Captain Kirk, I'm sorry, but I have to agree with stanuzbeck. I realize Clapton was part of a group of guitarists that probably inspired many great players and pioneered a great slow-hand style, but in terms of a player/performer and being rated with the greats, I have to reiterate that he is indeed (to quote Stan) the "Most ridiculously overrated guitar player of all time". I viewed a concert with Eric playing with the original members of Cream on public television (2005 performance) last night, and I have to say that I found his playing, lifeless, loose, and uninteresting (with the exception of a few little things here and there that were neat, but in now way outstanding).
I guess, what I'm confused about is the particular or specific aspect of Clapton's guitar playing that warrants his exhaultation. What is it about his playing that generates such a popular appeal? Here's some attributes that he's been praised for and some guitar players that I think would be much better recognized canidates for those attributes.
Slow-hand style - David Gilmore from Pink Floyd has Clapton beat by far in this area.
Blues - I can think of a thousand blues guitar players I'd rather listen to just because of the skill level alone. Just listen to BB King.
Song-writing - Please, I find his style mediocre at best. I find his chord progressions to be repetitive, basic, and very non-inventive. Take Cocaine for example, this is two etremelly basic riffs with a solo over the main riff. Jimmy Page was the guitarist to look for in those days in terms of composition.
Guitar innovation - I really don't think Clapton was doing anything that everyone else wasn't already doing in those days. Again, Jimmy Page was probably at the forefront of innovation in this time.
Sorry to be so negative about a fellow guitar player, but I just think people looked past what was important in a guitar player when recognizing Clapton probably because in those days not as many people knew how to play a guitar and that he was more of a name than a player. Kind of like brand-name jeans.
