The Most Unhinged Drummer in Rock History

Creme broke up because Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce hated each other. Their feud lasted a lifetime, and when Bruce was on his deathbed, he called Baker one last time, but not to make amends. He had one last parting shot for his old drummer. Music has no shortage of divas and eccentric personalities, but in Ginger Baker's case, his actions earned a whole new level of notoriety. While he spent much of his life collaborating with other musicians and various groups, one would be hard-pressed to find more than a few who truly called him a friend. To fans and those closest to him, he was ill-tempered at best and dangerous at worst, all while being one of the most iconic drummers in rock history. Known for his wild style of performance, Ginger Baker made waves as a musical genius among other rock drummers, but that wasn't his only reputation. Very quickly, those who met him learned how unpredictable and intense he could be, with a fiery temper that seemed to be foreshadowed in his youth. Born on August 19, 1939, as Peter Edward Baker, he received the nickname Ginger for his flaming red hair. However, his hardships at a young age may have earned this hostile attitude. Born in South London to his parents, Ruby May and Frederick Baker, Ginger would sadly experience one of his first major losses at only five years old. During World War II, his father served as a Lance Corporal, during which he perished. Despite that loss, Ginger's natural aptitude soon appeared as he drew older. Ginger found himself drawn to music at an early age, especially after he began listening to jazz, and developed a passion for the style. Even in school, he couldn't keep his mind from drifting to the music he loved, and he spent much of his time drumming all of his favorite rhythms on his desk. Fortunately, he received a lot of support from those around him. Although Ginger was an amazing drummer, his first real instrument was the trumpet at 15 years old. Still, his affinity for percussion remained, and even his friends knew it was what he was meant to do. While at a party, remembering his tendency to drum on his desk, they pushed Ginger to play drums with the band performing there. Conceding to the nudging of his classmates, Ginger sat down at the band and started to play the drums, even though he was quite inexperienced. This didn't seem to matter, though, as the other band members quickly became impressed at a skill and told him so afterward. At that moment, he decided he would be a professional drummer. Luckily, he caught a break before long. With his dream career decided, Ginger put himself out here to gain experience as a drummer, and possibly some fame. Auditioning from multiple bands at only 16 years old, he wound up taking a spot in Hugh Rainey's All Stars, which later became the story-villed jazz band. His raw talent didn't mean he had finished learning, however. No one could deny that Ginger had the makings of a rock star, but he was still a young amateur, and he had no delusions about his lack of training. So, as he continued to perform into the 1960s, he began studying under one of the most prominent jazz drummers in the UK of the time, Phil Seaman. Unfortunately, he soon developed something other than his skills. Throughout the 1960s, Ginger performed as a jazz drummer, venues across London, and fully embraced the life of a famous musician. Even some of the darker sides. During this time, he developed an addiction to illicit substances, and this struggle would follow him for most of his life. Even worse, in keeping with his volatile nature, he often rubbed people the wrong way. Before the end of the decade, Ginger joined another group called Blues Incorporated, where he formed one of his most significant relationships. However, it wasn't a good one, and as Ginger got to know bassist Jack Bruce, the two couldn't keep from fighting. Still, they worked together again with the Graham Bond organization. But despite their efforts, things ultimately went extremely left. This conflict between Ginger and Bruce ranged from petty to dangerous, and fluctuated quickly as it boiled over into their performances, with them frequently fighting on stage. Still, Ginger's issues didn't stop with Bruce, and his irritable reputation spread to the public, as he started having confrontations with fans as well. Finally, things reached a tipping point. Before too much longer, the tensions between Ginger and Bruce had become irreparable, and Ginger had had enough. Seeing no other alternative, he fired Bruce on the band. But this was ineffective. Bruce continued to show up to play with them, which soon prompted an enraged ginger to threaten him with a blade on stage. Despite his issues, Ginger was still able to have some meaningful relationships. Over the course of his life, Ginger's romantic relationships proved to be just as tumultuous as his professional ones. Starting with his first manager to Liz Finch in 1960, during which they welcomed their daughter. Ginger would eventually marry three more times by the end of his life. He would also fall their two other children. Meanwhile, he crossed paths with another star to be. As he continued to perform, Ginger met many of the other British musicians trying to make it big. One such performer was legendary guitarist, Eric Clapton, who sometimes sat in with Ginger's band, allowing the drummer to see his potential. Then, attending one of Clapton's performances with John Mayo's blues breakers, Ginger grew even more impressed. Of course, this respect wasn't just one way. For what it's worth, Clapton seemed to reciprocate Ginger's admiration for him, but it didn't always have to do with the drummer's musical ability. If you would later state, after the blues breakers gig, Ginger drove from home and his rover, while the two were already forming a friendship, Clapton specifically was very impressed with his car and driving. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in Ginger's head. Watching Clapton with the blues breakers, an idea struck Ginger like a lightning bolt, and he soon developed his next big project. During the subsequent ride with Clapton, Ginger proposed a new experimental band, consisting of the two of them. Clapton showed interest, but having played with Jack Bruce once before, agreed to it only if Ginger would ask Bruce to join too. Ginger begrudgingly accepted. Ginger was, understandably, taken aback by Clapton's stipulation of including Bruce in their new band, and was equally unhappy about it. However, he was willing to do anything to get Clapton's involvement. So, in 1966, Ginger and Bruce agreed to put aside their differences and officially form the band, Cream. Finally, it all came together, for a while anyway. Getting Clapton on board, they still had to come up with a name, and briefly considered sweet and sour rock and roll. However, over the past decade, Ginger, Clapton and Bruce had each managed to stand out in the British music world, specifically among blues and jazz players. As many referred to them as the Cream of the Crop, the band took on the name Cream. Soon, it was time to show themselves. On July 29th of that year, Cream played at a nightclub called the Twisted Wheel, and what was their unofficial debut. However, just two nights later, they would appear before audiences officially for the first time during the sixth annual Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival. They would break up only two years later, but not before releasing four albums together. Although short, this time was extremely significant to Ginger's development. Ginger's reputation as a drummer grew even further during his time with Cream, and he demonstrated the range of his performances. While many came to see him as an energetic and flashy drummer, others saw a calmer side of him. This was due to his inspiration from earlier British jazz musicians, who usually display it a more subdued demeanor. Not to mention, he became an inspiration himself. Due to his style, many often compared Ginger to the who's drummer Keith Moon. Fortunately, the two were friends, and once attended a Duke Ellington concert, where they watched drummer Sam Woodyard play with two bass drums. After this, both Ginger and Moon incorporated double bass drumming into the music, becoming pioneers of the technique in rock. He also created one of the coolest aspects of later music. When it comes to Ginger's contributions to rock music, one stands above the rest as it quickly became a common trope of the genre. Stemming from Cream's first album in 1966, Fresh Cream, one of its tracks, Toad, consists of a five-minute drum solo composed and performed by Ginger. Many consider this to be the first drum solo in rock. Of course, Cream was only his first collaboration. Following Cream's separation, Ginger is still open to creating another group, albeit likely one without Jack Bruce. Furthermore, he still wanted to work with Clapton. And in 1969, the two of them joined Steve Winwood and Rick Gretch to create a super group called Blind Faith. However, this was also short-lived and they released one album before calling it quits. Almost immediately after Blind Faith broke up, Ginger was ready to get back on the horse and took a couple of his bandmates with him. This time, he formed a super group with his name plastered across it, calling the band Ginger Baker's Air Force. Bringing along Winwood and Gretch, they also included eight more members such as Phil Seaman and Alan White. Following this, he made a big change. Similar to his previous projects, Ginger Baker's Air Force only lasted a couple of years before they threw in the towel, leaving Ginger with a desire to shake things up. Not one for half-measures, he started making big plans to establish recording studio in Lagos, Nigeria. To do this though, he embarked on a grand adventure. In initiating his plan for a new studio in 1971, he also decided that simply flying to Lagos was too boring, and the crossing the Sahara on land would be far more daring. Wanting to make a full account of this journey, he invited filmmaker Tony Palmer along for the ride, creating a documentary titled Ginger Baker in Africa, which released in 1971. This trip led back to another impactful relationship. Now in Lagos, Ginger had the opportunity to work with an old friend, whose music he endlessly adored. In the early 70s, Ginger connected with Fala Coody and the two collaborated on several projects, including Ginger's next album. Because of his love for Coody's work, Ginger adopted more and more of his Afrobeat style. Fortunately, Ginger's endeavor paid off for a while. Despite Ginger's unyielding resolve, he wasn't able to open his new recording studio right away due to several logistical challenges. However, two years later, that Dakota Studios finally had its grand opening. Ginger hit the ground running, and would soon host musicians from all over, including big names like Paul McCartney. At the same time, his days of performing and music groups weren't over. Hoping to fare better than previously, Ginger again formed a band with two other musicians named Paul and Adrian Gervitz. Starting in 1974, Baker Gervitz army toured throughout Europe over the next couple of years and recorded three albums. Sadly, they didn't last too much longer and broke up after their manager lost his life in a plane crash. Following this, he took a step back. Although Ginger's studio and Legos was initially a success, by the early 1980s, it had been on a steady decline for a while until he had no choice but to shutter it. In the wake of this failure and the breakup of his most recent band, he moved to Tuscany. And stepped out of the music business for a bit, preferring to relax on an olive farm there. This time ended up changing his life, and quite possibly saving it. Since the 1960s, Ginger's addiction to illicit substances had followed him closely, even though we tried to overcome it many times. In his words, he would use every trip to Africa as an attempt to get sober, even if this never worked permanently. Thankfully, during his time as an olive farmer, he finally gained enough clarity and space to quit his substance use for good. Even with that success, though, he couldn't stay away from his passion forever. Once Ginger had spent enough time away from his familiar stresses, he felt he was ready to rejoin the music industry. Following a brief stint as a session drummer in Hawkewin's 1980 album "Levitation," he joined the band. Even though he left the following year, his work with them appeared on two of their albums. Meanwhile, he wanted to add another job to his resume. Ginger loved making music, but even as he returned to the industry, he likely grew tired of its various pressures and pitfalls, which may have influenced his decision to try something else. Later that decade, he relocated again to Los Angeles with a new dream of entering show business. This didn't work out as well as he hoped. Unfortunately, Ginger would only face even further failure in his pursuit to becoming an actor. While he did appear in a series called "Nasty Boys" in 1990, most of his other auditions came up fruitless, such as for a role in Weird Al's 1989 comedy, UHF. Out of work and disheartened, he resorted to seeking out music work through magazine ads. Returning to his roots, he found a familiar face. As the '90s progressed, Ginger decided to return to basics with musicians whom he already knew were powerhouses in their genres. This meant working with his age-old rival, Jack Bruce. As another briefly successful group, Ginger and Bruce joined guitarist Gary Moore to form BBM and released one album in 1994 Around the Next Dream. He soon developed a more active interest. Leaving Hollywood in the mid-90s, Ginger remained in America, but took up residence in Parker, Colorado, specifically due to the presence of another past time of his. Having become more invested in the sport of polo, he frequented the Salisbury equestrian park, where he also sponsored several music events. Soon enough, however, he had to pick up everything and move again. Ginger enjoyed his home in Colorado for about six years before circumstances forced him to leave America entirely. Although he had quit his substance use, just his history of it was enough for US immigration to become involved. To avoid any further problems, he sold his house and took up his next residence in South Africa. One more time, he got the band back together. In the new millennium, old bands of cream received a welcome surprise when all three members of the band reunited. Ginger and Bruce once again overcame their differences to perform together, playing a series of shows in 2005, both a Madison Square Garden and the Royal Albert Hall. This didn't mean they turned over a new leaf. Even after all that time, Ginger and Bruce were never able to see eye to eye, and they're disdain for each other only seemed to grow stronger. Bruce later spoke about the reunion, explaining how tensions between them were as high as ever, and even though they lived on separate continents, he wanted Ginger to move even further away. What's worse is that the feud lasted the rest of their lives. Even when Bruce called Baker to inform Baker that he was dying, Bruce took that as an opportunity to insult Baker one last time. According to the story, Bruce was calling his old friends to say goodbye one last time. Then he picked up the phone and called Baker, telling him, "I'm dying, Ginger. F few." Then slammed down the phone. Baker tried to call back a few times, of course, but Bruce never picked up and passed on shortly afterward. The late 2000s saw Ginger involved in a financial scandal when law enforcement charged his personal assistant with defrauding him of around 500,000 South African Rand. According to Ginger, his assistant Noco had taken advantage of her access to his private information and withdrawn the money from his account without authorization. Naturally, she had her side of the story. For her part, Noco didn't deny that she came into possession of the money, but insisted that it had been with Ginger's consent. In her version of events, she and Ginger had become romantically involved and he gave the money to her as a gift. Ginger refuted this by claiming he had a scar that every woman he was involved with had seen, but she didn't know about it. Eventually, the courts reached a decision. Noco stuck to her story and tried to fight against Ginger's accusations in court, but in the end, the law ruled in Ginger's favor. Noco received a conviction and a sentence of correctional supervision for three years. While he was on the winning side, this sentence left Ginger disappointed and he referred to it as a travesty. With all these problems, it's no wonder that his health suffered. By 2013, several long-term conditions had taken more and more of a toll on Ginger until he couldn't ignore them any longer. He announced that a lifetime of unhealthy habits had resulted in a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Still, he hadn't finished performing yet. Although his health was deteriorating in a way that increasingly limited his mobility, Ginger was adamant about making as much music as he could before the end. In 2013, he formed a quartet called the Ginger Baker Jazz Confusion, with which he toured and released his final album called "The Buy." Adding to his previous issues, in 2016, his doctors diagnosed him with severe heart problems. He announced that due to this new issue, he would be canceling his upcoming shows. Sadly, he was nearing the end. Ultimately, his illness put him back in the hospital in the fall of 2019, when his family urged fans to pray for his health. A month later, he succumbed to his lung disease and passed on on October 6th. If you enjoyed this fact-in-ate video, give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more incredible stories. I want to say in who we cover next, join our membership program through the link in the description for exclusive perks. Your support means everything to us. 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