Anyone More Over-Rated Than Eric Clapton? I think not.

How exactly is he "overrated"?
I can see how some people might not like his music, and I can also see how some people would put other great guitarists in front of him, but I don't think he's overrated.

The Beatles.

Eric is great. not really sure how you can call him overrated. he's not my favorite guitarist, and i don't really like his non-blues stuff, but i don't see how anyone could say he is overrated, much less the most overrated.

Ban thread. Kill user.

Overrated? Compared to who? I don't think so at all.

Yeah, I would have to agree. He's a very good guitar player, but I find his music very unimaginative. I think you can stay within the blue framework and still be imaginative. I think he has really gotten stale.

Methinks we need some reasons before anyone can determine if Clapton is overrated.

I will say that Clapton has not really released anything groundbreaking in a long time, but I have enjoyed his blues tributes. I've heard his tribute to Robert Johnson is very good and I really enjoyed the "From the Cradle" album and tour.

However, it's impossible not to rate him very highly for his early production with the Yardbirds, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, and Derek and the Dominos.

All of that stuff is essential listening to any fledgling blues guitarist.

As for the suggestion about the Beatles . . . I won't even justify that with a comment.

Bingo Macarthur.

Almost everything he has ever done was entirely derivative of someone else. It seems that he never even tries to make it his own.

He is a great player, but there are a lot of great players.

He would be overrated in the sense that he is always lumped in with Hendrix and SRV as the best of the best, but they were both in another stratosphere from Clapton. He would probably tell you that himself.

[This message has been edited by BigAg95 (edited 2/4/2005 10:08a).]

strat - I like From he Cradle, it is a good album.

I think the best music Clapton was a part of was Cream and D&D, but I think he had a lot of help from some great artists on those records.

JDL 96 is overrated as far as humanoids go.

To me the Rolling Stones are the most over-hyped, overrated band EVER!!!

I'll go with Elvis.

Clapton isn't overrated.

Elvis?

Wow.

Maybe fat Elvis was overrated and over the hill.

Young Elvis absolutely rocked.

Texags formula:

(Insert name of popular band/singer/performer/movie/TV show) sucks and/or is overrated.

[This message has been edited by Homsar (edited 2/4/2005 11:15a).]

According to BigAG Elvis would be overrated. Most of the songs he sang were older blues songs. But he did have the genius to use vocals the way nobody had ever done.

I'll agree, his vocals are awesome. Maybe it's because I'm young, I just don't entirely get Elvis, but I like him. Overrated doesn't mean bad.

what about Tiny Elvis? He was the best!

when you play 5 of his guitar solos, then you can call him overrated.

Without question: Kurt Cobain.

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According to BigAG Elvis would be overrated. Most of the songs he sang were older blues songs. But he did have the genius to use vocals the way nobody had ever done.

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Actually, by my definitive standard for determining overratedness as delineated hereinabove, Elvis made the music he stole his own, thus he was not overrated.

I might have to agree with Tim on Kurt.

I liked Nirvana a lot. But Rolling Stone (as crappy as that magazine is) listed him as one of the top 15 guitarists of all time.

I don't freaking think so.

I also agree on Cobain, he and Nirvana both make it onto way too many "all-time great" lists.

Clapton is a great guitarist but I also find him unoriginal. Cobain...hehe. If that's great go ahead and throw Lane Staley in there too...

Cobain doesn't even crack the top 100 all time great guitarists, IMHO. He wrote great songs, I'm a huge Nirvana fan, however power chords don't make brilliant guitar. SRV, however deserves all the accolades that are thrown at him.

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Almost everything he has ever done was entirely derivative of someone else. It seems that he never even tries to make it his own.

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Please tell me what he was deriving from when he wrote:

-Layla, Rock Hall of Fame says it is the 2nd greatest rock song of all time
-White Room
-Sunshine of Your Love
-Tears in Heaven

Clapton's combined abilities as a guitarist, songwriter and singer clearly put him in an elite group.

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With Eric Clapton's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist on March 6, 2000, he became the first musician to have been inducted three times. He was first honored as a member of the Yardbirds in 1992, then with Cream in 1993, and finally as a solo artist in 2000. While his stints with the groups were relatively brief - he stayed with the Yardbirds only a year and a half, and Cream lasted barely two years - Clapton has been a solo artist for three decades, beginning with the release of Eric Clapton in 1970. Even Derek and the Dominos, the short-lived quartet that cut the classic Layla...and Other Love Songs in 1970, was less a band of equals (a la Cream) than a Clapton-piloted project that bore his highly personalized stamp. As a solo artist, Clapton has brought his singing and songwriting to the fore while maintaining his stature as rock's preeminent guitarist. Demonstrating a remarkable resilience, Clapton has managed to establish himself as a vital, hitmaking presence in every decade.

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http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=79

[This message has been edited by Aggie Spirit (edited 2/4/2005 2:43p).]

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-Layla, Rock Hall of Fame says it is the 2nd greatest rock song of all time
-White Room
-Sunshine of Your Love
-Tears in Heaven

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1. Layla was written by Clapton and Jim Gordon. All of the cool guitar work like the main lick and the haunting solo that accompanies the piano at the end was done by Duane Allman, not Clapton. The piano part was composed and performed by Jim Gordon. Clapton'smain contribution was the lyrics.

2. White Room was written by Jack Bruce.

3. Sunshine of Your Love was written by Clapton, Bruce, and Ginger Baker. It is a great song, but co-writing one great song with a cool power chord riff does not make you the greatest guitarist of all time.

4. Tears in Heaven is all Clapton and a great song all the way around. Again, I am not sure if that song justifies lumping him in with Hendrix and SRV as a guitarist. I think that was probably his best song that he wrote and performed all by himself.

Just to be clear, I really like Clapton. I just think he is overrated. He is great, but not anywhere near the greatest in my opinion.

[This message has been edited by BigAg95 (edited 2/4/2005 3:03p).]

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He is great, but not anywhere near the greatest in my opinion.

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He's in the same league as the greatest rock guitarists of all time. He's perhaps just outside the bubble of the small group of greatest rock songwriters of all time and he's got a decent, if unspectacular, voice. Those three attributes combined plus three decades of success put him in an elite league for which he cannot be overrated.

Show me a another great rock guitarist who's written as much or more good material, sings and has three decades of success. If you think he's overrated, perhaps you don't recognize his level of combined talents is extraordinarily rare.

That's my point, though. I don't think he has written all that much great material.

95% of his songs are covers or songs that he wrote with someone else.

Why does Clapton get exclusive songwriting credit for Layla?

Why are you discrediting him for his ability to collaborate with others? Why is it to his discredit that he could take songs from other genres, say a country tune like "Promises" and make it a collosal hit and a reggea tune like "I Shot the Sherrif" and do the same?

Most of the folks giving Clapton flak are blues rock purists that don't want to give him credit for his abilities. The guy is much more versatile than anyone you've mentioned, including SRV or Hendrix who relied on Dylan for his biggest hit.


[This message has been edited by Aggie Spirit (edited 2/4/2005 3:45p).]

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I liked Nirvana a lot. But Rolling Stone (as crappy as that magazine is) listed him as one of the top 15 guitarists of all time.

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Cobain could barely play and he would have been the first person to admit as such.

Aggie Spirit - Clapton doing I Shot the Sherrif was near blasphemy. Just because a lot of white people bought it does not mean it is great music.

By extension of your argument, Puff Daddy and Uncle Cracker would be the two greatest artists of all time.

By the way, I don't think All Along the Watchtower was Hendrix's biggest hit, nor is it his most important work. He did a lot of original music and was amazingly prolific and diverse considering his short time producing music.

And I am not sure where you get the "blues-rock purist" thing, I prefer diversity as long as it is done well. SRV did a lot of things besides blues, the blues songs are just what gets played on the rock radio.



[This message has been edited by BigAg95 (edited 2/4/2005 4:59p).]

1. Nirvana-Kurt Cobain's death sealed that deal.

2. Stevie Ray Vaughan-Love SRV, but he couldn't compete with Jimi Hendrix.

3. Elvis-Just don't get the appeal.

4. Texas Country-There are some great ones (Pat Green, Dub Miller), but there are now too many guys in the game.

Yay!! Finally someone that will admit Clapton has got to be the most overrated!

I can't think of one Clapton solo or song that does it for me, yet this guy is put up there with Page and Hendrix. Do you think most above average music fans can identify a Clapton solo before the aformentioned guitarists? Clapton=Dullsville. I'd take Mick Taylor's work above Clapton. Gilmour too. Sir or Knight Clapton, or whatever he is can stick it up his.... guy peaked in '68 with Gently Weeps...wans't even his dang song.

As for Cobain...yeah, sure, overrated. Ask yourself...do you wish someone like him would come around right now and give rock music a swift kick in the arse right now like he did? No way overrated. If you still think he's overrated, then get that "Nevermind" Cd out you haven't played in 5 years, put in your car to volume 11, and go for about 30 minutes. See if you still have the same opinion. You think Cobain had more passion than "Borehand" Clapton?

Now I'm all stirred up.

Oh, by the way everyone...buy the new Trail of the Dead CD that just came out. If you agree with my sentiments here, you will like, er, love this record. Best thing I've heard in over a year, maybe three.

And Queens of the Stone Age are coming to Austin!!

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Clapton doing I Shot the Sherrif was near blasphemy. Just because a lot of white people bought it does not mean it is great music.

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Just 'cause someone sneers at it doesn't mean he didn't take the song to number one. Anyone who doesn't think Clapton makes great music is musically impared. If Mr. Blasphemy hadn't covered "I Shot The Sheriff" would you even have a clue who Marley was?

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The latter contained "I Shot the Sheriff." Reggae aficionado Eric Clapton’s version of the song went to #1 in 1974, which further carried the name of Marley and the Wailers beyond their Jamaican home base.

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http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=148

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He did a lot of original music and was amazingly prolific and diverse considering his short time producing music.

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Outside of his highly innovative electric guitar work, Hendrix is a total and complete lightweight compared to Clapton.

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SRV did a lot of things besides blues, the blues songs are just what gets played on the rock radio.

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Probably because his work outside of the blues or blues/rock is completely negligible compared to EC's. In no way is it remotely comparable.


[This message has been edited by Aggie Spirit (edited 2/5/2005 9:40a).]