Evgeniy Bai
As Novye Izvestia has already reported, Eric Clapton has become a staunch anti-vaxxer. Prior to that, the world famous British rock musician had not sung a single protest song in 56 years of his career. He never participated in the "peace marches" in the United States and generally tried to avoid politics. But now millions of admirers of his talent are at a loss. "What happened to Eric Clapton?", - the Washington Post puts this question in its headline and its article becomes the most read in the newspaper over the past day.
No, Clapton is not protesting against global climate change or police brutality against blacks in America. He has become a staunch anti-Axer who writes songs one after another in which he attacks the American government for closing restaurants, bars, concert halls and gyms in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. The singer compares Lockdowns with slavery. "Do you want to be a free man or do you want to be a slave?", - Clapton sang in the just-released song, -Do you want to wear these chains until they put you in the grave?"
Eric Clapton, 76, is one of the world's most respected musicians. He is the only musician whose name has been included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times. The Rolling Stones magazine ranked him second in the list of the greatest guitarists in the world after Jimi Hendrix. "Along with Billy Joel, Elton John and James Taylor, he has always been untouchable among the hit makers of many generations", - writes The Washington Post.
And now his new album "Lady on the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions" has caused undisguised public disappointment. New songs and attempts to challenge the opinions of scientists on the websites of opponents of the vaccine, according to numerous friends of the musician, cause irreparable damage to his reputation.
Clapton is not an ordinary musician, scientists say, but a public figure with great influence on people. “He could help us end this pandemic, especially if he addressed the most at-risk age group of people”, - said Joshua Barokas, professor of medicine at the University of Colorado. "He was to become a global goodwill ambassador, but instead chose a line in defense of covid and against its evidence-based treatment".
The Rolling Stones editors also came under sharp criticism. The magazine in its October issue not only ostracized him for "inappropriate behavior in a pandemic", but also recalled an unpleasant episode at a concert in Birmingham in August 1976. Then the singer spoke in support of one far-right politician who opposed immigrants. "If there is any foreigner here?"
The accusations of xenophobia have intensified since the 2017 documentary Life in 12 Measures was released. After that, activists of the famous movement Black Lives Matter ("Black lives are important") declared him "a mediocre musician" and "a famous racist".
Now the indignation of the liberal public has also caused the fact that Clapton, last September, after the show, posed with the Governor of Texas, Republican Greg Abbott, who had recently passed a law prohibiting abortion and approved measures in the interests of his party defining those who have the right to vote in elections. and who is not. "What the hell is he doing this for?", - outraged by the behavior of the singer Robert Cray, another famous guitarist and blues performer. This was the end of their 35-year friendship with Clapton.
Someone is trying to protect Eric Clapton, who was vaccinated against the coronavirus in February this year. The first vaccination put him out of action for a week and delayed the release of the album "Lady on the Balcony". After the second, he got even worse. “My arms and legs were like frostbite”, - he says. “The whole body was numb and at the same time burning. I was sure that I would never perform again".
His girlfriend, singer Bonnie Bramlet, says that such a reaction of the body fully explains Clapton's reaction to vaccinations. But at the same time, doctors argue that the singer's heart disease became the cause of the strongest ailment, as well as the fact that in his younger years he was addicted to drugs.
Clapton continues to give concerts, although he does so only in places where the authorities do not require mandatory vaccinations. It may become more difficult for him to plan trips. President Joe Biden has mandated 84 million workers in private companies to be vaccinated by January 4, 2022. In the future, action is likely to be taken with and with respect to other populations. 10 US states have already gone to court, protesting against compulsory vaccinations. The voices of stars like Clapton are extremely important to them.