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| Strange Brew: Eric Clapton and the British Blues Boom | 
 enlarge | Author: Christopher Hjort
Creator: John Mayall
Publisher: Jawbone Press
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $18.64
You Save: $11.31 (38%)
New (12) Used (5) Collectible (1) from $18.46
Avg. Customer Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 430417
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.7
Dimensions (in): 10.5 x 8.3 x 1
ISBN: 1906002002
Dewey Decimal Number: 782.4216430922
EAN: 9781906002008
ASIN: 1906002002
Publication Date: February 9, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW
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Product Description
This definitive look at the British blues explosion centers around threeguitarists: Peter Green, Mick Taylor, and especially Eric Clapton. Describing the groups they played in from 1965 to 1970, including John’s Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Cream, Fleetwood Mac, Blind Faith, and The Rolling Stones, the book is presented in an engaging day-by-day format. With a wealth of illustrations and never-before-published details, the book reveals the way the musicians behind the blues boom worked together, influenced each other, and pushed one another to ever greater achievements.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
My mind is boggled September 24, 2008
Definitive hardly does this book justice. Authoritative, doesn't do it. The sheer amount of research author Hjort did on this labor of love really is mind boggling. He probably knows what each of these guys had for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day from '67 to '70. Being a Mick Taylor fanatic with my love for Peter Green running just shy of that, I was so delighted to find a book devoted to them and Clapton it was days before I realized what you learn reading this book. There's tech stuff for us players, lists of gigs, record sessions and tv appearances for the completists and a bit of gossip here and there for all of us. But his finest feat is making the reader feel he is there at the beginning of a blues scene made up of skinny white Brit kids that 3 years later was the basis for much of the most vital rock music ever made. This time telling the story as it went through Mayall's Bluesbreakers and those 3 incredible guitar players he hired in a row. I'm not sure who came after these 3 but I'm glad it wasn't me. I still consider Taylor and Green to be deities, way too overlooked and underappreciated, but Taylor especially enhances every project he's been a part of and I can listen to him play slide all day long. This is an incredible look at what it must be like to be a child prodigy, playing world class blues at 15, in arguably the best blues band in England at 17 and asked to join the Stones at 20. And there's just as much or more on Clapton and Green; looking back it seems incredible that these 3 virtuoso musicians emerged in a country with no blues tradition or players to look up to or learn from in their early guitar years. If you're a fan of blues, guitar,the 60s, London or any of the 4 principles of this story, I urge you to treat yourself to this book. You won't be sorry.
A nearly Day by Day history lesson of British Blues February 29, 2008
This book has an amazing amount of information but I find it hard to read straight through and instead wind up jumping from artist to artist and such.What I do love is the photos of my heroes in action,my favorites being a complete picture of Peter Green with the Orange amps behind him(a cropped version is used for Gary Moores "Blues For Greeny" cd),the Cafe Au Go Go shot of BB King,Clapton and Elvin Bishop jamming(a cropped version leaving out Elvin was used for "Riding With The King") and an alternate angle shot of Cream at Madison Square Garden(this date is used for the cover of "Live Cream") with a nice view of Cream's weaponry behind them(man,I love gear).That all being said its hard to imagine a more complete source of information on what is probably my favorite style of music,British Blues.
An important volume for guitar geeks September 17, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Full disclosure: I am a guitar geek. I was the guy at sock hops who'd sit by the record player, not dancing, reading the liner notes (remember those?), and dreaming of stardom.
What Christopher Hjort has accomplished with this volume is nothing less than amazing - a day-by-day accounting of concerts, club gigs, recording sessions, photo sessions, BBC broadcasts and even informal rehearsals by the movers and shakers of the blossoming British Blues scene. For the five years covered in this book, the careers of John Mayall, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor (and pretty much anyone who came within five feet of an amplifier or microphone stand) are tracked in exquisite detail. The painstaking research is rewarding to anyone interested in the early days of groups like Fleetwood Mac, Cream and The Rolling Stones, and the cameos by Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix are the icing on the cake.
Great rare photos, detailed equipment lists, and Mr. Hjort's own recommendations for those wishing to hear the music described therein, this book is a keeper. I may have to get another one for lending out.
A wealth of details May 17, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
"Strange Brew: Eric Clapton & The British Blues Bloom" by rock historian Christopher Hjort is a history of the 1960s British blues music boom in general, and Eric Clapton's stellar music career from 1965 to 1970 in particular. "Strange Brew covers hundreds of gigs, radio and television appearances, recording sessions, discographical information, trivia, contemporary reviews, and first-hand accounts and recollections from ex-band members and fans. Some of the stories will be new information for even the most dedicated Clapton fan, such as the comprehensive account of Clapton's Greek odyssey in 1965 (including the true story of The Glands and Greek band The Juniors, as well as fresh information about John Mayall's recording with Bob Dylan). Here presented in a day-by-day format laced with photographs and memorabilia, the way the musicians behind the British Blues worked together, influenced each other, and helped each other to ever greater musical accomplishments. "Strange Brew" is essential reading for Clapton fans, British Blues music enthusiasts, and academic library 20th Century Music History reference collections.
The evolution of British Blues in London May 8, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a great collection of tour dates and band interviews of all the bands that were emerging in London during the early sixties. The author does a great job of weaving it all together and this is a great edition to anyone's library of this period. Some great photos of the Bluesbreakers and all London players and club scene.
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