Credit: Alamy

The classic rock band Eric Clapton lost admiration for: “Took up our legacy”

Sun 3 May 2026 19:15, UK

In the annals of music history, very few bands have made as profound an impact on the evolution of rock music as Cream. Formed in 1966, this British supergroup comprising Eric Clapton on guitar, Jack Bruce on bass and vocals, and Ginger Baker on drums forged a revolutionary path by infusing the raw power of blues with the improvisational complexity of jazz.

A deep-rooted reverence for blues music lay at the heart of Cream’s sound. Clapton, already renowned for his blues prowess, brought his fervour for the genre to the band. Influenced by legends like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters, Clapton’s searing guitar solos and emotive playing style became emblematic of Cream’s sonic identity.

During a fleeting window in time, Cream found themselves coexisting with another rock legend: Led Zeppelin. As Cream disbanded in the summer of 1968, Led Zeppelin was just beginning to take shape. However, while both groups showcased remarkably skilled rhythm sections complemented by iconic leads, any perceived similarities quickly became dismissed by Cream.

On the surface, comparisons between the two bands felt inevitable. Both relied on powerhouse rhythm sections, virtuosic musicianship and a heavy reinterpretation of blues traditions, making it easy for critics and fans alike to draw a line between Cream’s innovations and Zeppelin’s rise.

However, those parallels didn’t sit comfortably with Cream’s members. Rather than viewing Led Zeppelin as a natural successor, they saw a divergence in philosophy, one that moved away from the jazz-inflected improvisation and musical discipline that had defined their own approach, setting the stage for the pointed critiques that would follow.

Eric Clapton - Cream - 23 — Credit: Far Out / Video Still

Despite Clapton being the sole surviving member of the band, he never shows any appreciation for any discourse, including both Cream and Zeppelin. “We had a really strong foundation in blues and jazz,” Clapton explained to Nigel Williamson in 2004. “Led Zeppelin took up our legacy. But then they took it somewhere else that I didn’t really have a great deal of admiration for.”

However, Clapton wasn’t the only band member who had something to say about the reign of Led Zeppelin. Before their passing in 2014 and 2019, Bruce and Baker frequently criticised the band. Whether due to Led Zeppelin’s emergence as the next hard rock sensation or simply because Bruce and Baker were naturally inclined to be contentious, both musicians were notably unkind in their assessments.

“Fuck off, Zeppelin, you’re crap,” Bruce claimed. “You’ve always been crap, and you’ll never be anything else. The worst thing is that people believe the crap that they’re sold. Cream is ten times the band that Led Zeppelin is. You’re gonna compare Eric Clapton with fucking Jimmy Page?”

During an interview with director Jay Bulger for the 2012 documentary Beware of Mr. Baker, Baker enthusiastically criticised several of his rock and roll peers. While expressing respect for The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, Baker dismissed any comparisons between himself and figures like Keith Moon and John Bonham. Acknowledging Bonham’s skill, Baker refrained from offering any further compliments.

“The general public are so fucking dumb that anyone could think [that] Bonham was anywhere near this kind of drummer I am is just extraordinary,” Baker claimed. “Bonham had technique, but he couldn’t swing a sack of shit. Or Mooney, for that manner. I mean, if they were still alive today, ask them!”