Vinyl LP pressing Reissue, originally released in 1966. When the band formed in 1966, Eric Clapton was already fairly well known by this time, having already performed and recorded with the Yardbirds and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. But it wasn't until Cream that Clapton became a global superstar. Breaking free of the traditional rock n' roll song for a more improvisational/jazz-influenced take, the band's long jams gave birth to a whole new approach to rock music. When their debut album Fresh Cream was released in 1966, it immediately became the standard by which all other bands of the era were judged.