Cream have confirmed details of a career-spanning 6-LP vinyl box set due out next month.
Rock’s first supergroup release Cream: 1966-1972 on November 24 via Universal Music. It includes the band’s four studio and two live sets reissued with reproductions of original artwork on 180-gram heavyweight audiophile vinyl.
Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker roared onto the scene in 1966 with Fresh Cream, introducing a sonic hybrid of blues rock, hard rock and burgeoning psychedelic rock with jazz-influenced drumming.
Disreali Gears arrived in late 1967 and was followed nine months later by the double-album Wheels Of Fire, issued at the same time as the group announced plans to break up after a US tour.
Cream played two farewell concerts at Royal Albert Hall in November 1968 to close out their career.
The band’s aptly-titled fourth album, 1969’s Goodbye, signalled the end of an era and was followed by two live releases – 1970’s Live Cream and 1972’s Live Cream Volume II. Both were recorded on tour in America during 1967 and 1968.
Cream reunited to perform at their 1993 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. And in 2005, they regrouped again to play four shows at the scene of their 1968 farewell – the Royal Albert Hall – recorded and issued on CD later that year and launched with three dates at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Despite continued fan interest in a reunion, the band members say it isn’t on the cards.
In 2006, Clapton said: “No. Not for me. We did it and it was fun. But life is too short. I’ve got lots of other things I would rather do, including staying at home with my kids. The thing about that band was that it was all to do with its limits. It was an experiment.”
The same year, Baker pointed to Bruce as the reason, saying: “When he’s Dr Jekyll, he’s fine. It’s when he’s Mr. Hyde that he’s not. And I’m afraid he’s still the same. I tell you this – there won’t ever be any more Cream gigs, because he did Mr Hyde in New York last year.”
Cream: 1966-1972 tracklist
LP1: Fresh Cream (1966)
A1 N.S.U.
A2 Sleepy Time Time
A3 Dreaming
A4 Sweet Wine
A5 Spoonful
B1 Cat’s Squirrel
B2 Four Until Late
B3 Rollin’ And Tumblin’
B4 I’m So Glad
B5 Toad
LP2: Disraeli Gears (1967)
A1 Strange Brew
A2 Sunshine Of Your Love
A3 World Of Pain
A4 Dance The Night Away
A5 Blue Condition
B1 Tales Of Brave Ulysses
B2 SWLABR
B3 We’re Going Wrong
B4 Outside Woman Blues
B5 Take It Back
B6 Mother’s Lament
LP3: Wheels Of Fire (1968)
A1 White Room
A2 Sitting On Top Of The World
A3 Passing The Time
A4 As You Said
B1 Pressed Rat And Warthog
B2 Politician B3 Those Were The Days
B4 Born Under A Bad Sign
B5 Deserted Cities Of The Heart
C1 Crossroads – Live At The Fillmore
C2 Spoonful – Live At The Fillmore
D1 Traintime – Live At The Fillmore
D2 Toad – Live At The Fillmore
LP4: Goodbye (1969)
A1 I’m So Glad
A2 Politician
B1 Sitting On Top Of The World
B2 Badge
B3 Doing That Scrapyard Thing
B4 What A Bringdown
LP5: Live Cream (1970)
A1 N.S.U.
A2 Sleepy Time Time
A3 Lawdy Mama
B1 Sweet Wine
B2 Rollin’ And Tumblin’
LP6: Live Cream Volume II (1972)
A1 Deserted Cities Of The Heart
A2 White Room
A3 Politician
A4 Tales Of Brave Ulysses
B1 Sunshine Of Your Love
B2 Steppin’ Out (Incorrectly listed as Hideaway on original LP pressings)
