Cream were a 1960s British rock band comprising guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker. They were celebrated as the first great power trio and supergroup of rock. Their sound was characterised by a hybrid of blues, pop and psychedelic rock. Cream combined Clapton's blues guitar playing with the powerful voice and intense basslines of Jack Bruce and the jazz-influenced drumming of Ginger Baker. They have sold over 35 million albums worldwide. Wheels of Fire was the world's first platinum-selling album.
Cream's music included songs based on traditional blues such as "Crossroads" and "Spoonful", and modern blues such as "Born Under a Bad Sign", as well as more eccentric songs such as "Strange Brew", "Tales of Brave Ulysses" and "Toad". Cream's biggest hits were "I Feel Free", "Sunshine of Your Love", "White Room", "Crossroads", and "Badge".
Cream, together with The Jimi Hendrix Experience, made a significant impact upon the popular music of the time, providing a heavy yet technically proficient musical theme that foreshadowed the emergence of bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and The Jeff Beck Group in the late 1960s. The band's live performances influenced progressive rock acts, jam bands such as The Allman Brothers Band, Rush, Grateful Dead and Phish, and even heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath. Although Cream's studio work has stood the test of time, their true influence lies in their live sets. Cream took the idea of jamming to a new level, incorporating their individual virtuosity into long 20-minute jams.
Cream were ranked #16 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.
