Cream’s second album, Disraeli Gears, remains a psych-blues masterpiece that ensures Clapton and co.’s place in the history books. The album was recorded over three and a half days between May 8-16, 1967 at Atlantic Studios in New York City. It was produced by Felix Pappalardi who would later form the Cream-alike band Mountain with guitarist Leslie West, and engineered by Tom Dowd. Released on November 2, 1967, the album made the UK charts and eventually climbed to number 5. Those are the facts, but what about the record’s unusual name? In the 1960s the “must-own” racing bike was equipped with “derailleur gears.” Eric Clapton seems to have had a yearning for such a bicycle and while driving around London, discussing the matter with Ginger Baker one day, up piped Mick Turner, the band’s roadie, to say, “Has it got them Disraeli gears?” Everyone fell about laughing and the band decided to name their album just that (Benjamin Disraeli served as prime minister of the UK in the late nineteenth century and was the only prime minister of Jewish origin ever). Of all the band’s albums, this one is the least blues-influenced record and definitely reflected the prevailing mood of the “Summer of Love.” The album’s distinctive cover was designed by Australian artist Martin Sharp who worked for OZ magazine and lived in Chelsea, where Clapton also lived. Sharp also did the cover for Wheels of Fire as well as writing some of the lyrics for “Tales of Brave Ulysses.” From: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rediscover-disraeli-gears/
