( 76 reviews )
-
Posted: Aug 16 2009
I can't understand some of the reviewers here. Here's a shocking fact: EC does not owe you (or anyone else) anything! I'd be very disappointed if he'd write his autobiography in a fake voice, giving compliments to other musicians he did not want to give or sugar coating his less-admirable experiences or personality traits. It's HIS life, period. It's also HIS book. He did not write it to impress you, he wrote it to inform what went on and is going on with his life. If he would pretend to be a "nice guy" or tried to mask behind that blues legend heroic persona, it would be against the only real principle he's leading his life by. He was seeking the "purity" of the blues music. I think he found it, mastered it, and made it more popular than anyone else. Yes, Jimi was a whole lot better than Slowhand. Stevie was also much better. Both Jimi and Steive, sadly, are dead! They're not around to write and approve an autoviography, and if they did - you wouldn't like what they'd write either... we like heroes, I get it. But EC wanted to show his true self to his fans, and I think he did so in this book. He was courageous enough to leave the Yardbirds and Cream when he could have made millions by staying around a bit longer. Instead, he went after his heart wishes. That's admirable. Yes, he took drugs, he was addicted to alcohol, he doesn't give compliments to fellow musicians so easily, he's more ego-centered... SO WHAT? He's still Eric Clapton, the one who played with the best of the best before he was 22... Although I am also shocked from some things in the book, I appreciate quite a lot the sincerity in his writing. Even though he could have written things differently, to make us see him in a better light - he chose to stay true to what he really felt and really did and really had said and done in the past 4 decades. I admire that. I think this book is much better than any "friendly to the user" autobiography out there. Give us the truth as you see it, that's why we read it. If you don't agree, go buy Reader's Digest instead.
-
Posted: Jul 30 2009
I couldn't put the book down! What an up and down life this man has lead!
-
Posted: Jul 26 2009
This book is cool way to learn about Eric's life from his point of view. Eric should have had the publisher proofread it better because the punctuation is off in some paragraphs. Overall it is a good way to look into Eric's world as being a guitar hero. You also learn about how he dealt with alcoholism, substance abuse, and the death of his son Connor.
