ERIC UNPLUGGED

After releasing the well-received Journeyman in 1989, Eric Clapton took a break from the studio for almost five years. But the guitar veteran did not stop playing live and chronicling his time on the road. First came 24 Nights, an entertaining release that showcases the musician with four ensembles of different sizes during an extended residency at the Royal Albert Hall. Released in October 1991, it was well received. Less than a year later came Unplugged. To the astonishment of many this stripped back semi-acoustic set for the MTV Unplugged series won three Grammy awards, becoming Clapton’s best-selling album. It shifted an impressive 26 million units worldwide*.

Recorded in front of an enthusiastic audience in a film studio in Windsor, UK, this relaxed, intimate set is as close as anyone will ever get to having EC perform live in their lounge room. After warming up with the pretty instrumental "Signe", the band—including Andy Fairweather Low on guitars and Chuck Leavell on keyboards—dive into the blues with Bo Diddley’s "Before You Accuse Me" and the Big Bill Broonzy song "Hey Hey." A change of pace comes with "Tears In Heaven," written after Clapton’s young son fell to his death from the 53rd floor of a New York apartment building. Released as a single from the Rush film soundtrack album, it was  Clapton’s most successful chart entry in the US. This moving song could be described as providing the emotional centrepiece of Unplugged.

Another highlight is a loping, introspective version of the Derek & The Dominos classic "Layla." Not surprisingly, songs from the last studio album feature. What is a little unexpected is how well they hold up in this intimate performance. "Running On Faith" and "Old Love" are played with energy and immediacy and hopefully directed people towards Journeyman. Where Clapton shines, of course, is when he is closest to the blues.  The two Robert Johnson tunes—"Walkin’ Blues" and "Alberta" manage to be both laid back and energetic; no mean feat, that.

The album closes with a spirited rendition of the blues classic made famous by Muddy Waters in 1950, "Rollin’ and Tumblin’." This is absolutely fitting. The audience is delighted,  clapping along with this impromptu inclusion. The music-buying public were pleased too, as were critics. The latter praised the album for its emotional honesty, restrained and tasteful arrangements, and Clapton’s mature musicianship; many regarded it as a classy reinvention of familiar material in an acoustic format. Commercially, the album became one of Clapton’s biggest successes, helped in part by the popularity of “Tears in Heaven.” Over time it has come to be considered one of the defining “unplugged” albums of the early 1990s.

Listening in 2025 one is struck by the quiet assurance of Clapton’s delivery. This is not a career summary—there are countless compilations meeting that need—but an invitation to be in the presence of a giant of 60s and 70s rock music and hear how the blues infuses everything he does. Yes, there are "hits reinterpreted"—a major aspiration of the Unplugged format—but mostly what we are offered is a master guitarist who is also a highly skilled singer-songwriter presenting his wares with artistry and immediacy.

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* Part of the success of Unplugged may well have been due to the impressive range of formats on which it was originally released: vinyl, CD, cassette, Minidisc, VHS tape (the concert was filmed), CDV (CD-Video) and Laserdisc. A DVD appeared in 1997 and there have been various 'deluxe' re-issues of the music. For most, however, this vinyl re-issue from 2011 (or a later vinyl version) will do the job nicely.

© Bruce Jenkins—December 2025