Blind Faith - London and Stockholm 1969

This is two concerts from Blind Faith from 1969. The group debuted at a free concert at London's Hyde Park on 7th June 1969. This version of that concert comes from a 'Mid Valley Records' CD bootleg and in our opinion has a better audio track than the DVD film of the concert released in 2006. The second concert was recorded at the Konserthallen/Liseberg, Nöjespark/Göteborg, Sweden, on the 18th June 1969. The audio source was an audience based reel to reel tape recorder, and considering the age etc is really very good quality.

The beginnings of Blind Faith date from mid-1968, with the break-up of Cream. In retrospect as the first "super-group", Cream had become a financial powerhouse, selling millions of records within a few years and raising the group's (and each member's) repertoire to international popularity. Despite that success, the band was crumbling from within due to frequent animosity between Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, with Eric Clapton doing his best to mediate. In addition, Clapton had been tired of being coerced into playing commercially driven blues, and hoped to move forward with a new, experimental, less straitjacketed approach to the genre.

Steve Winwood was facing similar problems in The Spencer Davis Group, where he had been the lead singer for three years. Winwood wanted to experiment with the band's sound by infusing jazz elements, but left due to his musical differences, instead forming a new band — Traffic — in 1967. That band split temporarily in 1969, and Winwood started to jam with his good friend Clapton in Clapton's basement in Surrey, England. Winwood and Clapton had previously collaborated on the "Powerhouse" project.

Eric Clapton was pleased with the jam sessions, but was hesitant to start a serious group. Ginger Baker turned up one day to sit in with them in 1969, and the band took near-final form. Clapton questioned letting Baker in the band, because he had promised Jack Bruce that, if they were to work with one another again, all three of them would play. Moreover, Clapton didn't want to reunite with Cream barely nine weeks after the break-up, and also didn't want to deal with another "Cream-like" super-stardom situation. Winwood ultimately persuaded Clapton to finalize Baker's inclusion in the line-up, arguing that Ginger Baker strengthened their musicianship and that it would be hard to find an equally talented drummer.

By May 1969, Ric Grech, bassist with Family, was invited to join them (leaving Family, mid-tour). Andy Johns (engineer) recorded most of the Blind Faith backing tracks at Morgan Studios, and the album was finished at Olympic studios with Alan O'Duffy (engineer) who recorded some further tracks, all of the overdubs and who mixed the album. This was done under the supervision of producer Jimmy Miller. Jimmy Miller provided focus to the band, who often preferred jamming over the standard commercial 3–5 minute track. By then the group was known collectively as Blind Faith, a slyly cynical reference by Clapton to his outlook on the new group.

Source: London - soundboard, Stockholm - Audience.

Sound Quality: London good stereo mp3@320kbps. Stockholm very good audience recording mp3@224kbps.

Genre: Blues-rock, hard rock, british blues.

Set: Full Set.

Set List:

London:
01. Introduction
02. Well All Right
03. Sea Of Joy
04. Sleeping In The Ground
05. Under My Thumb
06. Can't Find My Way Home
07. Do What You Like
08. Presence Of The Lond
09. Means To An End
10. Had To Cry Today

Stockholm:
1. Well All Right
2. Sleeping in the Ground
3. Sea of Joy
4. Under My Thumb
5. Cant Find My Way Home
6. Do What You Like
7. Presence of the Lord
8. Means To An End
9. Had to Cry Today

Band Line Up:

Eric Clapton - guitar
Steve Winwood - piano, organ
Ginger Baker - drums
Rick Grech - bass, violin

Links in comments below (23/02/2016).