Posted on 09/25/2019 6:59:03 PM PDT by DoodleBob
Legendary CREAM drummer Ginger Baker is "critically ill" and in the hospital, his family has revealed.
"Please keep him in your prayers tonight," the family wrote in a brief statement posted to Baker's official Twitter account on Wednesday afternoon.
Baker, who turned 80 in August, has experienced a number of health issues in recent years. In 2016, he underwent open heart surgery, which forced him to cancel a run of tour dates. During recovery, a fall also left him with swollen legs and feet. In 2013, he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and he is also said to ber suffering from chronic back pain as a result of degenerative osteoarthritis.
(Excerpt) Read more at blabbermouth.net ...
I really wish all my rock heroes would stop dying, dammit!
I am still mourning Keith Emerson and Greg Lake.
Ginger would hit you if you called him a “rock drummer”, he considered himself a jazz drummer in a rock band.
Ms. Elders, is that you?
A great documentary.
“Clapner” too funny. I remember that from a few years ago.
Four seconds. I had to resize the graphic.
LOL!
Now that’s just... mean.
Not a Rich fan at all. All technique, no soul.
Morello much better.
I saw Cream in 69 at a circular rotating stage that broke down with me right behind Baker for 2 hours.
He played “around” a song, like a melodic instrument. He rarely used the traditional hi-hat to keep the meter, but instead used his snare and toms.
He is my #2 all time best drummer behind Appice.
Yep. Or We’re Goin’ Wrong”
See my Baker story above.
Larry, I would still be trying to find the graphic! LOL
Ginger Baker’s drums on Cream’s Tales Of Brave Ulyssees are so sublime.
When I saw them they were also on the round rotating stage ... in a circus tent.
I was about 14 or 15 years old I think ... my first concert ever ... a night to remember ...
I have wondered how he has made it this long. In the documentary “Beware Mr. Baker”, pretty interesting BTW - watch it if you haven’t, one scene he is on oxygen another he is smoking. I don’t think they were terribly far apart in time.
The documentary was released in 2012. 7+ years is a long time for someone with COPD on oxygen to continue smoking - especially at his age. Seen it first hand.
One of the truly great rock drummers. He has that something intangible extra that only few of the top tier drummers have. But apparently a very difficult person to work with for any length of time. He’s put a lot of mileage on that body.
An opinion comment regarding Cream. As a high school student when Cream hit, their music was that moment when I realized that blues influenced rock was where my taste was going. It always seemed to me that with a different guitarist of similar caliber to Clapton Cream could still have been Cream. But IMO, such as it is as I have zero musical talent, Cream could not have been Cream without Bruce or Baker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7h8CqYXEx0
Don’t forget Eugene Bertram “Gene” Krupa.
Back in Cream's heyday he would have won a contest for "Rock superstar least likely to be alive in 2019."
agreed ... especially Bruce ... that voice ...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.