""I found a pattern in my behavior that had been repeating
itself for years, decades even. Bad choices were my specialty, and
if something honest and decent came along, I would shun it or run
the other way."
"
With striking intimacy and candor, Eric Clapton tells the story of
his eventful and inspiring life in this poignant and honest
autobiography. More than a rock star, he is an icon, a living
embodiment of the history of rock music. Well known for his reserve
in a profession marked by self-promotion, flamboyance, and spin, he
now chronicles, for the first time, his remarkable personal and
professional journeys.
Born illegitimate in 1945 and raised by his grandparents, Eric
never knew his father and, until the age of nine, believed his
actual mother to be his sister. In his early teens his solace was
the guitar, and his incredible talent would make him a cult hero in
the clubs of Britain and inspire devoted fans to scrawl "Clapton is
God" on the walls of London's Underground. With the formation of
Cream, the world's first supergroup, he became a worldwide
superstar, but conflicting personalities tore the band apart within
two years. His stints in Blind Faith, in Delaney and Bonnie and
Friends, and in Derek and the Dominos were also short-lived but
yielded some of the most enduring songs in history, including the
classic "Layla."
During the late sixties he played as a guest with Jimi Hendrix and
Bob Dylan, as well as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and longtime
friend George Harrison. It was while working with the latter that
he fell for George's wife, Pattie Boyd, a seemingly unrequited love
that led him to the depths of despair, self-imposed seclusion, and
drug addiction. By the early seventies he had overcome his
addiction and released the bestselling album "461 Ocean Boulevard,"
with its massive hit "I Shot the Sheriff." He followed that with
the platinum album "Slowhand," which included "Wonderful Tonight,"
the touching love song to Pattie, whom he finally married at the
end of 1979. A short time later, however, Eric had replaced heroin
with alcohol as his preferred vice, following a pattern of behavior
that not only was detrimental to his music but contributed to the
eventual breakup of his marriage.
In the eighties he would battle and begin his recovery from
alcoholism and become a father. But just as his life was coming
together, he was struck by a terrible blow: His beloved
four-year-old son, Conor, died in a freak accident. At an earlier
time Eric might have coped with this tragedy by fleeing into a
world of addiction. But now a much stronger man, he took refuge in
music, responding with the achingly beautiful "Tears in
Heaven."
"Clapton" is the powerfully written story of a survivor, a man who
has achieved the pinnacle of success despite extraordinary demons.
It is one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.
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