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“For One Night Only: Eric Clapton Unplugged” on BBC Radio 4 October 6th

29 Sep 12

Paul Gambaccini returns with the award-winning series to look back at three more occasions on which a classic live album was recorded. He hears from those who were there, on-stage, backstage and in the audience, to re-create the event for all of us who, each time we play the album, think: ‘If only I could have been there’. In the series opener, Paul re-visits the 1992 recording of ‘Eric Clapton Unplugged’, in the company of Eric Clapton himself and others who were there.

On 16 January 1992, in front of a small audience at Bray Studios near Maidenhead, Berkshire, Eric Clapton and a small group of musicians made history. For the first time in a public performance, the legendary guitarist ‘unplugged’ his amp and picked up an acoustic guitar to record a selection of old blues favourites and brand new material, including the poignantly personal ‘Tears in Heaven’, about the tragic los of his son, Conor, the previous year. And then there was the radically surprising take on the classic ‘Layla’.

Paul Gambaccini hears the story of the making of this classic album, which went on to sell over 20 million copies worldwide and won 6 Grammies, from Eric Clapton himself. He also hears the memories of members of the band: Andy Fairweather Low, Steve Ferrone, Chuck Leavell and Nathan East; Alex Coletti, who produced the show for MTV; sound recordist Buford Jones, and members of the audience.

Additional material from Paul Gambaccini’s extensive interview with Eric Clapton will be streamed online.

Producer: Marya Burgess

Premieres on BBC Radio 4 on October 6 at 10:30AM or listen online (with additional content including more from Eric Clapton): BBC Radio 4: For One Night Only – Eric Clapton Unplugged