Eric Clapton Behind The Sun CD

After Eric Clapton's Warner Brothers debut MONEY AND CIGARETTES made such a small splash, the big guns were called out for the follow-up, BEHIND THE SUN. Phil Collins and Van Halen knob-twister Ted Templeman were called in to produce, and in some cases play along with a guest list that included Lindsey Buckingham and Steve Lukather. The rest of the line-up was like a class reunion of past, present and future Clapton bandmembers; Marcy Levy, Jamie Oldaker, Chris Stainton, Nathan East and Duck Dunn.

Although SUN dipped into the slick, synthesized style of the time, Clapton's guitar playing remains cutting and passionate. The militaristic beat of "She's Waiting" and the driving cadence of "Forever Man" both give way to spurts of Slowhand's guitar magic, displaying a hunger not diminished by time. Although songs such as "Tangled In Love" and a cover of "Knock On Wood" show off E.C.'s vocals as well as his playing, the eight-minute "Same Old Blues" allows the guitar legend to squeeze off some powerful licks among the swells of slick production.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Recorded at Air Studios, Montserrat, West Indies; Lion Share Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California; Amigo Studios, North Hollywood, California.

Personnel: Eric Clapton (vocals, guitar, guitar synthesizer); Phil Collins (vocals, synthesizer, drums, snare drum, shaker, percussion); Jamie Oldaker (vocals, drums); Lindsey Buckingham, Steve Lukather (guitar); Chris Stainton (piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer); Greg Phillinganes (synthesizer, background vocals); Michael Omartian, Peter Robinson, James Newton Howard (synthesizer); Nathan East (bass, background vocals); Donald "Duck" Dunn (bass); Jeff Porcaro, John Robinson (drums); Ted Templeman (tambourine, shaker, timbales); Ray Cooper (bongos, gong, percussion); Lenny Castro (congas); Marcy Levy, Shaun Murphy, Jerry Williams (background vocals).

Producers: Ted Templeman, Lenny Waronker, Phil Collins.

Old#25166

Q (1/01, pp.122-3) - 3 out of 5 stars - "...Phil Collins produced [this album] featuring some Jerry Williams songs and some non-bluesy sessioners. One of the songs, 'Forever Man', resurrected Clapton's career..."