ERIC CLAPTON   NATHAN EAST   STEVE FERRONE   CHUCK LEAVELL   

ANDY FAIRWEATHER LOW   and   RAY COOPER

stars in

ERIC CLAPTON - UNPLUGGED

VHS - PAL - NEW - NEVER PLAYED!! - VERY, VERY RARE!! - G-rated - 70-minutes - Music - Original Oz Release - Colour - 1992-release - Small box

** NOTE: Small sticker mark on plastic sleeve of box - front cover, right side, low of plastic on box - from years of storage at distributors' warehouse - no impact on VHS new tape **

This laid-back, live, intimate session featuring Eric Clapton's bluesy guitar playing is quite enjoyable - if a bit limited in scope. 

With little lighting and frills and a small group backing him up, Clapton picks up his acoustic guitar and leads the listener down memory lane. 

Clapton is clearly on his best behavior as he engages in minimal small talk with his audience and lets the music speak for itself. 

The former member of Small Faces and Cream riffs through some dozen-plus songs including "Before You Accuse Me," "Tears in Heaven," "Walkin' Blues," "Alberta," "San Francisco Bay Blues" (in which Clapton thankfully cuts loose a bit), and his great hits "Layla" (written for his ex-wife, Patti Boyd Harrison) and "Old Love," a standard that garnered big applause. 

But the simple set and sparse stage can barely contain the energy that fills the arena when Clapton launches into "Rollin' and Tumblin'," a raucous, rousing bit of blues that Clapton is certainly still up for. 

This video is primarily for Clapton's most ardent fans, providing some heartfelt, soulful instrumental prowess in addition to an aging British rocker singing the blues as well as a white guy can.

I remember seeing this when it was televised on MTV - the only time I ever watched a complete show on that network. 

It was a pleasure to get it on VHS later in the '90s and watching it on tape for several years. It's always enjoyable to watch and listen to, even though I've viewed it many times almost over 15 years. 

The more you watch this, the better it gets. With some good speakers, you can hear all the instruments which is a big advantage to the VHS format. The sound made some low-key songs really come alive.

This is a nice mellow-sounding concert and most of the songs grow on you. It's presented in such a classy form that it provides something different: blues / rock 'n roll in a quieter format. This was so successful that other performers copied it with their "unplugged" concerts.

There are many familiar faces with Clapton here and I particularly enjoyed Chuck Leavell on keyboard. On "Old Love," he gives one of the better piano solos I've ever heard. Leavell is best-known as the keyboard man for the Rolling Stones. 

Meanwhile, percussionist Ray Cooper is the most fun guy to watch. It's doubtful a drummer ever had as much fun as he does in concerts, especially when he's showing off with the tambourine.

All the band members from Clapton on down look like nice guys who are thoroughly enjoying themselves in this concert.....and it shows in the music. One of Clapton's best!