I don't love Eric Clapton, but his status as George's best friend, one-third of an intriguing love triangle, and the soloist who pushed While My Guitar Gently Weeps into iconic status must be acknowledged. I struggled with his placement in the hierarchy because he was on one track only, but his name was suggested by John Lennon as a suitable replacement when George quit.
His presence during the tense White Album sessions made the lads behave, a formula George remembered while they were bitching at each other during the Get Back sessions. Eric didn't show, but Billy Preston came to the rescue.
The dynamics of the Eric-Pattie-George love triangle are bizarre, and what I often think about when contemplating the not-so-savory lessons learned on rock star behavior. No one could have predicted that this triangle would become a Venn diagram when George stepped out with Maureen to Ringo's shock and Lennon's disgust.
See, they didn't just have a problem with Paul; they all had a problem with each other.
That led to some great, albeit complex music.
This has really been a typing-out-loud that meanders around Clapton. Steer it back?
Uh, I really love The Core off Slowhand. I am a sucker for Wonderful Tonight. It's astonishing to think how long his career has lasted, with hits from the 60s to the 90s, including the Grammy-winning Tears in Heaven, and churning out contributions to movie soundtracks, like It's in the Way. He helped kill slick overproduction as part of the successful MTV Unplugged series. He's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times - solo, with The Yardbirds, and Cream. At the age of 80-plus, he is currently on tour and will be in Detroit in September.
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