I have to let you know that I never been a big Eric Clapton fan. But even I have to acknowledge that he's simply one of the all-time great guitarists, even if a lot of what he's done isn't to my liking. For many, even Clapton-detractors, Cream is without a doubt the finest and most interesting band he ever played in. Each of the three musicians had experience before, so they were no strangers to music when they got together in 1966 and recorded and released their debut, Fresh Cream. That one was more pop-oriented, but the blues influence was still there, as there were covers of blues songs. Disraeli Gears is without a doubt the band's high point, which included several songs that became radio staples ("Sunshine of Your Love", "Strange Brew", etc.). The band moved to psychedelia which really served them well.