I found a pattern in my behavior that had been repeating itself for years, decades even. Bad choices were my specialty, and if something honest and decent came along, I would shun it or run the other way.
With striking intimacy and candor, Eric Clapton tells the story of his eventful and inspiring life in this poignant and honest autobiography. More than a rock star, he is an icon, a living embodiment of the history of rock music. Well known for his reserve in a profession marked by self-promotion, flamboyance, and spin, he now chronicles, for the first time, his remarkable personal and professional journeys.
Born illegitimate in 1945 and raised by his grandparents, Eric never knew his father and, until the age of nine, believed his actual mother to be his sister. In his early teens his solace was the guitar, and his incredible talent would make him a cult hero in the clubs of Britain and inspire devoted fans to scrawl Clapton is God on the walls of London s Underground. With the formation of Cream, the world's first supergroup, he became a worldwide superstar, but conflicting personalities tore the band apart within two years. His stints in Blind Faith, in Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, and in Derek and the Dominos were also short-lived but yielded some of the most enduring songs in history, including the classic Layla.
During the late sixties he played as a guest with Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan, as well as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and longtime friend George Harrison. It was while working with the latter that he fell for George s wife, Pattie Boyd, a seemingly unrequited love that led him to the depths of despair, self-imposed seclusion, and drug addiction. By the early seventies he had overcome his addiction and released the bestselling album 461 Ocean Boulevard, with its massive hit I Shot the Sheriff. He followed that with the platinum album Slowhand, which included Wonderful Tonight, the touching love song to Pattie, whom he finally married at the end of 1979. A short time later, however, Eric had replaced heroin with alcohol as his preferred vice, following a pattern of behavior that not only was detrimental to his music but contributed to the eventual breakup of his marriage.
In the eighties he would battle and begin his recovery from alcoholism and become a father. But just as his life was coming together, he was struck by a terrible blow: His beloved four-year-old son, Conor, died in a freak accident. At an earlier time Eric might have coped with this tragedy by fleeing into a world of addiction. But now a much stronger man, he took refuge in music, responding with the achingly beautiful Tears in Heaven.
Clapton is the powerfully written story of a survivor, a man who has achieved the pinnacle of success despite extraordinary demons. It is one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.
Clapton: The Autobiography
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Readers hoping for sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll won't be disappointed by the legendary guitarist's autobiography. As he retraces every step of his career, from the early stints with the Yardbirds and Cream to his solo successes, Clapton also devotes copious detail to his drug and alcohol addictions, particularly how they intersected with his romantic obsession with Pattie Boyd. His relationship with the woman for whom he wrote Layla culminated in a turbulent marriage he describes as drunken forays into the unknown. But he genuinely warms to the subject of his recovery, stressing its spiritual elements and eagerly discussing the fund-raising efforts for his Crossroads clinic in Antigua. His self-reckoning is filled with modesty, especially in the form of dissatisfaction with his early successes. He professes ambivalence about the famous Clapton is God graffiti, although he admits he was grateful for the recognition from fans. At times, he sounds more like landed gentry than a rock star: bragging about his collection of contemporary art, vigorously defending his hunting and fishing as leisure activities, and extolling the virtues of his quiet country living. But both the youthful excesses and the current calm state are narrated with an engaging tone that nudges Clapton's story ahead of other rock 'n' roll memoirs. (Oct. 9)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
One of the very best rock autobiographies ever.
Houston Chronicle
Like the bluesmen who inspired him, Clapton has his share of scars . . . his compelling memoir is . . . a soulful performance.
People
An absorbing tale of artistry, decadence, and redemption.
Los Angeles Times
A glorious rock history.
New York Post
This book does what many rock historians couldn t: It debunks the legend . . . puts a lie to the glamour of what it means to be a rock star.
Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune
Strong stuff. Clapton reveals its author s journey to self-acceptance and manhood. Anyone who cares about the man and his music will want to take the trip with him.
Anthony DeCurtis, Rolling Stone
Clapton is honest . . . even searing and often witty, with a hard-won survivor s humor . . . an honorable badge of a book.
Stephen King, New York Times Book Review
Riveting
Boston Herald
An even, unblinking sensibility defines the author s voice.
New York Times
An unsparing self-portrait.
USA Today
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
191 of 225 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love biographies, especially of celebrities, having read them all my life. As I have gotten older, though, my attention span wanes, and I read less and less. This book, Clapton:The Autobiography, is an exceptional one, and as a pseudo musician (I can play several instruments, but I certainly wouldn't say I play any well), the prospect of reading about Eric Clapton, from the source, so-to-speak, was a prospect that excited me. I feel blessed that one can pre-order a book and have it on ones doorstep the day it hits the streets, as was the case with this book and the accompanying CD.
First of all, this is an exceptional book, but unlike some biographies, and fewer autobiographies, it is not one that would be a "page turner" for everyone because it is not full of cute anecdotes that make for sharing stories around the water cooler the next day.
A case in point is the time when Eric first met Jimi Hendrix. Chas Chandler of the Animals was trying to develop a career as a promoter and came across Hendrix in New York. Promising him a chance to meet Eric Clapton, he took Jimi to London. After meeting several musicians (Eric Burton, Andy Summers, et. al.), Chas took Jimi to hear Cream play. Backstage, Chas introduced Jimi, and they asked if Jimi could sit in with them for a few numbers, which seemed kind of ballsey. In CLAPTON, Eric writes that Jimi played Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor" in true Hendrix fashion playing "the guitar with his teeth, behind his head, lying on the floor, doing the splits, the whole business. It was amazing.....They (the crowd) loved it, and I loved it, too, but I remember thinking that here was a force to be reckoned with. It scared me, because he was clearly going to be a huge star, and just as we were finding our own speed, here was the real thing." In other accounts I have read and heard about from others, Eric after seeing and hearing Jimi perform, goes over and sits down, looking rejected. Another musician comes over to ask him, "What's wrong?" In some accounts it's Jack Bruce, in other accounts it's Peter Townsend. Eric replies, "I'm (expletive-deleted). If I'm "God," who's he?" Which to me would have been a funny anecdote.
It is still an exceptional book because it is so personal.... Filled with the flaws and mistakes of an exceptionally talented man who carried around for most of his life the baggage of being a "bastard" to some in his own family, for his mother had had an affair with a soldier during WWII and left him as a child to be raised by his grandparents. While learning that his "parents" were actually his grandparents, he writes at length of the insecurities of not having his mom there, and, the heartbreak of finally meeting her, and asking her if he could call her "Mummy now?" Only to be told, ""I think it's best, after all they've done for you, that you go on calling your grandparent Mum and Dad." Of that moment, he wrote, "In that moment I felt total rejection."
Growing-up wasn't all that bad, though. Eric showed some talent in art, and music was something that his Grandmother Rose loved. He wasn't a diligent student, but in art, and later in the guitar, he worked long and hard at learning and later creating.
This is a very thorough book, almost a true musician's book because it leaves out nothing of the ups-and-downs that seem to be the norm for all musicians. In the book, he talks of why some tunes were written a certain way, how he evolved in his musical craft, and what he was wanting to achieve in each group he played with. He mentions names on individuals in even the earliest of groups he played in, what they did together, and is very thorough in providing the reader his a written history of their achievements.
One wonders, though, where all this would have led had Eric not had so much alcohol and drugs in his early life, of if in some way, this was the catalyst to help him overcome those insecurities of his youth (Actually, he states this in a roundabout way that it was, but one still wonders just how much of what we have now would there have been with less alcohol and drugs.)
I can't think of any aspect of Eric's life that he doesn't discuss in ERIC: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY: His love life, particularly his infatuation with Patti Boyd, George Harrison's wife; His relationships with other musicians and what he respected them for; His heartbreaks such as the loss of his son Conor.
I've given this book four stars, not because it is not exceptional, but because it isn't one that will be readable and enjoyable to all. However, if you are a lover of rock and blues music, or one who really wonders just what has gone through the head of someone as influential as Eric Clapton, I would recommend it to you.
First of all, this is an exceptional book, but unlike some biographies, and fewer autobiographies, it is not one that would be a "page turner" for everyone because it is not full of cute anecdotes that make for sharing stories around the water cooler the next day.
A case in point is the time when Eric first met Jimi Hendrix. Chas Chandler of the Animals was trying to develop a career as a promoter and came across Hendrix in New York. Promising him a chance to meet Eric Clapton, he took Jimi to London. After meeting several musicians (Eric Burton, Andy Summers, et. al.), Chas took Jimi to hear Cream play. Backstage, Chas introduced Jimi, and they asked if Jimi could sit in with them for a few numbers, which seemed kind of ballsey. In CLAPTON, Eric writes that Jimi played Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor" in true Hendrix fashion playing "the guitar with his teeth, behind his head, lying on the floor, doing the splits, the whole business. It was amazing.....They (the crowd) loved it, and I loved it, too, but I remember thinking that here was a force to be reckoned with. It scared me, because he was clearly going to be a huge star, and just as we were finding our own speed, here was the real thing." In other accounts I have read and heard about from others, Eric after seeing and hearing Jimi perform, goes over and sits down, looking rejected. Another musician comes over to ask him, "What's wrong?" In some accounts it's Jack Bruce, in other accounts it's Peter Townsend. Eric replies, "I'm (expletive-deleted). If I'm "God," who's he?" Which to me would have been a funny anecdote.
It is still an exceptional book because it is so personal.... Filled with the flaws and mistakes of an exceptionally talented man who carried around for most of his life the baggage of being a "bastard" to some in his own family, for his mother had had an affair with a soldier during WWII and left him as a child to be raised by his grandparents. While learning that his "parents" were actually his grandparents, he writes at length of the insecurities of not having his mom there, and, the heartbreak of finally meeting her, and asking her if he could call her "Mummy now?" Only to be told, ""I think it's best, after all they've done for you, that you go on calling your grandparent Mum and Dad." Of that moment, he wrote, "In that moment I felt total rejection."
Growing-up wasn't all that bad, though. Eric showed some talent in art, and music was something that his Grandmother Rose loved. He wasn't a diligent student, but in art, and later in the guitar, he worked long and hard at learning and later creating.
This is a very thorough book, almost a true musician's book because it leaves out nothing of the ups-and-downs that seem to be the norm for all musicians. In the book, he talks of why some tunes were written a certain way, how he evolved in his musical craft, and what he was wanting to achieve in each group he played with. He mentions names on individuals in even the earliest of groups he played in, what they did together, and is very thorough in providing the reader his a written history of their achievements.
One wonders, though, where all this would have led had Eric not had so much alcohol and drugs in his early life, of if in some way, this was the catalyst to help him overcome those insecurities of his youth (Actually, he states this in a roundabout way that it was, but one still wonders just how much of what we have now would there have been with less alcohol and drugs.)
I can't think of any aspect of Eric's life that he doesn't discuss in ERIC: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY: His love life, particularly his infatuation with Patti Boyd, George Harrison's wife; His relationships with other musicians and what he respected them for; His heartbreaks such as the loss of his son Conor.
I've given this book four stars, not because it is not exceptional, but because it isn't one that will be readable and enjoyable to all. However, if you are a lover of rock and blues music, or one who really wonders just what has gone through the head of someone as influential as Eric Clapton, I would recommend it to you.
426 of 526 people found the following review helpful
By RComposer
Format:Hardcover
I am a guitarist and long-time admirer of Eric Clapton. I've followed his career and life for four decades. I was really looking forward to this autobiography. Sadly, the book has many flaws in its writing and production, but beyond that, I fear that it reveals a terribly shallow and self-centered man.
The opening chapters are interesting, although very little new information is provided for any one who has read at all about the music scene of the 60's and 70's. As the book progresses, it moves into a second stage which is, frankly, rather boring. Like much of Clapton's music from this era, it lacks focus and tends to ramble.
However, it's the last third of the book that I find most disturbing. I'm not only very familiar with the guitar, but also addiction and recovery. To those familiar with 12-step programs, Clapton's almost complete disregard of his commitment to anonymity, and lack of true humility, is shocking and a red flag to anyone who knows about recovery. This guy may not be drinking or drugging anymore, but is clearly selective as to which parts of the program he cares to follow. An argument can be made that he needed to tell the story of his recovery, but this could have been done in a much more careful way -as many before him have done. Reading this book, I for the first time now truly understand why the rule of anonymity is so important in recovery. If the program that made Clapton "sober" produced the kind of man that is revealed in the last chapters of this book, then many people may decide to not try that route for themselves.
Clapton lacks generosity toward many of the musicians that he played with (he gives selective praise to a few), takes inordinate credit for many of his successful partnerships, and pointedly shows little compassion for the death of his "friend" George Harrison. John Lennon who gave him several high profile gigs, is barely mentioned, and his murder not at all. Cream is mentioned, but a shameful low swipe is made at Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce in some of the final pages - alluding to their aging bodies and stating that he (Clapton) at least helped them get some pocket money by allowing a brief reunion. Not very humble. Not very honorable. Shame on you Eric.
I'm no angel myself, but I find his treatment and attitude toward women shocking. He makes excuses for his beastly behavior toward the many women he is involved with as they role past one by one (or sometimes two by two as when he hooks up with two young women half his age and "dates" them alternately in one of the last chapters). We all had periods of craziness during these days, but his attitude toward the women he was involved with, and his lack of true remorse at his own behavior is very depressing. I hope that he has finally found a loving relationship that he sticks with - both for his sake and that of the young woman he is now with.
Clapton's tone in the final pages is very disturbing. Self congratulatory, filled with references to wealth and power, and describes a rather pathetic picture of an older English man from the lower classes trying now to cast himself as a "Lord of the Manor", pheasant hunting and fly fishing with tweed-jacketed, pipe-smoking upper-crust types. He doesn't seem to have learned that all of that money is not going to bring him happiness.
The guy has played some brilliant guitar, but I can't help but feel that his acknowledgment and thanks to the black blues players of America is more a calculated way of saying "see what good taste I have" rather than a true showing of humble gratitude. Little or no time is spent talking about the other great musicians he played with. Rip out a hundred pages of talk about your house renovations, cars and hundreds of guitars you own and instead talk about what it was like to play music with some of the many great musicians you were lucky enough to have associated with.
Lastly, the book is very poorly written and produced. The few pictures provided are oft-seen and out-of-focus shots at the beginning of each chapter. Couldn't you have given us a picture section? Poor printing, miss-spellings and typos in the book just ad to the feeling that I had been fleeced in purchasing this book.
To Clapton, I wish him peace and happiness in his remaining days. Perhaps he needs to go to India and really reflect upon his life for a few months.
To readers considering purchasing this product, get Pattie Boyd's book instead. At least it's a fun read and much more professionally produced.
An update for those who care....
I can't believe I have spent so much time writing and responding to the comments here. I have never done anything like this before on Amazon (or anywhere else for that matter). Hopefully. we all have better things to do. So for my own sanity, I will post this last comment and then retire from this back and forth.
If I was too harsh in my comments and offended anyone, I do apologize. I've thought about my comments after seeing the several passionate responses to my original post and have mixed feelings about what I originally had to say. But - my comments were true and from the heart. No mean spirited intentions. I can't count the hours that Eric's playing have given me ecstatic pleasure.
Perhaps I am holding Mr Clapton to too high a standard. When I was just 15 years old I was lucky enough to be at Atlantic studios in New York as an unseen kid in the corner and watch Cream work on an album. Friends were recording their own album with the same producer (Adrian Barber - an unsung genius of the time). After that, I then literally wore out my Cream records learning every guitar line that Eric played and pursued a career in music for myself - I claim no status as an "important" musician or "producer" - music is simply one of the things that makes life good for me.
Clapton's playing surpassed everything I had ever heard. I'm from the south and was familiar with the blues from my dad who knew many of the original heroes of Clapton. I followed Clapton's career in the years that went by. Some of his later music was great and some modest, but always followed by me. I had my own hurdles and was inspired by his struggle with sobriety. I have great admiration for him as a musician and man. So maybe I had too high a goal set for the man...I expect a lot from him.
I do, however, stick to my guns when it comes to the quality and content of this book. Maybe he didn't even do most (or any) of the writing. The writing is poor, the production shameful. In any case, as a sober, grown man I'm sure that he would agree that I am entitled to my personal opinion of his autobiography.
Writing one's autobiography, especially when such a prominent figure is no insignificant project. I wrote what I felt in my heart after reading his book. I was saddened and depressed by his comments about money, women and status. I had expected far more from him. My number one example is his exit from the Yardbirds on the principal of the ART of music versus the commercial, crass alternative. Everything in this book seems to fly in the face of that noble ideal...I had looked forward to a totally different experience after reading this book. In case you read this Eric - you still have a long way to go in this life and have a great gift. I'm rooting for you and hope that as Jack Bruce said at Covent Garden "these are the good times" - not those days gone. Let's see your best now, I know you can fly much higher...
The opening chapters are interesting, although very little new information is provided for any one who has read at all about the music scene of the 60's and 70's. As the book progresses, it moves into a second stage which is, frankly, rather boring. Like much of Clapton's music from this era, it lacks focus and tends to ramble.
However, it's the last third of the book that I find most disturbing. I'm not only very familiar with the guitar, but also addiction and recovery. To those familiar with 12-step programs, Clapton's almost complete disregard of his commitment to anonymity, and lack of true humility, is shocking and a red flag to anyone who knows about recovery. This guy may not be drinking or drugging anymore, but is clearly selective as to which parts of the program he cares to follow. An argument can be made that he needed to tell the story of his recovery, but this could have been done in a much more careful way -as many before him have done. Reading this book, I for the first time now truly understand why the rule of anonymity is so important in recovery. If the program that made Clapton "sober" produced the kind of man that is revealed in the last chapters of this book, then many people may decide to not try that route for themselves.
Clapton lacks generosity toward many of the musicians that he played with (he gives selective praise to a few), takes inordinate credit for many of his successful partnerships, and pointedly shows little compassion for the death of his "friend" George Harrison. John Lennon who gave him several high profile gigs, is barely mentioned, and his murder not at all. Cream is mentioned, but a shameful low swipe is made at Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce in some of the final pages - alluding to their aging bodies and stating that he (Clapton) at least helped them get some pocket money by allowing a brief reunion. Not very humble. Not very honorable. Shame on you Eric.
I'm no angel myself, but I find his treatment and attitude toward women shocking. He makes excuses for his beastly behavior toward the many women he is involved with as they role past one by one (or sometimes two by two as when he hooks up with two young women half his age and "dates" them alternately in one of the last chapters). We all had periods of craziness during these days, but his attitude toward the women he was involved with, and his lack of true remorse at his own behavior is very depressing. I hope that he has finally found a loving relationship that he sticks with - both for his sake and that of the young woman he is now with.
Clapton's tone in the final pages is very disturbing. Self congratulatory, filled with references to wealth and power, and describes a rather pathetic picture of an older English man from the lower classes trying now to cast himself as a "Lord of the Manor", pheasant hunting and fly fishing with tweed-jacketed, pipe-smoking upper-crust types. He doesn't seem to have learned that all of that money is not going to bring him happiness.
The guy has played some brilliant guitar, but I can't help but feel that his acknowledgment and thanks to the black blues players of America is more a calculated way of saying "see what good taste I have" rather than a true showing of humble gratitude. Little or no time is spent talking about the other great musicians he played with. Rip out a hundred pages of talk about your house renovations, cars and hundreds of guitars you own and instead talk about what it was like to play music with some of the many great musicians you were lucky enough to have associated with.
Lastly, the book is very poorly written and produced. The few pictures provided are oft-seen and out-of-focus shots at the beginning of each chapter. Couldn't you have given us a picture section? Poor printing, miss-spellings and typos in the book just ad to the feeling that I had been fleeced in purchasing this book.
To Clapton, I wish him peace and happiness in his remaining days. Perhaps he needs to go to India and really reflect upon his life for a few months.
To readers considering purchasing this product, get Pattie Boyd's book instead. At least it's a fun read and much more professionally produced.
An update for those who care....
I can't believe I have spent so much time writing and responding to the comments here. I have never done anything like this before on Amazon (or anywhere else for that matter). Hopefully. we all have better things to do. So for my own sanity, I will post this last comment and then retire from this back and forth.
If I was too harsh in my comments and offended anyone, I do apologize. I've thought about my comments after seeing the several passionate responses to my original post and have mixed feelings about what I originally had to say. But - my comments were true and from the heart. No mean spirited intentions. I can't count the hours that Eric's playing have given me ecstatic pleasure.
Perhaps I am holding Mr Clapton to too high a standard. When I was just 15 years old I was lucky enough to be at Atlantic studios in New York as an unseen kid in the corner and watch Cream work on an album. Friends were recording their own album with the same producer (Adrian Barber - an unsung genius of the time). After that, I then literally wore out my Cream records learning every guitar line that Eric played and pursued a career in music for myself - I claim no status as an "important" musician or "producer" - music is simply one of the things that makes life good for me.
Clapton's playing surpassed everything I had ever heard. I'm from the south and was familiar with the blues from my dad who knew many of the original heroes of Clapton. I followed Clapton's career in the years that went by. Some of his later music was great and some modest, but always followed by me. I had my own hurdles and was inspired by his struggle with sobriety. I have great admiration for him as a musician and man. So maybe I had too high a goal set for the man...I expect a lot from him.
I do, however, stick to my guns when it comes to the quality and content of this book. Maybe he didn't even do most (or any) of the writing. The writing is poor, the production shameful. In any case, as a sober, grown man I'm sure that he would agree that I am entitled to my personal opinion of his autobiography.
Writing one's autobiography, especially when such a prominent figure is no insignificant project. I wrote what I felt in my heart after reading his book. I was saddened and depressed by his comments about money, women and status. I had expected far more from him. My number one example is his exit from the Yardbirds on the principal of the ART of music versus the commercial, crass alternative. Everything in this book seems to fly in the face of that noble ideal...I had looked forward to a totally different experience after reading this book. In case you read this Eric - you still have a long way to go in this life and have a great gift. I'm rooting for you and hope that as Jack Bruce said at Covent Garden "these are the good times" - not those days gone. Let's see your best now, I know you can fly much higher...
82 of 99 people found the following review helpful
By Liza
Format:Hardcover
I read this book and Pattie Boyd's memoir side-by-side. When I first read Clapton's dazzling love letters to Boyd (printed in her book), I thought wouldn't it be great if Derek and Layla got back together? I soon realized perhaps not.
"Cruel and vicious" is how Clapton describes himself upon throwing Boyd out of their house for refusing to sleep with him after she learned his mistress was pregnant. "Cruel and vicious" pretty much sums up this book and the man behind it.
Every attractive woman who gets near Clapton goes from inamorata to enemy in a heartbeat. He threatens to become a heroin addict when Boyd refuses to leave her husband, but once he wins her, he berates her. When a supermodel romances Clapton for the express purpose of meeting fellow reprobate Mick Jagger, and the inevitable happens, Clapton is reduced to plotting murder.
Every predictable action is met with Clapton's predictably insane reaction. Clapton is attracted mostly to women as ruthless or vapid as he is, guaranteeing disappointment. The prime exception is Boyd, the indisputable love of Clapton's life. Boyd was a compassionate but insecure woman, and she was also married to close friend George Harrison, which is why Clapton wanted her.
Clapton resents Boyd for resisting his pleas to run off with him. When she does, he resents her even more because he realizes he's not good enough for her. He demands Boyd join him on his drinking binges and then resents her for that. He resents her for pushing him into rehab. He resents her for being infertile. He resents her most of all when she divorces him and slips out of his control forever.
The book's, and Clapton's, nadir, is when he and his equally selfish mistress decide to get pregnant with no regard for what this will do to Boyd's already decimated ego. After the child's tragic death, Clapton resents the mother because she needs comforting and he's touring and is too busy for her.
Why am I writing about Clapton's mistreatment of women ad nauseam? Because he does. The woman Clapton thought was his sister was actually his mother (she was only 15 when she got pregnant), therefore, Clapton is determined to punish all females. It's page after page of loathsome confessions from a man who revels in his misdeeds but lacks compassion for the people he's wounded.
37 years after threatening to take heroin if Boyd didn't yield to his demands, Clapton finally admits he was already addicted when he made that ultimatum. He shows no remorse for letting Boyd carry that burden for four long decades.
When his ex-fiancee, the fragile Alice Ormsby-Gore, dies from an overdose, Clapton just says it made him realize how lucky he was. He'd gotten Alice hooked on smack when she was 16, but he doesn't lament his role in her fate.
Now in his sunset years, Clapton proves his newfound "maturity" by comparison shopping (yes, yet another round of love triangle) for his next bride. Clapton doesn't realize young women wouldn't compete for him in his grizzled middle age if he weren't a wealthy rock star. He may be sober now, but he doesn't act it.
It isn't all about women who done him wrong. He also takes cheap shots at his friends, including an unflattering, score-settling story about Harrison that sounds very dubious. Clapton is willing to spend millions on a rehab center to help total strangers, but he can't demonstrate simple decency to the friends and the ex-wife who showed him love and loyalty at his worst moments.
Clapton: The Autobiography is confession without contrition. I was going to give this two stars as some parts of the book are actually quite compelling, but this is a memoir, so it's character that counts and Clapton doesn't have any.
"Cruel and vicious" is how Clapton describes himself upon throwing Boyd out of their house for refusing to sleep with him after she learned his mistress was pregnant. "Cruel and vicious" pretty much sums up this book and the man behind it.
Every attractive woman who gets near Clapton goes from inamorata to enemy in a heartbeat. He threatens to become a heroin addict when Boyd refuses to leave her husband, but once he wins her, he berates her. When a supermodel romances Clapton for the express purpose of meeting fellow reprobate Mick Jagger, and the inevitable happens, Clapton is reduced to plotting murder.
Every predictable action is met with Clapton's predictably insane reaction. Clapton is attracted mostly to women as ruthless or vapid as he is, guaranteeing disappointment. The prime exception is Boyd, the indisputable love of Clapton's life. Boyd was a compassionate but insecure woman, and she was also married to close friend George Harrison, which is why Clapton wanted her.
Clapton resents Boyd for resisting his pleas to run off with him. When she does, he resents her even more because he realizes he's not good enough for her. He demands Boyd join him on his drinking binges and then resents her for that. He resents her for pushing him into rehab. He resents her for being infertile. He resents her most of all when she divorces him and slips out of his control forever.
The book's, and Clapton's, nadir, is when he and his equally selfish mistress decide to get pregnant with no regard for what this will do to Boyd's already decimated ego. After the child's tragic death, Clapton resents the mother because she needs comforting and he's touring and is too busy for her.
Why am I writing about Clapton's mistreatment of women ad nauseam? Because he does. The woman Clapton thought was his sister was actually his mother (she was only 15 when she got pregnant), therefore, Clapton is determined to punish all females. It's page after page of loathsome confessions from a man who revels in his misdeeds but lacks compassion for the people he's wounded.
37 years after threatening to take heroin if Boyd didn't yield to his demands, Clapton finally admits he was already addicted when he made that ultimatum. He shows no remorse for letting Boyd carry that burden for four long decades.
When his ex-fiancee, the fragile Alice Ormsby-Gore, dies from an overdose, Clapton just says it made him realize how lucky he was. He'd gotten Alice hooked on smack when she was 16, but he doesn't lament his role in her fate.
Now in his sunset years, Clapton proves his newfound "maturity" by comparison shopping (yes, yet another round of love triangle) for his next bride. Clapton doesn't realize young women wouldn't compete for him in his grizzled middle age if he weren't a wealthy rock star. He may be sober now, but he doesn't act it.
It isn't all about women who done him wrong. He also takes cheap shots at his friends, including an unflattering, score-settling story about Harrison that sounds very dubious. Clapton is willing to spend millions on a rehab center to help total strangers, but he can't demonstrate simple decency to the friends and the ex-wife who showed him love and loyalty at his worst moments.
Clapton: The Autobiography is confession without contrition. I was going to give this two stars as some parts of the book are actually quite compelling, but this is a memoir, so it's character that counts and Clapton doesn't have any.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing
Clapton... Slow Hand... my favorite guitarist of all time. The story of his life is very captivating and wonderfully presented through descriptive details. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Matt Winter
4.0 out of 5 stars
Slowhand
Enjoyed reading this book. It does seem that Claptons life flew by and he encountered the whole rock and roll lifestyle. As a musician myself, I've always appreciated his music. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Wnc
4.0 out of 5 stars
Intersting read
I'm not really a big fan of Clapton but found this book to be an interesting read. If you're a big fan you'll find it more enjoyable than I did.
Published 12 days ago by Jim H.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good Musician
A good book about a good musician. It's always interesting to know where people have been to make the person they are today.
Published 16 days ago by Patricia Kreidenweis
3.0 out of 5 stars
Okay, but pedestrian
This book covers Clapton's life, but we learn little about the man. He seems to be an active, real-life version of Zelig or maybe Forrest Gump; a person who partakes and sometimes... Read more
Published 18 days ago by san franciscan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eric Clapton - autobiography
After seeing Eric Clapton in concert, I wanted to learn more about him. His autobiography gave me insight into what he went through during his early years and how those... Read more
Published 18 days ago by Bette T. Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clapton is God
Incredible stories and great insight to my favorite artist. Currently reading Keith Richards autobiography and it's fun to read about these guys and see how their stories overlap. Read more
Published 20 days ago by Jenna Latz
5.0 out of 5 stars
No Longer Hearsay
Well written, to the point, and the true story. The reader in the audio version was great, you thought Mr Clapton was speaking. Read more
Published 20 days ago by howie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Like a history lesson and "Big Book" lesson in one!
This is a great book for many but it's an especially great read for someone who loves rock and roll history, or has a history with addiction/recovery. Read more
Published 23 days ago by Mrs. UGA
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well written and very interesting life of a musician
Well written and very interesting life of a musician. Author was honest and revealing on his issues of addiction. Read more
Published 1 month ago by atam7
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