The Fillmore Outtakes (Golden Eggs EGG 111)
Fillmore East, New York City, NY, USA – October 23/24, 1970
October 24, Late Show *
October 23, Late Show **
October 23, Early Show ***
(62:00) Got To Get Better In A Little While *, Key To The Highway **, Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad ***, Blues Power***, Have You Ever Loved A Woman **, Bottle Of Red Wine *, Presence Of The Lord **, Little Wing***
Derek and the Dominos performances at New York City’s famed Fillmore East in the fall on 1970 has become the cornerstone of Dominos live recordings for good reason. The four concerts were officially recorded and would eventually be released as In Concert, a double LP set released by Polydor in 1973. Twenty years later Polydor would revisit and expend the In Concert material and release Live At The Fillmore. The vaults must have not been too tightly locked as material from this run have been circulating for some time on Domino Theory Part 1 (Silver Rarities – SIRA 17), Domino Theory Part 2 (Silver Rarities – SIRA 18), Essential Fillmore Tapes (Paddington Records PADD-031/034/035/038/039), Live At The Fillmore Complete Edition (Slunky 17 A/B/C), Complete Fillmore Tapes (Paddington Records PADD 30-39), Break Free Fillmore East Concert (Moonchild Records MC-078), Live At Fillmore Wolfgang’s Vault (Mid Valley 528/529/530), Live At The Fillmore (Tarantura FE70-1,2,3,4), Live At The Fillmore (ECO Records & Tapes – ECO 70), and The Ace Of Stratosphere (Mid Valley Records MVR-842-849).
In August 2019 an hours worth of music was released in much improved sound quality, Fillmore Outtakes (No Label), Fillmore East 1970 (No Label), Fillmore Outtakes (Paddington PADD-059), Fillmore Outtakes (Moonchild Records MC-175), and now Golden Eggs all feature this new mix.
This is a note from the torrent version of this tape that gives a little bit of background I found quite interesting: “This is a compilation of unreleased tracks from the shows, culled from a very high quality source. EVSD recently bootlegged the late shows from this same source, but with typically lousy “remastering” work done to it. So a friend asked me to pass along this nice little compilation of leftovers from three of the shows, in “non-remastered” audiophile quality. Clapton fans familiar with the Cream “Western Tour 1968″ bootleg will know what to expect here, as it is very much the same deal”. Interesting considering that the Cream Western Tour 1968 set was just officially released as Goodbye Tour 1968, perhaps we will be graced with the complete shows getting a much needed box set, I am just speculating.
First off the sound quality of this new title is excellent, it is of official quality. I pulled out my Live At Fillmore Polydor set for sound comparison and to my ears these new outtakes actually trump the official release. It is warmer and very natural sounding with better range of frequencies and the instrument and vocal separation is superb. I do not hear sounds of overzealous mastering in the cymbals or any unnatural sounds in quiet areas, to sum up sound quality I would rank it as Stunning. Much of this music has been released on the unofficial titles, save for the version of Blues Power from the October 23 early show, while it does circulate on an audience source, this is the first appearance of the soundboard version.
The first song, Got To Get Better In A Little While is proceeded by a typical Bill Graham introduction, “Very very fine musicians… on drums Mr. Jim Gordon, on bass Mr. Carl Radle, on the organ Mr. Bobbie Whitlock…on guitar Mr. Eric Clapton…Derek And The Dominoes, this is taken from the October 24 late show as confirmed by the Mid Valley Fillmore East Wolfgang’s Vault release. Got To Get Better from the 24 late show is a bit of a slow starter compared to the 23rd late show but once it gets going it’s really good.
The songs from the 23rd early show are really good, Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad has a really nice groove, Blues Power is similar in vein to the other two versions from this run and the version of Little Wing is just incredible, so much it stopped me in my tracks when I first listened. Have You Ever Loved A Woman is the only true Blues of the set, Clapton plays an incredible solo in the most inspired way. Jim Gordon and Carl Radle were such a dynamic rhythm section, at times the playing is subtle yet expansive, driving the music yet also in full support mode to Clapton’s lead, the foundation of the band. Bottle Of Red Wine is swampy blues at its best and features really nice organ work from Whitlock, who also does harmony vocals with Clapton, another key part of the Dominos sound. Presence Of The Lord is its typical melancholy goodness, while not Stevie Winwood soulfulness, equally as good in its own way, and the Wah pedal solo…simply sublime.
The packaging is typical Golden Eggs tri gate fold sleeve with the cover art being like an alternate of the official Live At Fillmore release. The rest of the sleeve is made up of live shots of Clapton and the Dominos and there is a short, detailed essay on the interior. There are several releases of this material, all sourced most certainly from the torrent. Recordings of this nature do not come around often, I would recommend this title to the hard core and more importantly the general collector, the sound quality is exceptional, the music played is phenomenal and falls easily into the essential range.
