Clapton Crossroads

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

Any Clapton fans here?   The other day I had a long drive for work and broke out the "Crossroads" box set.   As I recall, it was one of the first renowned box sets of the CD era.   So I listened and thought "it's too bad they couldn't include "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".   I'm sure Capitol doesn't share Beatles masters readily.   Then on disc four they use flip sides to "Forever Man" and "I've Got a Rock 'n' Roll Heart", instead of the hit singles, again because of licensing issues, I'm sure (as Clapton had moved to WEA by then).

Then it occurred to me that the set was made in the age of the 74 minute CD.   So if you were to burn a car copy, you could add at least six minutes, maybe more (I didn't check the exact length of each disc).   Most burners will overburn to at least 82 minutes.

So my question is "What would you add to each disc?"  The only ground rule is that you retain the chronological order of the set.   Does the box need more Cream?   More blues stuff or more pop?   I have my ideas, but I want to hear yours.

[schwarcw]

I would add some material from "Unplugged".  Great acoustic works beginning to end.  I've been listening to it on vinyl, which does sound fuller than the CD.  The vinyl has a digital master type obviously.

I also like the Cream "Goodbye" album.

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

The "Unplugged" stuff will be on Volume 5 or 6.   That's a whole other project.

Unlike so many, I really love his work in the last 25 years.   "Journeyman" and "Reptile" get lots of play in my house.   I also want to use some of the best bits from the Cream and BF reunions on a disc 5 and 6 compilation.

[MasterBlaster]

It seems that only about 1/3 of the songs on "Crossroads" were actually written by Clapton.
I figured I'd up the ante and stick to songs he wrote to round things out better. Here's some suggestions:

• Watch out for Lucy
• Same old Blues
• Double Crossing Time
• Edge of Darkness
• Slunky
• Bell Bottom Blues
• Why does love got to be so Sad
• She's gone
• Core
• Signe

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

The Core is one I was already thinking about.   It is by far my favorite track from "Slowhand" (heresy, I know) but I'm not sure it will fit even on the 80.   I'm gonna try.

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

For those of you playing along, perhaps this will help... (copied and pasted from Wikipedia)

Disc one  Total time: 72.37

            With The Yardbirds:

    "Boom Boom" (John Lee Hooker) – 2:25
    "Honey In Your Hips" (Keith Relf) – 2:18
    "Baby What's Wrong" (Jimmy Reed) – 2:40
    "I Wish You Would" (Billy Boy Arnold) – 2:19
    "A Certain Girl" (Naomi Neville) – 2:17
    "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" (H.G. Demarais) – 2:45
    "I Ain't Got You" (Calvin Carter) – 1:59
    "For Your Love" (Graham Gouldman) – 2:29
    "Got To Hurry" (Oscar Rasputin) – 2:35

        With John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers:

    "Lonely Years" (John Mayall) – 3:17
    "Bernard Jenkins" (Eric Clapton) – 3:47
    "Hideaway" (Freddie King, Sonny Thompson) – 3:14
    "All Your Love" (Willie Dixon, Otis Rush) – 3:34
    "Ramblin' On My Mind" (Robert Johnson, arr. Clapton) – 3:07
    "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" (Billy Myles) – 6:41 Live

        With Cream:

    "Wrapping Paper" (Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) – 2:21
    "I Feel Free" (Bruce, Brown) – 2:52
    "Spoonful" (Dixon) – 6:30
    "Lawdy Mama" (Traditional, arr. Clapton) – 1:50 Live at BBC Studios
    "Strange Brew" (Clapton, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins Pappalardi) – 2:46
    "Sunshine of Your Love" (Clapton, Bruce, Brown) – 4:10
    "Tales of Brave Ulysses" (Clapton, Martin Sharp) – 2:46
    "Steppin' Out" (James Bracken) – 3:31 Live at BBC Studios

Disc two TT 73.46

    "Anyone For Tennis" (Clapton, Sharp) – 2:37
    "White Room" (Bruce, Brown) – 4:56
    "Crossroads" (Johnson, arr. Clapton) – 4:14 Live
    "Badge" (Clapton, George Harrison) – 2:43

        With Blind Faith:

    "Presence of the Lord" (Clapton) – 4:48
    "Can't Find My Way Home" (Steve Winwood) – 3:15
    "Sleeping In the Ground" (Sam Myers) – 2:50

        With Delaney & Bonnie & Friends:

    "Comin' Home" (Bonnie Bramlett, Clapton) – 3:13

        Solo:

    "Blues Power" (Clapton, Leon Russell) – 3:06
    "After Midnight" (JJ Cale) – 3:17
    "Let It Rain" (Clapton, B. Bramlett) – 5:01

        With Derek and the Dominos:

    "Tell the Truth" (Clapton, Bobby Whitlock) – 3:23
    "Roll It Over" (Clapton, Whitlock) – 4:29
    "Layla" (Clapton, Jim Gordon) – 7:07
    "Mean Old World" (Walter Jacobs) – 3:50
    "Key to the Highway" (Big Bill Broonzy, Charlie Segar) – 6:27 Live
    "Crossroads" (Robert Johnson) – 8:17 Live

Disc three TT 73.11

            With Derek and the Dominos:

    "Got To Get Better In A Little While" (Clapton) – 5:31
    "Evil" (Willie Dixon) – 4:25
    "One More Chance" (Clapton) – 3:17
    "Mean Old Frisco" (Arthur Crudup) – 4:02
    "Snake Lake Blues" (Clapton) – 3:33

        Solo:

    "Let It Grow" (Clapton) – 4:56
    "Ain't That Lovin' You" (Jimmy Reed) – 5:26
    "Motherless Children" (Traditional) – 4:51
    "I Shot the Sheriff" (Bob Marley) – 7:48 Live
    "Better Make It Through Today" (Clapton) – 4:05
    "The Sky Is Crying" (Elmore James) – 3:57
    "I Found A Love" (Bridges) – 3:38
    "(When Things Go Wrong) It Hurts Me Too" (Mel London) – 5:34
    "Whatcha Gonna Do" (Peter Tosh) – 3:01
    "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan) – 4:21
    "Someone Like You" (Arthur Louis) – 4:30

Disc four TT 74.41

    "Hello Old Friend" (Clapton) – 3:34
    "Sign Language" (Dylan) (feat. Bob Dylan) – 2:56
    "Further on Up the Road" (Joe Medwich Veasey/Don D. Robey) – 6:18 Live
    "Lay Down Sally" (Clapton/Marcy/Levy) – 3:50
    "Wonderful Tonight" (Clapton) – 3:42
    "Cocaine" (Cale) – 3:35
    "Promises" (Richard Feldman/Roger Linn) – 3:00
    "If I Don't Be There By Morning" (Dylan/Springs) – 4:34
    "Double Trouble" (Rush) – 8:01 Live
    "I Can't Stand It" (Clapton) – 4:09
    "The Shape You're In" (Clapton) – 4:09
    "Heaven Is One Step Away" (Clapton) – 4:09
    "She's Waiting" (Clapton) – 4:55
    "Too Bad" (Clapton) – 2:37
    "Miss You" (Eric Clapton/Greg Phillinganes/Bobby Columby) – 5:05
    "Wanna Make Love to You" (Jerry Williams) – 5:43
    "After Midnight" (Cale) – 4:05

[Anders]

I have a copy of Slowhand on Mo-Fi LP.
I've been told its the best sounding copy.
I also burned it onto CD.

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

I'd love to get a hold of one of those.   I've been through several RSO pressings that all sound like garbage.   The best I've heard so far is the SACD.

BTW, do you do your drops in high res or Redbook?   Would you happen to have a copy of the high res files?

[wkhanna]

Re the OT……..
I am in a dilemma.
I do not know of a version of Beethoven’s 9th that comes in at less the 60 minutes!
Were in world would you edit out the extra 5 to 9 minutes of music (depending on which performance you choose)?
Certainly not the finale!
And definitely not one second of the opening passage!
Yet I know of some who totally by-pass the second movement all together when listening to this Masterwork!?!?!?
Absolute heresy!!!!!!!

Anyway, therein lays my conundrum.
Only 60 minutes to listen to 65+ minutes of my last bit of music forever.
Life is so cruel; maybe I’ll just put the 9mm in my mouth and be done with all!

But wait! There is that ‘Greatest Broadway Show Tunes of All Times’ CD my wife has…….
Wonder what the play-time on that one is ?

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

Since you are a "Practicing Curmudgeon" I'll skip the actual question and instead point out the obvious.   There is a world of difference between deciding on an edit of a fully realized composition and deciding how you would better a compilation that was certainly not conceived  as an independent work.

[wkhanna]

I will just answer the ‘actual question’ by saying I accidently posted in the wrong thread.
But us curmudgeons enjoy such annoying activities.
 

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

What is that slab of vinyl in your avatar?   Is it a DMM White Album?   If so, I could use it for this project.

[wkhanna]

Give that man a prize!
It is in fact a DDR (Direct to Disc Recording) of Charie Byrd.
It's a 45 RPM on white vinyl pressed by Crysal Clear Records, Catalog# CCS 8002.

link to Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Byrd-Direct-Disc-Recording/dp/B001BT0X60/ref=sr_1_40?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1315185890&sr=1-40

[Sir Thrift-a-Lot]

There is one on Amazon for $5.   What kind of music is it?

Every D2D I've even owned has been a wonderful sounding recording of music I don't want to listen to.

[wkhanna]

Ha!
Hence the fact that when I picked it up at Jerry’s Used Records in Squirrel Hill a few years ago they had it labeled as ‘Audiophile’.

All kidding aside, Charlie Byrd was one of the most renowned jazz guitarists. He explored many genres of music including classical and Latin, and well known for his fusion of classical flamingo with jazz.
This particular LP is more listenable than most ‘audiophile’ labeled recordings, yet is still a bit eclectic for most tastes.

The sound quality is stunning, and it makes for a V good reference piece when evaluating system changes. If you are in the slightest bit interested, Jerry’s nearly always has a copy in the racks, usually for ~ $5 and in decent condition. People who typically bought this kind of stuff were quite anal in there care & handling of it.

Finding high quality recordings that you actually want to listen to is not an easy task in most cases. I have found, and highly recommend anything produced by Sheffield Lab, however. The majority of their productions were classical and Jazz, but besides having the dedication and technical ability to produce exquisite sounding recordings, they also had an ear for V good music that most people, regardless of personal preferences, would enjoy having in their library.
 
 As always, YMMV JMHO