Eric Clapton - Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton

Clapton Chronicles ignores Eric Clapton's 1983 Reprise debut, Money and Cigarettes (which sounded more like an RSO album, anyway), starting with the pair of Phil Collins-produced mid-'80s albums, Behind the Sun and August. Though these had a pop sheen, they were album rock holdovers. Clapton didn't get the balance between hard rock and commercial gloss right until 1989's Journeyman, whose featured songs -- "Before You Accuse Me," "Bad Love," and "Pretending" -- form the heart of this compilation. Journeyman was overshadowed by the phenomenal success of "Tears in Heaven" and 1992's Unplugged. Not only did Unplugged go platinum ten times, it established a new public image -- classy, stylish, and substantial. That's the image that prevails on Clapton Chronicles. His triple-platinum blues album From the Cradle is written out of the picture, with songs from movie soundtracks taking its place. Apart from the Babyface-produced "Change the World," these tunes are a little too self-conscious and subdued, as are selections from 1998's Pilgrim. However, this deliberate move to paint Clapton's '80s and '90s recordings as adult contemporary fare is accurate. Clapton's musical journey from 1985 to 1999 was taken mostly in the middle of the road, and Clapton Chronicles certainly captures that journey, missing no major hits from the late '80s and '90s. Whether it's a necessary addition to a Clapton collection is a matter of taste. It's certainly an excellent compliment to Unplugged and Time Pieces, his two most popular and pop-oriented albums, but that might not be what every fan wants. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alan Clark Sequencing, Organ (Hammond), Synthesizer Horn, Bass Alan Douglas Engineer Alex Haas Mixing Allen Sides Engineer Andy Fairweather Low Guitar Babyface Producer Blumpy Programming Bob Ludwig Mastering Brad Gilderman Engineer Carol Steele Conga Chaka Khan Vocals (Background) Chris Lord-Alge Mixing Chris Stainton Organ (Hammond) Chuck Leavell Keyboards Chyna Gordon Vocals (Background) Darryl Crookes Guitar Dave Bargeron Trombone Dave O'Donnell Engineer Dave Wittman Engineer David Campbell String Arrangements Donald "Duck" Dunn Guitar (Bass) Ed Cherney Engineer Eric Clapton Producer, Soloist, Guitar, Rhythm, Main Performer, Dobro, Vocals Gary Brooker Keyboards, Vocals Gary Wright Mixing Gayle Levant Celtic Harp Greg Curtis Vocals (Background), Programming, Keyboards Greg Phillinganes Piano Henry Spinetti Drums Jack Joseph Puig Engineer Jamie Muhoberac Keyboards Jamie Oldaker Drums JayDee Mannes Pedal Steel Jeff Bova Organ, Synthesizer Horn Jeff DeMorris Engineer Jeff Porcaro Drums Jerry Williams Vocals (Background), Guitar, Harmony Vocals Jim Barton Engineer Jim Keltner Drums Jimmy Bralower Drum Machine Joe Sample Piano John Jacobs Engineer Jon Faddis Trumpet Katie Kissoon Vocals (Background) Kevin Mazur Photography Laurence Cottle Bass Lee Herschberg Engineer Lenny Castro Conga, Percussion Lenny Waronker Producer Luis Conte Percussion Marcy Levy Vocals (Background) Mark Linett Mixing Michael Brecker Saxophone Michael Omartian Synthesizer Mick Guzauski Mixing Mike Fasano Percussion Nathan East Bass, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Bass) Nick Launay Engineer Norman Watson Photography, Cover Photo Paul Waller Drum Programming Peter Robinson Synthesizer Phil Collins Vocals (Background), Harmony Vocals, Drums, Producer Phil Palmer Guitar Pino Palladino Bass Randy Brecker Trumpet Randy Kerber Synthesizer Ray Cooper Percussion Richard Cottle Synthesizer Richard Tee Piano Rob Cavallo Producer Rob Eaton Mixing Robbie Kondor Synthesizer Robert Cray Guitar Russ Titelman Producer Scott Mabuchi Engineer Simon Climie Keyboards, Producer Stephen Chase Engineer Steve Boyer Mixing Steve Ferrone Drums Steve Gadd Drums Steve Lukather Rhythm, Guitar Ted Templeman Producer, Timbales Tessa Niles Vocals (Background) Thom Russo Engineer Tim Pierce Guitar Tom Dowd Producer