Here is some interesting facts about the legendary Ginger Baker, best known as the drummer of "Cream", "Blind Faith", "Ginger Baker's Air Force" and more:
(Photo: David Redfern)
= He was born on August 19, 1939 in Lewisham, South London, England. His full name is Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker.
= Baker initially took up the trumpet, but switched to drums at age 15 after joining a local band.
= He was heavily influenced by jazz drummers like Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Phil Seamen, which shaped his unique drumming style.
= His first recording was with "The Storyville Jazz Men and the Hugh Rainey Allstars", releasing the album "Storyville Re-Visited" in 1958. The album also featured Jack Bruce.
= In 1960 Baker joined "Blues Incorporated", led by Alexis Korner, with bassist Jack Bruce. They releasd the album "Alexis Korner and Friends" in 1963.
= He joined "The Graham Bond Organisation" with Jack Bruce in 1962. This was when his aggressive drumming style became his signature. He released 3 albums with the band, starting with "Live at Klooks Kleek" from 1964.
= In 1966 he co-founded one of the first supergroups and power trio- "Cream" with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, becoming a pioneer of rock drumming merging rock and blues with his jazz-influenced drumming.
= Baker's drumming is regarded for its style, and use of two bass drums instead of the conventional single one.
(Photo: Fanart.TV)
= During their brief three-year career, "Cream" released four albums: "Fresh Cream" (1966), "Disraeli Gears" (1967), "Wheels of Fire" (1968), and "Goodbye" (1969) two of them are listed in "Rolling Stone magazine" "500 greatest albums of all time" and Colin Larkin's "All Time Top 1000 Albums".
= Except playing drums and percussion Baker also sang backing vocals and even lead vocals on some of the band's songs.
= In November 1968 "Cream" disbanded due to tensions between Baker and Bruce, despite their massive success.
= In 1969 Baker formed another supergroup - "Blind Faith", with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, and Ric Grech. The band released one album before disbanding.
= In 1970 Baker formed "Ginger Baker’s Air Force", a jazz-rock fusion band blending rock, jazz, and African music. They released two albums the same year.
= He moved to Nigeria in 1971 to collaborate with Fela Kuti and escape his heroin addiction. They released 3 albums (On of which a live one), starting with "Fela's London Scene" released in 1971.
= In 1973 he established the "Batakota ARC" recording studio in Lagos, Nigeria, which attracted major artists like Paul McCartney and Wings who recorded the iconic "Band On The Run" album there.
= In 1974 he released his first solo album "Ginger Baker at His Best". By 2014 he release 16 more albums as a solo artist.
= The same year he was involved in "Baker Gurvitz Army" releasing their first eponymous album. By 1976 they will release two more studio albums.
= In 1976 Baker moved back to Europe after his Nigerian studio venture failed.
= in 1980 he lived in Italy and started an olive oil business, later troubled by the Italian Mafia.
= The same year Baker played with "Hawkwind" in their "Levitation" album. He will continue to play with them in the albums "Zones" from 1983 and "This Is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic" from 1984.
= In the next years Baker was featured in albums of other artists such as "Masters of Reality", "Public Image Ltd" Andy Summers, Jens Johansson and more.
= In 1993 "Cream" was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" and reunited for the event.
= In 1994 He released "BBM" ("Baker Bruce Moore") the only album of the short-lived power trio, formed in 1993 by him, bassist Jack Bruce and guitarist Gary Moore.
= In 1997 he moved to South Africa to live a quieter life and breed polo horses.
= In 2005 "Cream" reunited for concerts at "Royal Albert Hall" and "Madison Square Garden" recorded and released as a live album and a video.
= Already in his early days, Baker performed lengthy drum solos, most notably in the "Cream" song "Toad", one of the earliest recorded examples in rock music.
= In 2009 he was the subject of the documentary "Beware of Mr. Baker", which detailed his volatile personality.
= In 2010 He published his autobiography "Hellraiser".
= He was considered as a replacement for Bill Ward in "Black Sabbath's" "13" album released in 2013. Producer Rick Rubin suggested him but guitarist Tony Iommi, declined, since he didn't think this would work out with Ginger in the studio.
= In 2016 he announced retirement from performing due to heart problems and chronic arthritis.
= Baker's son, Kofi Streatfield Baker, is also a drummer, notably playing with Uli Jon Roth and Glenn Hughes.
= Ginger Baker passed away on October 6, 2019 at the age of 80.
= Baker's style influenced many drummers, including John Bonham, Peter Criss, Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland, Ian Paice, Terry Bozzio, Dave Lombardo, Tommy Aldridge, Bill Bruford, Alex Van Halen, Nick Mason and more.
= "Modern Drummer" magazine described him as "one of classic rock's first influential drumming superstars of the 1960s" and "one of classic rock's true drum gods".
= "Drum!" magazine listed Baker among the "50 Most Important Drummers of All Time" and has defined him as "one of the most imitated '60s drummers".
= He was voted the third greatest drummer of all time in a Rolling Stone reader poll.
= In 2016, he was ranked 3rd on Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time".
= Neil Peart has said: "His playing was revolutionary – extrovert, primal and inventive. He set the bar for what rock drumming could be... Every rock drummer since has been influenced in some way by Ginger – even if they don't know it".
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