Eric Clapton: Life In 12 Bars

EC--though he is one Englishman who is "thicker than Tewksbury mustard" and ought to keep his opinions to himself--is a master of the guitar and this album amply demonstrates this. The selection of songs ranges across all the bands he's played in, as well as his solo career. Definitely a good buy.

Life In 12 Bars consisting of 2 Awesome CD's of some of E. Clapton's best music with various musicians like Yardbirds , Derek & Dominoes , Big Bill Broonzy ,Muddy Waters , Cream , John Mayall's Blues breakers , Blind Faith , Aretha Flanklin , Beatles + George Harrison with 17 tunes and 1:15:44 minutes long on the first disc and 15 well recorded classics 1:11:21 long on the second disc , I'm not so much in to documentaries how ever loved this double disc so much ended up buying my Life In 12 Bars Blu Ray documentary as well .

Wonderful playing as expected by Eric Clapton

Like some Clapton compilations before, this shortchanges his time with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, the Yardbirds and his temporary stint with Delaney & Bonnie. However, it's way better than perfunctory in representing how Clapton went from blues journeyman to Guitar God. His great well-known stuff, like "Layla" and "Sunshine of Your Love" obviously belongs. Then, there are those surprising entries like Aretha Franklin's "Good to Me As I Am to You" and Clapton's own echoed mix of "Let It Rain" that validate this 2-CD compendium. The torn up live versions of "Spoonful", "Little Wing" and especially "Comin' Home" make you wish they hadn't been sitting in the can for so long. Ditto for the blues instrumental "High" from sessions for Derek and the Dominos aborted second studio effort. A final welcoming inclusion is "Mainline Florida" - a song I've loved beyond reason since I first heard it on the FM in the summer of 1974. That repetitive guitar riff and all the voices were (and are) irresistible. So, in the end, "Life in 12 Bars" states its case as a worthy soundtrack of a man who had trouble getting that hellhound off his trail.

Great music soundtrack to a great documentary

This is easily one of the best Clapton albums out there. The collection showcases his career by using the perfect selection for each notable period - the rocket-ride to stardom, the groups/super groups in which he played, his solo launch, the personal highs, the lows and the steady maturation of his song writing/singing/guitar virtuosity. Sure the man has had a hard life, but he rose above it all musically and I for one am grateful. Thank you Mr. Clapton!

I had to buy this on June Ahead of the release date I had by then watched the documentary on sling tv. Left me impressed by the historical aspects of his life and the unfair treatment of black blues artists the he help to be rediscovered Clapton music is for the ones the finally bit by bit we understand real music and the history of the blues

What's not to love? The man, the myth, the legend. All here on display and some rare pieces as well. Got to just love it! He's the best there is...the original ...and still...the best!

Wie Clapton Musik macht, die muss man einfach haben.

Se edita la banda sonora del film "life in 12 bars", no es un recopilatorio al uso, huye de los temas clasicos y abarca una muy buena selección de temas (32 en total), la mayoria blues y colaboraciones con las bandas de las cuales formó parte, blind faith, derek and the dominos, cream, bluesbreakers, yardbirds, delany & bonnie, tambien temas de Bill Broonzy, Muddy Waters,Aretha Franlin, que le sirvieron de inspiracion al principio de su carrera, algún tema inedito* (más bien edición distinta).Un disco doble brutal!!!*after midnight, let it rain, high, little wing, little queenie, spoonful y la perla del disco, una versión genial de más de 6 minutos de i shot the sheriff.

El sonido está remasterizado, yo tengo el bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton y All Your Love no tiene esta calidad de sonido de este soundtrack, pedazo de canción. Los temas de Cream, Blind Faith y Derek & The Dominoes también suenan mejor que las recientes reediciones de lujo. Los de Aretha, Beatles, Yardbirds son los mismos que las recientes reediciones, no hay mejora de sonido, Los tracks previamente no lanzados lo hacen que valga todavía más la pena, la versión de Spoonful es paa mí la mejor en vivo que se puede escuchar con Cream. Cómpralo está a gran precio.

A quasi greatest hits which includes Clapton's work with various groups he was with [Cream, The Yardbirds, etc.], solo and as guest guitarist [George Harrison, Aretha Franklin and The Beatles].Not surprising contains a few alternate mixes/versions thrown in to get the collectors to buy it.Covers everything from the beginning until the Tears In Heaven era but ignoring most of the 80s.

Although this is a soundtrack and not, strictly speaking, a ‘Best Of’, it is nevertheless, still a compilation in the truest sense of the word and has to be compared with the numerous Clapton anthologies that have been released over the past 40-odd years. In my opinion, and discounting the ‘Crossroads’ 4-disc box set, this is the best of the lot by a country mile. It’s a chronological journey through the formative and most creative years of the most influential guitarist performing in Rock music.Opening the collection with three tracks from two of Clapton’s greatest influences, Big Bill Broonzy and Muddy Waters, is a masterstroke. It sets the tone for the progression of songs that follow, charting his development from the fiery young pretender with the Yardbirds through his flowering with, firstly, the Bluesbreakers and subsequently Cream, then maturing into Derek and the Dominos and the creation of what, to my ears, is the finest expression of human emotion via the medium of the electric guitar that is the ‘Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs’ album.None of the radio-friendly hits of his solo career, apart from an extended version of ‘I Shot the Sheriff’ and ‘Tears in Heaven’, appear, the selection of tracks are an authentic representation of the musician that Clapton is; as bona fide a ‘Best Of’ as you could hope for. It also includes some of the most important session work that he ever did; ‘As Good to Me as I Am to You’ with Aretha Franklin, ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ with the Beatles and ‘My Sweet Lord’ with George Harrison. The only other material that could possibly rank with this is the work he did with Dylan on the ‘Desire’ album sessions that ended up on the cutting room floor, I hope that one day this material finally sees the light of day.Obviously, his iconic performance of ‘Crossroads’ with Cream features as well as some other exceptional live performances. I’m also glad to see that ‘Got To Get Better In a Little While’ is included, a song that, whilst the lyrics address his personal demons also contains a consciousness-raising reference to the Civil Rights movement of the late 60’s, name-checking Sly Stone, and is one of my all-time favourites. It’s also worth checking out the version on the Live at San Diego DVD.This album caters for all, from the completist to the casual listener. For the former, there are a number of previously unreleased tracks that will justify its purchase; for the latter, this is a musicological document that represents Clapton at his best, if you’re going to own just one Clapton album that provides the essence of the performer he is, then this is the one.After a lifetime of listening to Clapton, I already have most of the music contained herein, but this, to me, is an essential purchase, mainly due to the careful and chronological selection and sequencing of his songs. Curating an artist of Clapton’s calibre is an art in itself, this succeeds on every level.