Yardbirds, Cream, Derek and the Dominoes, Blind Faith. He basically gets bored and quits.

He also spent years chasing George Harrison's wife. He gets her, and then they divorce. He covers his alcoholism and coke use pretty intensely. I never knew what a mess this guy was. To be fair, he cleans up in the early 90s and has been clean since. He does a lot for other addicts as well which is admirable. But all of that doesnt change a few things...

This man's ego is a mile wide. I still find his music to be a bit boring even with the insight on him I now have. Just look at the cover of the book..it says it all. "I will make the cover my awesome signature with just 2 colors" zzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZzzzzzz.....NEXT. There is just nothing about his music that pops for me. But if you like stories of rock band debauchery, which I love, then this is for you. But i'm telling you, this guy was an asshole to anyone who crossed his path. That part was fun to read. I'm shocked more people didn't knock him out.

The part I found stunning was that George Harrison was friendly with Clapton even after Clapton stole his wife. If I were Harrison I would have taken one of my Rickenbackers, filled it with bees and rocks and hit Clapton off the squash with it.

Also you hear from time to time that Clapton is a racist. I couldn't find that to be more untrue. He spends half the book gushing over black blues guitarists. Also most of his current touring band is black guys, so there really is no evidence of that(at least from the book). Asshole-Yes. Racist-No.

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Jul 21, 2011 Jpmist rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Curious that biographies aren't held to the same standards of writing as novels, because this is bad. I was disappointed at how little mention of what Clapton is actually famous for, his guitar playing. I've been a fan of his for decades and found myself skimming thru the got wasted blah blah, played with blah blah, did this tour blah blah, slept with blah blah.

I suppose it's disappointing to find that Clapton is just an average guy who couldn't handle his success, his life, his relationships a...more

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Nov 02, 2010 Agnes - rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

To be very honest, I was actually quite surprised when having heard our independent reading had to be nonfiction this time. In addition to that, I was even more intimidated by the fact that the book we chose had to be either a biography or an autobiography. Nevertheless, I thought carefully of what I may be interested in most, and it undoubtedly turned out to be music. Therefore, I chose an autobiography of Eric Clapton, the renowned musician of our era.
It is shameful to have a stereotype of mu...more To be very honest, I was actually quite surprised when having heard our independent reading had to be nonfiction this time. In addition to that, I was even more intimidated by the fact that the book we chose had to be either a biography or an autobiography. Nevertheless, I thought carefully of what I may be interested in most, and it undoubtedly turned out to be music. Therefore, I chose an autobiography of Eric Clapton, the renowned musician of our era.
It is shameful to have a stereotype of musicians only having great skills in music. However, through reading Clapton’s autobiography, I was moved. Some of the most intricate vocabularies he used in the book show a great level of understanding in being able to express his thoughts well. Indeed he may not be my favorite artist, but I do know that he is one of numerous mid-aged people’s most wanted singers. Just by looking at my own father, I can realize how much Eric Clapton’s fans are passionate about the songs he wrote.
If I were to choose a favorite chapter in the book, it would definitely be chapter fifteen: Crossroads. What I really admire about this certain part of the autobiography is the fact that Eric Clapton depicts Alice in such a sophisticated manner, interrelating it to his own feelings as well. Although it was quite unfortunate to realize that Alice was seriously ill in the hospital after she had come back from her long disappearance in France. But the fact that Clapton mentions he was not surprised by this in actuality shows how much he has cared for her all along.
One of the features I also really liked about this book was the incorporations of numerous photographs Eric Clapton had decided to share with readers. These photographs were not just inserted into random spots of the book, but rather appeared in between places that were quite necessary. Also, it was effective in the way that the pictures were put together since not all of them were located in one place.
In general, I enjoyed reading about Eric Clapton. Not only is this because I respect him as a magnificent musician, but also because I was able to read this text with relaxation.
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Sep 23, 2010 Nando Rossi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Loved the first two thirds of the book, got bored to death with the last one. Overall, a good read.

I'm not a fan of any of Mr. Crossroads' solo work, but being a big fanboy for Cream, I went into this book with an open mind, and was pleasantly surprised at how humble he comes off most of the time, self-analyzing in a very believable way and leveling with the reader, and using that analysis to tell the story.

We go on a ride that's basically your average "Behind the Music" episode: hopeful teenage...more Loved the first two thirds of the book, got bored to death with the last one. Overall, a good read.

I'm not a fan of any of Mr. Crossroads' solo work, but being a big fanboy for Cream, I went into this book with an open mind, and was pleasantly surprised at how humble he comes off most of the time, self-analyzing in a very believable way and leveling with the reader, and using that analysis to tell the story.

We go on a ride that's basically your average "Behind the Music" episode: hopeful teenager becomes musician, gets quick fame, women, money and then all the terrible things that come bundled with it; gets crippling addiction after crippling addiction, until he finally finds peace in family life and straightens his shit.

This in itself isn't a bad thing; the fact that it paints a picture of a quite fascinating time, when experimenting was the rule, with all its ups and downs, which especially through the eyes of one of its undeniably biggest icons worldwide, certainly makes it interesting.

But the book lacks in structure; after all the addictions, the back-and-forths with the women, the alcoholism... there's a point in which you really feel it's not getting anywhere, and it's hard to tell what's the focus of the book; after all the intriguing parts are over, he keeps on going for quite some time, telling you about Live Aid, about his contract, about how he hooks up with this girl, or that girl, does something dumb here, something awesome there... describes every single child for way too long, etc.

It's a biography, and the guy is alive (which is good for him, really, he found a way to not die young, like many of his generation) so yeah, I guess it's no surprise after he stops totally sabotaging himself and becomes a family man, things get a little boring. But dude, spare me the details about the boat you fell in love with and had to buy.

Also, it really confirms my suspicion that dude stopped evolving after the 60s, partly because of all the personal troubles; but he really lost his focus on the music and became a music worker, repeating himself infinitely and failing miserably at every attempt at diversifying (ie, reggae).

So at the end of the day, I still don't feel inclined to revisit his discography. However, I get a much better picture of the man and his impact. Now go listen to Cream.(less)

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Aug 26, 2010 mark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, relationships, favorites

If you could be the president of the United States or the most renowned rock guitarist the world has ever known, which would you choose. I think how you pick, would be determined by your personality in conjunction with what kind of power you aspired to—personal or political, and how much personal freedom you demand. In Clapton The Autobiography, Eric Patrick Clapton gives the reader an honest and up close look at what it is like to be the later. This is a fascinating read if you are curious abou...more If you could be the president of the United States or the most renowned rock guitarist the world has ever known, which would you choose. I think how you pick, would be determined by your personality in conjunction with what kind of power you aspired to—personal or political, and how much personal freedom you demand. In Clapton The Autobiography, Eric Patrick Clapton gives the reader an honest and up close look at what it is like to be the later. This is a fascinating read if you are curious about what it is to have complete and total personal power, and freedom, to do whatever in the world your heart desires. Then the interesting question becomes: Could you handle it. Eric Clapton couldn’t. As Clapton tells his story, he was saved from self-destruction (Yes, suicide) only by the grace of God. There are two things I need to make clear before I go on. First is the fact that the present always influences the past – meaning one’s current worldview or philosophy creates a frame for how you interpret what and why things happened as they did. And second, I was not a fan of Clapton’s music. I owned not one of his records, but was always hearing them when I stumbled in and out of houses and bars in the sixties and seventies. I was much into the “scene” of the times, but my preference was for Neil Young.

To point one. Clapton was in Hazelden treatment center twice, in 1982 at age 38 and again in 1987 at 43. Hazelden is a famous addiction recovery clinic and uses the Twelve Step program as its foundation. Clapton coupled that with John Bradshaw’s family systems theory, which also puts emphasis on the Twelve Steps. It’s good stuff and I know both approaches well. Clapton, in 1993, at age 48 then entered into individual psychotherapy. He also was a believer in Zodiac personality theory. He has been sober since he left Hazelden in ’87, and considers that the “most important proposition” of his life—staying sober. There is much I like about the Twelve Steps and then again, some I find, well, convenient for some types of people. Which is why it works for some people and not others. In other words, it is not the end all and be all. It conveniently shifts causation around and manipulates people and events to fit its ideology. Just as all theories, and indeed, therapists do. So what we have here is Clapton’s interpretation of his life as seen through a specific lens, and not necessarily an accurate one. That said, there is much to take away from his interpretation. He is, I think, as honest as he can be, which is more than most people.

Consider this: He made himself into an incredible guitarist (yes, of course some of that was a creative gift) and as such could and did, whatever-the-fuck he wanted. He chose to chase any woman or girl he fancied – and always got them where he wanted them. He bought whatever the fuck he wanted, from houses all over the globe, to guitars, boats, guns, clothes, food, alcohol and drugs. He went where and when he desired, worked when and where and as much as he wanted. He had more friends (There are 400 citations in the book, almost all of who he claims as friend.) and fun than any fifty men together. And yet, recalling his life he says he was always making bad choices and sultry, mean, and in despair. He was miserable on the inside, he says now, and blames his family circumstance, alcohol, and drugs for that. But what about all the great music, the fabulous fun, all the beautiful woman, and all the travel and all the people? If he had not lived the life he did, he would not have had the experience he had. If he was so miserable how did all that happen? It doesn’t jive. And, because of who he was, he did what he did. The music was the output of his experience. You can’t love the music and hate the life/person that created it.

Clapton says now his purpose in life is help other addicts become and stay sober. He created and built a resort treatment center in the Caribbean, “Crossroads.” He performs benefits and creates auctions to fund it. There is just so much that doesn’t work with his worldview and his life. He did what he did because he wanted to and he had fun doing it. He made a fortune because he pursued his heart’s desire’s – women and music and getting high. Then, in the nick-of-time, before he did destroy himself, he quit and rode his reputation to still more of what he wanted. Damn near a perfect life.

I don’t think I like the man. Don’t think I would have liked him back-in-the-day, either. I’m okay with that. I do like some of the music he made. And, he wasn’t a violent man, just a bit nasty and irresponsible and negative, and selfish. No, Eric, it wasn’t the alcohol and it wasn’t a disease – it was you. Own it. You always did what you wanted and got what you wanted. Here’s to you, Mr. Clapton, Cheers.

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Jul 07, 2009 Daniel Otto rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For as expressive and open as Clapton’s guitar-playing is/was/has been, perhaps it would be too much to ask that his writing abilities be able to take the audience on a journey to the same soaring heights as his musicianship. While Clapton’s guitar-playing abilities were expressive and influential, his writing prose falls into the trap of telling, rather than showing, the story of his life. This could perhaps come as a result of his life being **too much** to possibly write about…after all, Clap...more For as expressive and open as Clapton’s guitar-playing is/was/has been, perhaps it would be too much to ask that his writing abilities be able to take the audience on a journey to the same soaring heights as his musicianship. While Clapton’s guitar-playing abilities were expressive and influential, his writing prose falls into the trap of telling, rather than showing, the story of his life. This could perhaps come as a result of his life being **too much** to possibly write about…after all, Clapton played in some of the most influential bands in rock and roll (The Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos) and collaborated with some of the most influential musicians ever to live (The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, BB King, John Mayall). In addition to this, Clapton all the while succumbed to and then fought through crippling drug addictions, eventually coming full-circle by founding the Crossroads Centre for drug and alcohol addiction. The book is pretty long as it is – how can you go into more detail without making the book unbearably longer?

The book contains a lot of details, but how many of them are of the intimate kind that you can only find in an autobiography? Any disappointments I have in the book come from Clapton’s glossing over certain events/periods in his life that I would have otherwise been hugely interested in. For example, as an aspiring guitarist myself, I was eager to read Clapton’s own account of what he did to become so good, how he discovered his sound, how he settled on his famous “woman” tone….essentially, what made him such a great guitarist. Instead, he jumps almost straight from buying his first guitar to becoming a member of The Yardbirds, one of the more influential blues-rock groups of all-time. Other than some key moments (such as Clapton’s beyond-absurd conversation with George Harrison where Clapton admits to being in love with Harrison’s wife, and Harrison tells him to go for it), you get the feeling that most of the information in the book could have been culled by any reasonably skilled outside write, and probably told in a more coherent fashion.

While I would give it a tepid recommendation, I can’t help but wonder how much better this book could have been. This is clearly an essential for any fan of Clapton’s, as it does contain a lot of information that might have been otherwise shielded during those heady times of Eric’s existence. Most of Clapton’s life was unexpectedly depressing, until he broke free of his addictions and found happiness later in life. Much like his real life, this autobiography struggles mightily during crucial stretches, but is ultimately successful in its purpose.
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Feb 20, 2009 Lani rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Clapton fans, my dad

Shelves: biography, music, non-fiction

I like classic rock and grew up on it, but books like this always leave me baffled. Lots of name dropping that I just can't follow. It's not gratuitous name-dropping or anything, it's just meaningless praise for people that I can't associate with anything at all. It's a little embarrassing for me, that's all.

I do like and respect Clapton as a musician, though I am clearly incredibly ignorant. He's pretty willing to address his mistakes, and while his sobriety gets a little irritating and preachi...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Cathy0584 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

EC has come through a lot--learning that the people he thought were his parents were really his grandparents and that the woman he thought was his sister was really his mother, his early meteoric success with his guitar music, playing with the top names in the industry, a long list of toxic relationships with women, all the while bolstering himself with alcohol and cocaine and other drugs. His several attempts at getting clean & sober were finally successful at the age of 42. Since then, he...more

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About Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, nicknamed Slowhand, is a Grammy Award-winning English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. He is one of the most successful musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries, garnering an unprecedented three inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (The Yardbirds, Cream, and solo). Often viewed by critics and fans alike as one of the greatest guitarists of all t...more

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“La tournée terminée, Tom et Roger pensèrent qu'après le succès de I Shot The Sheriff, ce serait bien de descendre dans les Caraïbes pour continuer sur le thème du reggae. Ils organisèrent un voyage en Jamaïque, où ils jugeaient qu'on pourrait fouiner un peu et puiser dans l'influence roots avant d'enregistrer. Tom croyait fermement au bienfait d'exploiter cette source, et je n'avais rien contre puisque ça voulait dire que Pattie et moi aurions une sorte de lune de miel. Kingston était une ville où il était fantastique de travailler. On entendant de la musique partout où on allait. Tout le monde chantait tout le temps, même les femmes de ménage à l'hotel. Ce rythme me rentrait vraiment dans le sang, mais enregistrer avec les Jamaïcains était une autre paire de manches.

Je ne pouvais vraiment pas tenir le rythme de leur consommation de ganja, qui était énorme. Si j'avais essayé de fumer autant ou aussi souvent, je serais tombé dans les pommes ou j'aurais eu des hallucinations. On travaillait aux Dynamic Sound Studios à Kingston. Des gens y entraient et sortaient sans arrêt, tirant sur d'énormes joints en forme de trompette, au point qu'il y avait tant de fumée dans la salle que je ne voyais pas qui était là ou pas. On composait deux chansons avec Peter Tosh qui, affalé sur une chaise, avait l'air inconscient la plupart du temps. Puis, soudain, il se levait et interprétait brillamment son rythme reggae à la pédale wah-wah, le temps d'une piste, puis retombait dans sa transe à la seconde où on s'arrêtait.” — 5 people liked it

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