(c’69) Eric Clapton (guitar / vocals), Peter Edward “Ginger” Baker (drums / percussion), Steve Winwood (keyboards / guitar / vocals), and Ric Grech (bass / violin)
This blues rock combo originated with informal jamming sessions by Clapton and Winwood, reportedly in the basement of Clapton’s Ripley home in early ’69. However, Clapton had already acquired the Hurtwood Edge Estate, Ewhurst by this point and we believe this is the more likely location for the birth of Blind Faith. Baker joined them in ‘Ripley’ and they decided to form a band.
They moved practice to Traffic’s rehearsal cottage in Aston Tirrold, Berkshire and the formation of Blind Faith was announced to the press on 8 February ’69, with Baker confirmed as drummer, over Jim Capaldi. Grech joined, leaving Family in the middle of their US tour, in May ’69.
As one of the first super-groups, stylistically similar to the bands, Traffic and Cream, in which Winwood, Baker, and Clapton had most recently participated, they helped pioneer the genre of blues/rock fusion. Straight off they began recording their eponymous debut, and only, album.
The first Blind Faith concert was on 7 June ’69 in front of an estimated 100,000 fans in Hyde Park, London, where they were supported by Richie Havens, Donovan, Edgar Broughton Band, and Third Ear Band. On stage they knocked out their soon to be released LP material and covers of the Rolling Stones’ Under My Thumb, Traffic’s Means to an End, and Sam Myers’ Sleeping in the Ground. A run of 500 promotional singles was released by Island Records, although the promotion was not for a Blind Faith single but the label announcing their move to new offices, titled Change of Address From 23 June 1969. The single-sided 7″ carried a Blind Faith instrumental, although no credit was given to the band.
They continued to work on of their album, and undertook a tour of Scandinavia, it was kept short and to smaller venues. This enabled then to rehearse and prepare for the bigger audiences expected in the United States and UK. The band’s US tour, supported by Delaney & Bonnie, Taste, and Free, kicked off at Madison Square Garden, New York on 12 July ’69 and they were at Baltimore’s Civic Center on 20 July ’69. On 26 July ’69 the band headlined the second day of the Midwest Rock Festival at West Allis, WI, USA; also, on the bill that day were Delaney & Bonnie, Taste, John Mayall, MC5, SRC, and The Shag
The LP, Blind Faith, was released on 8 August ’69, topping the UK and Billboard charts. The cover art, created by photographer Bob Seidemann, featured a topless 11-year-old girl on the front cover, which drew controversy and was quickly withdrawn and reissued with a different cover in the United States.
With limited material of their own they were forced to include old Cream and Traffic material – not that the audiences minded – to elongate their set to a sufficient length. The band played the Forum, Ingelwood on 15 August ’69, supported by Free and Delaney & Bonnie. Nine days later the US tour ended in Hawaii on 24 August ’69. Blind Faith disbanded immediately after their last performance, although Baker didn’t find out until he’d returned to the UK.
Grech, Winwood, and Baker would form Ginger Baker’s Air Force, a group that also included Denny Laine (guitar), Chris Wood (sax / flute), and several other musicians. When Air Force folded, Winwood reformed Traffic with original members and Grech. Clapton toured with Delaney & Bonnie as well as performing / recording with the Plastic Ono Band, John Lennon, George Harrison, Dr. John, Billy Preston, Ringo Starr, Dave Mason, Howlin’ Wolf, and Hubert Sumlin over the following year. He also recorded his eponymous debut solo LP, with Delaney Bramlett’s backing group, Leon Russell and Stephen Stills.
Further live Blind Faith tracks, not included on the million-selling LP, appeared on Winwood’s box set, The Finer Things. During 2000 the band’s only album was remastered and re-released by Polydor as a two-CD deluxe edition with alternate takes, out-takes and studio rehearsal versions in 2001. The Change of Address instrumental also reappear as a bonus track, titled Change of Address Jam.
Grech passed on 16 March ’90 in Leicester, aged 43, of liver failure bought on by alcoholism. Ginger Baker died in a Canterbury hospital on 6 October 2019, aged of 80, from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
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