Clapton's Return Is Part Of Rocks Evolution

My love for music can easily be traced back to a deeply entrenched fascination with the way of the Greatest of Greats. Not everybody was born to be a Rock Star and those that have tried aren't erased but temporarily replaced by a truer underground river of onboard passion and drive. Let me give you an example: John Mayer. Take him or leave him. A billion times he's been labeled the next Dave Matthews who just like John is a hit or miss in the out of tune public acceptance department. When that occurs the industry of Rock doesn't erase the artist but holds the door open for the Masters to pick a lick while chanting new lyrics. Led Zeppelins most recent hangout re-mastered for your car and backyard, the 2013 return of David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac back on tour. Def Leppard in Vegas for a month. Are you gripping the full vibe? You don't have to believe in evolution to fall witness to the front row changes of Rock's minute by minute survival. No Marshall Amp is created to be turned off. Just stick another guitar chord into the hole and bang that thing until your fingers get tired. When accomplished give no ego only respect to the keepers of the print left on the strap still clutching the back and chest of the conductor dressed up in nothing more than realities bite. With that being said...Classic Rock Magazine reports guitar legend Eric Clapton is back in action, both on the road and in the record stores. “Slowhand” will release a new album, titled ‘Old Sock,’ March 12 on his own label, Bushbranch Records. The label is distributed by Surfdog. The 12 song set will be Clapton’s 21st album in a nearly 50 year career. The announcement was made on the Surfdog website, which very simply said “Surfdog is thrilled to announce the signing of a deal with Eric Clapton for his forthcoming album.” Like many older artists, Clapton has left the major labels for smaller, more ‘artist friendly’ terrain. Clapton makes an interesting, and high profile, addition to the small label, whose roster includes a wide variety of acts including Glen Campbell, Brian Setzer and Dave Stewart. ‘Old Sock’ will be available on CD and as a 2-LP set. Surfdog lists the March 12 release date as “tentative,” but it is already being pre-sold via online stores. Clapton’s US tour begins March 14 in Phoenix, Ariz.