“Clapton is God” was written in graffiti in Islington, London, during the 1960s. The word caught on like wildfire and doused the competitive fires. During that period, there existed a productive and amicable rivalry between a few guitarists in the London scene. Among them were Jimi Hendrix and Clapton’s fellow Yardbirds alumni, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. Soon after, in reaction to the comment regarding Eric Clapton, Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac earned the moniker “Green God.”
Psychedelic rock groups inspired bands associated with the prog-rock movement with their penchant for complexity. These included Led Zeppelin, Cream, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. But as this era of instrumental competition faded, listeners appeared to rediscover songwriting and spirit above content. The stark contrast between punk and prog-rock in the 1970s portrayed this difference.
It is certainly an honorable goal to play the guitar like a “God,” or more realistically, like Clapton and Hendrix. “I never believed that I was the best guitarist in the world,” Clapton said in a 1987 profile for The South Bank Show. “I accept that being the best guitarist in the world is an ideal, but that’s what I’ve always wanted to be.”
Although the guitarists’ arms race amused Clapton, it continued into the late 1960s. He knew that in the world of rock and roll, instrumental virtuosity was not everything. Stylistic subtleties and unique touches can win over more people in guitar playing than technical prowess.
The British musician, recognizing JJ Cale as one of America’s most overlooked guitarists, threw his support behind him. Although Cale possessed immense technical skill, it was his distinct style of slide guitar and lead embellishments with blues influences that set him apart from the rest for Clapton.
Similar to this, being a musician in the rock ‘n’ roll genre requires a specific mindset and a love of the art. Because of their exceptional musicianship, musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townshend are frequently regarded as unique. Not only were they excellent instrumentalists. Their inventive compositional skills and devastating stage presence contributed to the 20th-century musical revolution.
Regarding Clapton, another irreplaceable star is Tom Petty. He gained popularity as the frontman of The Heartbreakers. Later, he joined forces with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison in The Traveling Wilburys.
The “Free Fallin” singer overdosed and died in 2017 at the age of 66. Among the first of Petty’s close friends in the business to offer condolences was Clapton. Clapton released a statement saying, “I’m shocked and saddened by the news of Tom’s passing. He’s such a huge part of our musical history; there’ll never be another like him.”
Petty and Clapton frequently shared the stage during Petty’s lifetime. Although they didn’t often cross paths in the studio, they did team up in 2014 to honor JJ Cale on the compilation album. It was titled “Eric Clapton & Friends: The Breeze – An Appreciation Of JJ Cale.” Petty and Clapton worked together on covers of “The Old Man and Me,” “Rock and Roll Records,” and “I Got the Same Old Blues.”
