In the late 60s, the term ‘supergroup’ was hardly a part of the English lexicon. Some individuals used to think that Led Zeppelin and The Jeff Beck Group were supergroups, but these were bands that merely traded in on their lead guitarists’ reputations. To be a true supergroup, each member has to have some enduring legacy of his own. In 1969, the term was simply a tag line for something that didn’t exist until Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ginger Baker and Rick Grech teamed up to form Blind Faith. In retrospect, being a supergroup became more of a hindrance for Blind Faith than a godsend.
Recorded under a shroud of secrecy and controversy, Blind Faith’s one and only eponymous album was mired by music business greed, ego and the transition of 60s idealism into 70s self-absorption. Clapton and Baker had already ridden the wild roller coaster of fame and notoriety with Cream, and were anxious to get back to the business of making valid and meaningful music. With his choirboy voice and songwriting prowess, Winwood bailed out of Traffic and was migrating back to his R & B roots while side tripping into loose jazz experimentations. For his part, Grech was just happy to be in the same room with these guys. The six songs — Winwood’s “Had To Cry Today,” “Can’t Find My Way Home” and “Sea of Joy”; Clapton’s “Presence Of The Lord”; Baker’s “Do What You Like” and Buddy Holly’s “Well All Right” — were all steadfast and true to the cause.
The inflated hype guaranteed that Blind Faith would be a bonafide hit on both sides of the Atlantic. In America, the album received unsolicited attention for its cover — a photograph of a topless, under-aged lass holding a model airplane — which hardly thwarted its journey to the top of the charts (subsequent copies boasted a casual band photo in place of the young lady). Regardless, mediocre and under rehearsed live performances in Europe and the States drove Clapton into the arms of Delaney and Bonnie while Winwood, Grech and Baker tried to extend the esteem by enlisting in Baker’s Air Force. Winwood eventually returned to the refuge of Traffic and Clapton formed Derek and The Dominoes — the group that Clapton wished Blind Faith could have been. It’s only fitting that Blind Faith remains forever a symbol of its brief moment in the spotlight.
~ Shawn Perry
