Cream were a British rock supergroup formed in London in 1966. The group consisted of bassist Jack
Bruce, guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker. Bruce was the primary songwriter and vocalist, although Clapton and Baker contributed to songs. Formed by members of previously successful bands, they are widely considered the first supergroup. Cream were highly regarded for the instrumental proficiency of each of their members.
During their brief three-year career, the band released four albums: Fresh Cream (1966), Disraeli Gears (1967), Wheels of Fire (1968), and Goodbye (1969). Beginning with Disraeli Gears, the band was
joined in the studio by producer and multi-instrumentalist Felix Pappalardi. Their music spanned rock styles such as blues rock, psychedelia, and hard rock. Throughout their career, they sold more than 15 million records worldwide. The group's third album, Wheels of Fire (1968), is the first platinum-selling double album. They scored international hits with singles such as "Sunshine of Your Love" (1967) and "White Room" (1968).
Although Cream were only together for a little more than two years, their influence was immense, both during their late-'60s peak and in the years following their breakup. Cream were the first top group to truly exploit the power trio format, in the process laying the foundation for much blues-rock and hard
rock of the 1960s and 1970s. It was with Cream, too, that guitarist Eric Clapton truly became an international superstar. Critical revisionists have tagged the band as overrated, citing the musicians' emphasis upon flash, virtuosity, and showmanship at the expense of taste and focus. This was sometimes true of their live shows in particular, but the best of their studio recordings were excellent fusions of blues, pop, and psychedelia, with concise original material outnumbering the bloated blues jams and overlong solos.
Cream could be viewed as the first rock supergroup to become superstars, although none of the three members were that well-known when the band formed in mid-1966. Eric Clapton had the biggest reputation, having established himself as a guitar hero first with the Yardbirds, and then in a
more blues-intensive environment with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. (In the States, however, he was all but unknown, having left the Yardbirds before "For Your Love" made the American Top Ten.) Bassist/singer Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker had both been in the Graham Bond Organisation, an underrated British R&B combo that drew extensively upon the jazz backgrounds of the musicians. Bruce had also been, very briefly, a member of the Bluesbreakers along with Clapton, and also briefly a member of Manfred Mann.
From its creation, Cream was faced with some fundamental problems that would later lead to its dissolution in November 1968. The antagonism between Bruce and Baker created tensions in the band.
Clapton also felt that the members of the band did not listen to each other enough. Equipment during these years had also improved; new Marshall amplifier stacks produced more power, and Jack Bruce pushed the volume levels higher, creating tension for Baker, who would have trouble competing with roaring stacks. Clapton spoke of a concert during which he stopped playing and neither Baker nor Bruce noticed. Clapton has also commented that Cream's later gigs mainly consisted of its members showing off.
Cream decided that they would break up in May 1968 during a tour of the US. Later, in July, the band
announced that they would break up after a farewell tour of the US and after playing two concerts in London. Jack Bruce was quoted as saying "Travel can kill a group. It becomes boring, tiring and very depressing." Clapton and Baker would quickly resurface in 1969 as half of another short-lived supergroup, Blind Faith, and Clapton of course went on to one of the longest and most successful careers of anyone in the rock business.
Bruce and Baker never attained profiles nearly as high after leaving Cream, but both kept busy in the
ensuing decades with various interesting projects in the fields of rock, jazz, and experimental music. Cream reunited for a handful of live shows in 2005 at London's Royal Albert Hall and New York City's Madison Square Gardens, but no further reunions were forthcoming, and Bruce died of liver disease in Suffolk, England in October 2014. After several years of poor health, Ginger Baker died in Canterbury, Kent, England on October 6, 2019.
LINE - UP
Ginger Baker – drums, percussion, backing and lead vocals (died 2019)
Jack Bruce – lead and backing vocals, bass guitar, keyboards, piano, harmonica, cello, acoustic guitar, recorder (died 2014)
Eric Clapton – lead and rhythm guitars, lead and backing vocals
SESSION MUSICIANS
Pete Brown – lyrics, co songwriter (1966–1969; died 2023)
Felix Pappalardi – production, viola, bells, organ, trumpet, tonette, mellotron, piano, bass (1967–1969; died 1983)
Mike Taylor - co-songwriter (1968; died 1969)
George Harrison – rhythm guitar, co-songwriter (1969; died 2001)
DISCOGRAPHY
FRESH CREAM 1966
DISRAELI GEARS 1967
WHEELS OF FIRE 1968
GOODBYE 1969
CREAM - FRESH CREAM 1966 (SUPER DELUXE EDITION 2017)
While Melody Maker opened its review opining "not quite as fresh as it could have been", they said
"it's still a great record. Clapton, Baker and Bruce, working like trojans to construct exciting, free, wild music of life, love and soul", concluding sensational things to come from the group. In 2012, the album was ranked number 102 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of all time (the highest-ranking album by Cream on the list, calling it "tight and concise, a blueprint for the band's onstage jams").
Cream – Fresh Cream
Label: Polydor – 571 855-1, UMC – 571 855-1
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Mono
CD, Album, Reissue, Limited Edition, Super Deluxe Edition
Country: Europe
Released: Jan 27, 2017
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock, Electric Blues
CD1. THE MONO ALBUM (REACTION 593001)
01. N.S.U. 2:43
Written-By – Jack Bruce
02. Sleepy Time Time 4:22
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Janet Godfrey
03. Dreaming 2:01
Written-By – Jack Bruce
04. Sweet Wine 3:17
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Janet Godfrey
05. Spoonful 6:30
Written-By – Willie Dixon
06. Cat's Squirrel 3:04
Arranged By – S. Splurge
Written-By – Trad.
Written-By [Uncredited] – Doctor Ross
07. Four Until Late 2:08
Written-By – Robert Johnson
08. Rollin' And Tumblin' 4:42
Written-By – McKinley Morganfield
09. I'm So Glad 3:59
Written-By – Skip James
10. Toad 5:14
Written-By – Ginger Baker
SESSION RECORDING - MONO MIX
11. The Coffee Song 2:56
Written-By – Raymond Barry Smith, Tony Colton
THE MONO SINGLES
12. Wrapping Paper 2:29
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
13. Cat’s Squirrel 3:04
Arranged By – S. Splurge
Written-By – Trad.
Written-By [Uncredited] – Doctor Ross
14. I Feel Free 2:52
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
15. N.S.U. 2:43
Written-By – Jack Bruce
16. Spoonful Part I 2:26
Written-By – Willie Dixon
17. Spoonful Part II 2:29
Written-By – Willie Dixon
THE MONO FRENCH EPS (French Ep; Polydor 27 791 released November 1966)
18. Wrapping Paper (Alternate Mix) 2:25
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
19. Sweet Wine (Alternate Mix) 3:18
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Janet Godfrey
20. I’m So Glad 3:59
Written-By – Skip James
21. Cat’s Squirrel (Alternate Master) 3:01
Arranged By – S. Splurge
Written-By – Trad
Written-By [Uncredited] – Doctor Ross
FRENCH EP; POLYDOR 27 798 RELEASED NOVEMBER 1966
22. I Feel Free (Alternate Mix) 2:48
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
23. Rollin’ And Tumblin’ (Alternate Master) 1:50
Written-By – McKinley Morganfield
24. N.S.U. 2:43
Written-By – Jack Bruce
25. Four Until Late 2:08
Written-By – Robert Johnson
Flac Size: 549 MB
CD2. THE STEREO ALBUM (REACTION 594001)
01. N.S.U. 2:45
Written-By – Jack Bruce
02. Sleepy Time Time 4:23
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Janet Godfrey
03. Dreaming 2:01
Written-By – Jack Bruce
04. Sweet Wine 3:20
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Janet Godfrey
05. Spoonful 6:31
Written-By – Willie Dixon
06. Cat’s Squirrel 3:08
Arranged By – S. Splurge
Written-By – Traditional
Written-By [Uncredited] – Doctor Ross
07. Four Until Late 2:08
Written-By – Robert Johnson
08. Rollin’ And Tumblin’ 4:43
Written-By – McKinley Morganfield
09. I’m So Glad 3:59
Written-By – Skip James
10. Toad 5:12
Written-By – Ginger Baker
SESSION RECORDINGS - STEREO MIXES
11. I Feel Free 2:52
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
12. Wrapping Paper 2:25
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
13. The Coffee Song 2:49
Written-By – Raymond Barry Smith, Tony Colton
NEW STEREO MIXES (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
14. I'm So Glad 3:59
Written-By – Skip James
15. N.S.U. 2:48
Written-By – Jack Bruce
16. Wrapping Paper 2:43
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
17. The Coffee Song 3:06
Written-By – Raymond Barry Smith, Tony Colton
18. Rollin' And Tumblin’ (First Version ) 4:53
Written-By – McKinley Morganfield
19. Spoonful (First Version) 5:57
Written-By – Willie Dixon
20. Toad (New Stereo Mix) 5:12
Written-By – Ginger Baker
Flac Size: 662 MB
CD3. EARLY VERSIONS, OUTTAKES AND ALTERNATE MIXES
01. The Coffee Song ( Early Version) 2:54
Written-By – Raymond Barry Smith, Tony Colton
02. You Make Me Feel (Session Outtake) 2:41
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
03. Beauty Queen (Session Outtake) 2:38
Written-By – Jack Bruce
04. Wrapping Paper (Early Version) 1:05
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
05. Cat’s Squirrel (Early Version) 2:27
Arranged By – S. Splurge
Written-By – Trad.
Written-By [Uncredited] – Doctor Ross
06. I Feel Free ( Early Version) 3:08
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
07. I Feel Free ( Mono Mix With No Lead Vocal) 2:51
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
08. I Feel Free ( Alternate Mono Mix) 2:50
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
09. Sweet Wine (Early Version) 3:07
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Janet Godfrey
10. Rollin’ And Tumblin’ (Early Version) 4:35
Written-By – McKinley Morganfield
11. Toad (Early Version) 4:19
Written-By – Ginger Baker
The BBC Sessions (November 1966 - January 1967)
BBC Light Programme “Saturday Club” Session Recorded At The Playhouse Theatre, London, 8th November 1966
12. Sweet Wine 3:28
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Janet Godfrey
13. Eric Clapton Interview 0:54
14.Wrapping Paper 2:31
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
15. Rollin’ And Tumblin’ 3:04
Written-By – McKinley Morganfield
16. Sleepy Time Time (Previously Unreleased) 3:16
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Janet Godfrey
17. Steppin’ Out 1:50
Written-By – James Bracken
BBC Home Service “Guitar Club” Session Recorded At BBC Studio 2, Aeolian Hall, London, 28th November 1966
18. Crossroads 1:55
Arranged By – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Robert Johnson
19. Steppin’ Out (Previously Unreleased) 2:34
Written-By – James Bracken
BBC World Service "R & B Club" Session Recorded At BBC Maida Vale Studio 4, London, 9th December 1966
20. Cat’s Squirrel 3:43
Arranged By – S. Splurge
Written-By – Trad.
Written-By [Uncredited] – Doctor Ross
21. Traintime 2:56
Written-By – Jack Bruce
22. I’m So Glad 4:24
Written-By – Skip James
23. Lawdy Mama 1:54
Arranged By – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Trad.
BBC Light Programme “Saturday Club” Session Recorded At The Playhouse Theatre, London, 10th January 1967
24. Eric Clapton Interview 2 0:48
25. I Feel Free 2:55
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Peter Brown
26. N.S.U. 2:57
Written-By – Jack Bruce
27. Four Until Late 1:54
Written-By – Robert Johnson
Flac Size: 575 MB
CREAM - DISRAELI GEARS 1967 (DELUXE EDITION 2011)
Disraeli Gears features the group veering away, quite heavily, from their blues roots and indulging in more psychedelic sounds, in particular on tracks such as "Tales of Brave Ulysses", "SWLABR", "World
of Pain" and "Dance the Night Away". "Tales of Brave Ulysses" had been inspired by a trip to Ibiza that artist Martin Sharp had recently taken, where the sirens were alleged to have sung to Ulysses. "Dance the Night Away" was penned by Pete Brown as a tribute to the freedom dancing gave him after he quit drugs, while the words to "We're Going Wrong" had been written by Bruce after a fight he'd had with his wife.
The most blues-like tunes on the album are Clapton's arrangement of "Outside Woman Blues", the
Bruce-Brown composition "Take It Back" which had been inspired by the contemporary media images of American students burning their draft cards and featured harmonica work by Jack Bruce,[8] plus the opening track "Strange Brew", which was based on the 12-bar blues "Lawdy Mama" and featured a guitar solo copied from Albert King's solo on "Oh Pretty Woman".
Cream – Disraeli Gears
Label: Polydor – 532794-4
Series: Deluxe Edition
Format: 2 x CD, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, Mono
Country: EUROPE
Released: 2011
Genre: Rock
Style: Blues Rock, Psychedelic Rock
CD1. DISRAELI GEARS STEREO VERSION
01. Strange Brew 2:46
Written-By – Eric Clapton, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins
02. Sunshine Of Your Love 4:10
Written-By – Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
03. World Of Pain 3:02
Written-By – Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins
04. Dance The Night Away 3:34
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
05. Blue Condition 3:29
Written-By – Ginger Baker
06. Tales Of Brave Ulysses 2:46
Written-By – Eric Clapton, Martin Sharp
07. SWLABR 2:31
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
08. We're Going Wrong 3:27
Written-By – Jack Bruce
09. Outside Woman Blues 2:25
Arranged By – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Arthur Reynolds
10. Take It Back 3:04
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
11. Mother's Lament 1:46
Arranged By – Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce
Written-By – Traditional
DISRAELI GEARS OUT-TAKES (STEREO)
12. Lawdy Mama (Version 2) 2:47
Arranged By – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Traditional
13. Blue Condition (Alternate Version) 3:09
Lead Vocals – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Ginger Baker
DISRAELI GEARS DEMOS (STEREO)
14. We're Going Wrong 3:49
Written-By – Jack Bruce
15. Hey Now Princess 3:31
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
16. SWLABR 4:30
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
17. Weird Of Hermiston 3:12
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
18. The Clearout 3:56
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
Flac Size: 360 MB
CD2. DISRAELI GEARS MONO VERSION
01. Strange Brew 2:48
Written-By – Eric Clapton, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins
02. Sunshine Of Your Love 4:11
Written-By – Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
03. World Of Pain 3:06
Written-By – Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins
04. Dance The Night Away 3:34
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
05. Blue Condition 3:28
Written-By – Ginger Baker
06. Tales Of Brave Ulysses 2:50
Written-By – Eric Clapton, Martin Sharp
07. SWLABR 2:32
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
08. We're Going Wrong 3:25
Written-By – Jack Bruce
09. Outside Woman Blues 2:25
Arranged By – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Arthur Reynolds
10. Take It Back 3:07
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
11. Mother's Lament 1:47
Arranged By – Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce
Written-By – Traditional
DISRAELI GEARS OUT-TAKES (MONO)
12. Lawdy Mama (Version 1) 2:01
Arranged By – Traditional
Written-By – Eric Clapton
13. Blue Condition (Alternate Version) 3:09
Lead Vocals – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Ginger Baker
BBC RECORDINGS (MONO)
14. Strange Brew 3:00
Written-By – Eric Clapton, Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins
15. Tales Of Brave Ulysses 3:39
Written-By – Eric Clapton, Martin Sharp
16. We're Going Wrong 3:25
Written-By – Jack Bruce
17. Born Under A Bad Sign 3:42
Written-By – Booker T. Jones, William Bell
18. Outside Woman Blues 3:19
Arranged By – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Arthur Reynolds
19. Take It Back 2:18
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
20. Politician 3:59
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
21. SWLABR 2:32
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
22. Steppin' Out 3:36
Written-By – James Bracken
NOTES
"Disraeli Gears" was first released November 1967 (Cream - Disraeli Gears US, Cream - Disraeli Gears UK)
"Diraeli Gears" sessions recorded April/May 1967 at Atlantic Studios, New York
"Lawdy Mama" recorded April 3, 1967 at Atlantic Studios, New York
"Diraeli Gears" demos recorded March 15, 1967 at Ryemuse Studios, London
BBC recordings:
"Strange Brew", "Tales Of Brave Ulysses" and "We're Going Wrong": Saturday Club; recorded May 30, 1967 at BBC Playhouse Theatre, London; broadcast June 3, 1967 on BBC Light Programme
"Born Under A Bad Sign", "Outside Woman Blues" and "Take It Back": Top Gear; recorded October 24, 1967 at Aeolian 2, London; broadcast October 29, 1967 on BBC Radio 1
"Politician", "SWLABR" and "Steppin' Out": Top Gear; recorded January 9, 1968 at Aeolian 2, London; broadcast January 14, 1968 on BBC Radio 1
CREAM - WHEELS OF FIRE 1968 (LIMITED EDITION 2013)
Wheels of Fire is the third album by the British rock band Cream. It was released in the US in June 1968 as a two-disc vinyl LP, with one disc recorded in the studio and the other recorded live. It was released in the UK in the same format on August 9. In England, critical reception to the album was
highly positive. In a lengthy review, Chris Welch of Melody Maker began by noting "If Cream have been disappointing on record in the past...their long awaited double album is sufficient to restore the faith of the most errant disciple", praising the group's taste and restraint on tracks like "As You Said" and enthusing that the live disc was "electrifying". Record Mirror said the record should be subtitled "to remind us of all that was best about the Cream live and in the studio", concluding that as the band wouldn't be around for much longer,
Cream – Wheels Of Fire
Label: Polydor – UICY-76024/5
Format: 2 x CD, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, SHM-CD
Country: Japan
Released: Dec 18, 2013
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Classic Rock, Blues Rock, Psychedelic Rock
CD1. (IN THE STUDIO)
01. White Room 4:56
02. Sitting On Top Of The World 4:56
03. Passing The Time 4:31
04. As You Said 4:19
05. Pressed Rat And Warthog 3:13
06. Politician 4:11
07. Those Were The Days 2:52
08. Born Under A Bad Sign 3:08
09. Deserted Cities Of The Heart 4:36
BONUS TRACKS
10. Anyone For Tennis 2:02
11. Falstaff Beer Commercial 1:26
Flac Size: 336 MB
CD2. LIVE AT THE FILLMORE
01. Crossroads 4:18
02. Spoonful 16:44
03. Traintime 6:52
04. Toad 15:53
BONUS TRACKS
05. Sunshine Of Your Love 6:57
06. N.S.U 12:38
Flac Size: 489 MB
NOTES
DSD flat transferred from UK original analogue master tapes at Sterling Sound, NY, 2013. High-Resolution cutting from 176.4kHz/24bit at Victor Creative Media, 2013. Features a gatefold cardboard sleeve faithfully replicating UK first pressing LP artwork
CREAM - GOODBYE 1969
Just before Cream's third album, Wheels of Fire, was to be released, the group's manager Robert Stigwood announced that the group would disband after a farewell tour and a final concert at the Royal Albert Hall in November. The group started their farewell tour on 4 October 1968 in Oakland,
California and 15 days later on 19 October the group performed at The Forum in Los Angeles where the three live recordings on Goodbye were recorded with Felix Pappalardi and engineers Adrian Barber and Bill Halverson. Just after their farewell tour concluded in November (and just prior to the final Royal Albert Hall show on 26 Nov), Cream recorded three songs over three days at Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles with producer Felix Pappalardi and engineer Damon Lyon-Shaw, with overdubs at IBC Studios in London a month later.
Each of the three songs was penned by a different member of the band. The songs "Badge" and "Doing
That Scrapyard Thing" featured Eric Clapton using a Leslie speaker, while all three recordings featured keyboard instruments played by either Jack Bruce or Felix Pappalardi. Present at the Wally Heider sessions on 21 November was George Harrison, credited on the album sleeve for contractual reasons as "L'Angelo Misterioso", who contributed rhythm guitar to "Badge", the song he co-wrote with Clapton.
Cream – Goodbye
Label: PolyGram – 823 660-2 Y-1, Polydor – 823 660-2
Format: CD, Album, Club Edition, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 1969
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock
TRACKS
01. I'm So Glad 9:11
Bass, Vocals – Jack Bruce
Drums – Ginger Baker
Guitar, Vocals – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Skip James
02. Politician 6:19
Bass, Vocals – Jack Bruce
Drums – Ginger Baker
Guitar – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
03. Sitting On Top Of The World 5:01
Bass, Vocals – Jack Bruce
Drums – Ginger Baker
Guitar – Eric Clapton
Written-By – Chester Burnett
04. Badge 2:45
Bass – Jack Bruce
Drums – Ginger Baker
Guitar, Vocals – Eric Clapton
Piano, Mellotron – Felix Pappalardi
Rhythm Guitar – L'Angelo Misterioso
Written-By – Eric Clapton, G. Harrison
05. Doing That Scrapyard Thing 3:14
Bass, Piano, Vocals – Jack Bruce
Drums – Ginger Baker
Guitar – Eric Clapton
Mellotron – Felix Pappalardi
Written-By – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
06. What A Bringdown 3:56
Bass – Felix Pappalardi
Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Ginger Baker
Guitar – Eric Clapton
Piano, Organ, Vocals – Jack Bruce
Written-By – Ginger Baker
07. Anyone For Tennis 2:35
Bass – Jack Bruce
Drums, Percussion – Ginger Baker
Guitar, Vocals – Eric Clapton
Viola, Mellotron – Felix Pappalardi
Written-By – Eric Clapton, M. Sharp
NOTES
I'm So Glad, Politician & Sitting On Top Of The World were recorded "live" in concert.
Badge", Doing That Scrapyard Thing, What A Bringdown & Anyone For Tennis are studio recordings.
Original release date: 1969.
