Being in a band might mean different things to each person. While some enjoy working with others and having fun, others might not be so sure about that. You see, from the Beatles to Guns N’ Roses, even some of the most successful bands were destined to fall apart at some point in their careers as, at times, personal egos would get more significant than the act itself.
However, there are still some perks of being in a band other than always having people around. Well, since most bandmates usually get along, it might be nice to have someone beside you to rock the stage together, and also, when one bandmate might not give their best during a gig, the others might be there to look after them.
So, the guitar legend Eric Clapton had also been thinking about the pros and cons of being with a band when he made a confession to Lindsey Buckingham. But, if you know anything about Clapton, you might also know that the guitarist’s a lone wolf, which makes this confession even more interesting.
Lindsey was chatting with BAM magazine in the early ’80s when the topic came to making a solo record. The then-young Buckingham thought that would be pretty challenging since the project would be solely in his own hands. However, being in a band was always beneficial, as the guitarist joked that there would always be someone else around to hide behind if the album failed.
“I think it will be pretty nerve-wracking,” Buckingham said when asked how challenging it would be to make a solo album. “Because you can’t hide behind anyone at that point. You’re taking total responsibility. That’s something a lot of people who have gone solo miss.”
The guitarist then shared how the lone wolf, the one and only Eric Clapton, admitted to him how much he had missed being with a band and working with others. Lindsey recalled, “When Eric Clapton hangs out with Mick or us, he’s always saying, ‘God, I wish I was in a band again.’ That’s because the burden is all on him.”
He continued, “It’s just not the same when, as a leader, you’re paying people a certain amount each week to play with you. The balance of power is not the same, and it drains you. Bob Welch had a couple of successful solo albums, but now I think he misses being in a group where people will give you honest feedback [and] tell you when you’ve got your head up your ass. You need that thing when other people in the band have as much at stake as you do.”
Thus, even though Clapton liked going solo, he confessed that he had missed being in a band while chatting with Lindsey. Maybe, while hanging out with Fleetwood Mac and the Rolling Stones, the guitarist saw how well they worked and longed to be in a team full of friends. However, he still preferred to be on his own, for the most part, and, ironically, Lindsey would be fired from his band a few years later.
