It was big news when guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker from the recently-disbanded Cream joined forces with keyboardist-singer Steve Winwood, whose history with Traffic and the Spencer Davis Group had made him one of Britain’s most admired young musicians (bass player Rick Grech came from the more obscure Brit group Family), and the buzz must have been palpable when they took the stage before hundreds of thousands of fans on a June afternoon in 1969.
They were known as rock’s first supergroup, but there’s nothing all that super about Blind Faith – London Hyde Park 1969, a record of the quartet’s debut performance. In fairness, the group hadn’t been together very long, and their one and only album hadn’t been released yet; perhaps they were also taken aback by the size of the crowd and the hype that already engulfed them. Still, their 40-minute set (the DVD is padded with a ten-minute introduction) is surprisingly listless, not to mention out of tune. Having cemented his god-like status by way of Cream’s endless bravura jamming, Clapton was clearly looking for something mellower and more song-oriented, but despite a few stellar moments, here he appears dour and uninterested. Winwood, meanwhile, seems to be searching for notes a step or two above his range, with the result that he fairly shrieks his way through all six tunes from the Blind Faith album (along with a pointless cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb” and two others); it’s Baker who provides the fire, especially on “Presence of the Lord” and the drum showcase “Do What You Like.” The audio and video are surprisingly crisp and clear, which helps make up for the fact that the camera was apparently hand-held by a drunk who couldn’t figure out what he wanted to shoot. It’s cool to see these guys in action, but overall, interest in this document will primarily be due to the fact that it exists at all.
Sam Graham
Track list:
1.Well All Right
2.Sea of Joy
3.Sleeping in the Ground
4.Under My Thumb
5.Can’t Find My Way Home
6.Do What You Like
7.Presence of the Lord
8.Means to an End
9.Had to Cry Today
DVD extras:
3 promo videos, photo gallery
I’m a Man – Spencer Davis Group
Hole in My Shoe – Traffic
I’m So Glad – Cream