Blind Faith have been classified as one of the first supergroups and the band did contain famous members, but there was something wonderfully organic about their music that makes this album much more interesting than the headlines at the time about who was in the band. In fact the record was not well received by the critics but who cares? The expectations that such a group of luminaries would generate purely by association is the age old pressure to deliver something to someone who isn’t involved in the creative process but think they have an opinion – great bands don’t make records for critics. Reviews aside the record went to Number 1 on both sides of the Atlantic and with some short tours the band was over in a year. Grech and Winwood initially joining Baker in Airforce (that also featured Denny Laine) and Clapton forming Derek And The Dominoes (who were also unceremoniously dismissed by the critics for their debut).

Winwood’s emotional vocal delivery and grinding organ and Clapton’s warm guitar sounds and intertwining arpeggios and riffs were a chemistry made in heaven. Clapton didn’t sing, why would he, they had Stevie Winwood. Baker and Grech completed a line up of natural talents with creative spirits adept on their instruments. I love this album, never get bored of it, there’s just something comforting about it.

Grech the least well known member of the band (who also played the violin) went on to make The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys and Welcome To The Canteen with Traffic. Drug and alcohol problems hounded him throughout his life and he died in 1990 at the age of 43. He played on many albums as a session musician and contributed as a songwriter to Gram Parsons album GP that he also co-produced.

The Blind Faith album is notable for its controversial cover, the details of which you can read about at the links below. The cover shown here is the alternate cover.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_faith

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_Faith_(Blind_Faith_album)

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/rick-grech-mn0000855048

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Baker

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Clapton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Winwood