Eric Clapton Still Plans To Retire

Legendary guitarist Eric Clapton will turn 70 next year and expects to retire from the road around that time. Clapton first revealed his plans to stop touring in a Rolling Stone interview published last year and has re-iterated his intention in a new cover story from Uncut Magazine. EC also discusses the current state of Cream and squashes any hope of a reunion.

The guitarist is looking at following in the footsteps of his hero J.J. Cale by retiring from active touring at age 70. Clapton’s issues are with the hardships of life on the road. “The road has become unbearable. It’s become unapproachable, because it takes so long to get anywhere. It’s hostile – everywhere: getting in and out of airports, travelling on planes and in cars,” Clapton said. However, Clapton won’t stop making music all together, “What I’ll allow myself to do, within reason, is carry on recording in the studio. I don’t want to go off the boil to the point where I’m embarrassing myself.” When asked whether he’d continue playing guitar, Clapton responded “Maybe. It might be that I can’t, if it hurts too much. I have odd ailments.” Eric Clapton has one final date left on his current tour of Europe, which takes place in Poland on Saturday. We hope he’ll do a final tour before calling it a day.

As for Cream, the guitarist told Uncut that he hasn’t spoken with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce since their last gigs together in 2005. “After that I was pretty convinced that we had gone as far as we could without someone getting killed. At this time in my life I don’t want blood on my hands! I don’t want to be part of some kind of tragic confrontation.”