Ginger Baker critically ill

[Dave W]

From his FB page yesterday: Announcement. Ginger is critically ill in hospital. Please keep him in your prayers. Thank you everyone

[westen44]

Thanks.  I didn't even know about that.  It sounds like he needs all the prayers he can get. 

[Grog]

I thought he was older than he is, he's only 80.....

[Basvarken]

With all the substance abuse during all those years, it's a miracle he even made it to 80.

[uwe]

The ole grouser ...  Let's not lose him, but if his time has come, then let it be gentle. He is a wonderful drummer. For all his fame actually underrated. I wish we lived in a world where he had inspired more drummers and John Bonham less!

[westen44]

Ginger Baker, at this point, is hanging in there. 

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/creams-ginger-baker-is-holding-his-own-in-hospital/

[Dave W]

Ginger Baker, at this point, is hanging in there. 

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/creams-ginger-baker-is-holding-his-own-in-hospital/

"Baker, who gained a reputation as the most uncontrollable musician on the scene, was the subject of a 2013 documentary, "Beware Of Mr. Baker", which painted the title character as a chain-smoking, profanity-spewing, mean-spirited, entitled, grouchy, vile and self-destructive man with otherworldly talent and tragic flaws."

And those are his strong points!

FB update

[lowend1]

I wish we lived in a world where he had inspired more drummers and John Bonham less!

I think the number of drummers who were truly influenced by Bonham is far smaller than the number that say they were. It has always seemed to me that many consider beating the crap out of a drumset to be a legitimate homage to his memory, when his playing was far more nuanced than that. Led Zeppelin was unquestionably HIS vehicle - despite the appearance that Page or Plant was driving the bus, er, blimp.

[ilan]

I hope he recovers fully and lives long enough to replace the drums track on Sunshine of Your Love, this time with the accents on 2 and 4 WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. It drives me crazy every time. He took a perfectly good song with a killer hook and made it impossible to listen to.

[slinkp]

But that's what's cool about that song!

[ilan]

But that's what's cool about that song!

Yeah I don't know, Clapton's other drummers since then have all played it "normally" (at his request, I'm sure) and the song still has its magic, but without messing with your brain. Man, you get to play on one of the best hooks ever, don't steal its thunder, there will be other opportunities to show that you are the rhythmic genius that you think you are.

[gearHed289]

I think the number of drummers who were truly influenced by Bonham is far smaller than the number that say they were. It has always seemed to me that many consider beating the crap out of a drumset to be a legitimate homage to his memory, when his playing was far more nuanced than that.

Absolutely. That actually goes for Led Zeppelin as a whole.

I hope he recovers fully and lives long enough to replace the drums track on Sunshine of Your Love, this time with the accents on 2 and 4 WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. It drives me crazy every time. He took a perfectly good song with a killer hook and made it impossible to listen to.

I've played and sang that song plenty of times and it never bothered me. But then, I've played along to Alan White a lot too. 

[westen44]

I hope he recovers fully and lives long enough to replace the drums track on Sunshine of Your Love, this time with the accents on 2 and 4 WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. It drives me crazy every time. He took a perfectly good song with a killer hook and made it impossible to listen to.

I've seen two versions of what happened with the song.  In one Ginger Baker said he thought the song needed a different tempo.  He came up with that particular drumbeat and liked the song after that.  In the other version, supposedly Tom Dowd requested that the song have a tribal drumbeat.  Whatever happened, it appears there were people involved who preferred that the song be that way. 

[Dave W]

I hope he recovers fully and lives long enough to replace the drums track on Sunshine of Your Love, this time with the accents on 2 and 4 WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. It drives me crazy every time. He took a perfectly good song with a killer hook and made it impossible to listen to.

Blasphemy!

[uwe]

I'm with Dave, that drum pattern makes the song - conventional drum patterns let it sound leaden in comparison.



And that iconic Jack Bruce riff actually stands more out in Ginger's version than in any other:



I never gave it a thought why the song sounds so different (in my ears: better) with Baker than with other drummers - now I know, danke, Ilan!

I've said this before, but Baker's drumming defies conventional rhythm section work and is more like an animated percussive discussion with the other music that is playing. That really makes him stand out among rock drummers.