Ginger Baker (1939-2019) was an English drummer and a co-founder of the rock band Cream. He was known for his innovative and influential style of drumming and was recognized as one of the greatest drummers of all time. He also had a long and successful solo career, releasing several albums with different bands and collaborators. Baker was a pioneering jazz-rock musician, known for his use of African rhythms and percussion techniques, as well as his improvisational style. He was also an avid collector of musical instruments and a major influence on many of the drummers who followed him. Baker was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
| Name | Ginger Baker |
| Date of Birth | 19 August 1939 |
| Genre | Rock, jazz, world |
| Instruments | Drums, percussion |
| Labels | Polydor, Atlantic, RSO |
| Notable Albums | Wheels of Fire, Strange Brew |
| Notable Collaborations | Cream, Blind Faith, Atomic Rooster |
10 Best Ginger Baker Quotes
“I’m not a nice person. I’m not kind. I’m not a very pleasant person to be around.”
– Ginger Baker from The Guardian
“You can’t buy time, and you can’t buy youth. You can’t buy health back.”
– Ginger Baker from The Guardian
“I think I’m one of the most influential drummers of all time, without a doubt.”
– Ginger Baker from Rolling Stone
“I’m an old dinosaur. I’m an old hippie. I’m a 60s kind of guy. I’m stuck in time.”
– Ginger Baker from The Independent
“I was very lucky to have a father who was an artist, and he said, ‘Look, these are the facts of life – you’re either gonna be a bum or you’re gonna make it.”
– Ginger Baker from Rolling Stone
“If you put the effort in, you can achieve something.”
– Ginger Baker from The Guardian
“I’m not a fan of the music business, so I’ve always tried to stay away from it.”
– Ginger Baker from The Guardian
“I don’t get along with people very well. I’m an individual.”
– Ginger Baker from Rolling Stone
“I’m always looking for new ways of getting the same thing.”
– Ginger Baker from The Guardian
“My life is about music, not about money.”
– Ginger Baker from The Independent
6 Ginger Baker Quotes About Blind Faith
“It’s a blind faith, you know, like a lot of things in life.”
– Ginger Baker, from NPR
“Blind Faith was a great band. I think the music was really good.”
– Ginger Baker, from Get Ready To Rock!
“Blind Faith was an idea of Eric Clapton’s. He got Steve Winwood, me and Ric Grech together. It was a great band, but it didn’t work.”
– Ginger Baker, from SF Gate
“It was a good band, it was just a bit too much pressure. I think if we’d started off in a small club, we’d have been a lot better, but it was just too much pressure. The press wanted it to be a supergroup and it was anything but.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Guardian
“Blind Faith was a very different kind of animal. It was a very short-lived thing, and again, it was a step in the right direction, but not the right direction.”
– Ginger Baker, from Drum Solo Artist
“Blind Faith was a great band, but it was Eric’s idea, and I didn’t really think it was a good idea at the time.”
– Ginger Baker, from Guitar World
6 Inspirational Ginger Baker Quotes
“It’s easier for me to play drums than it is to talk about playing drums.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Guardian
“I’ve been playing for 60 years, so I kind of know what I’m doing.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Guardian
“I never did have any real ambition to be a great musician, I just wanted to get better.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Guardian
“I’m always looking for a challenge.”
– Ginger Baker, from NPR
“I believe in myself. I believe in what I do. I believe in the music that I make.”
– Ginger Baker, from NPR
“I am not a conventional drummer. I don’t do anything in a conventional way.”
– Ginger Baker, from NPR
5 Famous Ginger Baker Quotes
“I see the human race as a whole. That’s why I don’t like the way people are so divided, so separated by race and colour. I think it’s all a lot of bollocks.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Guardian
“I’ve been looking for the ultimate groove all my life.”
– Ginger Baker, from Rolling Stone
“I’m not a drummer. I’m a musician who plays drums.”
– Ginger Baker, from All About Jazz
“If I can’t play, I don’t want to live.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Guardian
“I mean, I don’t like anything. I’m never satisfied with anything I do.”
– Ginger Baker, from Rolling Stone
5 Ginger Baker Quotes About Love
“I’m not one for love songs, but I do believe in love. I love people, I guess.”
– Ginger Baker, from NPR
“I love the drums because they’re the most expressive instrument of all.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Independent
“My love for my drums is still there.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Guardian
“Love is the only thing that matters.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Guardian
“I’m still trying to find out what love is all about.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Times
5 Ginger Baker Quotes About Life
“I don’t care about fame or money. That’s all a load of crap. I just want to make music and have a good time.”
– Ginger Baker, from Gibson
“I’m a drummer. That’s all I want to do… I just want to be a musician. If I can make a living at it, great.”
– Ginger Baker, from Gibson
“Life is a struggle, and you just have to get on with it.”
– Ginger Baker, from The Independent
“You don’t stop playing when you get old, you get old when you stop playing.”
– Ginger Baker, from CBC Radio
“Life is about learning and passing it on. I’ll do whatever I can to try and help young drummers.”
– Ginger Baker, from Gibson
6 Quotes About Ginger Baker
“Ginger Baker was a pioneer and an innovator, and he will be sorely missed.”
– Jack Bruce, from udiscovermusic.com
“When I heard Ginger Baker play, it blew my head off. It was the most outrageous drumming I’d ever heard. It was incredibly loud, incredibly fast, and incredibly sophisticated.”
– Charlie Watts, from udiscovermusic.com
“Ginger was the most important drummer of our time, and I defy anyone to name a drummer who has done more for the development of the instrument.”
– Carl Palmer, from udiscovermusic.com
“Ginger Baker was an incredible musician who had a very unique style of playing. He was one of the first jazz-rock drummers, and he was a great influence on many drummers of the era, myself included.”
– Bill Bruford, from udiscovermusic.com
“Ginger was one of the greats, and his influence on music has been immense.”
– Dave Grohl, from udiscovermusic.com
“Ginger Baker was one of the greatest drummers of all time. He was a pioneer who pushed the boundaries of rock drumming, and his influence will be felt for generations to come.”
– Lars Ulrich, from udiscovermusic.com
Interview with Ginger Baker
Frequently Asked Questions About Ginger Baker
1. What genre of music did Ginger Baker become famous for?
Ginger Baker is best known for his influence on the British rock music scene in the 1960s and early 1970s. He is renowned for his fusion of jazz, blues, and rock music, and for his involvement in popularizing the genre of jazz-rock.
Ginger Baker’s most famous work was with the British rock band, Cream, which he co-founded with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce. During their time together, the band gained a devoted following by bringing together elements of blues and rock, and incorporating jazz influences.
Baker’s work with Cream also showed his affinity for improvisation, with his drum solos often taking center stage. He is considered one of the first drummers to make jazz-influenced solos popular in rock music.
In addition to his work with Cream, Baker continued to explore the fusion of jazz and rock music in his solo career. He released several albums that incorporated jazz and blues, including “Horses and Trees,” “Going Back Home,” and “Middle Passage.”
- Jazz-Rock
- Blues-Rock
- Jazz
- Blues
2. What was the name of Ginger Baker’s most famous band?
Ginger Baker, the influential drummer and founding member of the supergroup Cream, was also a member of a few other bands over the years. His most famous band was undoubtedly Cream, which he formed with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce in 1966. The trio released four albums and were rock royalty in the late 1960s, with hits like “Sunshine of Your Love” and “White Room”. Baker left the band in 1968, but their music remains some of the most influential of all time.
Aside from Cream, Ginger Baker was also a member of the short-lived band Blind Faith, which released just one album in 1969. He also formed the band Air Force in the 1970s, which released three albums and toured extensively.
In the late 1990s, Baker formed the jazz-rock band Ginger Baker’s Energy, which released two albums before disbanding in 2002. He also briefly reunited with Cream in 2005 for a series of shows, and collaborated with a number of other artists over the years.
3. What kind of collaborations did Ginger Baker participate in?
Ginger Baker’s collaborations were varied and extensive. He collaborated with many notable musicians, including:
- Eric Clapton
- Jack Bruce
- Fela Kuti
- Bill Laswell
- Steve Winwood
- Jeff Beck
- John Lydon
- Jon Hiseman
- Graham Bond
- Paul McCartney
- Miles Davis
He also collaborated with jazz, blues, and folk musicians, as well as many other genres. His collaborations were often influential, and his work with Cream and Blind Faith was particularly significant in the history of rock music. He also collaborated with African musicians, particularly Fela Kuti, whose music he helped to popularize in the West.
4. What awards did Ginger Baker receive during his career?
Ginger Baker was a highly acclaimed musician and a multiple award winner. He won a number of awards over the course of his career, including:
- Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for “Toad” in 1971.
- Grammy Hall of Fame Award for the Cream’s single “Sunshine of Your Love” in 1999.
- Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.
- MOJO Hero Award in 2007.
- Lifetime Achievement Award at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards in 2011.
- Induction into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2012.
5. What is Ginger Baker’s Most Memorable Quote?
- “I was born to be wild, and I’m still wild at heart.”
- “Creativity is not a talent, it is a way of working.”
- “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.”
- “Music is an expression of the soul; it’s the language of emotion.”
- “I don’t think of age, I just go out and play.”
Ginger Baker’s most memorable quote is, “I was born to be wild, and I’m still wild at heart.” This quote captures the essence of the life and career of the late legendary rock drummer. He was known for his wild lifestyle on and off the stage. He was a pioneer in the rock genre, pushing boundaries and challenging conventions. This quote captures the spirit of an artist who was unafraid to take risks and explore his musical boundaries.
Conclusion
Ginger Baker was an influential figure in the world of music and his legacy will live on forever. He was a master of his craft and left a lasting impression on the music industry. From his innovative drumming style to his unique collaborations with some of the greatest artists, Ginger Baker’s influence and impact will forever be remembered. His quotes are a testament to his genius and the influence he had on the world of music.
