Chords for Cream Farewell Concert 1968 - Jack Bruce Interview
Tempo:
129.75 bpm
Chords used:
Ab
G
Gb
F
E
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
Rock music is always being attacked for the uneasy air of money-making that surrounds [Gb] it, for the pretentiousness of some of its lyrics, and for the shoddiness of some of its music.
There is the suspicion that most pop musicians are so incompetent that they have to hire session men to make their records.
While [Gb] the faceless session [F] men only get a standard fee, the pop artist makes a fortune.
And all those who want to sneer yet again at long-haired youth are given a cheap thrill.
[E] There are some rock performers, however, who did have a severe classical training, which they ultimately found [C] to be stifling and destructive.
[F]
The only way to express what they wanted in musical terms was to escape into pop music.
[N] Such a person is Jack Bruce.
Whilst the cream were last in America, that is, several haircuts ago, we asked Bruce what formal music training he had, and if it had been of any use.
I did music at school and then I went to college in Scotland.
But, um, I really, I got thrown out of it.
But really it's taken me up until about two years ago to unlearn what I had learned, you know.
Really I wasn't making it, you know, until I really managed to unlearn the things that they taught me, you know.
I really feel strongly that they just teach the wrong things, you know.
They teach everyone the same things, you know, regardless of what their own individual capacities and so on are.
They don't seem to take the trouble to find out people's individual characteristics, you know.
And improvisation, things like that, is regarded as really bad.
[Abm] They had great hopes for me as a cellist, you know.
And they kept telling me that I couldn't write things, you know.
This was one particular teacher that I had.
I used to write when I was 14.
I wrote a string quartet and I proudly took it to her.
And she instantly sort of wrote all over it and pointed out all the mistakes, you know.
And it took me about a year at least to get over that, you know.
And she used to tell me that I just couldn't write.
I didn't have any talent for it and that I should make myself [Ab] a good cellist, which I had talent for.
I think she thought maybe I could be good enough to become a fourth desk in the Scottish National Orchestra or something, you know.
Though you despised the classical training you got at school, did it have no influence on you at all?
The first thing that really gathered me up was Bach, I suppose.
I got really involved in that because, believe it or not, he is really the ultimate in bass players, you know.
He really was the governor of all time, you know.
His bass lines are just incredible.
And I think any bass player can learn just about everything [C] in conventional harmony that there is to know from that.
How did the Cream come together as a pop group?
Well, [N]
all of us were working in separate groups.
And I don't think any of us was very happy with what was happening at the time.
And I had played with Ginger for a long time and we'd fallen out actually.
And I hadn't seen him for about a year.
And he suddenly appeared at my place one night with this idea of forming a group with Eric.
It just seemed such a good idea that we decided to have a play together just to see if it would work.
And we all went to Ginger's house and we just set [G] up our instruments in his living room.
[E] And just played this number which lasted for about two hours [F] or something, you know, without stopping.
It was just so obvious from the word go that it was going to be [N] a nice experience.
And that was it.
The songs that we play are really unimportant.
They're just like jumping off points for improvisation.
And the only things [Ab] that are set are the beginnings and the endings of most of our things.
In between, which can go on forever, is just improvised.
And we never know who's going to take the lead and what's going to happen next.
It just happens, you know, depending on the atmosphere and the way we feel.
We never [Ab] plan any particular song for any particular purpose.
We wouldn't [G] dream of sitting down and saying let's write a hit single for instance.
Let's make it two minutes and thirty-five seconds long.
Let's make the words sympathetic to an eleven-year-old girl in Seattle or something.
[Gb] We just don't do that.
And I suppose groups must.
In fact, [Eb] I was in a group once that did, you know, and did actually consider every song that they did from this point of view.
But we just don't.
And the fact that it was successful is I suppose an accident.
[G] As Bruce [G] says, their music is improvised.
After a basic harmonic and rhythmic pattern is established, the melody is one of free improvisation.
It often goes on for twenty or thirty minutes, but is held together by Bruce's flowing, spontaneous bass line.
Bruce is also an expert on Indian music and considers the influence of Indian music,
its melodic freedom, its drones, its rhythmic complexity, to be rock's most substantial contribution to Western music.
Just as in Indian music, the tabla player or drummer will talk to the sitar player with recognisable sound patterns,
so rock music, like the Creams, has developed similar [Ab] patterns.
For Jack Bruce, his harmonica, his voice and his pounding guitar speak with one voice of unmistakable
There is the suspicion that most pop musicians are so incompetent that they have to hire session men to make their records.
While [Gb] the faceless session [F] men only get a standard fee, the pop artist makes a fortune.
And all those who want to sneer yet again at long-haired youth are given a cheap thrill.
[E] There are some rock performers, however, who did have a severe classical training, which they ultimately found [C] to be stifling and destructive.
[F]
The only way to express what they wanted in musical terms was to escape into pop music.
[N] Such a person is Jack Bruce.
Whilst the cream were last in America, that is, several haircuts ago, we asked Bruce what formal music training he had, and if it had been of any use.
I did music at school and then I went to college in Scotland.
But, um, I really, I got thrown out of it.
But really it's taken me up until about two years ago to unlearn what I had learned, you know.
Really I wasn't making it, you know, until I really managed to unlearn the things that they taught me, you know.
I really feel strongly that they just teach the wrong things, you know.
They teach everyone the same things, you know, regardless of what their own individual capacities and so on are.
They don't seem to take the trouble to find out people's individual characteristics, you know.
And improvisation, things like that, is regarded as really bad.
[Abm] They had great hopes for me as a cellist, you know.
And they kept telling me that I couldn't write things, you know.
This was one particular teacher that I had.
I used to write when I was 14.
I wrote a string quartet and I proudly took it to her.
And she instantly sort of wrote all over it and pointed out all the mistakes, you know.
And it took me about a year at least to get over that, you know.
And she used to tell me that I just couldn't write.
I didn't have any talent for it and that I should make myself [Ab] a good cellist, which I had talent for.
I think she thought maybe I could be good enough to become a fourth desk in the Scottish National Orchestra or something, you know.
Though you despised the classical training you got at school, did it have no influence on you at all?
The first thing that really gathered me up was Bach, I suppose.
I got really involved in that because, believe it or not, he is really the ultimate in bass players, you know.
He really was the governor of all time, you know.
His bass lines are just incredible.
And I think any bass player can learn just about everything [C] in conventional harmony that there is to know from that.
How did the Cream come together as a pop group?
Well, [N]
all of us were working in separate groups.
And I don't think any of us was very happy with what was happening at the time.
And I had played with Ginger for a long time and we'd fallen out actually.
And I hadn't seen him for about a year.
And he suddenly appeared at my place one night with this idea of forming a group with Eric.
It just seemed such a good idea that we decided to have a play together just to see if it would work.
And we all went to Ginger's house and we just set [G] up our instruments in his living room.
[E] And just played this number which lasted for about two hours [F] or something, you know, without stopping.
It was just so obvious from the word go that it was going to be [N] a nice experience.
And that was it.
The songs that we play are really unimportant.
They're just like jumping off points for improvisation.
And the only things [Ab] that are set are the beginnings and the endings of most of our things.
In between, which can go on forever, is just improvised.
And we never know who's going to take the lead and what's going to happen next.
It just happens, you know, depending on the atmosphere and the way we feel.
We never [Ab] plan any particular song for any particular purpose.
We wouldn't [G] dream of sitting down and saying let's write a hit single for instance.
Let's make it two minutes and thirty-five seconds long.
Let's make the words sympathetic to an eleven-year-old girl in Seattle or something.
[Gb] We just don't do that.
And I suppose groups must.
In fact, [Eb] I was in a group once that did, you know, and did actually consider every song that they did from this point of view.
But we just don't.
And the fact that it was successful is I suppose an accident.
[G] As Bruce [G] says, their music is improvised.
After a basic harmonic and rhythmic pattern is established, the melody is one of free improvisation.
It often goes on for twenty or thirty minutes, but is held together by Bruce's flowing, spontaneous bass line.
Bruce is also an expert on Indian music and considers the influence of Indian music,
its melodic freedom, its drones, its rhythmic complexity, to be rock's most substantial contribution to Western music.
Just as in Indian music, the tabla player or drummer will talk to the sitar player with recognisable sound patterns,
so rock music, like the Creams, has developed similar [Ab] patterns.
For Jack Bruce, his harmonica, his voice and his pounding guitar speak with one voice of unmistakable
Key:
Ab
G
Gb
F
E
Ab
G
Gb
_ _ Rock music is always being attacked for the uneasy air of money-making that surrounds [Gb] it, for the pretentiousness of some of its lyrics, and for the shoddiness of some of its music.
There is the suspicion that most pop musicians are so incompetent that they have to hire session men to make their records.
While [Gb] the faceless session [F] men only get a standard fee, the pop artist makes a fortune.
And all those who want to sneer yet again at long-haired youth are given a cheap thrill.
[E] There are some rock performers, however, who did have a severe classical training, which they ultimately found [C] to be stifling and destructive.
_ [F]
The only way to express what they wanted in musical terms was to escape into pop music.
_ [N] Such a person is Jack Bruce. _
Whilst the cream were last in America, that is, several haircuts ago, we asked Bruce what formal music training he had, and if it had been of any use.
I did music at school and then I went to college in Scotland.
But, um, I really, I got thrown out of it.
_ But really it's taken me up until about two years ago to unlearn what I had learned, you know.
_ _ Really I wasn't making it, you know, until I really managed to unlearn the things that they taught me, you know.
I really feel strongly that they just teach the wrong things, you know. _ _
They teach everyone the same things, you know, regardless of what their own individual capacities and so on are.
They don't seem to take the trouble to find out people's individual characteristics, you know.
_ _ _ And improvisation, things like that, _ is regarded as really bad.
[Abm] They had great hopes for me as a cellist, you know.
And _ they kept telling me that I couldn't write things, you know.
This was one particular teacher that I had.
I used to write when I was 14.
I wrote a string quartet and I proudly took it to her.
And she instantly sort of wrote all over it and pointed out all the mistakes, you know.
And it took me about a year at least to get over that, you know.
And she used to tell me that I just couldn't write.
I didn't have any talent for it and that I should make myself [Ab] a good cellist, which I had talent for.
I think she thought maybe I could be good enough to become a fourth desk in the Scottish National Orchestra or something, you know.
Though you despised the classical training you got at school, did it have no influence on you at all?
The first thing that really gathered me up was Bach, I suppose.
I got really involved in that because, believe it or not, he is really the ultimate in bass players, you know.
He really was the governor of all time, you know.
His bass lines _ are just incredible.
And I think any bass player can learn just about everything [C] in conventional harmony that there is to know from that.
How did the Cream come together as a pop group?
Well, _ [N]
all of us were working in separate _ _ _ groups.
And I don't think any of us was very happy with what was happening at the time.
_ _ _ _ And I had played with Ginger for a long time and we'd fallen out actually.
And I hadn't seen him for about a year.
_ _ And he suddenly appeared at my place one night with this idea of forming a group with Eric.
It just seemed such a good idea that we decided to have a play together just to see if it would work.
And we all went to Ginger's house and we just set [G] up our instruments in his living room.
[E] And just played this _ number which lasted for about two hours [F] or something, you know, without stopping.
It was just so obvious from the word go that it was going to be _ [N] a nice experience.
And that was it.
The songs that we play are really unimportant. _ _
_ They're just like _ jumping off points for improvisation.
And the only things [Ab] that are set are the beginnings and the endings of most of our things.
_ _ In between, which can go on forever, is just improvised.
And we never know who's going to take the lead and what's going to happen next.
It just _ happens, you know, depending on the atmosphere and the way we feel.
We never [Ab] plan any particular song for any particular purpose. _
We wouldn't [G] dream of sitting down and saying let's write a hit single for instance.
Let's make it two minutes and thirty-five seconds long.
Let's make the words _ _ _ _ sympathetic to an eleven-year-old girl in Seattle or something. _
_ [Gb] We just don't do that.
And I suppose groups must.
In fact, [Eb] I was in a group once _ that did, you know, and did actually consider every song that they did from this point of view.
But we just don't.
And the fact that it was successful is I suppose an accident.
[G] As Bruce [G] says, their music is improvised.
After a basic harmonic and rhythmic pattern is established, the melody is one of free improvisation.
_ It often goes on for twenty or thirty minutes, but is held together by Bruce's flowing, spontaneous bass line.
Bruce is also an expert on Indian music and considers the influence of Indian music,
its melodic freedom, its drones, its rhythmic complexity, to be rock's most substantial contribution to Western music. _
Just as in Indian music, the tabla player or drummer will talk to the sitar player with recognisable sound patterns,
so rock music, like the Creams, has developed similar [Ab] patterns.
For Jack Bruce, his harmonica, his voice and his pounding guitar speak with one voice of unmistakable
There is the suspicion that most pop musicians are so incompetent that they have to hire session men to make their records.
While [Gb] the faceless session [F] men only get a standard fee, the pop artist makes a fortune.
And all those who want to sneer yet again at long-haired youth are given a cheap thrill.
[E] There are some rock performers, however, who did have a severe classical training, which they ultimately found [C] to be stifling and destructive.
_ [F]
The only way to express what they wanted in musical terms was to escape into pop music.
_ [N] Such a person is Jack Bruce. _
Whilst the cream were last in America, that is, several haircuts ago, we asked Bruce what formal music training he had, and if it had been of any use.
I did music at school and then I went to college in Scotland.
But, um, I really, I got thrown out of it.
_ But really it's taken me up until about two years ago to unlearn what I had learned, you know.
_ _ Really I wasn't making it, you know, until I really managed to unlearn the things that they taught me, you know.
I really feel strongly that they just teach the wrong things, you know. _ _
They teach everyone the same things, you know, regardless of what their own individual capacities and so on are.
They don't seem to take the trouble to find out people's individual characteristics, you know.
_ _ _ And improvisation, things like that, _ is regarded as really bad.
[Abm] They had great hopes for me as a cellist, you know.
And _ they kept telling me that I couldn't write things, you know.
This was one particular teacher that I had.
I used to write when I was 14.
I wrote a string quartet and I proudly took it to her.
And she instantly sort of wrote all over it and pointed out all the mistakes, you know.
And it took me about a year at least to get over that, you know.
And she used to tell me that I just couldn't write.
I didn't have any talent for it and that I should make myself [Ab] a good cellist, which I had talent for.
I think she thought maybe I could be good enough to become a fourth desk in the Scottish National Orchestra or something, you know.
Though you despised the classical training you got at school, did it have no influence on you at all?
The first thing that really gathered me up was Bach, I suppose.
I got really involved in that because, believe it or not, he is really the ultimate in bass players, you know.
He really was the governor of all time, you know.
His bass lines _ are just incredible.
And I think any bass player can learn just about everything [C] in conventional harmony that there is to know from that.
How did the Cream come together as a pop group?
Well, _ [N]
all of us were working in separate _ _ _ groups.
And I don't think any of us was very happy with what was happening at the time.
_ _ _ _ And I had played with Ginger for a long time and we'd fallen out actually.
And I hadn't seen him for about a year.
_ _ And he suddenly appeared at my place one night with this idea of forming a group with Eric.
It just seemed such a good idea that we decided to have a play together just to see if it would work.
And we all went to Ginger's house and we just set [G] up our instruments in his living room.
[E] And just played this _ number which lasted for about two hours [F] or something, you know, without stopping.
It was just so obvious from the word go that it was going to be _ [N] a nice experience.
And that was it.
The songs that we play are really unimportant. _ _
_ They're just like _ jumping off points for improvisation.
And the only things [Ab] that are set are the beginnings and the endings of most of our things.
_ _ In between, which can go on forever, is just improvised.
And we never know who's going to take the lead and what's going to happen next.
It just _ happens, you know, depending on the atmosphere and the way we feel.
We never [Ab] plan any particular song for any particular purpose. _
We wouldn't [G] dream of sitting down and saying let's write a hit single for instance.
Let's make it two minutes and thirty-five seconds long.
Let's make the words _ _ _ _ sympathetic to an eleven-year-old girl in Seattle or something. _
_ [Gb] We just don't do that.
And I suppose groups must.
In fact, [Eb] I was in a group once _ that did, you know, and did actually consider every song that they did from this point of view.
But we just don't.
And the fact that it was successful is I suppose an accident.
[G] As Bruce [G] says, their music is improvised.
After a basic harmonic and rhythmic pattern is established, the melody is one of free improvisation.
_ It often goes on for twenty or thirty minutes, but is held together by Bruce's flowing, spontaneous bass line.
Bruce is also an expert on Indian music and considers the influence of Indian music,
its melodic freedom, its drones, its rhythmic complexity, to be rock's most substantial contribution to Western music. _
Just as in Indian music, the tabla player or drummer will talk to the sitar player with recognisable sound patterns,
so rock music, like the Creams, has developed similar [Ab] patterns.
For Jack Bruce, his harmonica, his voice and his pounding guitar speak with one voice of unmistakable