Does Spoonful Really Have To Be Played for Twenty Minutes ?

Nostalgia from my formative years, I Feel Free - Ultimate Cream Triple CD Boxset. As I mentioned when considering the Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac cd, Cream are another band that never really succeeded in putting down on record a definitive statement of how good they were. In those days, all the effort seemed to focus on never ending touring, particularly in the States, and recording had to be fitted in as an afterthought. The three cd's on this box set comprise one of selections from their four studio albums, one of live concert recordings and one of BBC radio sessions which is pretty disposable. Having seen the video from the 2005 reunion concerts at the Albert Hall, it was interesting to notice how the dynamic of the band had changed. When they formed in the sixties Clapton was the fan focus but nobody had told Baker and Bruce who in fact were often the dominating and driving forces. By the time of the reunion however, it was clear that it was only taking place with the sanction of the established member of rock aristocracy and Clapton was the man in charge. But even with this dynamic, he was pushed by the others to performances that he had rarely if ever produced in the intervening 35 or so years.