Now Ento's versin of events sounds like an urban legend to me! I believe Beck could have played on the album, but not to overdub Duane's parts. I wonder if producer/engineer Tom Dowd (died 1996) ever discussed this, he and Clapton would know.

Ento that's interesting but makes no sense whatsoever. Duane Allman was never scheduled to play on the Layla sessions. Clapton insisted that he join them in the studio after an all-night jam the first time they met--at the aforementioned Allmans concert. If his playing hadn't been as good as Clapton expected, he would have just been scrapped. And the mean-spirited "rich little cokeboy" apellation could have probably applied to any of them--this was 1970 after all, and Clapton's next major project was full-time heroin use. He's damn lucky to be an old rock star now instead of a dead legend.

The whole Derek and the Dominoes concept was Clapton's marketing experiment, as he tried to get away from the whole ridiculous "Clapton is God" rockstar adulation thing: make a great rock record WITHOUT Clapton's name on it (or any other rock icon) and see how it sold just on the basis of the incredible musicianship. (Jeff Beck certainly fits into that concept.) The result was that it sold rather poorly until the guitarist's identity was revealed later...and the critics didn't fall over each other with praise for "Derek" either. (I remember seeing racks and racks of "Layla" at my local record outlet back then, and thinking, well it can't be that good, nobody's buying it!)

Wesley, man you were lucky to catch that show. When was it? Duane died only a year after the Layla sessions which is why he didn't appear on the D & the D live album.

Still looking for sources on the Beck question. My source BTW was CBC radio, and it wasn't presented as a rumour--but as the correct answer to a giveaway-contest question.

W-O