Five musicians who hate Eric Clapton

Throughout the history of music, Eric Clapton is regarded as one of the most influential and revered guitarists. His inventive playing style has influenced generations of artists and had a significant influence on the growth of rock and blues. With bands like Cream, Blind Faith, and Derek and the Dominos, as well as his successful solo career, Clapton made significant contributions to music. He has also performed at a number of charity events, such as Live Aid and the Concert for George. Clapton’s music has impacted millions of people worldwide, and his legacy is still felt by musicians today.

He has, however, come under fire from some of his musical peers for his earlier contentious statements and deeds. At a concert in the 1970s, Clapton made racial remarks that outraged the crowd and provoked riots. Also, he declared his support for Enoch Powell, a contentious figure. Moreover, Clapton is alleged to have stolen black musicians’ works without giving them due credit. While Clapton has since expressed regret for some of his earlier behaviors, these events have marred his legacy and could be the reason why some artists don’t like him.

It was in 1976. The anti-multicultural sentiments of the British Conservative MP have engulfed large portions of the nation. Clapton stepped foot in this cesspool of perverted populism. During a trip to Birmingham that year, the inebriated guitarist made the decision to express his own unpleasant ideas on the subject.

He addressed his audience with, “Do we have any foreigners in the audience tonight? If so, please put up your hands. So where are you? Well, wherever you are, I think you should all just leave. Not just leave the hall, leave our country. I don’t want you here, in the room, or in my country.”

“Stop Britain from becoming a black colony. Get the foreigners out. Get the w*gs out. Get the c**ns out. Keep Britain white.”

Even though Clapton is sober today, anyone who believes that he has changed his perspective or chosen to avoid conflict throughout the years is profoundly incorrect. During the global pandemic, as thousands died and millions were terrified of what their new future might hold, the guitarist claimed the vaccine was dangerous after he had taken it, telling Oracle that he has continued to be a difficult customer when it comes to opinions on either his own music or the work of others.

He told, “I lost the use of my hands for about three weeks. I thought I was in real trouble. Now I’ve stopped watching TV. One of the cartoons was a drawing of a guy interviewing two Quakers, and saying, ‘How come none of your community have got Covid?’, and he says, ‘Well, we don’t watch TV’. It’s so true man, so much of the sickness is in our heads.”

It appears that Clapton’s status as one of music’s greatest performers has already been permanently destroyed by his dishonest behavior. In most situations like these, the musician would receive a flood of support from peers, but due to Slowhand’s position, the whole music industry has turned against him. Five musicians that genuinely despise the man are listed below.

The Yardbirds

The best place to start would probably be with his ex-bandmates. He is a notoriously tough person to work with, and his Yardbirds teammates have complained about him. Eric departed the group because he thought they were veering off of their initial sound.

Even though they weren’t bandmates, before his death, Clapton’s replacement in the Yardbirds, Jeff Beck, remarked that they had “an uncomfortable rivalry.”

Also, drummer Jim McCarty told ‘The Guardian’, “Eric had these R&B mod songs he wanted us to do. Him leaving was a relief. Eric would be sitting in the van not talking to anyone. You’d think he’s so moody, he’s such a pain, we’re fed up with this.”

Robert Cray

Older musicians like to remain together, and since the 1980s, Clapton and Robert Cray have been traveling companions. Yet when Clapton and Van Morrison issued their anti-vaccine song, “Stand and Deliver,” the guitarist objected to its content.

The careless remarks made by Eric Clapton infuriated Cray. He kindly asked Slowhand for clarification through email, but the response did not satisfy him. Cray revealed to Washington Post, Clapton’s “reaction back to me was that he was referring to slaves from, you know, England from way back.”

The conversation that ensued would cause Cray to cut ties with the musician.

Rita Coolidge

Rita Coolidge has a more specific basis for her hatred than the criticisms that are frequently leveled about Clapton’s overall demeanor. She composed the piano outro for Derek and the Dominos’ biggest song, “Layla,” while dating Clapton’s drummer Jim Gordon.

However Gordon claimed sole credit for that section of the song, and Coolidge never received the recognition she felt she deserved. This made her mad and she once revealed Eric made her feel like she was beneath him.

Most Punk Bands

His most well-known expression of surprise occurred during the aforementioned racial outburst. The English Beat’s David Wakelling spoke to Rolling Stone following the incident and provided the following statement:

“We know that the drink doesn’t make you make up sophisticated lies. It just makes you tell the truth too loud at the wrong time to the wrong people.”

The growing punk movement was inspired by this occasion to fan the flames of social upheaval in the music business and launch the now-iconic Rock Against Racism initiative. The performance, which began in 1976 and increased the following year, reached its peak in 1978 with The Clash and X-Ray Spex playing to about 100,000 spectators in the National Front hotspot of East London.

Nevertheless, it all began when the event’s organizers, Red Saunders, Roger Huddle, Jo Wreford, Pete Bruno, and others, sent a provocative letter to the NME, identifying Clapton as one of the major causes of their ire. “Come on Eric…own up. Half your music is black…who shot the Sheriff, Eric? It sure as hell wasn’t you!”

Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers has been one of Clapton’s critics who has maybe been the loudest. The vocalist of “Kyoto,” one of her generation’s best composers, has also been outspoken in her criticism of the ideas expressed by purported musical giants. She not only referred to David Crosby as a “little bitch” for criticizing her guitar smash on Saturday Night Live, but she also attacked Clapton in the Punisher song “Moon Song.”

She explained, “I have such an Eric Clapton rant, because I think it’s just extremely mediocre music, but also, he’s a famous racist. Sometimes I think people are too problematic to be cancelled or not relevant enough to be cancelled. I mean, it wouldn’t even make news if he said something racist today, because he went on a racist rant in the 60s or 70s that was very famous.”