Joe’s thoughts about “Riding with Eric”

In my early days, when everybody was crazy about Cream, Blind Faith and Eric Clapton, I was totally hooked on Jimi Hendrix.

I had no idea that Jimi and Eric were good friends…

…It was the same like either being pro Beatles or pro Rolling Stones, there was no way to be fan of both bands at the same time.

No love at first sight!

My love for Eric Clapton was a love at second sight, that’s for sure.

I remember one night after a concert somebody came up to the stage and told me, that my tone and my soloing reminded him of Eric Clapton.

I had never thought of that before. From then on I began listening to some of Eric’s stuff and indeed I found, that there are some similarities in the way of bending notes, building up solos and trying to add a “lyrical touch” to the playing.

Lyrical guitar playing!

It didn’t take long and I felt familiar with his playing. From that time on I added songs like Layla, Lonely Stranger and Old Love to my repertoire when I played on my own.

I’ve always had a love for the Blues, and digging deeper and deeper into Eric’s work made me finally realize his genius as a blues guitarist, too.

Riding with Eric!

So it became obvious to me, that I wanted my own band, a band that would be able to play Blues as well as other Eric stuff and some originals of mine, of course.

I knew Jörg for many years, we had played a couple of jams together and he was my first choice for the organ and piano.

I phoned him, we met and we decided to form a band.

That’s how Riding with Eric began…

Joe Brozio, March 2006