[chiliD]

Originally Posted by David

So are you going to the Eric Clapton show?

Well, yeah...unless Cream books their SoCal show first. I doubt I'll be able to afford to see BOTH Cream and a Clapton solo show, too. (but, damn, I'm gonna try) Cream takes precedent, though because I've seen Clapton's own tours a couple of dozen times already...although I've missed the last three tours. Don't want to miss another Clapton tour again. Haven't seen him since the Pilgrim album's tour.

The bummer is that Clapton won't be able to do Blind Faith or Derek & The Dominoes reunions due to the passings of members. (unless they do some bogus "fill-ins") Cream's the only band he's been in that still has all its members in playing shape. Blind Faith lost bassist Rick Grech; Derek & The Dominoes lost bassist Carl Radle (who was also in Eric's own band from 73-79, too) and, of course, Duane Allman...drummer Jim Gordon is in San Quentin serving a life-sentence for killing his mom with a ball-peen hammer and suffers from severe manic-depressive schizophrenia...and apparently, Eric & keyboardist Bobby Whitlock have been estranged for years (although they did do a vague "reunion" show of sorts a few years back...but it was a one-off thing)

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

While I know it's not an uncommon name, I always wondered if he was named after "Derek & The Dominoes," which featured an actual Allman?

It wouldn't be out of the question.

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

And, he played on Billy Burnette's "Coming Home."

Yeah! I forgot that, but I know Willie has been on the "short list" of session bass players in Nashville the last 10 or 15 years.

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

I wish Eric would/could have gotten the band I saw opening for Robert Cray a few years ago...Booker T. & The M.G.s (I actually left after their set).

Booker T & the MG's was the "house band" for Bob Dylan's 30th anniversary concert. (plus Duck Dunn played bass for Eric during his 83 & 85 tours) Eric just kicked some major butt on "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" during that concert (he also did "Love Minus Zero/No Limit", but that didn't make the CD...haven't seen the DVD, nor heard Eric's take on the song)

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

The last time EC toured, Robert Randall opened, and was absolutely killer. I'd never heard of the guy, and was completely blown away. I've tried to like Robert Cray, but he really does little for me.

That would be Robert Randolph (& the Family Band) Yeah...he's been touted as "the Jimi Hendrix of pedal steel guitar". He's one of the featured guys in Eric's Crossroads Festival DVD.

I was heavily into Robert Cray 10-15 years ago, but each album started sounding just like the previous one, so I lost interest. He just released a new album within the last few months, so I'm interested to hear if he's changed at all. (Other than ditching the horn section, which was a good idea).