Eric Clapton : AFTER MIDNIGHT/ I CAN'T STAND IT Eric Clapton : AFTER MIDNIGHT

In August 1976, Clapton took the stage at the Birmingham Odeon in England, a venue full of fans eager to bask in the magic of his music. During a pause in his performance, Clapton launched into a racist diatribe that left many aghast.

Clapton began his remarks, addressing the audience: “Do we have any foreigners in the audience tonight?” he began. “If so, please put up your hands. So where are you? Well, wherever you are, I think you should all just leave. Not just leave the hall, leave our country. I don’t want you here, in the room or in my country.” 

“Stop Britain from becoming a black colony. Get the foreigners out,” exclaimed Clapton to his captive audience. “Get the w*gs out. Get the c**ns out. Keep Britain white,” he added.

He added: “Listen to me, man! I think we should send them all back.”

His appalling outburst would spur the ‘Rock Against Racism’ movement, the punk response not only to British Conservative MP Enoch Powell and his incendiary rhetoric of division but also to rock stars like Clapton, who use their privileged positions to inflict further misery on the oppressed. In acknowledgment of his realization, Clapton made substantial donations to the cause, but interpret that as you wish. 

Aiming for damage control, the musician has since expressed deep regret for the racist comments he once made. “I was so ashamed of who I was, a sort of semi-racist, which made no sense,” he stated.

As tropes generally follow a pattern, Clapton persisted in a manner that could only lead society to roll its eyes in embarrassment. He added: “Half of my friends were black, I dated a black woman, and I championed black music.”