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RIP GINGER BAKER

Once seen, never forgotten! I saw him twice with Cream - Birmingham University and (I think) Midnight City, but he was disappointingly well-behaved at both. Prior to that I saw him with the Graham Bond Organisation at the CAT (Aston University), but don't remember very much about that night. I also remember reading that in his younger day he was a good racing cyclist, and also built his own drum-kit. Quite a character, but not sure if I'd want to have been around him for very long.

G
 
Yes, I was very sorry to hear he'd passed away. He hadn't been well for some time and I had read he was in a serious condition the last week or so. All things considered, he didn't do too bad to reach 80.

I never saw him live but he was certainly a legendary drummer, there won't be anyone like him again.
Difficult person at times but I guess he had his own demons.

The Beware Mr Baker doc film is a good watch, there were times where he was quite endearing I thought - maybe one of those people who doesn't like to show they have a soft side.

Rest in Peace now Ginger..
 
As an ex-musician I will admit that he was a very capable drummer, but as he got older, his tolerance towards other musicians and people in general got worse and worse. Whilst I never got to meet him personally, I have read many accounts and it seems that this intolerance during his time in South Africa amounted to being plain obnoxious. But then I've played with several excellent musician's whose standard of playing was outstanding, but whose behavior towards other members of the band and me left a lot to be desired. British pianist Stan Tracey told many stories of "bad-tempered" Americans such as Stan Getz, Chet Baker, and Charles Mingus - all excellent players, but with a bad attitude, mainly due to drug taking. But for every top class player with a bad attitude, there are three who are a real pleasure to work with. I hope Ginger has at last found peace.

Maurice :cool:
 
GINGER BAKER Its a small world, BUT he lived about 3 miles from me in Parker. Colorado USA in the late 1990s before he was deported and moved to South Africa. He has two other interests Bike racing and Horses. He had a ranch in Elizabeth Colorado and loved to play horse polo at The Salisbury Horse ranch Parker, Colorado, I got to see him play and met him several times, One-time he had a Saturday Concert with Ernie Rodrigues sax and Ron Miles trumpet. I rode my bike over to the park and he was standing there before, He liked my bike, a 1951Bates BAR he said "I use to race bikes" he seemed spaced out and walked away, then started the concert. His son also a drummer played a drum duet that day and there is a Youtube video of this. His daughter Brenda? still lives in Elizabeth Colorado USA Amazing that he lived to be 80 with the life he had!!!! There is also a movie about him and his life "Beware of Mr. Baker" or some such? GREAT DRUMMER THOUGH could really get the crowds jumping. Nothing to do with Brum history, But another musician. that liked bikes do you know him? (of course apart from ME and the late and great TED HAYNES who was a true Brummie who was a member of this group)
 

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Robert Ensor (bob) said:
They say the top three,
Bonham
Moon
Baker

So sad all our idles are leaving, we forget the age of some of these guys

But I must admit I have no idea how Kieth Richards is still here !!!.
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Hi Bob,

Yes mate it's very sad that all these guys we all enjoyed so much have gone, and I couldn't agree more how on earth is keith Richards still with us? Although having seen him play several times I'm glad he is.

Lozellian.
 
I remember Ginger. How could you forget! He had a unique style, very solid beat and intricate, interwoven rhythms. He was also very short tempered and acidic!
I was the drummer in the support band for Cream when they played at Mothers in Erdington one time. I had a nice Slingerland jazz kit and Ginger, with his jazz background asked to try it. He thrashed out a few minutes of mayhem and then declared the kit to sound like rice puddings.
I was a bit miffed at the time, but more amused later when we supported them again at Leicester. university, and was setting up my gear when i was greeted with
" Ah!, it's the man from Ambrosia Creamed Rice", But a friendlier tone this time. I told him there was a lawnmower shop next door, and he should get a f...... Haircut. Anyway, that seemed to amuse him and we ended up on terms of armed neutrality after that.
A great character if you were tolerant, and a very different drummer. RIP Ginge.
 
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John, what was your band called? I just checked the archive and Cream played at Mothers in July 1967, and I'm wondering if it was there and not Midnight City where I saw them. What I do remember for sure was Ginger Baker playing his famous drum-solo 'Toad' at Birmingham Uni Students Union....it went on for ever!

As they once said about the Sixties - if you remember them, you weren't there.

G
 
Big Gee said:
John, what was your band called? I just checked the archive and Cream played at Mothers in July 1967, and I'm wondering if it was there and not Midnight City where I saw them. What I do remember for sure was Ginger Baker playing his famous drum-solo 'Toad' at Birmingham Uni Students Union....it went on for ever!

As they once said about the Sixties - if you remember them, you weren't there.

G
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JASPER STUBBS GLORYLAND BAND
We were doing Jefferson Airplane sort of stuff, and trying to be SOOO Cool. Haha
 
I think perhaps even Keith Richards himself doesn't understand how his still here.
Great player, great band.
Going a bit off track here. RIP Ginger
 
Its a pity that Eddie Haynes, my old pal, and past on member of this forum, is not still around I am sure HE would have tales to tell about Ginger Baker, in fact now I think about it, (dangerous at my age) he did post something about him once I think
 

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I got to meet Ginger Baker several times in the early 60's. I ran an R&B Club in Crawley Sussex called the Mojo and GB played with Blues Incorporated and later the Graham Bond Organization, both of which played several times at my club. During this period I didn't have the time to appreciate the musicianship of the bands that graced my place. It was when Cream were formed that I really took note of how great these guys were.
Dave A
 
oldbrit said:
Its a pity that Eddie Haynes, my old pal, and past on member of this forum, is not still around I am sure HE would have tales to tell about Ginger Baker, in fact now I think about it, (dangerous at my age) he did post something about him once I think
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John I am so glad you mention Eddie, I am sure he could have told us a couple is stories.
Any one wanting a a real treat read Eddie's thread a true delight and a journey in drumming starting in Birmingham.
 
Blind Faith mentioned above - Ginger Baker, Eric Clapton, Stevie Winwood, Ric Grech.

I went to see their first concert that was a free concert in Hyde Park, London in 1969.

I had been a big fan of Cream but never saw them live, AND a big fan of Traffic with Stevie Winwood (saw them live in london with Jimi Hendrix in the audience), AND also a big fan of a group called Family and the bassist of Blind Faith was Ric Grech who had joined from Family.

The chance to see Eric, Ginger, Stevie and Ric in one band was too much so I had to go (I lived in London at the time).

Sadly I can remember little of the concert.

I think Eric and Ginger were trying to get away from the excesses of Cream with the long solos so there was little of that in Blind Faith.

There is a web site about the concert, see below (and it seems a DVD of it has been released and there are some videos on YouTube). I have had a look at the crowd photos on the web site below but cant see me anywhere !

Blind Faith Hyde Park Free Concert 6-7-69.

hyde park concerts, hyde park free concerts, hyde park rock concerts,hyde park, hyde park, hyde park concerts 1968-1971, free concerts, free festivals, blackhill enterprises, pink floyd,fairport convention, family, roy harper, edgar broughton, reviews, articles, memorabilia.,photos, links, tape...
www.ukrockfestivals.com
 
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guilbert53 said:
Blind Faith mentioned above - Ginger Baker, Eric Clapton, Stevie Winwood, Ric Grech.

I went to see their first concert that was a free concert in Hyde Park, London in 1969.

I had been a big fan of Cream but never saw them live, but also a big fan of a group called Family and the bassist of Blind Faith was Ric Grech who had joined from Family.

The chance to see Eric, Ginger and Ric in one band was too much so I had to go (I lived in london at the time).

Sadly I can remember little of the concert.

I think Eric and Ginger were trying to get away from the excesses of Cream with the long solos so there was little of that in Blind Faith.

There is a web site about the concert, see below (and it seems a DVD of it has been released and there are some videos on YouTube). I have had a look at the crowd photos on the web site below but cant see me anywhere !

Blind Faith Hyde Park Free Concert 6-7-69.

hyde park concerts, hyde park free concerts, hyde park rock concerts,hyde park, hyde park, hyde park concerts 1968-1971, free concerts, free festivals, blackhill enterprises, pink floyd,fairport convention, family, roy harper, edgar broughton, reviews, articles, memorabilia.,photos, links, tape...
www.ukrockfestivals.com
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I went to see Blind Faith in Toronto, July18,1969. I too was/am a fan of Family. The only thing I remember about the show was Ric Grech playing the electric violin, which I believe was a first for my ears.
Dave A
 
Johnbell said:
JASPER STUBBS GLORYLAND BAND
We were doing Jefferson Airplane sort of stuff, and trying to be SOOO Cool. Haha
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Hi, John

I hope you don't mind me coming in on this thread, but I saw that you were involved with Jasper Stubbs Gloryland Band and I've been trying to track down some info about the band for years. I was wondering if these images that I have attached will bring back any memories. I've been a record collector since the back end of the sixties and I picked up this acetate in a charity shop some years ago.

Does this ring any bells for you? Were you involved with this? I have to admit that they are two great recordings and they should have made to it to release. I think if they had been issued at the time, that would now be one extremely collectable piece of vinyl.

If you have any more background info to go with this, I would love to hear it. I've played this acetate on my radio show in the past, but still couldn't get any feedback from it.

Jim
 

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jimmytheferret said:
Hi, John

I hope you don't mind me coming in on this thread, but I saw that you were involved with Jasper Stubbs Gloryland Band and I've been trying to track down some info about the band for years. I was wondering if these images that I have attached will bring back any memories. I've been a record collector since the back end of the sixties and I picked up this acetate in a charity shop some years ago.

Does this ring any bells for you? Were you involved with this? I have to admit that they are two great recordings and they should have made to it to release. I think if they had been issued at the time, that would now be one extremely collectable piece of vinyl.

If you have any more background info to go with this, I would love to hear it. I've played this acetate on my radio show in the past, but still couldn't get any feedback from it.

Jim
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Hi Jim, Yes, remember it well. I was the Drummer with Jasper Stubbs.we used to do both of these at all of our gigs. Les Hemmings was the singer, you can find him on FB, he has a heap of info. John Bishop was Hammond, Still works a bit and Piano Tuner to most of the Midlands. Also on FB. Happy to help you on this if you want more info, but find me on FB messenger, much easier for me, I'm in Thailand.
 
I had the pleasure of seeing Cream unload their own gear , that was outside The Marquee Club(The Whisky) Navigation St in The 60's . Not a snowball in hell chance of getting in to see them with the amount of people waiting for admission .
 
Did you know he was a pretty good cyclist lived, a few miles from me in Elizabeth Colorado USA If you read his Bio he says that he was going to be a Pro Cyclist but an ACCIDENT AND HIS BIKE WAS CRUSHED AND THAT ENDED IT
 
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oldbrit said:
Did you know or care, but he was a pretty good cyclist live a few miles from me in Elizabeth Colorado USA
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Oldbrit a bit strong worded that don't you think , I didn't know he was a cyclist . What I did know was his musical prowess and that is what he will be remembered for not his bike rides
 
Big Gee said:
John, what was your band called? I just checked the archive and Cream played at Mothers in July 1967, and I'm wondering if it was there and not Midnight City where I saw them. What I do remember for sure was Ginger Baker playing his famous drum-solo 'Toad' at Birmingham Uni Students Union....it went on for ever!

As they once said about the Sixties - if you remember them, you weren't there.

G
Click to expand...
I certainly remember seeing Cream at The Midnight City.
 
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