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Ginger Baker film/documentary "Beware of Mr Baker".


Coilte
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It is showing here in Dublin at present. Went to see it last evening. It is an interesting insight into the legend of the drums. I always knew he was a bad tempered ol' git, but until I saw the film I never realised just how much so. :D

Has anyone else seen the film ?

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Just found out about it this afternoon and read up a bit on it. I found [url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2013/may/15/ginger-baker-beware-mr-baker-interview"]this interview[/url] on Guardian website and had a read/look. Interviewer found him to be quite rude!
Anyhoo it's not playing in Edinburgh til 30th as far as I can tell but me and a few 'muso' colleagues plan to go see it. Should be an eye-opener!

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[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1369158744' post='2085641']
According to Clapton's autobiography, having had previous with Baker, had he known Bruce was bringing him in for Cream, he'd have backed out - but he only found out after it was arranged.
G.
[/quote]


[quote]In 1966, Clapton met Ginger Baker, then the leader of the Graham Bond Organisation, which at one point featured Jack Bruce on bass guitar, harmonica and piano. Baker felt stifled in the Graham Bond Organisation and had grown tired of Graham Bond's drug addictions and bouts of mental instability. "I had always liked Ginger", explained Clapton. "Ginger had come to see me play with the Bluesbreakers. After the gig he drove me back to London in his Rover. I was very impressed with his car and driving. He was telling me that he wanted to start a band, and I had been thinking about it too. Each was impressed with the other's playing abilities, prompting Baker to ask Clapton to join his new, then-unnamed group. Clapton immediately agreed, on the condition that Baker hire Bruce as the group's bassist;[sup] [/sup]according to Clapton, Baker was so surprised at the suggestion that he almost crashed the car.[/quote]

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[quote name='johnDeereJack' timestamp='1369158621' post='2085639']
Just found out about it this afternoon and read up a bit on it. I found [url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2013/may/15/ginger-baker-beware-mr-baker-interview"]this interview[/url] on Guardian website and had a read/look. Interviewer found him to be quite rude!
Anyhoo it's not playing in Edinburgh til 30th as far as I can tell but me and a few 'muso' colleagues plan to go see it. Should be an eye-opener!
[/quote]I was sent a link to that, and the video by the drummer in my proggy lot with the comment "aren't you glad I'm not Ginger?"

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[quote name='goingdownslow' timestamp='1369172547' post='2085932']In 1966, Clapton met Ginger Baker, then the leader of the Graham Bond Organisation, which at one point featured Jack Bruce on bass guitar, harmonica and piano. Baker felt stifled in the Graham Bond Organisation and had grown tired of Graham Bond's drug addictions and bouts of mental instability. "I had always liked Ginger", explained Clapton. "Ginger had come to see me play with the Bluesbreakers. After the gig he drove me back to London in his Rover. I was very impressed with his car and driving. He was telling me that he wanted to start a band, and I had been thinking about it too. Each was impressed with the other's playing abilities, prompting Baker to ask Clapton to join his new, then-unnamed group. Clapton immediately agreed, on the condition that Baker hire Bruce as the group's bassist;[sup] [/sup]according to Clapton, Baker was so surprised at the suggestion that he almost crashed the car.
[/quote]

Aaaahhh! Right. Funny how memory plays tricks on you.

The actual story paraphrased above starts on page 77 of Clapton's autobiography, and it turns out that it was Baker who thought twice about working with Bruce after they were both in the Graham Bond Organisation.

I sit corrected!

:)

G.

Edited by geoffbyrne
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I remember hearing Ginger Baker appear on a Radio 4 chat show that featured a range of guests from different fields. Having interviewed Baker, the presenter moved on to talk to a distinguished scientist about cosmology. As soon as the big bang was mentioned, Ginger storms in ranting on about how he can't understand how anyone could be so stupid as to believe in such a ridiculous idea as the big bang..."I mean, where was this big bang...". The scientist remained polite and unphased and even attempted the impossible task of trying to explain the big bang to Ginger. I so wished he had instead replied to Baker's outburst with "yes, well that's why I'm a professor of astro-physics and you hit things with sticks for a living". :lol:

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[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1369226165' post='2086524']
I remember hearing Ginger Baker appear on a Radio 4 chat show that featured a range of guests from different fields. Having interviewed Baker, the presenter moved on to talk to a distinguished scientist about cosmology. As soon as the big bang was mentioned, Ginger storms in ranting on about how he can't understand how anyone could be so stupid as to believe in such a ridiculous idea as the big bang..."I mean, where was this big bang...". The scientist remained polite and unphased and even attempted the impossible task of trying to explain the big bang to Ginger. I so wished he had instead replied to Baker's outburst with "yes, well that's why I'm a professor of astro-physics and you hit things with sticks for a living". :lol:
[/quote]

I heard that very programme! That's when I discovered my idol had feet of clay :-)
In fact I had to switch it off because he was becoming embarassing.

BTW it was aired in Nov 2010. I know that because I was listening to it on the car radio whilst driving to Gatwick for a memorable holiday in Cyprus :D

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  • 8 months later...

Currently available on Netflix, and you can get a 1 month free trial, or it's included if you have Virgin's XL tv service. Can be streamed to your tv through a wii, or Xbox and wi-fi too.

I watched the first 10 minutes, and have to say, I'm amazed no-one has topped him before now. Good job everyone did weed rather than coke in the 60s!!

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[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1391241666' post='2354826']
Thanks I enjoyed that a lot.
maybe it was tough for people growing up around the war time?
[/quote]

I'm sure it was, but Baker seems to blame everyone else except himself for the situation (including financial) he
finds himself in. Everyone on the planet seems to be his enemy. There is more to this than growing up in tough times.

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