Cream - Disraeli Gears

Its been said many times about Cream, but it is essentially true, they were the first super group. Consisting of guitar legend Eric Clapton, bass virtuoso and vocalist Jack Bruce, and drumming meistro Ginger Baker. They had all played before in various guises, and were considered the cream of the crop of British musicians, thus the non egotistical name of Cream!

Their first album Fresh Crea,m was released in 1966 and went to number 6 in the UK charts and number 39 in the US. However, what came next is still considered to be there greatest album, Disraeli Gears.

Recorded in a mere 4 days, from May 11th to May 15th 1967 in Atlantic Studios New York. It was the album that broke them in America going to number 4 in the charts.

The title of the album is something of an in joke. When Cream were touring their first album Eric Clapton wanted to buy a racer bicycle. One of their roadies Mick Turner commented on the performance of "those Disraeli Gears" actually meaning "those derailleur gears". The band thought this was hilarious an decided that their next album would be called Disraeli Gears!

The opening track Strange Brew, sets the tone for the album, a blues psychedelic journey with 3 powerful musicians. It's short length, barely 3 minutes, is more in tune with how cream liked to write their songs, even if their live sets had 20 minute jams in them. Apparently if they did not play long jams people would leave gigs angry, asking for their money back.

Up next is Sunshine of your love, Creams best selling single and indeed Atlantic's best selling single to date! Believe it or not but Atlantic originally rejected the song and only that Booker T heard the song and insisted Atlantic release it!! From the moment the riff kicks it is instantly recognisable and has influenced everyone from Black Sabbath to Queens of the Stone Age.

The third track on the album, World Of Pain featuring both the vocals of Clapton and Bruce, it s best known for the tremolo effect used on the guitar and the unusual style Clapton adopts during the solo. It is followed by two of the weakest songs on the album, Dance the Night Away and Blue Condition, however calling a song weak on this album is probably somewhat unfair, but there you go.

The fantastic, Tales of Brave Ulysses is a 2 and a half minute masterpiece, the lyrics of which were written by poet Martin Sharp on the back of a beer mat for Eric Clapton after a chance meeting. It is inspired by Homers Odyssey and bears more than a passing resemblance to another Cream song, and one of my favourites White Room.

The album is packed with other fan favourites. We're going Wrong, (which features some rather nice drumming technique it has to be said and a haunting vocal performance by Bruce) Outside Woman Blues, SWLABR (pronounced Slobber) and Take it Back all shine in this album of gems.

Track Listing

1. Strange Brew
2. Sunshine of Your Love
3. World of Pain
4. Dance the Night Away
5. Blue Condition
6. Tales of Brave Ulysses
7. SWLABR
8. We're Going Wrong
9. Outside Woman Blues
10. Take It Back
11. Mother's Lament