Rolling Stone magazine did not like "Wheels of Fire" when it was released in 1968. In a review, Rolling Stone magazine took umbrage with Cream's interpretation of American Blues, particularly with Eric Clapton's guitar solo on "Sitting on Top of the World," saying the Englishman was merely mimicking guitar licks by African American blues guitarists, implying that Clapton was somehow a fraud. Was there any merit to what Rolling Stone was alleging? The answer came two years later, when the song's composer (Chester Burnett--AKA Howlin' Wolf) re-recorded the song while in England. Who should he ask to play lead guitar on the song? None other than Eric Clapton himself. Hubert Slumin, Burentt's usual lead guitarist, was asked to play rhythm guitar.
TRAINTIME PHOTO
On the day of the photoshoot that depicted Cream on a railroad track, Ginger Baker had just received word that his wife had given birth to a baby boy. Ginger was so overjoyed that he did a somersault down the embankment to the tracks, hurting his shoulder in the fall Later, congregating in a nearby cafe for lunch, Baker's disheveled red hair was ridiculed by a couple of blue collar workers. In turn, the quick-tempered Baker shot back vehemently, ridiculing their worker's hats.
(note: the photos were taken in Pennsylvania between shows in Philadelphia, by a freelance photographer for Life Magazine).
WHEELS OF FIRE
Producer Felix Pappalardi, who was hired to insure that Cream's second album, "Disraeli Gears", was commericially viable, was later hired to produce Cream's third alum, "Wheels of Fire." Pappalardi not only produced the record, but acted a fourth member of the band, playing a variety of instruments: accompanying Jack Bruce on cello on "White Room" and "Deserted Cities of the Heart", Trumpet on "Pressed Rat and Warthog", and percussion and Swiss Hand Bells on "Those Were the Days." During the same session, he played flute and violin on the Eric Clapton/Martin Sharpe composition, "Anyone for Tennis"on what would be Cream's next single. Unfortunately, the song flopped. No matter, Clapton's live rendition of "Crossroad" scored big on Top 40 Radio. The song was written by American blues guitarist Robert Johnson. Clapton recorded a studio version of the song before forming Cream in 1966, with his friend Steve Winwood on vocals. Clapton mastered the song (vocals and guitar) while Cream toured America in 1967. Clapton's live version would go to become the Englishman's signature song. For Cream's final album, "Goodbye" Clapton and George Harrison would write "Badge", Cream's last hit single. What's ironic, is that a hard-rocking blues band should sign off with a pop song.
GOODBYE
In a 1969 Rolling Stone interview, producer Phil Spector told a possibly apocryphal story about how Atlantic Records head Ahmet Ertegun caused the album to happen: "Like the Cream are breakin' up, and he said, 'like man you have to do a final album for me.' They said, 'Why man, we hate each other,' or somethin' like that. Ahmet said, 'Oh no man, you have to do one more album for me. Jerry Wexler (Ertegun's partner) has cancer, and he’s dyin' and he wants to hear one more album from you.' So they go in, make the album and he says, 'Like man, Jerry Wexler isn’t dyin', he’s much better, he’s improved."
Such are the fanciful stories that are so much a part of being Rock 'n' Roll Stars.
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