Wheels of Fire
Wheels of Fire is the third album by the British rock band Cream. It was released in the US in June 1968 as a two-disc vinyl LP, with one disc recorded in the studio and the other recorded live. It was released in the UK on August 9. It reached number three in the United Kingdom and number one in the United States, Canada and Australia, becoming the world's first platinum-selling double album.[12][13] In May 2012, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it at number 205 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[14] It was voted number 757 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).[15]
This article is about the 1968 album by Cream. For the 1985 film, see Wheels of Fire (film). For the Judas Priest song, see Angel of Retribution.Wheels of Fire
June 14, 1968 (US)[1]
August 9, 1968 (UK)
1967–1968[2]
Winterland & The Fillmore, San Francisco, California
35:53 (studio album) 44:23 (live album) 80:16 (total)[3]
It was also released as two single LPs, Wheels of Fire (In the Studio) and Wheels of Fire (Live at the Fillmore), released together with similar cover art. In the UK the studio album art was black print on aluminium foil, while the live album art was a negative image of the studio cover. In Japan, the studio album art was black on gold foil, while the live album art was black on aluminium foil. In Australia, both covers were laminated copies of the Japanese releases.
Recording[edit]
Cream's third album was planned to be a double album on which Atco Records' producer Felix Pappalardi and the group would include several live performances.[16] Unlike Disraeli Gears, which had been recorded in a matter of days, the Wheels of Fire sessions took place in small bursts over many months. The group and Pappalardi had, in July and August 1967, recorded studio material at IBC Studios in London.[2] Recordings continued with short sessions at Atlantic Studios in September, October and December 1967. Further work took place at Atlantic in February 1968, during a break from the band's heavy tour schedule.[2][16] The following month,[2] Pappalardi ordered that a mobile recording studio in Los Angeles be shipped to the Fillmore Auditorium and the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco.[16] Six shows were recorded in San Francisco by Pappalardi and recording engineer Bill Halverson,[2] and extra performances not included on Wheels of Fire ended up on Live Cream and Live Cream Volume II.[16] Studio recordings and mixing for the album were completed in June 1968, nearly a year after they had started.
Production and artwork[edit]
The recording engineers on disc one were Tom Dowd and Adrian Barber. The songs on disc two were recorded by Bill Halverson, and the performances on the second disc were mixed by Adrian Barber. The artwork for the album was by Martin Sharp,[2] who had also done the artwork for Disraeli Gears. The photography was by Jim Marshall.[2]
Songs[edit]
The band's drummer Ginger Baker co-wrote three songs for the album with pianist Mike Taylor. Bassist Jack Bruce co-wrote four songs with poet Pete Brown. Guitarist Eric Clapton contributed to the album by choosing two blues songs to cover.
For the second disc, Felix Pappalardi chose "Traintime" because it featured Jack Bruce's singing and harmonica playing, and "Toad" because it featured Ginger Baker's lengthy drum solo, while "Spoonful" and "Crossroads" were used to showcase Eric Clapton's guitar playing.[16]
Per liner notes[2]
"White Room"
Recorded at IBC Studios, July and August 1967; Atlantic Studios, September, 9–10 October, and 12–15 December 1967; 13–22 February and 12–13 June 1968[19][20]
"Sitting on Top of the World"
Recorded at IBC Studios, July 1967; Atlantic Studios, September 1967
"Born Under a Bad Sign"
Recorded at IBC Studios, July and August 1967; Atlantic Studios, September 1967
"Pressed Rat and Warthog"
Recorded at Atlantic Studios, 9–10 October and 12–15 December 1967; 13–22 February 1968
"Anyone for Tennis"
Recorded at Atlantic Studios, 9–10 October and 12–15 December 1967; 13–22 February 1968
"Passing the Time"
Recorded at Atlantic Studios, 13–22 February and 12–13 June 1968
"As You Said"
Recorded at Atlantic Studios, 13–22 February and 12–13 June 1968
"Politician"
Recorded at Atlantic Studios, 13–22 February and 12–13 June 1968
"Deserted Cities of the Heart"
Recorded at Atlantic Studios, 13–22 February and 12–13 June 1968
"Those Were the Days"
Recorded at Atlantic Studios, 12–13 June 1968