Burying the Lede: A Blind Faith Reformation?

Heads up, Second City: The Chicago Tribune is reporting Eric Clapton will bring his Crossroads Guitar Festival to the City of Awesome Hot Dogs this summer.

But as fantastic as that news is for Chicagoans, I’d like to point everyone’s attention to the last line of the Trib piece: “Among the performers to be announced will be Steve Winwood, several sources say, who will join Clapton for a collaboration on songs recorded by Blind Faith, their short-lived ’60s super group.”

[youtube]DWyO1GaXF6c[/youtube]

A Blind Faith quasi-reunion?! I’ve written so many letters to Clapton and Winwood about the very subject of getting the band back together that I’m not even welcome at Slow Hand’s cottage anymore. I remember the good old days when the three of us would sit around the pool and bathe in the blistering London sun — err, do they have sun in England? — while drinking Appletinis.

But why stop at Winwood sitting in with Clapton’s band? Why not pick up a bassist and a new drummer for the show (do you risk throwing Ginger Baker out there, who may actually have died with Ric Grech almost two decades ago)? I went to one of those Cream shows at MSG, and I liked it, I really did, but Clapton was way too fast for Baker. I think a reformation of BF with Baker would be sweet, but to truly be a top-notch show, I feel like Stevie and Eric need to go out with a new bassist and a new drummer. Of course, that’s just one man’s opinion.

Who’d you like to see sit in with them if this ever comes to fruition?

Related Content

0 Responses

  1. I believe that Clapton’s drink of choice was Michelob, not appletinis.

    I’d like to see fellow bluesman Stevie Ray Vaughn sit in with Clapton. Oh, wait. He’s dead. How about Domino Duane Allman? Oh, wait. He’s dead. Then maybe Domino Carl Radle? Oh, wait. He’s dead. How about an old Yardbirds croney like Keith Relf? Oh, wait. He’s dead. Surely Clapton’s best pal George Harrison would show? Oh, wait. He’s dead. How about Layla co-writer Jim Gordon? Oh wait. He killed his mother and is now in prison. How about Clapton’s son sitting in, like in Van Halen’s band? Oh wait . . .

    Watch out Stevie Winwood.

  2. Way harsh, HP, way harsh. Of course, I love it.

    Reminds me of that awful, awful joke that went around some years back: Who’s the fastest reader in the world? Clapton’s son, 53 stories in 10 seconds.

    Man, I feel bad just repeating that. My apologies to everyone.

  3. Excellent joke. I need to remember to submit that statistic to the Guinness Book Of World Records.

    And don’t feel bad. Clapton got the biggest smash hit of his career out of it.

    “Tears in Heaven,” I mean.

  4. Scotty, haven’t you learned anything from this site? Why on earth would you need a sick young bassist, when it doesn’t matter one little bit who plays bass. Where is Art when you need him?

  5. I couldn’t agree more, Sisto. I think Blind Faith’s lineup should be:

    Winwood
    Clapton
    The skeletal remains of Ginger Baker
    The chick who played bass in Jennifer Keaton’s band “Perpetual Waves” on Family Ties

    That’d rip. I’d tour with that band.

    ::prepares bunk Geritol::

  6. I think we should track down Art and have him kill it on stage for every single reunion tour. He could be the Warren Haynes of bass. That kid fucking shreds. Art, not Warren. Warren just plays guitar and I totally killed Jessica on Guitar Hero last night. Seriously, people.. Not that hard! Then I kicked my TV out a window and shot up with Jack Daniels. Cause that’s how _I_ roll.

  7. To get to see Stevie Winwood & Eric play together as Blind Faith is a dream come true for me! Sea of joy, Can’t find my way home! Presence Of The Lord. I have heard Steve play 2 Blind faith songs live last year and he sang & played them just killer!
    But I think Ginger should be on stage with them to make it really B.F. He can still play and he was on the record and it would sound more like Blind Faith.
    Sadly Ric Grech is dead so he can’t play bass. People be happy that this is going to happen! Stop thinking of who should play drums or bass! Winwood sang every tune here and played guiter and piano and organ. And I think this is some of the best guitar that Clapton ever played, or as good as anything from his past good old days.
    The ARMS concerts were wonderful! Winwood & Clapton together have ALWAYS been some of their best! The Rainbow concert had a GREAT live virson of Presence Of The Lord.
    I love the DVD of Hdye Park becausae it is so RAW! Yea! I live in Chicago so I am very lucky and happy to see these two great musicians be friends again and play together! Eric please don’t play any Cream tunes ( I love Cream but this isn’t what this is all about) Play a Powerhouse tune too, Crossroads. Thank-you! Enjoy the show it’s been 37 years!

  8. I’d love to see a “Blind Faith” reunion with all three living members (Clapton, Winwood and Baker). They should also hire a talented bassist to fill in for Grech. I believe if they toured the North America and Europe it would sell out each show easily and then some. They made such beautiful music together back in the late 1960’s. It would be a shame if they never reuinted again. It would be heaven on Earth to see them play some outdoor venues too (reminiscent of Hyde Park, London on June 7, 1969).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

New to Glide

Keep up-to-date with Glide

Twitter