Slowhand

I'm always ambivalent when it comes to Eric Clapton. He's such a legend that if we're into music, it's impossible not to know him. Yet at the same time, most of his stuff are very bluesy that I find them too heavy for my liking. Still I listened to him, watched him on TV, attended his concert and, recently, I was drawn into Eric again through a song called My Father's Eyes. 

I first knew Eric from my late uncle. It was in the 90s and the song was Tears in Heaven (I heard of Wonderful Tonight many times before because it was a popular karaoke song, but I didn't know it was written by Eric). I acknowledged it was a good song, but that was all. I only learnt about who Eric really was much later on, when I knew that he played lead guitar in While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

George Harrison (left) and Eric Clapton at the Carl Perkins show.
Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images. 

His relationship with George Harrison from the Beatles triggered my interest. I started reading about Eric Clapton. With graffiti from the 60s saying, "Clapton is God," there is no doubt about how good Eric is. But what's more mind-blowing is the fact that both guitarists once loved and married the same woman (George called him husband-in-law). After what they went through, they still stayed friends. Pattie herself eventually became the muse for three memorable hits: Something by George, Layla and Wonderful Tonight by Eric.

That bizarre relationship aside, I admire the friendship between them. Eric took the back seat and supported George with his band when the latter did his concert in Japan. To hear them guitar-duelling was a privilege of a lifetime! Then, when George died, Eric celebrated his life and music by organising Concert for George. Everybody, from Ravi Shankar to Paul and Ringo, was there. Thanks to Eric for making it happen.

Cream: Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton.
Photo: forgottenguitar.com.

Eric himself was, of course, a great artist in his own right. He had a long and remarkable career. He was the guitarist of Cream, the first super group ever (because each of them was an outstanding musician at that time, the cream of the crop). Jack Bruce played bass and Ginger Baker was the drummer. Yes, I watched the band on YouTube and listened to the music before, but I'm afraid I can't appreciate it, haha. 

In short, his early stuff are neither pop-oriented nor a straight rock and roll, but if you enjoyed blues, you would probably like them. That's why I was feeling lost when I attended his concert in Singapore. I didn't recognise most of the songs he was playing. It also didn't help that, unlike Paul McCartney in concert, Eric wasn't very interactive. I only knew Layla that got us up on our feet (the intro was so energetic that the audience couldn't help it) and Wonderful Tonight that made lovely couples dance.

Eric Clapton - Singapore, 13 Jan 2007
Image Credit: polscoecottage.co.uk 

As a guitarist, Eric's style was unique. He was not exactly a rocker that got busy on stage like Slash from Guns N' Roses. Eric was calm, often just stood there and, for the lack of better expressions, be soulful. But he was good, extremely good. Close your eyes and listen to his solo on Tears in Heaven. It was so beautiful that you could feel his pain of losing his son. 

Same goes for My Father's Eyes. I was into the song recently, probably because I subconsciously missed my father. The song is upbeat. You can sense a slight worry and pessimism when the song begins, but carry on listening and you'll feel it is going to be alright. I like the part when Eric sang, "bit by bit, I've realised that he was here with me and I looked into my father's eyes." Then of course there was the guitar solo that is preceded by a couple of strumming. When it starts, you'll understand why the graffiti said Clapton is God. It's because he plays only the right notes...

PS: just in case you are wondering why the title is Slowhand, that's his nickname. Eric is a fast guitar player. It was due to his habit of pausing and changing broken string on stage that he earned the nickname. In Clapton - The Autobiography (2007), Eric said, "on my guitar I used light-gauge guitar strings, with a very thin first string, which made it easier to bend the notes, and it was not uncommon during the most frenetic bits of playing for me to break at least one string. During the pause while I was changing my string, the frenzied audience would often break into a slow handclap, inspiring Giorgio to dream up the nickname of 'Slowhand' Clapton."[1]

Footnote:
[1] https://www.whereseric.com/the-vault/biographical-information-eric-clapton/how-did-eric-clapton-get-his-nickname-slowhand

My Father's Eyes.

Slowhand 

Saya selalu merasa tidak yakin kalau berbicara tentang Eric Clapton. Dia adalah seorang legenda dan bila anda adalah pencinta musik, mustahil jika anda tidak pernah mendengar tentangnya. Akan tetapi lagu-lagunya condong berirama blues sehingga tidak terlalu cocok bagi saya. Kendati begitu, saya masih mendengarkan beberapa lagunya serta menonton pertunjukannya lewat Youtube dan juga secara langsung di konser. Belakangan ini, saya terpikat dengan lagunya yang berjudul My Father's Eyes. 

Saya pertama mendengar tentang Eric lewat paman saya kini yang telah meninggal. Saat itu adalah tahun 90an dan lagu Eric yang tenar pada waktu itu adalah Tears in Heaven (saya sering mendengar Wonderful Tonight karena ini adalah lagu yang populer di karaoke, tapi tidak saya ketahui bahwa lagu tersebut ditulis oleh Eric). Saya akui bahwa lagunya enak, namun hanya sebatas itu. Saya baru mengetahui siapa Eric Clapton sebenarnya saat saya menyadari bahwa pemain gitar di While My Guitar Gently Weeps adalah Eric.

Tulisan Clapton is God di London.

Hubungannya dengan George Harrison dari the Beatles memicu minat saya untuk mencari tahu. Saya pun mulai membaca tentang Eric Clapton. Ada kisah tentang tulisan di dinding pada tahun 60an yang berbunyi, "Clapton is God." Dari sejak dulu orang sudah mengakui kehebatannya, namun yang lebih mencengangkan lagi adalah fakta bahwa dua gitaris ini pernah mencintai dan menikahi wanita yang sama (karena hal ini pula George lantas berkomentar bahwa Eric adalah suami iparnya). Setelah apa yang mereka lalui, mereka masih bersahabat karib. Pattie sendiri menjadi inspirasi dari tiga lagu yang tersohor: Something yang ditulis George, Layla dan Wonderful Tonight yang merupakan karya Eric.

Di samping hubungan yang tidak lazim ini, yang lebih menarik perhatian adalah persahabatan mereka. Eric dan grupnya dengan senang hati menjadi band pengiring saat George menggelar konser di Jepang. Adalah suatu kesempatan langka bisa mendengar keduanya beradu gitar! Kemudian, tatkala George meninggal, Eric mengorganisir acara Concert for George untuk mengenang hidup dan musik George. Semua hadir di situ, mulai dari Ravi Shankar sampai Paul dan Ringo.

Eric dan Paul Mccartney di Concert for George. 
Foto: beatles.fandom.com

Eric sendiri adalah seorang musisi yang luar biasa. Karirnya panjang dan dashyat. Suatu ketika di zaman dulu, dia adalah gitaris Cream yang merupakan grup super karena setiap anggotanya adalah yang paling jago memainkan alat musik andalannya. Dua anggota lainnya adalah Jack Bruce yang memainkan bass dan Ginger Baker yang menabuh drum. Ya, saya menyaksikan grup ini dan mendengarkan musiknya di Youtube, tapi jujur saya katakan kalau grup ini tidak cocok untuk saya, haha.

Singkat kata, karya-karya di awal karirnya tidak bernuansa pop dan rock and roll. Jika anda menyukai blues, mungkin anda akan suka. Karena inilah saya merasa tidak mengerti saat menghadiri konsernya di Singapura. Saya tidak tahu lagu-lagu yang ia mainkan dan, berbeda dengan Paul McCartney, Eric tidak interaktif saat konser. Saya hanya mengenal Layla yang membuat semua orang berdiri karena intro lagunya yang energik dan menggugah. Lagu lainnya, Wonderful Tonight, membuat banyak pasangan menari dengan romantis.

Layla.

Sebagai gitaris, Eric unik gayanya. Dia bukan roker yang sibuk berjingkrak di atas pentas seperti Slash dari Guns N' Roses. Eric berpenampilan tenang, seringkali hanya berdiri di tempat dan larut dalam permainan gitarnya sendiri. Anda bisa coba memejamkan mata sambil mendengarkan gitar solonya di Tears in Heaven. Begitu merdu dan indah, sampai-sampai anda bisa mendengarkan kepedihannya saat kehilangan putranya. 

Sama juga halnya dengan My Father's Eyes. Saya sering mendengarkan lagu ini, mungkin karena tanpa sadar teringat dengan ayah saya. Iramanya mantap. Lewat liriknya, anda bisa merasakan kegalauan penulis di bagian awal lagu, namun tetap dengarkan dan anda akan merasa bahwa semuanya membaik. Saya suka bagian, "bit by bit, I've realised that he was here with me and I looked into my father's eyes." Lalu gitar solo yang didahului oleh kocokan gitar pun melantun. Di saat itu pula anda akan mengerti kenapa dulu ada tulisan Clapton is God di dinding. Karena dia hanya memainkan not dan nada yang tepat!

NB: jika anda bingung kenapa judul tulisan ini adalah Slowhand, nama ini adalah julukannnya. Akan tetapi jangan salah paham. Eric adalah pemain gitar yang cepat. Dia mendapat julukan ini karena kebiasaannya berdiri di panggung saat mengganti senar yang putus. Di dalam buku Clapton - The Autobiography (2007), Eric berkata, "saya menggunakan senar yang tipis pada gitar saya sehingga mudah untuk dimainkan, tapi tidak jarang pula senar itu putus saat saya bermain cepat. Sewaktu saya berhenti untuk mengganti senar, penonton akan bertepuk tangan dengan perlahan sehingga Giorgio pun memberikan saya julukan 'Slowhand' Clapton."[1]

Catatan kaki:
[1] https://www.whereseric.com/the-vault/biographical-information-eric-clapton/how-did-eric-clapton-get-his-nickname-slowhand

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