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(#1) He Went To Africa To Get Off Drugs But Hates Treatment Centers
After the dissolution of Cream in 1968, Baker played with Eric Clapton and Traffic's Steve Winwood in Blind Faith and then his own band Ginger Baker's Air Force before relocating to Nigeria.
Baker's troubles with drugs were well documented by this time and the drummer claimed his habit was so bad that he retreated to Africa to get away from his demons.
He said in an interview.
Every time I went to Africa I got off. You have to get a good two years clear, and those two years are the most difficult. You reach a point where you can say 'no'. Then you say 'no' again. The third time a little thing goes off in your brain, 'I wish I'd said yes.' Then on the fourth time you just say 'yes' and you're back on it again. I came off something like 29 times.
Baker, who got clean cold turkey, was outspoken about his distrust and disdain for rehabilitation centers, which he's called a "con to make money and take advantage."
He opened a recording studio in the capital Lagos and Paul McCartney And Wings used the studio while recording Band On The Run.
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(#2) He's Friends With The Rolling Stones But Hates Their Music
Despite being close friends with the Rolling Stones, particularly drummer Charlie Watts, Baker often spoke out about how he much he hated the band's music. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he recalled getting an offer to attend a Stones show once, but declined.
"I won’t go within 10 miles of a Rolling Stones gig," he said, calling the band "not good musicians."
"The best musician in the Stones is Charlie by a country mile," Baker added.
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(#3) He Went Into The Olive Oil Business But Had Problems With The Mafia
After Baker's recording studio in Nigeria went bust the drummer relocated to Italy and operated an olive tree farm. While in Tuscany, his music career was revived when producer Bill Laswell asked him to play on a new album by Public Image Limited, a project from former Sex Pistols singer Johnny Lydon
Baker's time in Italy proved to be short-lived. Local farmers accusing him of selling drugs and his olive oil business landed him in trouble with the Italian mafia.
The mafia incident, followed by the suspicious murder of one of his dogs, prompted Baker to move to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. -
(#4) He Was Estranged From His Son Who Plays Drums In A Cream Tribute Band
Baker's son, Kofi, grew up fairly estranged from his father. A drummer himself, Kofi spent a limited amount of time with his dad as a child and doesn't think of him very fondly as an adult. When asked in an interview if he felt pressure as a drummer since his father was so highly regarded, he summed up his feelings on the matter very bluntly, saying:
It wasn’t really a big deal because, for me, I was doing a completely different genre of music. I was doing originals. I didn’t really care. It’s never really bothered me because my dad is such an a***ole anyway that it’s not like I was stressed about making him proud or anything. So, no, it wasn’t really stressful.
Today, Kofi tours as part of Kofi Baker's Cream Experience.
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(#5) He Notoriously Hated Interviews
Baker was known for being extremely hostile towards interviewers, making it extremely difficult for anyone to talk to him and sometimes giving short answers simply because he couldn't be bothered. One journalist summarized his experience hosting a Q&A with Baker, explaining that the drummer was verbally aggressive with him backstage before the event even began.
"I'm told it made good viewing. And afterwards several audience members told me that at least I should consider it a success not to have turned into a gibbering wreck," the journalist wrote of his horrible encounter with Baker, who continually dismissed questions, talked down to his host, and complained that he wanted to go home.
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(#6) He Originally Planned To Be A Cyclist
Surprisingly, Baker's early career aspirations had nothing to do with music - and everything to do with riding bikes. He revealed in an interview that as a child, he dreamed of becoming a cyclist and worked hard at it before an accident destroyed his chances of continuing. He explained:
I was obsessed with the idea of being a cyclist when I was a kid, and I rode everywhere. One day I had a smash-up and the bike was a write-off. I had to earn some money, and this mate of mine said, ‘Why don’t you play drums?’ It’s funny – they all knew I was a drummer, and I didn’t. I was always beating rhythms when I went to jazz gigs, which I did a lot. Anyway, I went along, they sat me down at the kit, and I just did it.
The end of his cycling dreams prompted Baker to buy a drum kit and learn to play.
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(#7) Baker's Wife Was 42 Years Younger Than Him And Was Accused Of Abusing Him
Baker had a number of marriages throughout his storied life and is the father of three children. His fourth wife, Kudzai, was 42 years younger than him - and 21 years younger than Baker's daughter Nettie.
The drummer's wife made headlines in 2016 when she accused her stepdaughter of treating her like a servant and was accused herself of abusing her husband. Baker denied the allegations against his wife.
Baker explained:
My eldest daughter started all this drama before I was even diagnosed with my heart condition. What she did to my wife was really unforgivable. It came to light about six weeks ago, when I went to see my doctor and he asked me: “Does your wife abuse you?' I was flabbergasted. It was the most ludicrous thing imaginable.
Baker's doctor believed him, and explained that Nettie called him and reported Kudzai for abuse. The issue, Baker said, stemmed from his daughter's concern that she wasn't in his will.
"Somehow Nettie has come to the conclusion that she’s not in my will, when, in fact, she still is because I’ve never changed it," he said.
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(#8) He Had A Feud With Bandmate Jack Bruce That Lasted Til Bruce's Death
The strained relationship between Baker and the late Jack Bruce, his Cream bandmate, stretched back to their days in the band and lasted until the bassist's death in 2014. The two had shared words about each other in the past - Bruce famously slammed Baker after Cream's 2005 Madison Square Garden reunion concert when asked whether they were planning on doing more shows.
"We had plans, until Ginger turned into a c**t," Bruce said.
On his deathbed, Bruce reportedly called up Baker to inform him of his impending passing.
"I’m dying, Ginger, f*ck you," Bruce reportedly said before hanging up the phone and never speaking a word to him again.
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(#9) His Health Problems Limited His Playing Abilities
Baker's longtime health issues have severely limited his playing over the last several years of his life. In early 2016, he revealed that he'd been diagnosed with "serious heart problems" before announcing the cancellation of several performances.
"Just seen doctor … big shock … no more gigs for this old drummer … everything is off … of all things I never thought it would be my heart," he wrote on his site.
A few years earlier, Baker said in an interview that he was no longer able to play as much as he was previously physically able to - blaming it on a number of health problems. He said at the time:
It’s troubling. At the end of the gig I’m absolutely exhausted. I’ve got degenerative osteoarthritis, which is extremely painful and I’m on a regiment with a health service pain management control. Apart from that I’ve got COPD from smoking.
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(#10) He Lost All Of His Money From The Cream Reunion
After the disbandment of Cream in 1968, capped off by farewell shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London, it was assumed that they'd never reunite. That changed in 2005 when the band received offers to reunite at the same venue where they called it quits. They accepted, and the four shows sold out in less than an hour.
The shows were so successful that the band got other offers, leading to a few shows in New York a few months later. That was the end for the band, as Baker and Bruce naturally got into an argument allegedly about the latter's volume level on stage. Clapton ultimately put a stop to the reunion, despite receiving numerous other offers.
Baker walked away with, according to his son, $5 million from the handful of shows he did. Kofi recalled suggesting to his dad that he use the money wisely.
"Dad, why don’t you buy property with this money? The best thing you can do is buy real estate and I’ll rent it from you. That way I’ll pay money to you rather than someone I don’t know," he said, adding that his father responded by telling him to "f**k off."
Baker allegedly ended up spending the money on horses and his polo hobby.
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(#11) He Attacked A Documentary Filmmaker And Broke His Nose
The acclaimed documentary Beware Of Mister Baker was a fascinating and often terrifying look at the life of one of the most notorious drummers in history - and the doc's director quickly became a victim during filming.
Jay Bulger, who traveled to South Africa to meet Baker and film his life after posing as a writer for Rolling Stone, spent a lot of time with the musician before the two got in a heated argument. During the dispute, Baker hit Bulger over the head with a cane and broke his nose.
"I thought, 'Okay, that was really interesting,' and it was action worthy, and it was bombastic. It was this moment that was worthy of exploring," Bulger said in an interview.
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(#12) His Son Tried To Make Peace With Him As His Health Failed
Despite Kofi Baker's feelings about his father, he revealed in his Rolling Stone interview that he tried to heal things with his dad before his death, but didn't receive any response.
Kofi explained:
I’m trying. It’s hard right now because he’s lot … I don’t know if he’s all there right now, so it’s really hard. I’m trying. I have a feeling that it’s too late. I can only try. That’s all I can do. I can keep the best part of him alive, which is the drumming and the music. That’s what he gave to the human race. I’m going to keep the best positive side of my dad alive. That’s the best I can do.
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Ginger Baker is a famous British drummer and co-founder of the rock band Cream. His style is a fusion of jazz and African rhythm. In 1966, with guitarist and bassist, they founded the band Cream, which has achieved great success worldwide. Behind the legendary music career of Ginger Baker, he is known for his eccentric, self-destructive lifestyle, and has struggled with heroin addiction for many years.
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