I'm going... if they'll sell me a ticket.

Haven't gone to a "rock concert" in 15 years...

I bet you'll have fun.
Sometimes people put green tennis balls on the wheels of their walkers. What does that do, exactly?

OK Donnah, this one almost got by me, but I can't let it go. Sorry.
Although these guys probably "invented" the Austin Powers look, they were by no means like Herman's Hermits, the Bee Gees or any kind of your typical top 40 candyass commercial band. Transitional and short-lived as a group? Yes (they broke up after a 1968 concert, allegedly when one of 'em just stopped playing and the other two didn't notice). But this band is very important to the history of rock and roll. And they were very, very good.

I'm not a Jack Bruce fan per se (never bought an album of his or heard anything he's done since 1968), and I surely can't imagine that both Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker would team back up with him a' la Plant/Page [saw 'em live circa 1998, wish I hadn't] or the Swingin' Medallions [unless Clapton's just trying to help out an old mate]. HOWEVER, I must mention that the original Cream was absolutely seminal during the glorious near-decade of 1965-1973. Clapton as "God"(remember THAT?). A three man mega-decibel Air Force of sound [the technology to make that possible had just arrived]. A very respectable list of classic songs too: Tales of Brave Ulysees (I used it to quit smoking -- listen to it!), Spoonful, Badge, World of Pain, Dance the Night Away, We're Going Wrong and Outside Woman Blues, to name just a few. And "Sunshine of your Love" (played to friggin' death on AM radio during the late 60's, and what most folks think of when they think of Cream) was probably their worst song. Some of the best work of Eric Clapton's career was done during those two years.

Their debut album from 1966 - - Fresh Cream - - is number 101 on the List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of ALL TIME, and Disraeli Gears is #112[though in a nod to your good taste, Donnah, the ABB's Fillmore East album is #49]. Nothing to sneeze at.

For me, what makes this band so important and great is the fact that it emerged so early: 1966 was still very early during the "happening", well before the 60's became a cliche. Think Hendrix, Joplin, Doors, Grateful Dead. To put it in perspective: LSD was still legal in 1966 [it was outlawed in the US in 1967].

And remember what they became, led to, or are related to musically: Blind Faith, Traffic, Mountain, George Harrison, Winwood, Derek and the Dominoes [yes, even Derek], more I don't even know about....

Jack Bruce had some pretty good company:

Eric Clapton - guitar & vocals
Jack Bruce - bass guitar & vocals,
Ginger Baker - drums, percussion and vocals Felix Pappalardi - piano & mellotron "L'Angelo Misterioso" (George Harrison) - rhythm guitar [on Badge]

Please check out the wikipedia entry and some of the related links there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_(band)

Rant mode off. Not willing to fly up there but I would go if they were within, say, 200 miles.

Ahhh, stepped on some Cream fans' toes. Sorry about that. Just laughing at their grooviness.
Musically, they didn't do much for me.

I'm 41... I'm pretty darn old to my kids, but to the "Cream" generation I'm underage, for sure.

Dunno about tennis balls on walkers. Now, something that would fire tennis balls from a walker, that'd be handy.

What Carl said.

What did the Grateful Dead fan say when he ran out of pot? "Dude, this band sucks."

Donnah:
no, no; now don't tell me, but this is a major clue to your age. I now have you bracketed to within a 10 year period, I think.

Who were YOU listening to in 1966?

Fred Rogers? [give me 3 guesses]

OK, if they were such a jewel-encrusted band, don't you think it might be better to let people remember them that way, instead of as three geriatrics reunited after 30-something years to sing "White Room"? Am I too much of a philistine to understand Cream's mighty fuzzbox?
This might be a guy thing.

Carl-do you know I never saw Mr. Rogers until I was an adult? Except for Saturday morning, my mother never allowed the television to be on when it was light out.

Well, I haven't kept up with them, but isn't Clapton still capable of some great guitar work? The others, I don't know if they've still got it, but it's not like they have to wiggle around the stage like that sad old shit Mick Jagger. I never thought the Cream's appeal included theater like some other groups. They just played good music.

That said, you might be right, Donnah, and it may not be worth the risk that they'll be like that Plant/Page thing Carl mentions. I saw it on tube and it made me sad.

I think the three guys in Cream are just terrific, unique musicians.

I'd still want to see'm, even if they were playing Branson MO instead of Madison Sq Grd.

Donnak and Salt: That's what was so disappointing about that latter day Plant/Page concer: Two overweight late middle-aged guys squeezed into tight leather pants, the same overly-coiffed ( but thinning)long hair, prancing around trying to act like they're still in their 20's. My buddies an I left, sdaly shaking our heads after 3-4 songs. But then again there was always a little too much showmanship and coiffing going on with those guys and that's why the world later became cursed with decadent commercial theatrical groups like KISS.
The great musicians usually just play (exception: Hendrix, and he just lacked self confidence.

That's Donnah, not Donnak, doh!

But, hey, since we were speaking of names elsewhere today, "Donnak" does have a certain aura of authenticity to it, n'est pas? Reminds me of that other famous Floridian, GOMEK (the 100 year old, 30 foot long salt water croc at The Gator Farm in St Augustine, may he rest in peace).

Yes, they're fine musicians, Erik. Don't pay me no mind.

Ahhhh, I get it now. Y'all are just so damned happy to have a topic other than Katrina.

I'll post about math and see how that flies. You know that times table stuff? The eights are tough.

How 'bout the "gozintas"? As in 4 gozinta12 3 times ...
Anyways, Cream were the first "blues'" I heard at an
impressionable age B/4 I knew what blues were. Duane was "scared" of Eric at their first meeting & the Hourglass covered a few Cream songs if you count "Crossroads". They were trailblazers in their day; but
you're right Donnah, no way would I pay $650 for the
cheap seats today. I might check out the DVD though...

$650! Yikes. I didn't even look at the ticket prices.