There was a time in the sixties, when supposedly people were writing "Clapton is god," on walls throughout London. There was certainly a time when that dude was channeling a higher power. He was a student of the blues, I mean, when he started out, he was the ultimate blues purist, weaned on Robert Johnson, Albert & B.B. King and other old blues cats like Robert Lockwood Jr.
After serving in the John Mayall Blues Band, Clapton went on to a power trio with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker. Three over-sized talents with over-sized egos. They made a couple of great psychedelic blues discs including the double album beauty "Wheels on Fire." Here's another great YouTube clip. Clapton's Cream outfit doing "Sunshine of Your Love." The only other power trio that could go toe to toe with these guys was the Jimi Hendrix Experience...and well, that band leader was in another orbit completely. But here is Cream in their glorious prime...sublime. Check out the deep, biting tone Clapton gets out of that multi-colored Gibson. Yeow!