The Taste of Cream may have been so Sweet

[Jay Jay]

Probably, he didn't want to have any crossed ways with EC.

Yes Jim, agreed here. Plus as I've put on FB.. I think it was more of a case of Rory showing that great humility and modesty off stage, which he always had. Showing also he didn't want to take up the offer to try to step into Eric's boots so to say. He did the opposite in fact and followed EC with Blind Faith, when Taste toured with them to the USA.

[RobertaSparrow]

Yes, but Rory always wished and wanted to have his own band... I can't imagine how it to be a frontman of Cream for Rory. Probably, he didn't want to have any crossed ways with EC.

I always wondered about that. Of all the things I've read, Rory was always respectful of Eric when asked. You'd think they would have been if not best friends at least would have had an occasion to hang out together at least a few times over the years, yet there is very little mention of them even exchanging words in public. I don't think I've even read any mention of Rory by Eric even after he passed. I always thought that a little odd.

I don't think it would have worked to just pop Rory into Eric's place and call it Cream anyway, like replacing a bulb in a chandelier. THAT probably would have caused a Rory/Eric rift. But at that time both bands were hot items, and fans of both would most certainly have welcomed a trio with Rory and Jack after Cream/Taste had flamed out. True, Rory was more than the lyricist/guitarist/vocalist in Taste- he was the bandleader and that was what he wanted. But if he and Bruce had formed a trio, well who knows how things would have turned out, no matter what they called themselves. I can pretty confidently say that they would have dominated the music scene at that time, and the whole music world would have known Rory much sooner than they did. Plus, if they went into it with the understanding that they would work on other projects as well, then Rory could have had it both ways.

With a little less pressure on him, maybe Rory would have stayed with us a little longer. Who knows?

[folkdeejay]

It would have been possible artistically, without doubt.

Clapton himself passed through several groups (yardbirds and bluesbreakers most notably) on the way to cream, and there are numerous groups that have used different guitarists and/or singers...not always to best effect (Deep Purple, Queen etc) but consider that Clapton, Beck and Page were all Yardbirds at different times ( and Rory himself later played with the derivative Box of Frogs). Dave Gilmour effectively replaced Sid Barrett on guitar/vocs in Pink Floyd.

But, like so many other options when Rory decided to go against the grain, the choice was there for Rory to make, and he passed it by for his own reasons. Perhaps the forthcoming book will have some insights.

I personally think his big error was not to play The Last Waltz gig when he was invited to, with all those (now) legendary musicians that wanted him there, as a peer. Which he was. He had a reason, but imo it was misguided - I suspect not one single member of the audience at the nearby gig he chose to honour the same night would, if asked, have told him not play the bigger gig. He would have been seen by those who didn't know him as up there with the other players who are now, almost without exception, world-renowned artists. But he palyed a small college gig instead. In this case, his humility/loyalty to the first booking was misplaced - but it was his decision.

Playing with The Stones would also have been OK for Rory, if he had been able to do so alongside his solo output, and if he had avoided the Jagger/Richards politics...which Ron Wood seemed to manage OK- again there are precedents in other big acts.

Its all speculation though...

[RobertaSparrow]

It would have been possible artistically, without doubt.

I personally think his big error was not to play The Last Waltz gig when he was invited to, with all those (now) legendary musicians that wanted him there, as a peer. Which he was. He had a reason, but imo it was misguided - I suspect not one single member of the audience at the nearby gig he chose to honour the same night would, if asked, have told him not play the bigger gig. He would have been seen by those who didn't know him as up there with the other players who are now, almost without exception, world-renowned artists. But he palyed a small college gig instead. In this case, his humility/loyalty to the first booking was misplaced - but it was his decision.

Its all speculation though...

That's another what if . . What if, while touring with Delaney, Bonnie, etc. they had decided to play Woodstock? They discussed it at the time- I think that may have been one of those occasions that involved Eric Clapton as well.

Yes, The Last Waltz- I don't know anyone who didn't go see that one as soon as it was in theaters. Rory's loyalty to his fans was one of his endearing qualities, but you're right- Even then, his fan base was pretty supportive of him, and no one who ever saw him play would begrudge him that opportunity-

When you look back at his past, and all of the different choices he made, it's all too easy to speculate what could have been. But that's true in every person's life. It's not healthy to dwell on the past and think about what you could have or should have done, because no one can go back. I've often wondered when viewing his later performances what was troubling him so, and I bet that was one of the things that weighed so heavily on him. Second-guessing what he did, what he should have done, all those what ifs . . .

Rory died young, but he certainly left his mark on the world. He did more in his 47 years than most of us will do in our entire lifetimes. He saw the world how many times over? Helped and inspired many other musicians and artists, and touched how many thousands of lives with his own? He was a kind, gentle person and he set an example for how people should treat each other. IMHO his life was too short, but it was well lived.