The Powerhouse

THE POWERHOUSE
 
 
Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse  was a British blues studio supergroup formed in 1966.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 

To some extent at least, the formation of Cream grew out of an English all-star band called the Powerhouse that was assembled solely to provide music for a 1966 compilation album called What’s Shakin’ that announced the arrival of Elektra Records in Great Britain.  Bandmembers included Eric Clapton (guitar); Jack Bruce (bass guitar) and Paul Jones (harmonica) from Manfred Mann; Stevie Winwood (lead vocals) and Pete York (drums) from the Spencer Davis Group; and Ben Palmer (piano), who had briefly been in a band with Clapton in 1965.  Ginger Baker was originally slated to be the drummer for the group but was unavailable.  This remarkable line-up included two members of Cream (and almost all three), plus two future members of Blind Faith (Clapton and Winwood).  What’s more, Cream later recorded two of the only three songs ever made by this assemblage, Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads” and an instrumental called “Steppin’ Out” that Eric Clapton had previously performed while in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.  The artist on these two songs was listed as Eric Clapton & the Powerhouse.  The third song, “I Want to Know” was credited to MacLeod, an evident reference to Paul Jones’ wife Sheila MacLeodTen Years After included “I Want to Know” on their first album, Ten Years After that was released in late 1967.   

 

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When Traffic broke up temporarily in 1969Stevie Winwood began jamming with Eric Clapton; they had played together previously in the Powerhouse.  Ginger Baker sat in one time in 1969, and he was a natural as the band’s drummer.  Clapton was reluctant to team up with Baker again so soon after Cream broke up, but Winwood convinced him that they would never find a more talented drummer than Baker.  The three invited Rick Grech (also known as Ric Grech) to join the group; he was the bass guitarist in Family and left that band mid-tour to join Blind Faith.  

 

(May 2014)

 

Last edited: March 22, 2021