A legendary performer: The guitarist Eric Clapton called “totally unique”
From the psychedelic swagger of ‘Sunshine of Your Love’, to the hard rock fire of ‘Layla’ and onto tender moments such as ‘Wonderful Tonight’, no one has covered the 21 frets of a Fender Stratocaster as extensively as Eric Clapton. A true sonic wanderer, his voyage is the stuff of legend, with many widely influential moments fuelling it.
Outside of his generally contemptible character, Clapton’s cultural status is fascinating. In a sign of the times in which he emerged, he rose to be London’s foremost and most storied axeman in the 1960s by fusing a natural ear for a melody and technical proficiency with a deep philosophical ensconcement in the Delta blues. While there had been an array of great axemen who came before him, the way Clapton cemented the tangible essence of a guitarist and moulded it for the contemporary era is one of his greatest triumphs.
Reflecting on Clapton’s career and the many different zeitgeists he’s been a crucial part of, as well as its profoundly oscillating nature, with tragedy, heartbreak and public outrage all appearing at points, it is remarkable the scope it encompasses. A tale of Dewey Cox proportions; he’s the closest physical embodiment of the concept of a rockstar.
Yet, Clapton’s exploits with his guitar often get lost amid the controversy and tales of rock ‘n’ roll excess. He might be a caricature, but his music speaks for itself. While he has played many different models, he is inextricable from the saga of the Fender Stratocaster, the ultimate postmodern vehicle for sonic welding. With its three single coils, nuanced pickup switch and earthy clean tone, he not only succeeded in spreading the gospel of the Delta bluesmen who inspired him but made good on their blueprint and continued to innovate.
While Clapton’s influence is far-reaching, one of his most significant achievements is establishing a lineage of rock guitarists who are also ardent blues disciples and put their own twist on the genre’s core values. One of these is undoubtedly Dire Straits hero Mark Knopfler, a man famed for his guitar prowess and his triumph in fanning the flames of blues fire to a searing temperature.
Whether it be the grooving but complex ‘Sultans of Swing’, ‘Local Hero’ or the perenially moving ‘Brothers in Arms’ – wherein the Geordie icon sounds eerily similar to Clapton with his expressive soloing – he has many highlights.
Naturally, Clapton has taken notice of Knopfler’s work and is a keen admirer of the spin he has put on the blues and the care with which he has done it. When speaking to Rolling Stone in October 1991, he dubbed the Dire Straits man a “totally unique” entity whose work improves with every listen.
Clapton said: “Well, Mark Knopfler, I think, is totally unique. He’s a great craftsman, which brings it back to that. I mean, with Dire Straits, if you listen to any of their albums the first time, it sort of goes by you a bit. Then gradually it just gets better and better, and it stands the test of time. They’re fantastic craftsmen.”
Given their deep spiritual alignment and their status as two of the most lauded players of all time, Clapton and Knopfler have even creatively converged on occasion. They recently united with other legendary players for the new charity version of ‘Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)’.
However, the most iconic occasion was when Dire Straits played at Knebworth in 1990, and the audience was treated to the elemental dovetailing of the two behemoths on ‘Money for Nothing’. Perhaps the best-ever version of the hit single, the presence of Clapton elevated the sonics and Knopfler’s playing to fantastical proportions.
