Don Homer

From Billboard:

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

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

The main difference being the animosity between Waters and Gilmour. There is no such feelings with Cream.

Brain Stew

I don't know. I'm not sure that Waters and Gilmour see eye-to-eye about Cream .

SeekOnce

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

would love to see this happen

Hollowgen

isn't ginger baker like 90 now?

C_Fletch

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

As I recall, Ginger Baker should be 65.

Phil L.

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

i'd get behind this, so long as they don't play any of ginger's material.

Mordred

Hey, Master's of Reality had a few good songs, particularly "She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On)".

nazz

Didn't I hear fairly recently that Jack Bruce was having health problems? I was thinking that it was liver disease.

benedict

<small></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

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

....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

Thank you, from another who thinks Clapton is overrated.

benedict

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

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

I told my dad about this, he got really excited. He's a huge Clapton fan.

Rivero

Animosity is why this supergroup split up in the first place.

dpganz

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.

wabio

http://www.latestevents.com/customer...cat=406&page=1

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.



This rocks!!!!!!

"In the sunshine of your looooooooooooooooooooooooooooove...."

Too bad it's in London.

Mad Dawg

Oh my god. I'd give someone else's left nut to see that show. They'd better be recording and releasing this.

Cameron

i have a feeling if this goes will they will make it stateside to the big venues