Eric Clapton will never retire from making music and writing songs but touring may be an entirely different matter.
He says, “The bit onstage, that’s easy. If I could do that around my neighborhood, that would be great. You have guys in Texas that play their circuit, and it keeps them alive. But for me, the struggle is the travel. And the only way you can beat that is by throwing so much money at it that you make a loss. So the idea is I’m taking a leaf out of JJ [Cale]‘s book: When I’m 70, I’ll stop. I won’t stop playing or doing one-offs, but I’ll stop touring, I think.”
One particular road headache — despite being able to travel first-class and in private jets, he still has to endure going through security. “I never get it right. I forget to take off my belt, or I has change in my pocket. Next thing I know, ‘Can you come over here please?’ I just don’t want to do that anymore.”
Clapton, who turns 68 on March 30th, starts his next tour on March 14th in Phoenix, two days after the release of his new album, “Old Sock”.
A few years ago, Clapton talked about his future:
“I do see myself quieting down all the time and work becomes less of an issue. And the way that the market has now evolved into such an insecure sort of environment for artists — I mean no one seems to know exactly where we’re going, the way to sell our work. I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve always been able to go to the stage and support myself that way. And I think as long as I, you know, stay healthy and enthusiastic about what I do, there won’t be any problem. But there’ll be enough stuff to write about. I mean I could write another book, if I could remember anything.”
(Audio Courtesy of Premiere Networks)
What does retirement look like to him?
“What it means is I want to go home. And I think that’s probably what I’ve been saying about retirement all the time is that you know, I just want to go home.”
(Audio Courtesy of Premiere Networks)
There are no Detroit dates scheduled, as yet. on the upcoming tour. The closest venues to the Motor City are Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena March 22nd and NY City’s Madison Square Garden April 12th and 13th.
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