Famous Drummers On Ginger Baker

[@anthonyxuereb792]

"Cream was a jazz band but we didn't tell Eric," that's gold.

[@mysticone1798]

Fun but incorrect comment. Cream songs were arranged as rock, played on guitar as rock, and sung as rock. They were rock songs with some jazz elements, but always informed by rock. The jazz element of Bruce/Baker is most pronounced in the live, improvised renditions of their songs, like Crossroads, Politician, etc.

[@unknown6390]

​@@mysticone1798Missing the point

[@mysticone1798]

@@unknown6390 What's the point?

[@BoHorn]

@@mysticone1798the point is ginger fancies himself a brilliant jazz type and commenters need to refit how outdated the rock sound is nowadays.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

@@user-qr7ee2cp4y Another good one, there must be many more out there.

[@alvarocordova3664]

Ginger to me was a great influence Ringo & Charlie thought to me how to play in time and for the song But when Ginger came a long he showed us rock drummers that there was a lot more to get involved with. Imrovisation, Polyrhythms,Afrikan tribal beats, beautiful musical double bass patterns , legendary drum solos a la Toad. He was a true Pioneer. RIP Master.

[@Mitch-Master]

4real mon

[@jamescox8402]

Saw Ginger on Cream's American farewell tour and also with Blind Faith in Santa Barbara. He had those drum battles but he also played with Fela Kuti's incredible band in the '70's. He was a force of nature.

[@dannydine5263]

Well said.

[@jamescox8402]

@Kapālin thanks for that.

[@tomtrana3449]

@@dannydine5263 Totally agree!

[@zvolphhasenmiau5369]

You lucky man

[@Mosely2007]

Saw him with Cream and Blindfaith. 4 different beats for minutes

[@mikearchibald744]

I liked Neil Pearts comment "all us drummers looked up to Ginger......on how to play the drums"

[@marathongman9281]

If memory serves me correctly Neil Peart made the comment "there are a million best drummers" I think he's right. It was his response to people calling him "The Professor" I have a lot of respect for him saying that.

[@philippusviridi6527]

@@marathongman9281 That sounds like something Neil would say and he is right. I don't think there will ever be a drummer that comes close to Neil but that is just me. His whole point was there is always someone else who think their favorite drummer is the best.

[@TheJosep70]

@@marathongman9281 I recently read that they started calling him that because he was alwas reading, though,

[@cvn6555]

@@TheJosep70 I have read that they called him that because he resembled "The Professor" from the show Gilligan's Island. They also called him "Pratt".

[@cvn6555]

Good thing they didn't emulate any other aspect of his life. Great musician but an absolute loon of a train wreck.

[@peterdelaney7061]

Whether you liked him or not, he was unique and very distinctive. He played fills that no one else has fully replicated to this day. To me, he was the Jimmy Page of drummers; not always technically proficient but full of imagination and surprise. Well deserving of his legendary status

[@webstercat]

Any lick can be duplicated.

[@giulioeugeniomoioli1248]

He was the Eric Clapton of Drumming!

[@peterdelaney7061]

@@webstercat Sure, technically. But not with the same spontaneity or feel. Go listen to the solo in Memory Lane and duplicate it. Will it feel the same? Nope

[@camronbay1]

@@webstercat Play toad for us let us know how that comes out.

[@annaforehan7784]

@@webstercat Really? Even if that was the case, surely being the originator is what takes true talent.

[@arrrs4944]

Saw Ginger play with his own band back in the 90's after Middle Passage was released. I stood right in front of him for two hours and was blown away. He was chain smoking the whole time, and during breaks he took great delight taking the butts and swatting them with his sticks. Each time he'd break out into a wide, semi-toothless grin, like a little kid. It was great.

[@douglascarducci6977]

His stuff with Masters of Reality never gets any love . Sunrise on the Sufferbus was a great album from a great band

[@nyobunknown6983]

Yes they were a local Syracuse NY group.

[@JaRule6]

I concur. I them at Toad's Place in New Haven. Did you ever see the documentary that someone made about him?

[@ZigbertD]

I think that album is some of his best recorded drumming. Tone, dynamics and feel are all just sensational, you instantly know it's him.

[@bluesmano5283]

Love "Sunrise on the Sufferbus , Part Three".....especially the last four cuts. Ginger ----and the vocalist, Chris Goss----sounding quite "Creamish" there. "I got a mean little kitten, chasing all the dogs away".

[@kubrickenigma7977]

I heard that album at 13 and... man, 30 years later it's still a favorite. It's a perfect set.

[@specialroy6087]

I met Ginger Baker at Trancas in Malibu...We talked for awhile , he was a great guy.. The drums on "White Room" I asked him?..He said he loved playing with Eric...I felt like I knew the guy even though I just met him... Genius really ...

[@danwallach8826]

The timpani part in "White Room" was brilliant.

[@phaedrussmith1949]

It's easy to be nice when someone is admiring you.

[@1DShoe]

Charlie’s take was just like his drumming: says exactly what is needed, and gets straight to the point, simply and eloquently.

[@humanbeing5300]

It was never about him for a second, it was always about the song.

[@martinsebel6120]

The 1st time I heard Ginger Baker just as Alex VH said was on the radio and it completely turned my drumming upside down. It was melodic in nature but with a vengeance to make his presence known. Seeing him many times was something that was always the same but at the same time different. Weather you like him or not he was and still is a major influence on drummers today.

[@billmiller2051]

Copeland impersonation of Baker was hilarious.

[@billyshane3804]

Pruitt Hopelands

[@andyman0231]

Ginger was a total artist and his solos were incredible

[@mickpearson6184]

The best

[@tomany65]

The worst.

[@andyman0231]

@@tomany65 hate the person if you want not the drummer

[@richardwestmoreland4796]

@@andyman0231 Agreed. Ginger could really be a cantankerous prick but there can be no doubt that he was one of the greatest rock drummers who ever lived.

[@danraucci5566]

Saw him twice with Cream and once with Blind faith. Amazing.

[@williamdelong8265]

A complete musician on every level and completely mad.

[@tswrench]

I was always wowed by Ginger Baker's drumming and his adventuresome approach to the instrument. As far as being a jazz drummer in a rock band, it felt like that was more Mitch Mitchell's bag with all the dynamic, circular drumming he did.

[@HowardShillingford-pe7em]

Right on, right on! ☮️

[@paladino444]

I am not a musician, I just know that I always was impressed with Ginger Baker's drumming, something so obviously special about it.

[@edellis515]

Ok I'll give you this. The drum solo in TOAD is truly wonderful

[@kellykempkilroy]

I saw Cream at Hunter College when they first came to the States. Gingers drumming was like nothing I ever heard before. I tried my hardest to play Toad like him. I actually sounded more like a toad than a drummer trying to sound like Baker.

[@1alsturgeon]

Ginger, was a powerhouse drummer with a great sense of time. He had a great infinity for Jazz & indeed in later life, recorded a lot of albums that would fall into the Jazz genre with even drummers Baker admired giving him the stamp of approval, but did that make him a Jazz drummer? Well yes!... Ginger was also more of a natural tribal world drummer and one of the first popular drummers to champion the African beat/rhythms of the time. Even his double bass approach was tribal, opting for two different sizes and there for tunings. These things are real fine lines in what the people want you be and what creator/performer thinks of themselves.

[@billdonaldson9091]

It would have been interesting to hear the opinions of jazz drummers regarding Ginger Baker being a jazz drummer.

[@dannydine5263]

Some of them got to know him and even play with him so that would be interesting.

[@malcolmcooke2024]

There are some ginger early jazz recordings live before cream in the record stores if you can find them doing green onion and such

[@ChrisLawton66]

You can see how the jazz community regards Baker by their complete lack of acknowledgement of him. Ask anyone who the top, say 500, jazz drummers are and I'd bet Baker isn't on anyone's list.

[@richardbullwood5941]

Charlie Watts is the one I always heard talked about when a jazz trained drummer moves into rock. Charlie and that funky BackBeat can't be beaten

[@robertcook2680]

Music journalist Albert Goldman interviewed Elvin Jones in the early 70s and he played some rock drummers for Elvin and asked his opionion of each. Goldman played a Who song, and a Cream song, and another by another band I cannot remember. (I read this in LIFE magazine 50 years ago.) I found a music forum online where this is brought up. Below is the quote from that forum, with Elvin's statement about Baker. It is exactly as I remembered it. "Nothin' happenin. Cat's got delusions of grandeur with no grounds. They should make him an astronaut and lose his ass." As for Moon, he said just "The man is a drummer."

[@raymartindale3962]

I am a Rock Drummer. I saw Ginger Baker with the band Blind Faith, in Chicago, July 1969. I am 69 years old, and that was one of the great thrills of my life. He was fucking incredible. I apologize for the swear word, but something is needed to enhance the word “incredible”. Because he was more than incredible. No one ever worked the double bass drums, and Tom Tom’s as well as Ginger. But he could also be incredibly dynamic, like his Tom and High hat work on Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home”. He was the best, taking nothing from Buddy Rich, who I also saw.

[@annaforehan7784]

I'm so jealous!

[@richardwestmoreland4796]

Holy shit. Talk about seeing the greats of drumming. All you pretty much need to complete it would be if you saw the great Keith Moon. Ginger Baker,Keith Moon,and John Bonham are the three that I would have loved to have seen perform. Buddy Rich of course was also great but just not the style of drumming that was my personal favourite. I'm envious man.

[@raymartindale3962]

@@richardwestmoreland4796 ….I also saw Keith Moon and The Who when they toured in support of their Who’s Next album, in Bloomington, Indiana in the 70’s, and saw Led Zeppliin in Indianapolis in January 1975.

[@kenneththompson8933]

Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich & Art Blakely

[@richardwestmoreland4796]

@@raymartindale3962 Holy shit again Ray. I'm guessing you're okay with the word shit seeing as how you also used a word that is generally considered to be a bit coarse to enhance the word "incredible"....lol. I'm 66 years of age myself but haven't had the same good fortune as you have had in seeing the drumming greats from another era. As a Rock drummer yourself it isn't hard to figure out who you were paying the most attention to when you went to concerts. I have never got behind a kit myself but a couple of my best friends from when I was younger were accomplished drummers so I have always had a keen interest in checking out the drummer whenever I go to a concert. A Rock band just isn't as good as it should be if the drummer isn't top drawer so to speak in my opinion. I have seen Charlie Watts of the Stones and I liked his style that seemed to be drawn from the Jazz genre as much as it was from the Rock genre and he really complimented Ronnie Wood in the Stones rhythm section. RIP Charlie. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the great Neal Peart of Rush fame when it comes to great drummers too. RIP Neal. did you get to see Charlie and Neal before they moved up to the drum kit in the sky?

[@swlabretwquint1311]

So true about Sunshine of Your Love. Sounds simple but it’s not. Very few drummers get the feel right.

[@vincentjordan8028]

I met ginger baker when he played with air force in a small club in Swansea I later heard he could be testy when I met him he was really nice to me as were the rest of the group a great gig

[@annaforehan7784]

It's nice to hear of someone having a good personal experience with him for a change. He can't have been all bad!

[@ted.angell7609]

Every time I met him, he was super chill, polite and friendly. I’ve never met him, but yeah, every time.

[@marsazorean62]

Wtf does that mean? Did you or didn't you meet him ?

[@zkj8741]

😐

[@manfred747]

@@marsazorean62 Whooosh!

[@mc76]

I had played the drums for about a year the first time I heard Cream. I was used to playing along to British Invasion drummers. With all due respect to those guys, Ginger was doing stuff that was so unique. The fills on "Sunshine of Your Love" and "White Room" come at such unusual and unexpected times that it took a lot of concentration to replicate those riffs. Deceptively sophisticated, Charlie and Ringo presented their own challenges, but Baker was in another league altogether.

[@yournamehere6719]

Ginger Baker's work with Cream was powerful; his work with Blind Faith was beautiful.

[@stigrichardhansen]

I had the fortune to see/hear Cream, the 3 times they visited Copenhagen. This was my biggest music experience ever and why I went 3 times. The band sounded as they were not 3 on stage, but more like 10. What a genius group of musicians. I truly hope their music will live in future generations so they can feel the same jaw dropping musicality!

[@henrikbragge]

No problem, man - their music will live on 🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻 Greetings from Scania

[@ElMarko2000]

Did a gig with my dad, back in the 70’s and about midway through our 1st set, noticed this wirey dude setting up his drum kit behind us. Then he joined in at some point and we finished our set. The dude carried on into a massive drum solo which the posh guests seemed to ignore because they carried on dancing to him. I chatted to a posh lady in our break and mentioned that the drumming dude looked a little like Ginger Baker, to which she replied “That’s because it is Ginger Baker”. I was a massive Cream fan at the time and excitedly went over and tried to chat with him. Wouldn’t give me the time of day. Still, at least I got to say that I played with one of rock’s most iconic drummers!

[@canadianroot]

How about more context? Name of your dad’s band? What did you play? Where was it?

[@richardwestmoreland4796]

@@JC-sj2pd I couldn't agree more. Ginger was one of the worlds best drummers ever but it's a total shame that he had to be such an asshole about it. He was everything that a drummer should be but the way that he treated others and how he spoke of other very good drummers shows his weakness as a good human being.

[@thomasbell7033]

His idol, Buddy Rich, was a famously huge asshole among his peers, as was Ginger. I remember when Rich started slagging Ginger in the press. Must have been tough to see your moment in history erased by this new form of music, as Rich did. He was quite bitter.

[@garygomesvedicastrology]

@@thomasbell7033 @Thomas Bell I have met a lot of musicians, some famous. One of the nicest I ever encountered was Max Roach, the great jazz drummer. Keith Jarrett was an a-hole. Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford were gentlemen. Rich and Baker had major personality challenges. The personality of the musician has nothing to do with the command of their craft. People have personal idiosyncrasies that don't affect their playing-just. It doesn't affect me unless I interview them or if I get lucky enough to play with them. I can disagree with them (I don't disagree with Baker's assessment of Bonham, and I have my reasons) but it doesn't lessen my respect for their skills.

[@thomasbell7033]

@@garygomesvedicastrology I don't disagree with his opinion of Bonham, either. I am a retired (mostly) journalist. I started out covering music. I recall Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke being all-star pricks, as was John Mayall, as was Srevie Nicks. I was a young drummer myself, and meeting my idols, as a rule, was a dispiriting experience. I covered crime for a while after that. I found homicide victims to be better company.

[@josephmartino9958]

In every tune, Ginger always took the drums for a ride and went somewhere with them...

[@camronbay1]

Most definitely such a tribal sound.

[@petertrotman7708]

The hi-hat pattern on "I Feel Free" has not been topped in Rock music. Totally original for it's time.

[@Dogdrum]

He obviously got it from Jazz. His hi-hat work is legit Jazz.

[@marsazorean62]

I love Charlie Watts. Always blunt, to the point but ever so humble. All class.

[@darzil007]

Ginger and Mitch were giants and very unfairly under rated .I,m glad to see posts like these opens the drummers world,s eye to this very important Fact .

[@stephenreeds3632]

He called Mitch mediocre.

[@Dannyvirk]

I feel really happy watching the drum battles, can't stop smiling, no idea why.......

[@johncole015]

I Got to see Ginger with Jack Bruce in 1989 and with the Masters Of Reality in 1990.

[@alzo7891]

Check out the documentary “Beware of Mr. Baker.” The man was genuinely notorious.

[@billionairerehab4953]

I saw that and thought he was not very nice.

[@JaRule6]

I was looking for this comment. What an awesome documentary. The man was totally insane 😂

[@aidanohara3344]

Flawed genius, there seems to have been a lot of them is the music scene of the past few decades sadly

[@mysticone1798]

Unbelievable arrogance of a true jerk. Good drummer though.

[@randyclere2330]

He’s kind of a jerk…

[@redrav4]

Ginger was an awesome drummer! My favorite Ginger moment was the fade out of the song 'Sunshine of Your Love' when he's just whaling the hell out of those skins while Eric Clapton power strums that finish chord! Love it! 🙂

[@TweedSuit]

Man i always wished they played that outro for another 30 seconds before fading out.

[@danallshaw1131]

I grew up on Ian Paice and Bonzo between 2-4th grade. Never hearing Cream till someone handed me an old 8 track in the early 1980's. A whole new world opened up and he started being in my top 5 drummers. One thing I use to laugh about was his grumping about Bonzo. No sour grapes there, Ginger. (Ha Ha)

[@tomactually9285]

Wowzers dude. Well done video. Thanks

[@andyshuttleworth8341]

Ginger Baker would tell you and everybody that he was the greatest drummer in the world. Fun fact he might well not have been. But he would get violent at the drop of a hat like no other drummer on earth. That may well be a true fat. He tried to hit me once. I loved Cream. There was a joke going round once. What's the similarity between Ginger Baker and Coffee? Answer. Neither taste so good without Cream. He made a great contribution to the history of drums and may he rest in peace.

[@Claytone-Records]

Damn. You must have severely crossed him to earn a swat that didn’t land, I do not believe he ever missed his intended target. So… what did you do?

[@andyshuttleworth8341]

@@Claytone-Records He had been playing with Keith Hale in Hawkwind and Keith and I were in jam band together. Baker used that band to do an album a some European gigs. The album was called "Ginger's Nutters". I did some filming for them as a freebie. We set up some equipment in the dressing room. This was at the Marquee. The dressing room is pretty small Ginger got all upset about it and tried to lash out at me. Not unusual for Mr Baker. His dog bit the sound mixer that night too. Also par for the course.

[@Claytone-Records]

@@andyshuttleworth8341 Flipping hell, man. You could be a contender for the rock n roll hall of shame for that incident. It does sound typical of the many lives Mr. B er… touched. : ).

[@annaforehan7784]

@@andyshuttleworth8341 How fabulous that the great man's dog was as fiesty as he was!

[@andyshuttleworth8341]

@@annaforehan7784 You wouldn't feel that way if it had bitten you. Sad really.

[@runisom48]

Saw Cream in Cleveland, Ohio 1968. I was mesmerized by Gingers playing from the time I got their first album. I constantly "played drums" on my thighs for years with his rhythms going through my mind.

[@chromeheart6597]

Self praise is no praise at all

[@dannygray-mi3xn]

Well, i will praise him then. Ginger Baker was f'in amazing mate.

[@chromeheart6597]

@@dannygray-mi3xn He hates that Bonzo nvented rock drumming , a vile human being by all accounts of those who met him Bonzo was an asshole too ,but not a self publicist on Bakers level.

[@robertkelly6282]

When you’re that good who’s to argue lol

[@Malama_Ki]

Was that a Carmine Appice quote? Must’ve been after he suckled Bonham and taught Jesus to walk on water….

[@jackthebassman1]

When I read that he criticised Buddy Rich, that was it, he wouldn’t even know why Buddy was the absolute master.

[@robertsheetz6067]

The moment he put down John Bonham... He lost me ... Even though he was great.... He continually put down other excellent drummers....

[@marklivingston1479]

He was a drunk, heroin addict asshole...... And a great drummer!🤘

[@raymondrak961]

No musician should criticize another musician especially someone like John Bonum who was an essential part of Led Zeppelin.

[@flashtheoriginal]

John Bonham? Baker wasnt in his league. Its ok to have swing, but Bonhams triplets were far far beyond Baker's range

[@SuperGForce01]

Mitch Mitchell was way ahead of both.

[@johnwade5747]

Sunshine of your love will always remind me of the sock hop at the Jeffersontown Elementary school on College Drive. It was just down the end of my street so I went there often. The bands that played there were just kids, but way older than me. I was probably 14? And the cool guys in the bands were in the 18 to 25 range. Good way to pass time! Ha ha!

[@mrinalkundu1521]

Saw Ginger playing with Hawkwind at Hammersmith in 1980. Favourite moment - his interview/demo in the Albert Hall farewell.

[@asagraphics247]

Perfect time and a perfect madman. He was AWESOME!

[@FawleyJude]

Ginger lived outside of Denver during the '90s. I saw him give a workshop at a local club and he seemd pretty mellow and not at all nasty. Took questions from the crowd, didn't get pissed off at any of them. He really turned into a cranky old bastard at the end of his life. I've seen that film of his drum duel with Art Blakey, and Blakey palyed circles around him--Blakey's technique was a lot sharper and tighter, his touch a lot cleaner, he had a bigger vocabulary. But I wouldn't want to hear Blakey playing "Toad". I would call Ginger a great and innovative rock drummer who drew on a jazz background--as did other British rock drummers of the era (Mitch Mitchell and Clive Bunker to name a couple). But then what does "jazz" mean, Miles Davis hated the word.

[@richardwestmoreland4796]

Charlie Watts was also renowned for his Jazz genre sensibilities. The other Stones have always said that Charlie was the glue that kept the band tight with both his drumming and his laid back personality.

[@stevebrothers9470]

I think Fawley Jude's comments probably nail the subject correctly. I was also at that drum clinic in Denver and it was cool. He was a reasonably tough and adventurous man and a heckuva drummer. But ego is not your amigo and he needed to work on being a human being.

[@ranjitverdi5702]

He really didn't give a fuck!..🙏

[@eddieobrien1411]

Saw Ginger Baker in London during mid 70’s. He came on stage,no fanfare,hit the bass drum and proceeded to engage in a 20 minute argument with the sound engineer. He was shouting insults,swearing and just didn’t give a fuck about the audience waiting to hear him play. He got the sound he wanted on each piece of kit and then did a fantastic drum solo. I promise you the fury and sound he created,was like being repeatedly punched in the guts;it was like seeing a raving banshee unleashed on that drum kit

[@richarddewilde9244]

ginger was the Jimi Hendrix of drums, in my humble opinion he was unmatched. Wheels of Fire is a great example of his talent

[@PaulMcGarvey-vk5hg]

Toad superb. My favourite drummer of the rock bands.

[@Mosely2007]

Saw him with Cream. Loved his drums. Outstanding solos

[@alanhobbs-tn4bw]

Fantastic with cream but Ginger on the brushes with Graham Bond backing Jack Bruce doing Train Time.Fantastic.

[@jonathanmitchell9886]

There definitely was an edge to Ginger Baker. When he wrote that line about a guy getting "very, very prickly when he's ill" in "What a Bringdown," I always assumed that he was referring to himself. I think of him as a rock drummer who could swing, and the only other drummer who fits that description--in my opinion--is Ian Paice of Deep Purple. (Charlie Watts could swing too, of course, but you rarely heard him doing that on record because the Stones' music didn't call for it.)

[@417DrumBob]

He was major rock drummer and a big influence on me when I was learning drums in the 60's, but he was a reprehensible human being. I walked right past Baker backstage at a Modern Drummer event years ago, and didn't say a word to him, I'm sure, out of trepidation.

[@stevewilcock4767]

Ginger was quite incredible. He really started the polyrhythmic thing and beyond. But he could be a bit prickly towards his contemporaries.

[@stephenreeds3632]

Pulling a knife is prickly?

[@stevewilcock4767]

@@stephenreeds3632 Yeah he did that to Jack Bruce. Probably the heroin.

[@FantomWireBrian]

I never saw Ginger,but in 75 I saw the Stones ,the Who and Led Zeppelin. I kinda remember it was the battle of the drummers. I remember people being nervous about whether Moon or Bonham were going to pass out or being wasted. We got lucky with Moon , but not Bonham. There was no question at all about Charlie. I remember him being called the " Clock". Sure steady and powerful and also seemed to get Richards in line after he walked out late and wasted . Keith was messing up and about half way through he turned his back to the crowd and walked over and faced Charlie. It seemed like 10 minutes then staring at each other.All of a sudden Charlie gave Kieth the knod and Kieth turned around and was like reborn and played fantastic and a half of an hour longer to make up for being late. Any drummer that has that talent to get Keith's shit together is the best to me. Charlie was like Big Ben that night . 😎

[@thomasgiering8091]

I saw Ginger Baker in a small German jazz club in 1991. He performed in a trio with Swedish bassist Jonas Hellborg. Ginger smoked during the entire performance and while drumming he banged the lit cigarettes into the audience with his drumstick. Well now, perhaps that was his way to show his affection and appreciation for the audience... A friend of mine and I had brought a drumhead and a sign pen to the concert because we dreamed of an autograph. The flying cigarettes should have given us a little hint. During the break we waited for Ginger near the cloakroom. When Ginger saw us he run to stage on a detour, got up to the mic, and in a totally bad mood announced that he'd had enough of writing that fucking GB. I gave away my Ginger Baker records and didn't listen to his music for ten years. After watching "Beware of Mister Baker" I was actually quite glad that Ginger didn't come to my friend and me ...

[@richardwestmoreland4796]

Holy shit! I read another account of the same story you have told about Charlie having to do something to get Keith's shit together. You're the first person Fantom Wire that I have heard was actually there for that. That story has been famously passed around for a long time now. I love your Big Ben comparison of Charlie by the way. That pretty much sums up Charlie perfectly on that one night for sure.

[@briano6268]

Was drivin thru the Redwood Forest with a friend in 1990-91. Came upon a log cabin bar with lots of moter cycles parked out front. We went in and witnessed a set from a great band with Ginger Baker on the drums right in front of us.

[@tubbers20]

Saw the Cream 3 or 4 times in San Francisco (One time with Blue Cheer). I used to carry their first album around with me as a teenager. TOAD always knocked me out. Wish I could have seen them at Royal Albert Hall. I also have an autographed copy of his book HELLRAISER.

[@jojojam6012]

Ginger was perfect for Cream, Mitch for Jimi.

[@drumsanddrumming]

Was he great or not? I think he did his best with Baker Gurvitz Army. Listen to the song "People". Great drumming. And "Toad" is a written piece not just a drumsolo, very well composed

[@gregsben]

I saw Ginger Baker with Blind Faith in Oakland, California at the Colosseum Arena around 1969. He did a drum solo through the stadium PA system during Do What You Like that left my jaw down on the floor. I was in high school at the time and had never seen or heard anything like it. It sounded like a panzer division of tanks coming right over me. It was those double bass drums and toms that did it.

[@WillyCLARKE-g8c]

Phenomenal

[@jimzeleny7213]

The fills in "World of pain" Tasty and simple enough for us guitar players to understand. Oh, and that stop in "White room".

[@bobzelley5100]

Comparing with others at the point of their same age , Baker was among the highest elite of complete drummers and influented the cr`eme de la cr`eme of today's drummers.

[@uweoehlke]

For me one of the best drummers...R.I.P. great man.

[@welcometothepsyop3639]

He was a true octopus on the drum kit. You want to hear his amazing talent listen to drumming in the band Cream. Unreal!!!

[@roderickbalt8993]

I appreciate his fiery nature and obviously highly gifted musicianship but I think the people in his life and he himself really suffered a lot under that.

[@DavidMahoney-p8i]

mI saw Ginger play live with Cream and Blind Faith. He was every bit as good as they say. Dave Mahoney.

[@jamesmcbeth4463]

Legend has it the most difficult thing about Cream was keeping Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce from killing each other. I can't believe that they could be so tight musically, but so...um disdainful of each other personally.

[@johnwright291]

What I think of when I hear Bakers drumming is the deep deep jungles of the Congo. Especially on white room.

[@Kinger1625]

My favourite moment was when he said, “People always ask why I don’t have two bass drums the same size, and I always say…none of my other drums are the same size, so would I use two bass drums the same size?” Brilliant logic….and he made the kit sound amazing. Natural time in that man. I’m a huge Van Halen fan, so loved his take…but Stewart Copeland has been incredible, and for so long now…his words and playing deliver. Ginger was such an amazing player, and his Jazz chops were fantastic. He just hated being left on the side…. ❤ nobody left Ginger on the side!!! He was still amazing in his old age, but what an angry man! ❤😂

[@GrilloTheFlightless]

I remember my dad telling me of a time when he saw Cream in the 60s and Ginger Baker took a piss off the edge of the stage into the front row. Despite witnessing such unpleasant antics, my dad always maintained that Baker was the best drummer Britain ever produced.

[@michaelbyrne8860]

Growing up in the 50's and listening to the evaluation of Rock Music and it's explosion in the 60’s through the late 70's, Cream was a more sophisticated Rock Band! And I know Ginger Baker was responsible for the sound of Cream! Eric is a top 10 Lead Guitarist of all time! But Ginger was a top 5 Rock Drummer! His timing in White Room is a completely different time in Rock Music of that era! Show me a Great 3 piece Rock Band and I'll show up a Great Dummer holding it all together so the lead guitarists can go out in space and still have a beacon marking time and holding a landing spot for the guitar to dropback in seamlessly with the band flow! The Greatest Rock Bands were all 3 pieced bands with strong drummers! I saw Ginger on a talkshow? Or somthing like it he was giging a solo album and he played a song like the Wall of Jericho? Not sure of the name? But he was fabulous! And yet you could hear Cream in his drumming! Great Drummers take the soul back to it's beginning!

[@Alan-su5bg]

His main influence was phil seaman, which he introduced young ginger to African drum beats and rythms

[@billmiller2051]

Phil is in this clip.

[@JC-sj2pd]

Introduced him to heroin too

[@Alan-su5bg]

@@JC-sj2pd he did but actually he told him not to take heroin

[@Alan-su5bg]

@@billmiller2051 yes but the intro only said gene kupra and buddy rich. Every interview of baker would mention different jazz drummers but those two but he talks about his idol phil

[@RichDalessandris]

The reason he puts down bonham and moon is because the media made a case that they were ginger's equal. They weren't and musicians knew it. From gram bond to air force his playing is exceptional and he arranged the music in the bands that he played. He wasn't just a show man, he was a gifted musician that happened to play drums

[@stephenreeds3632]

Superb drummer. Deeply disturbed man. I would have liked to ask him what made Cream a jazz band but he probably would have assaulted me!

[@RudeRecording]

Saw Baker twice live with Cream on the Goodbye tour and with Blind Faith. Still my GOAT.

[@bluesmano5283]

Saw Cream in the late 60s at the Denver Coliseum and they played on Barry Fey's "revolving stage". Cool stuff.

[@stuartmazzeo2516]

My favorite Baker song is... Which ever one i'm listening to.

[@mammothenterprises2921]

Got to see and take photos of Ginger when he played a few songs with Jack Bruce in a small music hall.

[@ManuelMartinez-pd9sj]

Ginger tried to be a jazz drummer but they're on another level. Him trying to be a jazz drummer and being Ginger Baker revolutionized rock drumming and paved the way for metal drumming. As much as he hates to admit. 🤘

[@CorePathway]

Gonna have to chew on this comment. It’s deep

[@3DThrills]

Our rock band was finally getting more and better gigs when I went to see Ginger Baker and Cream. I went home, burned my drums and became a CPA

[@HanginInSF]

😂😂😂

[@darthazua]

That's why I love the Cream. Eric always on rock mode. But Ginger and Jack on jazz mode. Both simply fill up every song with their own fills and feels. Example Sunshine of your love. Jazzy drum and bass.

[@michaelknight1251]

I was lucky enough to see Ginger at Plumpton near Brigton with Gingers band Airforce. They couldn't get him to stop so they turned off the power, only to see Ginger play one of the best solos i had heard, he just wouldn't stop. What a great night😊

[@hermangahn6353]

Deserted cities of the heart. Great syncopation changing from the double bass to the top with quick fills and accents on the cymbals. Bruce and him are just meshing

[@hankd18]

I always wanted to play with a good ,skilled drummer. Never happened. Nobody wants to get better once they hit a certain level. He was quite a character.

[@magnus9165]

Good thing Ginger got into percussion. He probably would have spent his life in prison if he hadn't. What a short tempered contrarian psychopath.

[@tommyrotton9468]

I saw Ginger play live with Hawkwind, he took the band to a different level, if you have the time you should listen to the album Levitation. But like Charlie said, with Ginger the music just doesn't last.

[@kevinturner5857]

Saw Ginger Bakers Jazz Confusion , crackin even , ad a fabulous Bassist Alan Dankworth , at Frome Cheese & Grain mayb 7yrs ago , a fabulous evenin , crackin rendition of Caravan 🙂🙃👍

[@mikebunner3498]

T/his is great. These people speaking of Ginger like they did should tell you something..... Ginger was damn good. THANKS.....

[@Mr223P]

Nice to see a brief bit of footage of Ginger with his old mentor the legendary jazz drummer and rival on the nutcase stakes Phil Seaman.

[@edfederoff2679]

Loved the "Beware of Mr. Baker" documentary... As it was told, he wouldn't hesitate to "put one on you, Man..." I'd have liked to seen a punch-up between him and Ian Anderson - that would make a good featurette, I think.

[@trentwinston2914]

Nothing in this video surprised me. I just really was happy to hear GREAT drummers reflect on Ginger Baker. Ohhhhh, I loved the comment that he was a Jazz Drummer. Just no one has told Eric.

[@heavenhelpus479]

I watched a documentary on him a few years ago. I think it was called "Beware of Mr. Baker" and at one point he actually struck the film's creator with his cane.

[@williamleeming4082]

He was a sob as a person and not a good family man but, I will say I think he was one of the best drummers I've ever heard.

[@guygranger7894]

I sold my Ludwigs many years ago because I got in need of cash. I never was very good,but loved to practice the coordination of Ginger Baker on Sunshine of Your love and Outside woman Blues. and White Room. Loved Ginger Baker`s innovative style. I `ve been trying for fifty years and still have shortcomings with it.

[@Mortslake]

Big influence ! Even on musicians who doesnt play drums.

[@jamesheath7601]

One of the best ever RIP

[@wahoo222]

I saw Cream in '68, Akron Ohio. Clapton still had hair down around his shoulders. They were a great jam band Live and all had solo's but Baker had 15+ minute showcase with Toad. Triplet Monster!

[@DavidSmith-ss1cg]

What was monstrous was Eric Clapton's Afro(which I've seen called "Faux-Perm").

[@alvistd2168]

Mitch Mitchell and Baker- Mick Waller. and the guy from Procol harum -

[@garygomesvedicastrology]

B. J. Wilson was the guy from Procol Harum-great drummer and a former jazz drummer. Dave Mattacks from Fairport Convention was amazing live, too!

[@annaforehan7784]

@@garygomesvedicastrology Dave Mattacks was indeed great.

[@richarddavis5542]

I was 10 years old when Wheels of Fire came out with Crossroads and Toad. Before that, drums weren't very prevalent in Rock music (except with The Who). All I had to listen with was a transistor radio which didn't reproduce much bass or drums. Baker got me to pay attention to drums so he became my primary influence as a drummer. Later in life I became to really appreciate Bobby Elliot (Hollies) and Ringo. I have tried to reproduce the soft feel inside the great power that is Baker's playing style. Whenever I get close I lose my grip on the sticks so I never quite get there.

[@annaforehan7784]

You should listen to Kenney Jones of the Small Faces. A great and underrated drummer in the 60s.

[@richarddavis5542]

@@annaforehan7784 Very familiar with Kenny. He does a great performance on the live version of "I'm Losing You".

[@annaforehan7784]

@@richarddavis5542 I mean his playing with the Small Faces. Song of a Baker and Tin Soldier are just two of countless examples. Btw, it's Kenney with an "e"!

[@dr.wianmeintjes9028]

Great Thx