Musically, he was like an old man in a boy's skin. Eric Clapton More Quotes by Eric Clapton More Quotes From Eric Clapton My definition of Blues is that it's a musical form which is very disciplined and structured coupled with a state of mind, and you can have either of those things but it's the two together that make it what it is. And you need to be a student for one, and a human being for the other, but those things alone don't do it. Eric Clapton musical mind two I am, and always will be, a blues guitarist. Eric Clapton guitarist I never met Johnny Rotten, and I didn't want to meet Johnny Rotten. Eric Clapton johnny-rotten rotten want Plant your love and let it grow. Eric Clapton grows plant romantic When I'm wrong it's never meant for you, so don't confuse my love with what I do. Eric Clapton relationship I did play a lot of fingerstyle when I first started playing. I could never really find the right combination of flatpick or fingerpick, so playing fingerstyle is really the easiest way - though it's quite strenuous on the fingertips. Eric Clapton play way firsts From the beginning, I knew intuitively that if nothing else, music was safe, and that nobody could tell me anything about it. Music didn't need a middleman, whereas all the other things in school needed some kind of explanation. Eric Clapton music school needs The blues are what I've turned to, what has given me inspiration and relief in all the trials of my life. Eric Clapton relief inspiration trials When I saw Jimi Hendrix I knew immediately that this guy was the real thing ... and when he played it was like a rough sketch of what he was going to become ... this guy was our generation, and he wasn't in a suit .. he played a Howlin' Wolf song 'Killing Floor', and then we (The Cream) had to carry on the set. It was pretty hard to follow. Eric Clapton music real song If you hand me a guitar, I'll play the blues. That's the place I automatically go. Eric Clapton guitar play hands My identity shifted when I got into recovery. That's who I am now, and it actually gives me greater pleasure to have that identity than to be a musician or anything else, because it keeps me in a manageable size. When I'm down on the ground with my disease-which I'm happy to have-it gets me in tune. It gives me a spiritual anchor. Don't ask me to explain. Eric Clapton recovery who-i-am spiritual Up until I became a father, it was all about self-obsession. But then I learned exactly what it's all about: the delight of being a servant. Eric Clapton parent self father Having lovers and friends is all good and fine But I don't like yours and you don't like mine. Eric Clapton fine like-you lovers Well, I think part of my gift, or if I have one, is that I love listening. Eric Clapton wells listening thinking The first guitar I ever had was a gut-string Spanish guitar, and I couldn't really get the hang of it. I was only 13, and I talked my grandparents into buying it for me. I tried and tried and tried, but got nowhere with it. Eric Clapton grandparent guitar buying When I look for what I'm going to listen to I go backwards. I'm always going the other way you see. Most people are trying to figure out 'how do I get in the fast lane going that way?'. I'm going in the other direction. I wanna find the oldest thing to do. Eric Clapton player trying people 'My Father's Eyes' is very personal. I realized that the closest I ever came to looking in my father's eyes was when I looked into my son's eyes. Eric Clapton eye father son An obsession is where something will not leave your mind. Eric Clapton obsession mind I've always wanted the sound of Muddy Waters' early records - only louder Eric Clapton guitar music water For me, the most trustworthy vehicle for spirituality had always proven to be music. Eric Clapton old-soul trustworthy spirituality