Ive been listening to Toumani Diabates 'Mande Variations' a lot recently which sent me back to listen to Djelimady Tounkara, some old Ali Farka Toure, The African Virtuoses ( a brilliant album of extended acoustic guitar instrumental improvisations) and marvelling at their dexterity, skill and imagination. Then with the ipod on shuffle and old Eric Clapton track came up and in comparison it seemed so dull, lifeless and ham fisted, leaving me wondering how we ever came to proclaim 'Clapton is God". I know that as teenagers back in the 60's we hadn't heard that many great guitarists, so at the time it was understandable, but with hindsight it seems clear to me that Clapton was never anymore than a Freddie King copyist who turned the amp up to 11 with Cream then lacked the imagination and skill (that Hendrix had in abundance) to take his playing any further. I then dug out Jeff Becks great'You Had It Coming' CD from 2000 and thought Clapton simply isn't capable of the kind of energy or insight that would allow him to reinvigorate his music with an approach that would lift it above the mundane. Isn't it time to revise opinions on some of the 'greats' who've made lucrative careers out of not actually being very good at all!