Eric Clapton – August Outtakes & Different Mixes – 1986 – review
I’ve been meaning to post about this ol’ boot, August Outtakes & Different Mixes, for a while now. The amount of enjoyment one would get from this 2-disc set largely depends on how one feels about Eric Clapton’s August album from 1986. I personally have a soft spot for the Phil Collins produced album. But I can definitely see how someone would get bored to tears from these “alternate mixes” when not having a strong connection with the source material. Frankly there aren’t major revelations here in this bootleg. Mainly you’ll find early takes of songs from the album that aren’t all that much different from the final product. “Lady From Verona” is the only song that I wasn’t familiar with but it’s essentially a throwaway with cringeworthy lyrics. “Wanna Make Love to You” is another outtake but most fans are familiar with this one since it ended up on the Crossroads box set. The rest of the boot is made up of alternate takes. I don’t know about other fans but I get a kick out of hearing demos and work-in-progress versions of familiar songs. It sort of gives you a glimpse of the creative process that went into the final versions.
Two highlights for me are the guide vocals done by Nathan East and Greg Phillinganes on “Grand Illusion” and “Miss You”. I’m not exactly sure why their vocals were recorded other than for an early run-through of the songs. Nevertheless, it’s a hoot listening to them singing along (presumably without the lyric sheet) filling in nonsense words to fit the melody. fun stuff. The second disc ends with subpar audio from Clapton’s live appearance on the TV show NightLife. Those two tracks aren’t really necessary since there are superior sounding live boots from Clapton’s 1986/87 tour.
So, is this an essential Clapton boot? not really. But if you’ve got a fondness for mid-80′s Clapton (plus the heavy-handed production style of Phil Collins), this boot is worth seeking out.
retroGrade: B
Eric Clapton
August Outtakes & Different Mixes
Duffy Records
recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles April/May 1986
sound quality : B+ (cassette tape quality)
Tracklist:
CD 1 –
Lady From Verona
Hold On
Take a Chance
Bad Influence
Hung Up On Your Love #1
Wanna Make Love to You #1
Behind The Mask
Holy Mother
Walk Away
Run #1
CD 2 –
Tearing Us Apart
Grand Illusion #1
Grand Illusion #2
Wanna Make Love To You #2
Run #2
Miss You #1
Hung Up On Your Love #2
It’s In The Way That You Use It (live, Nightlife TV show, 29 January 1986)
Miss You (live, Nightlife TV show, 29 January 1986)
the band:
Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals
Phil Collins – drums
Nathan East – bass
Greg Phillinganes – keyboards
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*for a limited time* – here’s Lady From Verona [mp3, download via mediafire]
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Related posts:
- Lindsey Buckingham – Songs from the Small Machine Live in LA DVD review
- Hillsong United Aftermath Concert Greensboro Coliseum August 2011
- Eric Clapton – Roger Daltrey – RBC Center – March 2010 – review
- Genesis Live Madison Square Garden Boot Sept 30 1986
- Eric Clapton – Minnesota Night – April 1987 – CD review
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