Clapton is God

Edit links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The original photograph of the Islington graffiti. It received worldwide recognition and helped create a myth around Eric Clapton.[1]

"Clapton is God" is a 1960s meme referencing the English guitarist Eric Clapton. The line was popularised after being spray-painted on a wall in London during the mid-1960s, when Clapton was a member of the Yardbirds and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, creating the cult of the guitar hero.[2]

Overview

The earliest known use of the phrase appeared in the form of graffiti spray-painted by an unknown admirer on a wall in Islington, London.[3][4] Commentators traced the year of origin variously to 1965,[4] early 1966,[5] and 1967.[3] Soon after, the proclamation could be seen scrawled at numerous spots around London,[6] such as on club bathroom walls and construction sites.[7] It also appeared around New York.[8][9] In 2016, Clapton speculated that the original graffiti was painted by Hamish Grimes, a promoter who worked for the Yardbirds' manager.[6]

Clapton was initially humbled by the slogan.[10] Later, he said he had become embarrassed by it, saying in his The South Bank Show profile in 1987, "I never accepted that I was the greatest guitar player in the world. I always wanted to be the greatest guitar player in the world, but that's an ideal, and I accept it as an ideal."[11]

In popular culture

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-313-35806-7
    .
  2. ^ Hann, Michael (12 June 2011). "Eric Clapton creates the cult of the guitar hero". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 March 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  3. ^ a b Norman, Philip (30 June 2020). "Why Eric Clapton is still God". GQ.
  4. ^ a b "Clapton Biography Portrays a Restless Rocker Forever Bolting His Bands". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  5. ISBN 978-1-58839-666-2
    .
  6. ^ a b Hughes, Ruth (12 June 2016). "Rock legend Eric reveals: 'Clapton is God graffiti was a stunt'". Express. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  7. ISBN 978-1-4426-0018-8
    .
  8. ^ Collins, Pat. "Essay: A 1960's hit still carries a message". Newsday.com.
  9. ^ Dowling, Stephen (29 March 2005). "Clapton's guitar 'genius' legacy". BBC. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  10. ISBN 978-0-393-04700-4
    .
  11. ^ Clapton Documentary (1987). South Bank Show. ITV.
  12. ISBN 978-0-87930-782-0
    .
  13. ISBN 978-0-472-11995-0
    .
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clapton_is_God&oldid=1195858554"