Eric Clapton is far more than a rock star.Like Dylan and McCartney, he is an icon and a living legend. He has sold tens of millions of records, played sell-out concerts all over the world and been central to the significant musical developments of his era. His guitar playing has seen him hailed as 'God'. Now for the first time, Eric tells the story of his personal and professional journeys in this pungent, witty and painfully honest autobiography.These are the memoirs of a survivor, someone who has reached the pinnacle of success, who has had it all, but whose demons have never left him. Eric tells his story as it is, hiding nothing, with a directness and searing honesty that will make this book one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.

Eric Clapton is far more than a rock star.Like Dylan and McCartney, he is an icon and a living legend. He has sold tens of millions of records, played sell-out concerts all over the world and been central to the significant musical developments of his era. His guitar playing has seen him hailed as 'God'. Now for the first time, Eric tells the story of his personal and professional journeys in this pungent, witty and painfully honest autobiography.These are the memoirs of a survivor, someone who has reached the pinnacle of success, who has had it all, but whose demons have never left him. Eric tells his story as it is, hiding nothing, with a directness and searing honesty that will make this book one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.

‘These guitars have been really good tools; they’re not just museum pieces. They all have a soul and they all come alive.’ – Eric Clapton‘In his own words, Clapton tells his story through the history of his instruments.’ – Rolling StoneIn Six-String Stories Eric Clapton reflects on a legendary career as told through the tools of his trade: his guitars. Collected together here for the first time are the instruments Clapton sold in three record-breaking auctions between 1999 and 2011 to benefit the Crossroads treatment centre he founded in 1998. Featuring some of the most famous guitars ever played, Clapton guides the reader through nearly 300 instruments as he discusses their provenance, reveals insights about his own playing, and shares anecdotes from each chapter of his spectacular life in music.‘One by one these guitars were the chapters of my life. They belong to a very well-loved family.’ – Eric ClaptonSix-String Stories presents a ‘family tree’ that makes connections between iconic instruments, such as Clapton’s famous ‘Blackie’ Stratocaster, and previously unknown rarities, placing them in the chronology of his career. Clapton recalls the instruments he bought to emulate his heroes, the guitars with unknown origins that became their own legend, the ones that never left his side, and the legacy they left behind. Every piece has been individually photographed, revealing every curve, detail and scratch, while the work of over 80 of the world’s best rock photographers shows the instruments in play. See Clapton’s evolution from the psychedelic Sixties, through the stripped-back Seventies, electric Eighties, and unplugged Nineties, right up to the sale of the last guitar.‘As an avid rock or blues fan, I would look at all the pictures in this book.’ – Eric ClaptonHistorical and technical information for each piece in the collection – including playlists and concert dates for those instruments used on records and at public appearances – completes the story behind each guitar.‘The guitars are things of great beauty.’ – Eric Clapton

Mr. Slowhand packt aus Eric Clapton ist eine Legende. Er ist einer der besten Gitarristen der Welt, wenn nicht der beste überhaupt. Seit den 60er-Jahren einer der ganz Großen in der Musik, war er bislang auch bekannt für seine Verschlossenheit. In My Life gibt er seinem Publikum zum ersten Mal Einblick in sein Privatleben.Mit seinen Bands The Yardbirds, Bluebreakers und Cream schrieb Eric Clapton Musikgeschichte. »Clapton is God« stand im Frühjahr 1965 auf vielen Mauern in London und New York. Er spielte als Gastmusiker u.a. mit den Beatles, den Rolling Stones und George Harrison, in dessen Ehefrau, Patti Boyd, er sich unsterblich verliebt. Layla, Claptons berühmte Ballade, ist ihr gewidmet. Mehrere Jahre wirbt er um sie, auch mit harten Mitteln (»Ich nehme eine Überdosis Heroin, wenn du George nicht für mich verlässt«). 1977 heiraten die beiden endlich, doch die Ehe steht unter keinem glücklichen Stern. Endlich runter vom Heroin, verfällt Clapton dem Alkohol, einer Sucht, die ihm mehrmals fast das Leben kostet.Mitte der Achtziger scheint ihm ein Neuanfang zu glücken, als er, nach jahrelangen Abstürzen und Entzugsversuchen endlich clean, mit Lori del Santo einen Sohn bekommt. Doch das Glück ist nur von kurzer Dauer: Als Vierjähriger stürzt Conor aus dem Fenster eines Manhattaner Hochhauses.Clapton verarbeitet den tragischen Tod seines Sohnes in Tears in Heaven, einem seiner bekanntesten Stücke. In den letzten Jahren arbeitet Clapton als Solokünstler mit Musikern wie Carlos Santana, B.B. King oder J.J. Cale zusammen, tourt mit seiner Band um die Welt – und ist unbestritten: die Nummer 1 unter den Gitarristen.Mit trockenem Humor und großer Aufrichtigkeit erzählt Eric Clapton von den Höhen und Tiefen seines Lebens, von seinem Aufwachsen bei den Großeltern im armseligen Nachkriegs-Surrey bis heute. Eine beeindruckende Lebensgeschichte.

Eric Clapton is far more than a rock star.Like Dylan and McCartney, he is an icon and a living legend. He has sold tens of millions of records, played sell-out concerts all over the world and been central to the significant musical developments of his era. His guitar playing has seen him hailed as 'God'. Now for the first time, Eric tells the story of his personal and professional journeys in this pungent, witty and painfully honest autobiography.These are the memoirs of a survivor, someone who has reached the pinnacle of success, who has had it all, but whose demons have never left him. Eric tells his story as it is, hiding nothing, with a directness and searing honesty that will make this book one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.

Eric Clapton is far more than a rock star.Like Dylan and McCartney, he is an icon and a living legend. He has sold tens of millions of records, played sell-out concerts all over the world and been central to the significant musical developments of his era. His guitar playing has seen him hailed as 'God'. Now for the first time, Eric tells the story of his personal and professional journeys in this pungent, witty and painfully honest autobiography.These are the memoirs of a survivor, someone who has reached the pinnacle of success, who has had it all, but whose demons have never left him. Eric tells his story as it is, hiding nothing, with a directness and searing honesty that will make this book one of the most compelling memoirs of our time.

‘These guitars have been really good tools; they’re not just museum pieces. They all have a soul and they all come alive.’ – Eric Clapton‘In his own words, Clapton tells his story through the history of his instruments.’ – Rolling StoneIn Six-String Stories Eric Clapton reflects on a legendary career as told through the tools of his trade: his guitars. Collected together here for the first time are the instruments Clapton sold in three record-breaking auctions between 1999 and 2011 to benefit the Crossroads treatment centre he founded in 1998. Featuring some of the most famous guitars ever played, Clapton guides the reader through nearly 300 instruments as he discusses their provenance, reveals insights about his own playing, and shares anecdotes from each chapter of his spectacular life in music.‘One by one these guitars were the chapters of my life. They belong to a very well-loved family.’ – Eric ClaptonSix-String Stories presents a ‘family tree’ that makes connections between iconic instruments, such as Clapton’s famous ‘Blackie’ Stratocaster, and previously unknown rarities, placing them in the chronology of his career. Clapton recalls the instruments he bought to emulate his heroes, the guitars with unknown origins that became their own legend, the ones that never left his side, and the legacy they left behind. Every piece has been individually photographed, revealing every curve, detail and scratch, while the work of over 80 of the world’s best rock photographers shows the instruments in play. See Clapton’s evolution from the psychedelic Sixties, through the stripped-back Seventies, electric Eighties, and unplugged Nineties, right up to the sale of the last guitar.‘As an avid rock or blues fan, I would look at all the pictures in this book.’ – Eric ClaptonHistorical and technical information for each piece in the collection – including playlists and concert dates for those instruments used on records and at public appearances – completes the story behind each guitar.‘The guitars are things of great beauty.’ – Eric Clapton

Mr. Slowhand packt aus Eric Clapton ist eine Legende. Er ist einer der besten Gitarristen der Welt, wenn nicht der beste überhaupt. Seit den 60er-Jahren einer der ganz Großen in der Musik, war er bislang auch bekannt für seine Verschlossenheit. In My Life gibt er seinem Publikum zum ersten Mal Einblick in sein Privatleben.Mit seinen Bands The Yardbirds, Bluebreakers und Cream schrieb Eric Clapton Musikgeschichte. »Clapton is God« stand im Frühjahr 1965 auf vielen Mauern in London und New York. Er spielte als Gastmusiker u.a. mit den Beatles, den Rolling Stones und George Harrison, in dessen Ehefrau, Patti Boyd, er sich unsterblich verliebt. Layla, Claptons berühmte Ballade, ist ihr gewidmet. Mehrere Jahre wirbt er um sie, auch mit harten Mitteln (»Ich nehme eine Überdosis Heroin, wenn du George nicht für mich verlässt«). 1977 heiraten die beiden endlich, doch die Ehe steht unter keinem glücklichen Stern. Endlich runter vom Heroin, verfällt Clapton dem Alkohol, einer Sucht, die ihm mehrmals fast das Leben kostet.Mitte der Achtziger scheint ihm ein Neuanfang zu glücken, als er, nach jahrelangen Abstürzen und Entzugsversuchen endlich clean, mit Lori del Santo einen Sohn bekommt. Doch das Glück ist nur von kurzer Dauer: Als Vierjähriger stürzt Conor aus dem Fenster eines Manhattaner Hochhauses.Clapton verarbeitet den tragischen Tod seines Sohnes in Tears in Heaven, einem seiner bekanntesten Stücke. In den letzten Jahren arbeitet Clapton als Solokünstler mit Musikern wie Carlos Santana, B.B. King oder J.J. Cale zusammen, tourt mit seiner Band um die Welt – und ist unbestritten: die Nummer 1 unter den Gitarristen.Mit trockenem Humor und großer Aufrichtigkeit erzählt Eric Clapton von den Höhen und Tiefen seines Lebens, von seinem Aufwachsen bei den Großeltern im armseligen Nachkriegs-Surrey bis heute. Eine beeindruckende Lebensgeschichte.