RIP Jack Bruce 14 May 1943 - 25 October 2014 Polymath Musician, Ingenious Songwriter, Scottish/British Legend An Obituary for a Tailor of Timeless Art It has been no secret that Ive been a lifelong enthusiast of 60s and 70s Rock Music, and that one of my absolute favourite groups from this era is Cream, one of the first rock supergroups and power-trios, featuring the brilliant talent of Jack Bruce (Manfred Mann, Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers), Eric Clapton (The Yardbirds, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers) and Ginger Baker (Graham Bond Organisation, Alexis Korners Blues Incorporated), all of whom had already been well-established musicians of note, at least in the United Kingdom. Famous for Sunshine of Your Love, White Room, I Feel Free, Badge, their iconic version of Crossroads and Tales of Brave Ulysses among other songs, Cream brought a level of instrumental dexterity and emphasis which had really never before been implemented, let alone valued, in Rock Music. Cream, along with the JImi Hendrix Experience, pioneered Heavy Psychedelic Rock and laid the foundations for Heavy Metal. Cream would often play 10-15 minute + versions of their songs in live concerts and thus greatly inspired the proliferation of jazz and blues-inflected jam bands such as the Allman Brothers and the Grateful Dead. Cream were the most successful and popular live concert act in the United States in 1968, with the Hendrix Experience being a somewhat distant second. In that same year, their brilliant double-album Wheels of Fire became the first platinum-selling record album and Sunshine of Your Love, from the previous year, was re-released as a single and reached #5 in the Billboard Charts. Disraeli Gears, their previous record has since become a quintessential psychedelic-rock album. Despite reaching a commercial and critical zenith (and in my opinion, nearing the status that Led Zeppelin would eventually achieve), constant, slavish touring, despotic management and enmity between Baker and Bruce, as well as a scathing Rolling Stone Magazine review which hit Clapton at his core, Cream decided to disband after a final concert appearance at the Royal Albert Hall, although they released one final album in 1969, Goodbye. Although Eric Clapton was considered such a great guitarist at the time as to warrant calling him God throughout England, it was Jack Bruce, as the bands lead vocalist and primary songwriter, was considered by their record company, Polydor, who had given each member a solo recording contract in the wake of Creams dissolution, to have the potential for the most success. This turned out to not be the case, as Clapton and Baker teamed up with Traffics Steve Winwood and The Familys Ric Grech as Blind Faith and then Eric Clapton, rather unexpectedly, became a singer-songwriter superstar with Derek and the Dominoes and his long, fruitful solo career. Ginger Baker essentially fell into complete obscurity after the break up of Blind Faith. However, it was Jack Bruce who truly had the most brilliant solo career out of all his former band-mates in Cream, despite not attaining even a fraction of Claptons solo success. Jack Bruce was an ingenious songwriter, and his solo records are some of the greatest, most underrated albums in rock music, blending Psychedelia and Rock with Jazz, Blues, Pop and Classical elements. His first solo record, Songs for a Tailor, released in 1969, is an absolute, inarguable masterpiece and Ive chosen to represent Jack Bruces prodigal talent as a songwriter, singer, and bassist with a track from this record. His next two solo efforts, Things We Like (1970), and Harmony Row (1971) were also exceptional pieces of musical artistry. Even recently, he was producing some of the best work of his life, such as his heavy, stoner-rock, psychedelic collaboration with Procol Harums Robin Trower, Seven Moons (2008) and the solo album released just this past March, Silver Rails, featuring a host of musical guests and lyrics by Creams lyricist Peter Brown, which I found to be absolutely brilliant, especially from a 71 year old. Unfortunately, Silver Rails has proved to be his final album and statement as a musician. Jacks family has announced that the legendary Scottish musician has finally succumbed to liver disease. Jack Bruce died of the disease today in Suffolk, England at the age of 71. I had always held out hope that one day I would get to see Cream, or at least all of its members, separately, live in concert. However, today has quelled any chance at any Cream reunion or solo show. The British media swarms with confirmation of his death, and his peers and musicians all over the World mourn his passing. With this, and the recent passing of Peter Quaife (The Kinks), Peter Banks (YES), Jon Lord (Deep Purple), Davy Jones (The Monkees), Paul Revere (The Raiders), there is now only one major 1960s band left with all of its original and classic members still alive to this day - The Moody Blues (and the 1969-1974 lineup of The Rolling Stones, if that counts). Some bands are completely deceased, such as The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Atomic Rooster. Very soon, all of these legendary musicians from the Golden Age of Rock Music, as I like to term it, will be lone gone gods, left firmly to the shadows of the past. RIP Jack Bruce. Lights close your tired eyes. Jack Bruce, Cream, #Cream, #JackBruce
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 19:25:52 +0000
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