Eric Clapton's racist outburst started Rock Against Racism | Bass Culture Research

Red Saunders, photographer and founder of Rock Against Racism, talks about Eric Clapton's racism during a concert in Birmingham and explains why he started Rock Against Racism.

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Bass Culture is a three-year research project exploring the impact of Jamaican and Jamaican-influenced music on British culture. From the 60s to the present day we explore the ways in which roots music remade popular culture in Britain, playing a key role in building a multicultural United Kingdom whilst filling dancehalls and street parties with skanking and pure fyah riddims. From rocksteady to dubstep, ska to grime, Bass Culture looks at the music in it’s wider context, exploring sound system culture and black British history as a vital part of the nation’s story.

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[alsuncat]

Eric was never the same after he saw Hendrix play.

[dm_hater]

He probably decided he didn’t like black people after he saw Jimi absolutely upstage him in London lmao

[mikearchibald]

Its always best to learn as little about your heroes as possible.

[KevinReynolds-sqqd]

London is 1/2 Muslim now. Clapton was probably right...

[russelmurray]

Just because Eric was an addict doesn't excuse his behavior

[BazookaToe]

When someone shows you who they are, believe them.

[andrewsuppa]

I'm a big fan of Eric Clapton. Journeyman is one of my favorite albums of all time. But the more I hear of his thoughts and beliefs, the harder it is to separate the two. I'm not saying I won't listen to him anymore, but I think I will just keep it to the music.

[kevink]

Amazing that Clap came out of the era of "peace and love", worked with talent from all walks off life, made a career off of the groundwork black and POC musicians, probably slept with POC too....and he still turned out to be a damn racist....like how???

[StarContract]

Clapton's words from the concert:

"Are there any foreigners in the audience tonight? Raise your hand if you are. And if you are, leave. Not just the hall, this country as well. I don't want you here, in the room or in my country."

After some booed and some cheered, he continued:

 “Listen to me, man! I think we should send them all back.”

[iiPotatoes]

Good God those were some insane burns. "Rocks biggest colonialist", "who shot the sheriff. It sure wasn't you".... Fucking wow.

[saintroddy]

Eric Clapton's infamous rant inspired "In the Flesh" from The Wall.

[edwinwise]

Just because you play an instrument well doesn’t define wether your a creep or not . We tend to make hero’s out of people all the wrong reasons

[Dev-fooi]

It's really weird, on one hand, I feel deeply sorry for Eric for the loss of his son and his battle with addiction, and I am grateful for the crossroads charity he has established, but then again, he seems like a most terrible person. I have learnt to seperate the art from the artist, but it saddens me to read and hear some of the stuff Eric has done, someone I've looked up to as an inspiration.

[satevo]

It's funny because I thought it was Birmingham Alabama for second and it still made perfect sense to me.

[carlstawicki]

English Brian Posehn made some good points.

[jesspavlichenko]

"Who shot the sheriff? Because it certainly wasn't you mate"

[Ad_Astra]

I grew up listening to his music as a kid but this is such a hugely disappointing news. I’m glad my father-in-law, who also a fan of his music when he was alive, was saved from this disappointment.

[OniDasAlagoas]

And nowadays Clapton is just an old conservative folk who thinks he is the real rebel, while defending the status quo... What a joke of a person.

[jacketrussell]

I was at the Clapton concert in 1976 at the Odeon Birmingham.
He was pissed when he came on stage and drank steadily through the concert.
He actually had a fair bit of support from the crowd, I only saw about a dozen people walk out.
Yvonne Elliman was good though.

[Artty-flul]

The majority agree with Clapton. God bless him. People say that they love black people, don't know many black people.