Another one of my all time favorite songs is “NSU” by Cream, meaning Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, and a lot of drugs. I loved Cream. The metric/time world of NSU is great fun, much like the opening of Rufus Wainwright’s “Movies of Myself” where the opening figure has very little to do with the opening melody. It is a surprise when it come in and WHERE it comes in. I couldn’t find the date of this recent performance, but the earlier one is from when they were an active band in 1967. Sorry for the frozen picture, but you need to hear the original if you don’t know it. And even though it is not the performance from the commercial recording, it’s a wonderful live performance that is clearly from the same period.
Cream was one of the best bands from the 1960s. Eric Clapton is now well known and respected, but his band mates are not given their due in my humble opinion. Jack Bruce is a brilliant composer, bass player, but especially a spectacular singer. His energy was/is thrilling. Ginger Baker gave us more information as a drummer than any other percussionist in history. All this while stoned out of his mind on something. I love seeing them all here, looking like intellectuals, and revisiting their old friend, NSU.
(1967)
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