When Clapton met Duane Allman

[Firth]

I thought this story from Wiki was inspirational: serendipitous event put guitar greats Eric Clapton and Duane Allman in contact shortly after the Dominos had begun to record at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida, in August 1970. Veteran producer Tom Dowd was behind the mixing board for the Allman Brothers second album, Idlewild South, when the studio received a phone call that Clapton was bringing the Dominos to Miami to record. Upon hearing this, Allman indicated that he would love to drop by and watch if Clapton approved.A week or so after the Dominos arrived, Allman called Dowd to let him know his band was in town to perform a benefit concert on August 26. When Clapton learned of this from Dowd he insisted on going to see their show, saying, "You mean that guy who plays on the back of (Wilson Pickett's) 'Hey Jude'?...I want to see him play... let's go." Clapton and company managed to sit in front of the barricade separating the audience from the stage. When they sat down, Allman was playing a solo. When he turned around and opened his eyes and saw Clapton, he froze. Dickey Betts, the Allmans' other lead guitarist, took up where Duane left off, but when he followed Allman's eyes to Clapton, he had to turn his back to keep from freezing, himself.^[3]
After the show, Allman asked if he could come by the studio to watch some recording sessions, but Clapton invited him there directly: "Bring your guitar; you got to play!" Overnight, the two bonded; Dowd reported that they "were trading licks, they were swapping guitars, they were talking shop and information and having a ball — no holds barred, just admiration for each other's technique and facility."^[4] Clapton wrote later in his autobiography that he and Allman were inseparable during the sessions in Florida; he talked about Allman as the "musical brother I'd never had but wished I did."^[5]

[ronmac]

Amazing that Eric recalls so much, considering how smacked-out he was at the time. I do recall reading (maybe in his bio) that he was so smacked-out during some of the sessions that everything had to be scrapped, except, oddly enough, "Layla."

Eric is one of the true survivors and appears to have been incredibly humbled by his good fortune. I never knew how roughly he took Jimi's death until I read his book.

[Scott Bails]

Great story, Firth.

And yeah Ron, I've thought the same thing, reading one of Clapton's bios.

Sounds like he was a bit of a bastard in the 70s, but very humbled and cool now.

[GuitarGeek]

Amazing that Eric recalls so much, considering how smacked-out he was at the time. I do recall reading (maybe in his bio) that he was so smacked-out during some of the sessions that everything had to be scrapped, except, oddly enough, "Layla.".

Well most of that story I remember being told by Tom Dowd. I remember him relating that story in Guitar Player back in the mid 80's, when they did a special issue devoted to Eric. So that's probably the main source for the information there.

As far as "everything being scrapped" other than Layla, I don't follow what you're talking about. Do you mean the album as a whole, or just the one song? How the hell could they "scrap everything" and still have a double LP to release? If you mean it's Duane Allman playing all the leads, I'd suggest you listen more carefully to the record. There's clearly two guitarists trading licks back and forth on quite a few of the songs. And on A Thorn Tree In The Garden, there's three guitars (though one of them got mixed out on the original album, it's only heard on the remixed version that came out in the early 90's).

[ronmac]

Well most of that story I remember being told by Tom Dowd. I remember him relating that story in Guitar Player back in the mid 80's, when they did a special issue devoted to Eric. So that's probably the main source for the information there.

As far as "everything being scrapped" other than Layla, I don't follow what you're talking about. Do you mean the album as a whole, or just the one song? How the hell could they "scrap everything" and still have a double LP to release? If you mean it's Duane Allman playing all the leads, I'd suggest you listen more carefully to the record. There's clearly two guitarists trading licks back and forth on quite a few of the songs. And on A Thorn Tree In The Garden, there's three guitars (though one of them got mixed out on the original album, it's only heard on the remixed version that came out in the early 90's).

If you re-read my post, you'll see that I was referring to "some of the sessions," not all of them, of course.

[GuitarGeek]

If you re-read my post, you'll see that I was referring to "some of the sessions," not all of them, of course.

So exactly how are you defining "some of the sessions"? Given how many overdubs there are on Layla, it's likely the only song they worked on during that particular session. In fact, it was recorded during at least two sessions, because the idea of tacking on the piano coda (credited to Jim Gordon, but allegedly written by his girlfriend at the time, and originally a separate composition) came about after the main portion of the song had already been recorded. I think in the Layla boxset, it says the two were recorded something like a week or two apart from each other and joined together during mixdown.

Also, my impression, is that they spent a lot of the time just jamming on whatever songs or motifs they had available. There's several extended jams that appear on the Layla boxset that suggest that at least some of the songs were more or less worked up in the studio. And then there's that story about how they took a break, and the band launched into The Key To The Highway while Tom Dowd was outside smoking a cigarette. That's why the track starts with a fade-in: because the tape machine wasn't rolling. I think Dowd that's the only time they ever caught him off guard.

[Firth]

There's several extended jams that appear on the Layla boxset that suggest that at least some of the songs were more or less worked up in the studio. And then there's that story about how they took a break, and the band launched into The Key To The Highway while Tom Dowd was outside smoking a cigarette. That's why the track starts with a fade-in: because the tape machine wasn't rolling. I think Dowd that's the only time they ever caught him off guard.

Well looks like a reason for me to get the box set.

[Firth]

Sorry no Duane, but cool no less

[ronmac]

So exactly how are you defining "some of the sessions"? Given how many overdubs there are on Layla, it's likely the only song they worked on during that particular session. In fact, it was recorded during at least two sessions, because the idea of tacking on the piano coda (credited to Jim Gordon, but allegedly written by his girlfriend at the time, and originally a separate composition) came about after the main portion of the song had already been recorded. I think in the Layla boxset, it says the two were recorded something like a week or two apart from each other and joined together during mixdown.

Also, my impression, is that they spent a lot of the time just jamming on whatever songs or motifs they had available. There's several extended jams that appear on the Layla boxset that suggest that at least some of the songs were more or less worked up in the studio. And then there's that story about how they took a break, and the band launched into The Key To The Highway while Tom Dowd was outside smoking a cigarette. That's why the track starts with a fade-in: because the tape machine wasn't rolling. I think Dowd that's the only time they ever caught him off guard.

Oh, for Christ's sake! Sorry, I wasn't there. I merely recalled what I read in one of the books. Sheesh.

[mogrooves]

As far as "everything being scrapped" other than Layla.

I wish they'd "scrapped" Allman altogether on that song!

[Scott Bails]

Well looks like a reason for me to get the box set.

It's really a great set. Highly recommended for any fan of the original album.

[AcousticWalden]

Great video from Johhny Cash show, just listened to a recently downloaded 7 disk bootleg of Layla sessions from bigOZone. Some nice outtakes w/Cash.

[rapidfirerob]

I wish they'd "scrapped" Allman altogether on that song!

Funny! Duane plays an unreal slide solo on that song. Maybe you're referring to another song named Layla from a different group.

[GuitarGeek]

Sorry no Duane, but cool no less

Here's the full performance, which includes a short bit of conversation between Eric and Johnny, plus the second song, a version of Matchbox with Johnny and Carl Perkins joining in. Check out Carl's Micro-frets axe

[mogrooves]

Maybe you're referring to another song named Layla from a different group.

No.

[Fracktured]

Here's the full performance, which includes a short bit of conversation between Eric and Johnny, plus the second song, a version of Matchbox with Johnny and Carl Perkins joining in. Check out Carl's Micro-frets axe

Those guys were so young there. I remember those days of watching artists on TV. Such a long time ago and a completely different time in music history. Where did all the time go and the great music?

Rick

[JIF]

Sorry to derail the thread, but I remember a 40th anniversary edition of Layla came out a few years ago. Should I buy that, or stick with my copy from The Clap Remasters Series?

[Firth]

Sorry to derail the thread, but I remember a 40th anniversary edition of Layla came out a few years ago. Should I buy that, or stick with my copy from The Clap Remasters Series?

Great question and exactly what these threads are about, stimulation of info about music. However I don't know, but really would like to know. I own the 20th anniversary copy of Layla, and I didn't think it sounded as good as the Filmore East Allman Bros which was recorded live, or atleast the 5.1 SACD or the original 2 CD Chronicles version (there is a version where they shrunk the double album to a single CD and it is horrible).

Here's an Amazon link with reviews for the 40th 2 CD edition with a review that isn't about the 40th but about the 2004 SACD remix, and the impression is that there isn't much one can do to make this "live" saturated recording better.

http://www.amazon.com/Layla-Assorted.../dp/B004I4H8QS

Now here is a review of the 40th as the box set with a different and improved 5.1 remix :

http://theseconddisc.com/2011/05/13/...rsary-edition/

But this review probably best addresses the question at hand about all of these versions:

Looking back at Eric Clapton's career, it's hard not to be disappointed. After setting the world on fire on the ‘60s and very early ‘70s, he has spent the last four decades coasting, seemingly more interested in getting on to adult contemporary radio than unleashing the great bluesman that most likely still lurks inside him.

At this point, it's sometimes hard to remember why he's so famous in the first place. Let the 40th anniversary of Layla serve as a reminder. The album is not only Clapton's high water mark, it's one of the best rock albums ever made. Hell, even the title track - which usually makes me want to take a baseball bat to the studio of my local classic rock station - is powerful and moving within the context of the album.

Does that mean you should run out and buy one of these 40th anniversary packages? Yes and no. The Deluxe reissue is a 2-CD set - a better-sounding version of the album you probably already own and a disc of outtakes, most of which were also on the three-disc 20th Anniversary Layla Sessions box set. The new stuff includes four great Dominos performances from The Johnny Cash Show, the best of which is ragged but right version of "Matchbox" featuring Cash and Carl Perkins. Disappointingly, it doesn't include two tracks from The Layla Sessions ("Tender Love" and "It Hurts Me Too"), making it slightly incomplete. It also doesn't contain the studio jams from that set, but how often does anyone really play those anyway?

If you didn't buy The Layla Sessions, picking this one up is a no-brainer. The improved sound quality and bonus disc are well worth the price tag of $20-$25. (Hence the "10" rating, above.)

More problematic is the Super Deluxe set, which contains the two CDs mentioned above, an audiophile DVD of the album, high-fidelity vinyl, a hardcover book, and a remastered and expanded version of Derek and the Dominos In Concert, an album that was already remastered, expanded and renamed Live at the Fillmore in the ‘90s.

If you're even considering this, you're most likely a pretty big fan, meaning you probably have nearly all of this material. It seems hard to fathom that it'd be worth shelling out nearly $100 to buy it again with slightly better sound quality and a nice book, especially when it still doesn't give you the entire picture. Why not include the jams from the 20th anniversary set in this version? And if you're going to include a DVD, why not put video from the Johnny Cash show on there - it's not like the clips aren't available all over YouTube? The two-disc version seems like a proper tribute; this one seems more like a money grab - if our reviews could display separate star ratings, it would be in the vicinity of a "5".

http://blurt-online.com/reviews/view/2973/

I just saw this from wiki: In 2012, the Super Deluxe Edition of the record won a Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album.

[JIF]

So, I should upgrade? Btw, my copy sounds just fine.

[Firth]

So, I should upgrade? Btw, my copy sounds just fine.

Based on what I read, if money wasn't issue and you have a surround system, the 40th box is a definite grab.

[JIF]

Based on what I read, if money wasn't issue and you have a surround system, the 40th box is a definite grab.

I don't. That's what why my question was directed towards the 40th anniversary single disc version vs. the one from the Eric Clapton remaster series.

[Firth]

I don't. That's what why my question was directed towards the 40th anniversary single disc version vs. the one from the Eric Clapton remaster series.

I gave you what I could collect, and that data suggests there is not good reason to go to the 40th on CD. However I don't see a single disc 40th, only a 2 disc.