"We aren’t Cream...” Rick Grech

"We aren’t Cream...” Rick Grech

Blind Faith, already the talk of the music industry, can demand $20,000 plus a percentage of the gate for one performance, and they haven’t even released a record yet. It’s happened because of the reputation of three-quarters of the four-man group. Ex-Cream members Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker and Steve Winwood, formerly with Spencer Davis, The Traffic and a top studio musician, are considered “super stars” in the musical world. They could easily be considered the three kings of music, but instead of following stars, they are the stars.

The fourth member of Blind Faith is Rick Grech. He is short, thin and except for the long hair, looks like the innocent little fellow from down the street. He was touring the U.S. with a group called The Family and had reached a certain status of musical respect as bassist and sometime violinist when the as yet nameless Blind Faith pulled him back to England and instant international recognition. It was his first step toward the summit of success.

“I had to really think about joining up with the other three,” Rick told me. “It was such a big and important step that it was a very difficult decision.” You could compare this move to that of someone from Podunk taking over for Ringo as a Beatle.

“1 felt uncomfortable when 1 first started playing with Blind Faith. 1 didn’t know if 1 could measure up to their abilities.”

Rick seems an unlikely candidate for super-stardom upon first meeting him. His physical appearance is far from dynamic and when he talks it’s soft and polite. After a while one can tell this fellow has been around and is much more in charge of his life than it may seem.

“I was on the verge of leaving The Family when this chance came up. The group was very binding and for the last four months or so 1 felt enclosed. We weren’t really creating. We were writing and so on, but the feeling of creativeness and accomplishment wasn’t really there. My outlook, is completely different with Blind Faith because of Eric, Steve and Ginger. Everything is free and it’s easy to create. We live freely. Blind Faith exists for the present and we are enjoying it right now. We don’t know how long it will last and we don’t care. That freedom is so nice, When Blind Faith ends, it ends.”

The group came out of a jam session with Eric, Ginger and Steve originally taking part. First it was in. Eric’s home, then a recording studio. Rick came into the picture* when Eric and Ginger decided they didn’t want to get involved in another trio as in The Cream. The hunt went on and Rick came up the winner.

No matter how well-known and how good the individual musicians are, it’s an entirely different thing when they join together. It’s even a third story when they appear on stage.

Rick admits, “The group isn't together yet. We've only played a few times on stage and it takes a while before we can feel right.”

Evidently the group didn’t feel too bad in their first American appearance at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Reports were mixed concerning the audience reaction but there was a small scale riot when the fans wouldn’t leave the arena until they had heard more of the group. Blind Faith had to be brought back from the dressing rooms 45 minutes after they’d left the stage to please the screaming crowd. During the uproar Stevie Winwood’s piano was demolished and employes of Blind Faith’s management office had to lend a hand in keeping people from running on the stage. Some say the near riot was because the crowd simply wanted more Blind Faith. Others say it was because the group refused to play Cream material.

On the afternoon of the New York concert Rick told me, “This is Blind Faith, a whole new group. We aren’t Cream, we are playing or trying to progress into something new so we won’t play Cream material.” A legitimate wish that music fans should appreciate.

Rick stands out not only for his musical ability but for his choice of instruments. The bass is normal, it’s the electric violin some people find strange. “When 1 was around 14 or younger 1 took four years ot violin,” Rick told me. “Then 1 dropped it and picked up the guitar. But after a few years 1 just thought I’d see if 1 could find a place for the violin in a group.” He did and started alternating between instruments. The violin can be heard on Blind Faith’s new album.

Actually the instrument may be taken as an outward sign of what Blind Faith is all about. The hard, harsh rock and blues that was part of Cream has been smoothed out considerably in this new group. Steve Winwood’s form of rock. “But let’s face it,” Rick said. “Blind Faith is a rock and roll band and that’s what we play. It’s our form of rock, but it is rock and roll.”

Two years ago Rick Grech was running up and down England in a van playing small towns and small auditoriums. “My parents thought 1 was a bum. As soon as they saw some material gain, they knew l was doing what 1 wanted. They don’t understand what or how big a thing I’m in. You know, they read the newspaper and see my name a lot so they realize it's bigger than any of my past.”

That’s what everything is now to Rick Grech—the past. He lives for the present, doesn’t worry about the future and feels much better for it. Nevertheless, his future seems very secure. Blind Faith will reportedly make close To three-quarter million dollars on their American tour and their album is assuredly a best-seller whenever it is released. The group is happy which means they’ll probably record one more album and will try ^at least one more tour before they become disillusioned with the whole thing.

Mike Gormley