VIA PRESS RELEASE | “Cream was a shambling circus of diverse personalities who happened to find that catalyst together… any one of us could have played unaccompanied for a good length of time. So you put the three of us together in front of an audience willing to dig it limitlessly, we could have gone on forever. And we did—just going for the moon every time we played.” —Eric Clapton
UMe is delighted to announce the 4-CD, special edition of Cream’s Goodbye Tour Live 1968. Set for release on February 7, 2020, this sumptuous set brings together 36 tracks, including 29 making their first appearance on CD, recorded during Cream’s farewell tour of the U.S. in October 1968 and their final UK date at London’s Royal Albert Hall on November 26th of that same year. There are a total of 19 previously unreleased tracks, and a further 10 tracks from the Royal Albert Hall show, which have only ever been available on DVD. Rolling Stone magazine’s David Fricke supplies insightful liner notes, chronicling the group’s collective musical genius and their legendary final tour.
For all pre-orders, there will be free downloads made available starting today with “Sunshine Of Your Love” (Live At Oakland Coliseum Arena, California / 1968), followed by “Crossroads” (Live At The San Diego Sports Arena / 1968) on January 13, 2020.
On its original release in February 1969, Goodbye, which combined live performances from their last tour dates with a handful of studio recordings, rose to the U.K. No. 1 slot and to No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard chart. This new expanded edition comprises three U.S. concerts; Oakland Coliseum, Los Angeles Forum, San Diego Sports Arena, alongside London’s Royal Albert Hall. It captures Cream at their virtuosic best, at the end but also at the height of their career.
With Cream, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, and Eric Clapton, set the template for not only the “supergroup” but also the “power trio,” with their innate musical talent and brilliance. Only coming together as Cream in July 1966, they shone briefly but blindingly brightly throughout two trailblazing years.
CREAM – GOODBYE TOUR LIVE 1968
First authorized release of four historic complete 1968 concerts:
DISC ONE – OCTOBER 4, 1968
Oakland Coliseum, Oakland
(All tracks previously unreleased, except *)
White Room 6.19*
Politician 5.22*
Crossroads 3.57
Sunshine Of Your Love 5.35
Spoonful 16.47
Deserted Cities Of The Heart 5.26*
Passing The Time 10.40
I’m So Glad 7.07
DISC TWO – OCTOBER 19, 1968
Los Angeles Forum, Los Angeles
(All tracks previously unreleased except *)
Introduction by Buddy Miles 1:39
White Room 6.53
Politician 6.41*
I’m So Glad 9.37*
Sitting On Top Of The World 4.53*
Crossroads 4.25
Sunshine Of Your Love 6.27
Traintime 8.11
Toad 12.55
Spoonful 17.27*
DISC THREE – OCTOBER 20, 1968
San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego
(All tracks previously unreleased)
The Oakland Coliseum, Los Angeles Forum and San Diego Sports Arena concerts were mastered from the original 1968 analog mix reels by Kevin Reeves at Universal Mastering, Nashville, TN.
White Room 6.42
Politician 6.26
I’m So Glad 7.53
Sitting On Top Of The World 5.45
Sunshine Of Your Love 5.13
Crossroads 4.13
Traintime 9.39
Toad 14.03
Spoonful 9.12
DISC FOUR – CREAM FAREWELL CONCERT,
NOVEMBER 26, 1968
Royal Albert Hall, London
(All tracks first-time release on CD)
The Royal Albert Hall concert was mastered from the original 1968 analog transfer reels by Jason NeSmith at Chase Park Transduction, Athens, GA.
White Room 8.02
Politician 6.37
I’m So Glad 6.53
Sitting On Top Of The World 5.06
Crossroads 5.03
Toad 11.22
Spoonful 15.47
Sunshine Of Your Love 8.37
Steppin’Out 5.02
