Ginger Baker
Here are 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" on the 1958 album "Storyville Re-Visited", which also featured Bob Wallis.
= In 1962, Baker joined "Blues Incorporated", led by Alexis Korner, alongside bassist Jack Bruce. Recordings by the group appeared on "Alexis Korner and Friends", among other releases.
= In 1963, Baker joined "The Graham Bond Organisation" with Jack Bruce, developing his aggressive drumming style. Their studio albums "The Sound of 65" and "There’s a Bond Between Us" came out in 1965; "Live at Klooks Kleek" documents a 1964 performance and was released separately.
= 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.
(Source: 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".
= Besides 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 address his heroin addiction. Their collaborations can be heard on "Fela’s London Scene" and the live album "Live!", and later on "Stratavarious".
= His first solo album, "Stratavarious", was released in 1972. "Ginger Baker at His Best", also released in 1972, was a compilation rather than his solo debut.
= In 1973, Baker established the "Batakota ARC" recording studio in Lagos, Nigeria. Paul McCartney and "Wings" recorded "Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me)" from "Band on the Run" there; the album’s other Lagos recordings were made at EMI’s studio.
= In 1974, Baker became involved in "Baker Gurvitz Army", releasing their self-titled debut. They released two further studio albums by 1976.
= In 1976 Baker moved back to Europe after his Nigerian studio venture failed.
= In 1980, Baker played on "Hawkwind"’s "Levitation". Recordings featuring him also appeared on "Zones" in 1983 and "This Is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic" in 1984.
= In 1981, Baker moved to Italy and took up olive farming and olive oil production. According to his accounts, he later had trouble with the local Mafia.
= 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, "Around the Next Dream" was released as the only album by the power trio "BBM" ("Baker Bruce Moore"), formed in 1993 by Baker, bassist Jack Bruce and guitarist Gary Moore.
= In 1999, Baker 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.
= His autobiography "Hellraiser" was first published in 2009; another edition appeared in 2010.
= In 2012, the documentary "Beware of Mr. Baker" was released, exploring Baker’s volatile personality.
= He was considered 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 2014, Baker released "Why?" with "Ginger Baker’s Jazz Confusion", bringing his love of jazz and African rhythms back to the forefront.
= In 2016, Baker announced that heart problems meant he had to stop performing, alongside the chronic arthritis he had been living with.
= 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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