I'm so glad (Cream) (LP 220 - 226)

Creme de la Cream vinyl box set (1980)

Cream Fresh Cream (Vinyl - RSO, 1966) ***
Cream Disraeli Gears (Vinyl - Polydor, 1967) *****
Cream Wheels Of Fire: In the studio (Vinyl - RSO, 1968) **
Cream Wheels Of Fire: Live at the Fillmore (Vinyl - RSO, 1968) ***
Cream Goodbye Cream (Vinyl - RSO, 1969) ****
Cream Live Cream (Vinyl - RSO, 1970) ***
Cream Live Cream Volume II (Vinyl - Polydor, 1972) ****

Genre: Blues (a stretch, I know, but it keeps all the Clapton material roughly in one place)  

Places I remember: Roger Marbeck's Cannongate St house, early eighties.  

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Sunshine Of Your Love (Disraeli Gears), Crossroads (Live)




Gear costume: Badge (Goodbye), Strange Brew (Disraeli Gears) 


Active compensatory factors: Welcome to the longest Goo Goo entry for ages. That's because I'm tracking through the contents of my Creme De La Cream vinyl box set.

But first: some context.

It all started with I'm So Glad on an el cheapo knock off Cream compilation album (called Swlabr) on Polydor's el cheapo knock off Karussell label, bought from a supermarket back at the dawn of time. 

I'm So Glad, as featured on that album in long/live form, hooked me. Forever.

Fast forward to 1980 and I'm helping Roger Marbeck dig out wet clay from under his house. As a thank uou, Roger gives me this box set: all the studio and live albums together, along with Extra Cream (a bonus 12 inch single). He's a great guy is our Roger!

In a four year whirlwind of activity, the Cream super group juggernaut conquered the world and then flamed out. 

Here's everything they recorded!

Things began with Fresh and my copy's crazy stereo separation (Ginger and the bass on the right, Eric and vocals on the left) is the first bizarre aspect of note (it was also released on mono but quickly deleted - shame coz it's probably the better way to hear this).

Maybe it's done to showcase the three master musicians' individual genius and Eric's guitar pyrotechnics are, indeed, mind blowing, but it sounds weird and on the tinny side at times (especially on Four Until Late).

Highlights:  Spoonful still sounds remarkable, Rollin' and Tumblin' is an extraordinary firestorm thanks to Bruce's gob iron and vocals (my mother always hated this song!), and I'm So Glad retains its, erm, freshness.

Disraeli Gears is by far the best of the two studio albums (double album Wheels Of Fire and Goodbye are mixtures of live and studio tracks), even though it includes the weak Blue Condition and bizarre Mother's Lament to end each side.

Highlights aplenty: apart from the amazing riff at the heart of Sunshine Of Your Love, take your pick from Strange Brew, Tales Of Brave Ulysses (Clapton on spectacular wah wah) or SWLABR, or We're Going Wrong or Take It Back and Dance The Night Away is a psychedelic musical representation of the cover all on its own.

Third offering was the double Wheels Of Fire - one studio album and one live (it was released as a double at the time but the Creme de la Cream set presents them as the two individual albums that were later released).

It's my least favourite Cream album. The studio sides are patchy and the live tracks bloated.

Highlights: Crossroads is, of course, a highlight of Clapton's entire career and Traintime on the live album is worth your time (still can't get through all of Spoonful or Toad without getting distracted). Studio album highlights are even less plentiful - White Room is barking mad and shouldn't work but somehow does;  and Born Under a Bad Sign is energetic.

As  a final statement (the remaining two live albums come from roughly the same source as those that appear on Wheels Of Fire), Goodbye Cream is a doozy!

Highlights: That brilliant version of I'm So Glad that I heard first on the Karussell album is here (the sound of three great musicians kicking the shit out of the blues), the best version of Politician (great guitar by Slowhand), and Badge with George Harrison on rhythm guitar. 

The two live albums are enjoyable without being essential. Curiously, even though it seems a cash in two years after the first collection, Volume II is much the better album thanks to the greater brevity and variety 0n show.

Rather than a full concert, we get individual tracks - never my favourite approach, as you know.

Live Cream highlights: A Lawdy Mama that sounds like Strange Brew, an epic Sweet Wine that takes in some interesting side roads and a less frenetic but worthy Rollin' and Tumblin'. 

Live Cream Volume II highlights: muscular versions of Deserted Cities of the Heart, White Room, Politician, and Hideaway. The version of Sunshine Of Your Love ain't too shabby either!!

Where do they all belong? More Clapton related material when we roll around to the CD collection again - specifically Journeyman.