1st Album Box Set

Following incendiary stints with The Yardbirds, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Cream and Blind Faith, Eric Clapton struck out on his own in late 1969. By March 1970, he’d amassed enough material to comprise his solo debut for Polydor in the UK and Atco in the US. Released in August of that year, Eric Clapton reintroduced the guitar god. It still showcased his fiery blues riffs, but in service of a more laid back blend of pop, soul, gospel, and country. On August 20th, 2021, Polydor and Universal Music will reissue the album for its slightly belated 50th anniversary in an expanded 4 CD box set and a standalone single LP black vinyl presentation.

Produced and arranged by Delaney Bramlett, Eric Clapton bore many of the same rootsy hallmarks as the music of Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, no surprise, considering the involvement of both Delaney and Bonnie, Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge, Jim Price, Bobby Keys, and the trio of Friends that would form Derek & The Dominos, Carl Radle, Bobby Whitlock, and Jim Gordon. Stephen Stills joined in, too, on “Let It Rain”, and Sonny Curtis and Jerry Allison of The Crickets added verisimilitude with their background vocals.

The upcoming anniversary edition presents "Eric Clapton" in 3 separate mixes, with one mix on each of the 1st 3 CD's in the box, "The Tom Dowd Mix", "The Eric Clapton Mix" and "The Delaney Bramlett Mix". The mix by Dowd was originally released in 1970, the earlier mix by Delaney Bramlett was 1st issued in full on the 2 CD deluxe edition in 2006. Clapton’s own mix officially premieres in full on this set. This mix crept out on early pressings of the LP in 1970 before being quickly recalled, his mixes of “After Midnight” and “Let It Rain” then appeared again on the 2018 soundtrack "Eric Clapton : Life In 12 Bars.

The 4th and final CD offers 8 additional bonus tracks. All 7 of the bonus cuts from the 2006 edition are featured, including the outtake “Blues in A”, the Olympic Studios alternate versions of “I’ve Told You For The Last Time” and “I Don’t Know Why”, the early version of “Let It Rain” entitled “She Rides”, the Delaney & Bonnie & Friends single sides “Groupie (Superstar)” and “Comin’ Home”, and the King Curtis led “Teasin’.” A previously unreleased mix of “Comin’ Home” has been added.