Whether in The Yardbirds, John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and The Dominos, or as a solo artist, Clapton’s creative odyssey has produced many culturally significant moments, making his career one of the most extensive arcs of his generation.
When appearing on the BBC’s iconic show Desert Island Discs in 1989, he revealed more about what he loves when listening to music. He provided insight on an array of artists, including one particularly surprising name, a contemporary hero whom he dubbed “a genius” who had saved rock ‘n’ roll. (Farout)
Given his nature as a purist of the form, it does come as a surprise to hear that Clapton was a massive fan of Minneapolis innovator Prince, a man who blurred lines and mixed rock music with pop, funk, soul and many other palettes before it was the norm to do so. Regardless, the former Cream man explained that after he saw Prince’s epic movie Purple Rain, which featured the anthem of the same name, his life was changed. Not only was Prince a musical genius, but he also described the experience of the film and album as a literal “lifesaver”.
He said: “It was a lifesaver for me. This is a record that I heard and it came from a movie which I saw at the time when I thought Rock and Roll was dead. I went to see ‘Purple Rain’ and I thought ‘Well, this is it, it’s a reincarnation of Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix and James Brown in one’. I thought that’s exactly what the world needed. Very controversial figure but I loved him dearly and I think he is a genius musically.”
After Prince died in 2016, Clapton went into more detail about the moment he first saw Purple Rain and heard the sounds of the Minnesotan’s definitive masterpiece.
Describing him as a genius once more and even a “huge inspiration”, he recalled being on the road at the time and being locked in a grim downward spiral with drink and drugs. Yet, he saw the film in a cinema in Canada, with no idea who Prince was, and it proved to be the stroke of serendipity that he had long been looking for.
Clapton continued: “In the middle of my depression, and the dreadful state of the music culture at that time it gave me hope, he was like a light in the darkness I went back to my hotel, and surrounded by empty beer cans, wrote ‘Holy Mother.’ I can’t believe he’s gone.”
Guitar legend Eric Clapton announced a limited run of exclusive shows for 2024 including dates at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall as well as dates in Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham and Dublin.
General ticket on sale is this Friday, 9 June at 10am.
9 May 2024 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle – Ticket Info
11 May 2024 – M & S Bank Arena, Liverpool – Ticket Info
13 May 2024 – Resorts World Arena, Birmingham – Ticket Info
16 May 2024 – 3Arena, Dublin – Ticket Info
20 May 2024 – Royal Albert Hall, London – Ticket Info
21 May 2024 – Royal Albert Hall, London – Ticket Info
