News
New Book Due In March: “Strange Brew: Eric Clapton and the British Blues Boom 1965-1970”
11 Jan 07
Title: "Strange Brew: Eric Clapton and the British Blues Boom 1965-1970"
Published: March 2007
Jawbone Press
ISBN: 978-1-906002-00-8
352 Pages
Eric Clapton became God when he was a guitarist in the British blues boom finishing school that was John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, a band that also counts Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) and Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones) as alumni.
Clapton’s route to deification is one of many stories woven into Strange Brew, the latest book in Jawbone’s critically acclaimed, best-selling day-by-day series. It tells the story of the late 1960s British blues boom, and features not only Eric Clapton and Cream, but also Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, Manfred Man, Delaney & Bonnie, Blind Faith and John Mayall himself.
Strange Brew is a staggering history, covering hundreds of gigs, radio/TV-appearances, recording sessions, discographical information, trivia, contemporary reviews plus first-hand accounts and recollections from ex-band members and fans. Amidst this treasure trove of information and comment nestle a multitude of fascinating, never-before-published stories, for example, a comprehensive account of Clapton’s Greek odyssey in 1965, including the true story of The Glands and Greek band The Juniors, and fresh information about John Mayall’s recording with Bob Dylan.
Readers will discover the single live event that provided the opportunity to see and hear Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton, the reviewer who described Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Albatross’ as "a maudlin Mantovani number", the gig at which Mick Taylor and The Rolling Stones were surreptitiously recorded for one of the first rock bootlegs, LiveR Than You’ll Ever Be, and the Swedish reporter who described Clapton as sounding "like a lightning strike in a guitar factory". The book’s day-by-day format, peppered with great photographs and memorabilia, reveals the way the musicians behind the blues boom worked together, influenced each other, and pushed one another to ever greater achievements.
Author Christopher Hjort is a rock historian, who collaborated with noted American researcher Doug Hinman on the acclaimed chronology of Jeff Beck’s career, Jeff’s Book. He lives in Oslo, Norway.