Cream — Stormy Monday

To me, the blues has to be bitter and heartfelt.

@whart I respectfully disagree with this.  While the blues started out as a way to express anguish and suffering in the southern United States and can certainly still reflect that, it has morphed over many decades to be much more versatile and translatable to other styles and purpose.  Hell, many of the most popular bands in rock are blues based — Stones, Cream, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Led Zeppelin,  The Allman Brothers, etc., etc., and a lot of their songs aren’t sad at all.  Listen to Keb’ Mo’ — he’s born and raised on the blues in Mississippi and a lot of of his stuff is upbeat while being very blues based while still including songs that represent struggle and hardship.  I’d avoid trying to pigeonhole any type of music because really great music and songs, in my opinion, not only lend themselves but almost beg to be stretched and pulled in different directions to see where they can go.  I for one enjoy the creativity and variation.  But that’s me. 

It’s my GoTo track when auditioning new gear. Absolutely love the sound of the room….the sound of the drums, the bass and guitar….right from the opening riff….!

There's also a great version by Gary Moore and Albert King on YouTube. 

@soix- I respect your view and you may be right. Thanks for the courteous and thoughtful response. (Keb Mo' was fabulous in concert; Ditto, Etta James, who I considered a blues singer, and a long list of others). 

My personal issue with the blues has to do with a feeling of authenticity. And not about playing style, "period," (acoustic or electric) or the like. Sometimes, I hear bands and players who just simply dial it in- like they hit the notes, but the passion isn't there. Of all the now gone performers I wished I had seen live, it was probably Jimi H- I was told by someone that he'd warm up w/ a blues tune and if the audience was with him, he'd play his ass off. Otherwise, he'd just do his show and walk off. 

The thing I like about that Clapton track I posted is that it is an early example of "riding feedback" pretty much throughout the track. I'm not sure how prevalent that was at the time. Elmore James was pretty notorious for a highly juiced (overloaded) sound--something that Duane Allman picked up on. To me, the early Clapton is my favorite of his work- that board recording of Cream at the Grande in Detroit in 'Oct '67 is absolutely killer. Sadly, it has never been legitimized and remains a bootleg. 

my regards,

Bill Hart

I think that Cream’s studio recordings were perfectly listenable, although Disraeli Gears was the worst of them I think. So good though that I still listen to it.