Clapton Goes Unplugged Again
...AND OTHER NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
EC’S LOCKDOWN BLUES
WHAT DO YOU do when all your touring plans — including a residency at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall — are thwarted, thanks to the pandemic and ongoing effects of Covid? Well, in Eric Clapton’s case, you retreat with your band to the leafy English countryside and record a private concert to make the best of a bad situation. Recorded live at Cowdray House in West Sussex, The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions sees Slowhand and his long-serving comrades (Nathan East on bass/vocals, Steve Gadd on drums and Chris Stainton on keys) giving classic originals the unplugged treatment, as well as three electrified renditions using his Gibson ES-335. The setlist also features a handful of covers, including Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac tracks “Black Magic Woman” and “Man of the World” and blues standard “Key to the Highway,” which was a highlight of Derek and the Dominos’ celebrated 1970 debut album. So, if you’ve ever wondered what “Layla,” “Bell Bottom Blues” and “After Midnight” would sound like through the guitar giant’s favored Martin 000-28 — from inside a Tudor house famously visited by English royals like King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I, no less — look no further.
THE NEW SNARK: STAY IN CHARGE!
WHEN DANELECTRO RELEASED the original Snark clip-on tuner back in 2010, they ended up creating one of the most popular tools of its kind — to date selling more than 25 million units. The newest version of the guitar accessory is now rechargeable via any standard USB port and is said to provide “weeks to months of regular use” at full charge. As well as offering “lightning speed response” on its high-resolution LCD display, the new clip-on tuner also can be used for lower-register instruments such as baritone guitars and extended-range basses, and it features fully chromatic pitch calibration between 415-466Hz.
THE COMMANDER’S HEALING HANDS
INSPIRED BY THE long road to recovery after a serious shoulder injury, Norwegian neoclassical shred virtuoso The Commander in Chief recently launched Guitar Rehab, her own online guitar-fitness course based on her findings. Aimed at players who want to practice safely in order to avoid injury, as well as those hoping to heal, the course consists of three modules with more than 20 videos of stretches and exercises to make sure you’re practicing correctly and not putting yourself at risk. As the old adage goes, better safe than sorry! Check out virtuosomusicgroup.com/ guitar-rehab
YOUR VERY OWN BACKSTAGE PASS
BACKSTAGE PASS: THE Grit and the Glamour, the first book by music journalist, guitar teacher and GW contributor Joe Matera, takes readers inside the dressing rooms of legendary gunslingers like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani and features a foreword from Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music fame. Its pages aim to expose the lesser-known aspects of life on the road and the business side of the industry — a grim reality check for those hoping for a career in music, with no shortage of valued insight from many of its consummate professionals. Visit amazon.com/dp/1909360929 to check it out.