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Exclusive To The Wall Street Journal: Hear “Spiral” From “I Still Do”

3 May 16

From The Wall Street Journal / Mike Ayers (2 May 2016):

On Eric Clapton‘s new song “Spiral,” the musician improvised the lyrics right on the spot. “I have worked with many songwriters where stuff is written in the studio, but very rarely has an entire lyric come out like that,” says producer Glyn Johns of the song’s “spontaneous” origins. “It completely blew me away.” The song premieres below on Speakeasy today.

“Spiral” is one of 12 songs featured on Clapton’s upcoming 23rd studio album “I Still Do.” It’s a five-minute bluesy number that finds him ruminating about playing music. “You don’t know how much it means, to have the music in me,” he sings over his signature electric guitar.

For Johns, who produced Clapton’s landmark album “Slowhand,” Clapton has a sense of maturity that shines through in his music these days. “He is in far more control of every aspect of his life now,” Johns says. “He’s always had a wonderful sense of humor which he’s retained to this day, [and] has the same extraordinary ability to play the guitar in a purely emotional way, reacting instantaneously to what he is hearing.”

“I Still Do” is the first release since Clapton’s 2014 album “The Breeze: (An Appreciation of JJ Cale).” It arrives on May 20th on his own label, Bushbranch Records/Surfdog Records.

The Wall Street Journal has an exclusive preview of “Spiral” prior to the release of “I Still Do”. Visit http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016/05/02/eric-clapton-i-still-do-spiral/ to listen.
(Due to music licensing rights, content may be blocked in some countries).