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Did anyone on here watch the BBC1 documentary on Mr Baker last night? A brilliant and arguably the best living drummer around, [ most jazz drummers are better than rock drummers ], but as a human being?? Not very pleasant. Some interesting footage shown of the old red haired cantankerous one.
He was a serial arseole,triffic drummer though,don't understand the criticisms.Saw him first with the Graham Bond Organisation and then with Cream always had a ciggie going and seemed constantly on the point of death.Some great footage there,stuff not seen before.Always think these rockumentaries detract from the music a bit - don't really want to hear too much about the clashes and disputes.Brilliant viewing mind.
The worst evening I've ever had was spent interviewing him on stage in front of an audience after a screening of that film. Hateful man.
You're a lucky man if interviewing a cantankerous drummer constitutes the worst evening you've ever spent.
As an example, and being topical, I am personally acquainted with the first paramedic to enter Russell Square station on 7/7, he's had some worse evenings then your worst evening, believe me.
Or was yours just middle-class journalistic hyperbole?
You're a lucky man if interviewing a cantankerous drummer constitutes the worst evening you've ever spent.
As an example, and being topical, I am personally acquainted with the first paramedic to enter Russell Square station on 7/7, he's had some worse evenings then your worst evening, believe me.
Or was yours just middle-class journalistic hyperbole?
Steady on, he did say the worst night he had spent, not the worst night a friend of someone he reads on a football site.
You're a lucky man if interviewing a cantankerous drummer constitutes the worst evening you've ever spent.
As an example, and being topical, I am personally acquainted with the first paramedic to enter Russell Square station on 7/7, he's had some worse evenings then your worst evening, believe me.
Or was yours just middle-class journalistic hyperbole?
Yes it was hyperbole. Not difficult to recognise. Next time you have a hangover and you say "I think I'm going to die" doesn't mean that you think you're in Hiroshima in 1945.
The worst evening I've ever had was spent interviewing him on stage in front of an audience after a screening of that film. Hateful man.
My older brother worked in the jazz department at the National Sound Archive and interviewed Ginger a few years back. He met him in a hotel lobby. The whole thing was pre arranged and Ginger agreed to the interview, but only gave my brother a minute of his time to do it. One minute up and Ginger retorted " sixty seconds up pal, now f**k off !" Nice fellow Mr Baker !?
You're a lucky man if interviewing a cantankerous drummer constitutes the worst evening you've ever spent.
As an example, and being topical, I am personally acquainted with the first paramedic to enter Russell Square station on 7/7, he's had some worse evenings then your worst evening, believe me.
Or was yours just middle-class journalistic hyperbole?
Steady on, he did say the worst night he had spent, not the worst night a friend of someone he reads on a football site.
Not my point really: 'this is what happened to someone I know'. Millions of people have had far worse evenings than being snarled at by a drummer, in front of an audience or not.
But yeah, I'm sorry. Just got the nark with name dropping presented as a trauma.
A few years ago, he announced a one-off concert at the Jazz Cafe to celebrate his &70th birthday with VERY special guests promised. £80 was very steep but i and a mate paid it in the hope/expectation of seeing some proper old school legends (Clapton etc) coming on for guest appearances. It sold out in minutes, expectations were high, half the audience had travelled from all over UK, Europe and the US to witness it.
The gig lasted 20 minutes and 4 tracks. Steven Winwood guested on one number (and was the only special guest of note). Baker did not utter one word the whole time, left the stage and house lights then came on. Crowd booed incessantly.
Im a big fan of Ginger! HE is obviously a bit of a character but I think a lot of that is the rock hype and image portrayed. That said, ive never met him and I probably wouldnt want to (well I would but..!) - Ive seen how he is with people. Even the dude who made that film got strips torn off him constantly and a broken nose, but he I think understood how to take old Ginger and kinda laughed it off the way you have to with these types.
Wicked drummer, it really IS all about your rudiments!
Slightly different, but I feel the same about Van Morrison. Years ago I drove 600 miles to go to 2 days of the now defunct Bishopstock Festival near Exeter. Brilliant line up Taj Mahal Steve Earl Blind Boys of Alabhama etc who were all very professional gracious and put on great performances On comes this cnt moans about the sound half way through the first number, swears at the sound engineer repeatedly stops during songs and walks off after 40mins. A few years later I heard he did something similar at a gig near Aberdeen. Ive never bought any of his music, and never will. Of similar ilk to Ginger Baker
Not my point really: 'this is what happened to someone I know'. Millions of people have had far worse evenings than being snarled at by a drummer, in front of an audience or not.
But yeah, I'm sorry. Just got the nark with name dropping presented as a trauma.
[Post edited 8 Jul 2015 11:16]
Who said anything about trauma? Next time I complain about the worst curry I've ever had I'll preface the statement by saying it's not as bad as some spicy dishes found in the kitbags of the fallen Vietcong after the Tet Offensive.
read his autobiography where he unsurprisingly ranks himself the best drummer in the world - only 'rival' he rated was John Bonham who was also an obnoxious human being.
I watched that 2 or 3 months ago. Really enjoyable. Since then I've been wondering about this 'prefect time' he was going on about - find myself drumming with a biro on a desk wondering "Is that perfect time? It sounded a bit like it!"
I stayed in that place he lives in South Africa now, Tulbagh for 2 or 3 days during the World Cup. Might have just been my experience but it didn't seem to have moved on much from apartheid. We went to a restaurant run by a Belgian woman who claimed to be Fernando Torres' s aunt and a Geordie bloke. Both had been there for two or three decades and both were massive racists: spouting off about Chariot of the Gods, how there aren't any decent 'coloured' tennis players or footballers, not to tip the blacks etc etc. It was actually quite a spectacle to witness. The Hispanic wife and I ended up in the local pub run by the Chief of Police which was again wall to wall racists. Left town the next day at high speed. Beautiful scenery though!
Only really listened to his drumming on Cream and don't see what the fuss is about. Average for someone of that era compared to someone like say Mitch Mitchell.
Only really listened to his drumming on Cream and don't see what the fuss is about. Average for someone of that era compared to someone like say Mitch Mitchell.
Don't think Ginger was ever average for the times,Mitch I thought was very lightweight.There wasn't an awful lot around at the time anyway,Bonham was a plodder....there was only Jon Hiseman,Mike Giles and Clive Bunker that stood out. IMHO. Oh,and Phil Seamen.
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