Vintage rock trio Cream will reunite for a string of shows next year at London's Royal Albert Hall, sources tell Billboard.com. The group -- guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce -- played its final shows at Albert Hall before splintering in November 1968. Cream has not performed together since its 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Billboard.com understands the trio will begin rehearsals after the first of the year, with an eye on a week-long run of gigs at Albert Hall. It is unknown if plans call for additional shows in other parts of the world. A spokesperson for Clapton had no comment.
In just two years, Cream achieved legendary status on the strength of the albums "Fresh Cream," "Disraeli Gears" (recently reissued in a deluxe edition by Polydor) and the half-live/half-studio "Wheels of Fire," expertly blending blues, rock and the burgeoning strains of psychedelia.
"Disraeli Gears" is a particular landmark, sporting such signature tracks as "Strange Brew" and "Sunshine of Your Love," which features one of the most distinctive riffs in rock history.
"Live, Cream was a great, hardworking band -- Eric was supreme and Ginger the most musical drummer alive -- and those original live albums were very good, probably the best records of their kind up to that point," Bruce told Billboard in 1997, prior to the release of the boxed set "Those Were the Days." "But our studio recordings were probably more important, although there you can tell that each one of us had a different idea of what Cream should be."
Following Cream's split, Clapton and Baker joined another supergroup, Blind Faith, with Traffic's Steve Winwood and Family bassist Rick Grech. But the combo issued only one album before Clapton set off on an enduring solo career. Baker and Bruce have continued to record and tour in a variety of incarnations.
As previously reported, Clapton will release a new CD/DVD, "Sessions for Robert J," on Dec. 7 via Duck/Reprise.
:)
SeekOnce
11-09-04, 09:07 PM
No way. I don't buy it. It's just like that rumor of Roger Waters reuniting with Pink Floyd to do a couple of shows next year.
Fat chance.
DVD Josh
11-09-04, 09:11 PM
Originally posted by SeekOnce
No way. I don't buy it. It's just like that rumor of Roger Waters reuniting with Pink Floyd to do a couple of shows next year.
Fat chance.
The main difference being the animosity between Waters and Gilmour. There is no such feelings with Cream.
Brain Stew
11-09-04, 09:19 PM
Originally posted by DVD Josh
The main difference being the animosity between Waters and Gilmour. There is no such feelings with Cream.
I don't know. I'm not sure that Waters and Gilmour see eye-to-eye about Cream ;).
SeekOnce
11-09-04, 09:49 PM
Wait a sec, I always thought that there was some sort of beef within the group. Isn't that why they've played together only once since the late '60s?
Hmm, I must've just confused them with another band. Like Pink Floyd. :)
db27
11-09-04, 10:26 PM
would love to see this happen
Hollowgen
11-09-04, 11:22 PM
isn't ginger baker like 90 now?
C_Fletch
11-10-04, 10:59 AM
Sounds like a great idea to me, hopefully we'll get some nice live cuts for a new Cream CD. I'd buy it in a second. I'm kind of biased though considering I have 30 CDs with good old Eric Clapton playing. From Delaney & Bonnie to his current Mr. Johnson CD. I just can't seem to get enough. The only CDs I think I'm missing are the original Cream Studio CDs. Now I just wish I could play like him. :)
Marvin
11-10-04, 11:02 AM
As I recall, Ginger Baker should be 65.
Phil L.
11-10-04, 01:40 PM
I am astonished that Ginger Baker is even still alive!
He looked old and on the verge of death back in the 60's!!
Hollowgen
11-10-04, 01:51 PM
i'd get behind this, so long as they don't play any of ginger's material. :yack:
Mordred
11-10-04, 02:21 PM
Originally posted by Hollowgen
i'd get behind this, so long as they don't play any of ginger's material. :yack: Hey, Master's of Reality had a few good songs, particularly "She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On)".
nazz
11-10-04, 04:31 PM
Didn't I hear fairly recently that Jack Bruce was having health problems? I was thinking that it was liver disease.
benedict
11-10-04, 06:37 PM
<small>Originally posted by Mordred
Hey, Master's of Reality had a few good songs, particularly "She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On)". </small>I have a MoR album and think it's great. Mr Baker didn't stay with the band for very much of its recording history.
zombiezilla
11-10-04, 06:44 PM
You know, I hope this doesn't even happen unless someone can actually convince (boring old fuck) Clapton to turn his guitar up and put some distortion and wah on it again.
Shit, I think the last time he did it was, oh, Derek and the Dominos?
I mean, come ON, have any of you seen a performance by him lately? Music to fuckin' sleep by....and it's worse when he does the old stuff all watered down.
zombiezilla
11-10-04, 06:48 PM
....and by the way: Clapton was NEVER God. There are DOZENS of guitarists with far more talent, taste, and chops that I can name off the top of my head. So he had a handfulla good tunes? Doesn't excuse the filler, and definitely doesn't forgive the recent live shows.
And hey, I know I'll be "creamed" for my remarks. Who cares? You know in your hearts that I'm right!
Jason
11-10-04, 07:07 PM
Originally posted by zombiezilla
....and by the way: Clapton was NEVER God. There are DOZENS of guitarists with far more talent, taste, and chops that I can name off the top of my head. So he had a handfulla good tunes? Doesn't excuse the filler, and definitely doesn't forgive the recent live shows.
And hey, I know I'll be "creamed" for my remarks. Who cares? You know in your hearts that I'm right!
Thank you, from another who thinks Clapton is overrated.
benedict
11-11-04, 12:48 PM
Not wishing to stir things up but I think that the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts e.g. I think that Cream as a band had some great material but I've not been especially inspired by what little I have heard of the solo work from Messrs. Baker, Bruce and Clapton.
dpganz
01-17-05, 08:43 PM
I doubt theres been any more news on this, but wondering if definite plans have been made. Espically if they're considering expanding the shows to do a few in the states
SPiRAL
01-17-05, 10:54 PM
I told my dad about this, he got really excited. He's a huge Clapton fan.
Rivero
01-19-05, 03:37 PM
The main difference being the animosity between Waters and Gilmour. There is no such feelings with Cream.
Animosity is why this supergroup split up in the first place.
dpganz
01-22-05, 11:14 PM
Animosity is why this supergroup split up in the first place.
this is true, but they've all outgrown this since then, or so i'm lead to believe (espically since this concert news). i believe the last they played togather was at the RnR hall of fame, in the 90's.
Cream, the greatest power trio of all time (Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker), reunite in May 2005 for a legendary four-days-only string of live performances. Playing at the Royal Albert Hall in London, the very same venue they played their final dates in 1968, before breaking up.
Due to the nature of this event, packages are VERY limited and will sell extremely fast. We have managed to secure a small number of tickets, and offer them as part of a ticket with 4 or 5 star accommodation package.
Our package includes a Guaranteed stalls ticket with an original face value of £130. The package includes 4 to 5 star accommodation.
"In the sunshine of your looooooooooooooooooooooooooooove...." :)
Too bad it's in London. :(
Mad Dawg
02-01-05, 06:02 PM
-eek- Oh my god. I'd give someone else's left nut to see that show. They'd better be recording and releasing this.:drool:
Cameron
02-01-05, 06:22 PM
i have a feeling if this goes will they will make it stateside to the big venues
Mad Dawg
02-01-05, 06:36 PM
Creme de la Cream
Updated 03:25 PST Sat, Jan 29 2005
Rumors of a Cream reunion first got started last November, were confirmed by Eric Clapton in December, and now the dates are finally in: The '60s supergroup, whose hits include "Sunshine of Your Love," "Strange Brew"and "White Room," will reunite for four shows at London's Royal Albert Hall in May.
The last time guitarist Clapton, bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker appeared on stage together was the band's 1993 Hall of Fame induction, where they played a three-song set that has kept fans hungry for a reunion ever since.
Cream formed in 1966 and released four albums in two years with worldwide sales of more than 35 million copies. The group played its last British show at the Albert Hall in 1968, shortly after returning from a U.S. tour that had earned them a reported $60,000 per night.
Clapton has said the May 2-6 shows will be recorded for release on CD and DVD.
Buy: