Released: 1967
To be clear, Cream were never “What Eric Clapton did next.” After the prodigously talented guitarist left the Yardbirds due to their fraternisation with what he viewed as the cardinal sin of pop, he mooched around in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, meeting the similarly gifted Jack Bruce in the process. Bruce formed the connective tissue between the duo and Ginger Baker, widely recognised as one of the best drummers of his generation – and they got together as Cream in 1966.
Clapton was wary of both the idea of a supergroup and Baker’s maverick reputation, but the trio set a number of precedents, not just in productivity (four albums in three years) but also by selling them by the bucketload, with their third Wheels of Fire becoming the first double release to go platinum.
Although ego and a lack of communication meant they would self destruct acrimoniously in 1968, Sunshine of Your Love was the idea in motion; it featured Bruce’s nuggety bass (A riff written in tribute to Jimi Hendrix), whilst Clapton relished the power and tension, quiet-loud in rock at that point a fresh dynamic. Nobody knew then that this acme was set to self destruct, but although what Eric did next became in turn less and less interesting, Cream were definitely more than just a vehicle for one man and his guitar.
The Voice Of Unreason 