In 1967, photographer Robert Whitaker captured a series of images of Eric Clapton and his band, Cream, during a trip through Scotland. These photographs were intended for the cover of Cream’s forthcoming album, Disraeli Gears.
Whitaker, who was living at The Pheasantry in Chelsea with Australian artist Martin Sharp, collaborated with Sharp on the album’s psychedelic cover art. Sharp incorporated Whitaker’s photographs into a vibrant collage that became iconic.
“Cream were going to do a tour of the north of England and Scotland,” said Whitaker. “I just jumped in a car. Various things presented themselves to us on our journey around Scotland, none of which I could have recreated in a studio. I was very lucky that Martin had discovered day-glo paint. I had all the pictures, which I knew were for some form of publicity. I made a whole series of colour prints and Martin just started cutting them up - much to my annoyance, because they weren't cheap to do. He then laid them out on a 12-inch square as a piece of finished artwork and then painted all over it.”
The Scottish photoshoot was marked by memorable experiences, including an instance where the band, while driving through the scenic landscape—most of them under the influence of LSD—encountered a bagpiper in full Highland attire playing by the roadside, which they described as a “magic moment.”
“It was a beautiful day to be driving through the Scottish scenery,” drummer Ginger Baker recalled. “Most of us were on acid, then someone remarked that all we needed was to encounter a piper and, as we rounded a bend, there in front of us was a guy in full Highland rig playing the bagpipes. It was a magic moment and the atmosphere continued to feel very special.”
Robert Whitaker (1939–2011) is renowned for his work with several prominent musicians of the 1960s, including The Beatles and Cream. His collaboration with Cream during the Scotland photoshoot contributed significantly to the visual legacy of the band and the era.
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