Blind Faith
| Company type | Supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Ric Grech |
| Defunct | 1969 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Blind Faith was a British rock supergroup composed of Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech. Drawing on the achievements of their previous bands—Clapton and Baker from Cream and Winwood from Traffic—they produced one album and embarked on a short summer tour lasting three months before disbanding.
The ensemble came together following informal jam sessions between Clapton and Winwood in early 1969, after both Cream and Traffic had disbanded. Baker joined these rehearsals, and in May, Grech was brought in from Family. They proceeded to record their self-titled debut album, which became controversial due to its original cover featuring a topless 11-year-old girl; this image was rapidly withdrawn and replaced for the U.S. release.
Their first live performance on 7 June drew nearly 100,000 attendees at Hyde Park, London, although the band members felt insufficiently prepared. Subsequent tours across Scandinavia and the United States saw them supplement a scarcity of new material with songs from Cream and Traffic, much to the audience's delight but to the group’s dissatisfaction. Clapton increasingly distanced himself, preferring to spend time with opening act Delaney & Bonnie. The band dissolved immediately after their final concert. Despite their brief existence, Clapton and Winwood maintained their musical partnership, performing Blind Faith songs during later tours.
Formation and early history
Blind Faith emerged following the mid-1968 breakup of Cream, a trio that had achieved significant commercial success with millions of records sold worldwide. Internal disputes—especially between bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker—combined with Eric Clapton’s wish to pursue a new, less mainstream blues style, led to Cream’s end after two performances at the Royal Albert Hall in November 1968.
Similarly, Steve Winwood experienced creative dissatisfaction with the Spencer Davis Group and left to establish Traffic in 1967. During Traffic’s 1968 hiatus, Winwood began informal sessions with Clapton in Surrey, England. Although initially hesitant, Clapton became encouraged by these jams and contemplated forming a new band. The music media speculated about a supergroup that would surpass Cream’s legacy, with Clapton and Winwood even considering recording alongside rhythm section players Duck Dunn and Al Jackson Jr.
In early 1969, after Baker joined rehearsals in Berkshire, Clapton, Winwood, and Baker seriously discussed forming a new group. Clapton was initially hesitant to include Baker due to his commitment to Bruce and reluctance to reunite former Cream members so soon. However, Winwood persuaded him that Baker’s exceptional skills were essential. Traffic was paused, and other members were informed; later, Winwood suspected that Clapton might have preferred Jim Capaldi instead of Baker.
Managers Robert Stigwood and Chris Blackwell agreed to manage the band but disagreed on direction—Stigwood advocated rapid commercial success while the musicians desired time for artistic development. The band’s formation was publicly announced on 8 February 1969. By May, Ric Grech departed Family mid-tour to join Blind Faith as bassist, generating friction with his previous group. The name "Blind Faith" was chosen by Clapton to symbolize the group’s trust in their potential success despite uncertainties.
Recording
Since Winwood was under contract with Island Records, he required authorization from Blackwell, the label's owner, to collaborate with Clapton and Baker, who were signed to Polydor Records in the U.K. To announce Island's office relocation, a promotional single titled "Change Of Address From 23 June 1969" was issued.
This promo record was one-sided and featured an instrumental jam by Blind Faith, though the band was not identified on the label. It solely displayed Island’s updated contact information. The recording took place at Olympic Studios during sessions for their debut album, with approximately 500 copies produced and primarily distributed among UK DJs and industry professionals. The track was subsequently included as a bonus on the two-CD "Deluxe Edition" of the Blind Faith album released in 2000 under the name "Change Of Address Jam".
Upon its release in July 1969, Blind Faith reached number one on both the UK and U.S. Billboard Pop Album charts. Within its first month, it sold over 500,000 units and also stimulated increased sales of Cream albums; notably, Best of Cream climbed to No. 3 on Billboard concurrently.
The album’s cover art was produced by photographer Bob Seidemann, a close friend and former roommate of Clapton, recognized for his work with Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead. The cover, which did not include the band’s name, depicted a topless 11-year-old girl holding a silver spaceship, sparking controversy. For the U.S. market, an alternate cover featuring the band members was used. The girl’s parents had given their consent, and she received a payment of £40 (£ adjusted for inflation).
In 2000, Polydor issued a remastered two-CD deluxe version of the album that contained alternate takes, outtakes, and studio rehearsals from early 1969.
Touring
The announcement of Blind Faith's formation generated considerable anticipation. Their debut performance occurred at a free event in London's Hyde Park on 7 June 1969 before an audience of approximately 100,000. Attendees included Capaldi, Wood, Mick Jagger, and Marianne Faithfull. The concert featured all six tracks from their debut album alongside covers such as the Rolling Stones’ "Under My Thumb," Traffic’s "Means to an End," and Sam Myers’ "Sleeping in the Ground." While fans responded positively to the show, Clapton felt dissatisfied with the band's musicianship, remaining close to his amplifiers and avoiding center stage; only Baker exhibited notable stage presence.
Although still refining their sound, management urged the group to tour as a revenue source. Clapton agreed reluctantly due to limited rehearsal time and preparation but was motivated by his desire to work with Winwood and a lack of alternative opportunities. While continuing studio sessions, they embarked on a brief Scandinavian tour playing smaller venues to hone their performance before tackling larger audiences in the U.S. and U.K. Their American debut took place at Madison Square Garden on 12 July.
A significant challenge was their scarce repertoire—just enough songs for an hour-long set unfamiliar to most listeners. Clapton opposed extended jams reminiscent of Cream that could prolong shows excessively. As a result, they incorporated older material from Cream and Traffic into their sets, which pleased audiences but frustrated Clapton who preferred a more understated approach rather than revisiting Cream hits. He also wished to perform at the Woodstock Festival during this period but was outvoted by other members.
Supporting acts included Free, Taste, and the R&B rock duo Delaney & Bonnie. Clapton admired Delaney & Bonnie’s soulful blues style and often spent time with them rather than focusing solely on Blind Faith, allowing Winwood greater spotlight within their own band. Clapton frequently joined Delaney & Bonnie’s performances and even preferred they headline over Blind Faith.
The group toured across the United States for an additional seven weeks before concluding in Hawaii on 24 August. Following this final show, Clapton and Winwood decided to dissolve the band. Grech was informed immediately about this decision; Baker only found out after returning from Jamaica and was upset by the breakup.
Aftermath
Following the conclusion of the tour in August, media outlets speculated about the band's future plans, with Stigwood hinting at additional tours. However, by October, the group officially dissolved. Several songs from the band were later featured on Steve Winwood's 1995 compilation album The Finer Things. A live recording titled London Hyde Park 1969, capturing the entire concert, was released in 2005.
Clapton experienced ambivalence about the band's dissolution, feeling remorseful for departing a project that Winwood was passionately committed to. He withdrew from the public eye initially by joining the Plastic Ono Band, then toured as a supporting musician with Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. This allowed him to escape the overwhelming scrutiny he encountered during his time with Cream and Blind Faith. Subsequently, Clapton established the supergroup Derek and the Dominos alongside members from Delaney & Bonnie. Throughout his solo career, he continued to perform Blind Faith compositions such as "Presence of the Lord" and "Can't Find My Way Home".
Conversely, Baker valued his experience with Blind Faith and went on to form a related project called Ginger Baker's Air Force, which included Grech and Winwood. After several performances, Winwood departed to focus on his solo album Mad Shadows, which eventually transformed into Traffic's John Barleycorn Must Die. In 1970, Clapton joined Winwood during a Traffic concert, fueling speculation about a possible reunion. Grech toured with Traffic and contributed to their albums The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys and Welcome to the Canteen. Winwood pursued a prosperous solo career thereafter; Grech collaborated with various bands until his passing in 1990. Baker died on 6 October 2019, leaving Winwood and Clapton as the last surviving members of Blind Faith.
Clapton and Winwood reunions
Clapton and Winwood shared the stage again during the Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis (ARMS) tour in 1983, an event organized to support former Small Faces and Faces member Ronnie Lane, who was suffering from the disease.
In July 2007, they appeared together at the Crossroads Guitar Festival held in Bridgeview, Illinois, performing several tracks originally by Blind Faith. This led to three reunion shows at Madison Square Garden in February 2008 billed as "Winwood and Clapton," where they played Blind Faith songs alongside selections from Traffic, Derek and the Dominos, Clapton’s solo repertoire, and various covers. A DVD and a two-disc CD documenting these concerts were released in 2009.
On 10 June 2009, they embarked on a 14-date summer tour across the United States beginning at New Jersey’s Izod Center, once again including Blind Faith material in their setlist. They also performed five nights at London's Royal Albert Hall between 26 May and 1 June 2011. Both musicians returned separately to Hyde Park on 8 July 2018.
In February 2020, Clapton and Winwood reunited once more to perform Blind Faith songs during a tribute concert honoring Ginger Baker at the Eventim Apollo.
Members
- Steve Winwood – lead vocals, keyboards, lead guitar
- Eric Clapton – lead guitar, vocals
- Ric Grech – bass guitar, violin
- Ginger Baker – drums, percussion
Album
- Blind Faith (1969)
Singles
- "Well All Right" / "Can't Find My Way Home" (1969) Reached No. 20 in the Netherlands
- "Change of Address" / "Sales Office" (promotional release) (1969)
Filmography
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Cucumber Castle | Hugh Gladwish |
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1969 | London Hyde Park 1969 |