Un-horning sacred cows
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Artist:The Yardbirds (with Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton)
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Album:London Time Volume 2 (feat. Eric Clapton)
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Track:You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover (Bo Diddley cover)
[The Yardbirds (with Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton) - You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover (Bo Diddley cover) - 2:59]
As Friedrich Wilhelm would say, it is always salutary to "un-horn" those sacred cows whose sole achievement – it appears – is an unlikely longevity and/or an even more unlikely consensual appeal.
First in our series is Eric Clapton CBE. Why him? Because he's supposedly God and one should always go after the Gee-O-Dee.
Here's some excerpts from Kieron Tyler's article "Eric Clapton Is Not God" (subtitled: He's not even original - in fact, Clapton's a serial borrower) with which I couldn't agree more:
[...]He used to be called Slowhand, but perhaps he ought to be called Secondhand. The celebration of this cultural pilferer probably won't point out the level to which he can be uninspired, and objectionable.[...]
Yardbirds' drummer Jim McCarty said that "Eric had these R&B mod songs he wanted us to do. Him leaving was a relief. Eric would be sitting in the van not talking to anyone. You'd think he's so moody, he's such a pain, we're fed up with this."
[...]Clapton is a serial borrower. He even borrowed Jimi Hendrix's hair in 1967, perming his barnet to emulate the recently-arrived guitar hero. Most of his 1970s hits were chugging, Mogadon-paced covers: Bob Marley's I Shot The Sheriff, Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door. His creativity with Cream, such as Strange Brew, were collaborations. Left to Clapton, Cream would have played half-hour versions of Robert Johnson's Crossroads. And the thrilling guitar on Layla was played by Duane Allman.
I know I'll be the object of many people's ire after this post. So feel free to suggest other icons/idols whom you'd like to see getting the same "profane-ligious" treatment.
PS: Please read also this article: "Sgt. Pepper Must Die" to see where I borrowed the idea. I also hope you'll find this exercise in iconoclasm enjoyable.
As Friedrich Wilhelm would say, it is always salutary to "un-horn" those sacred cows whose sole achievement – it appears – is an unlikely longevity and/or an even more unlikely consensual appeal.
First in our series is Eric Clapton CBE. Why him? Because he's supposedly God and one should always go after the Gee-O-Dee.
Here's some excerpts from Kieron Tyler's article "Eric Clapton Is Not God" (subtitled: He's not even original - in fact, Clapton's a serial borrower) with which I couldn't agree more:
[...]He used to be called Slowhand, but perhaps he ought to be called Secondhand. The celebration of this cultural pilferer probably won't point out the level to which he can be uninspired, and objectionable.[...]
Yardbirds' drummer Jim McCarty said that "Eric had these R&B mod songs he wanted us to do. Him leaving was a relief. Eric would be sitting in the van not talking to anyone. You'd think he's so moody, he's such a pain, we're fed up with this."
[...]Clapton is a serial borrower. He even borrowed Jimi Hendrix's hair in 1967, perming his barnet to emulate the recently-arrived guitar hero. Most of his 1970s hits were chugging, Mogadon-paced covers: Bob Marley's I Shot The Sheriff, Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door. His creativity with Cream, such as Strange Brew, were collaborations. Left to Clapton, Cream would have played half-hour versions of Robert Johnson's Crossroads. And the thrilling guitar on Layla was played by Duane Allman.
I know I'll be the object of many people's ire after this post. So feel free to suggest other icons/idols whom you'd like to see getting the same "profane-ligious" treatment.
PS: Please read also this article: "Sgt. Pepper Must Die" to see where I borrowed the idea. I also hope you'll find this exercise in iconoclasm enjoyable.
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