[Kenneth Patchen]

Beware of Mr. Baker, a Ginger Baker documentary by Jay Bulger.

Drummer Ginger Baker was born under a bad sign. Ginger Baker has anger management problems. The film begins with Baker raging at film maker Jay Bulger, who is leaving Baker's South African house after living with him for several months, to go interview "the others". Baker flies into a tantrum and responds by reaching into the car with his cane to break Bulger's nose. Ginger Baker has abandonment issues. 

The film which saw limited release in November 2012 never made it to my neck of the woods but is now on DVD. Baker is described in the film as a monster, insane, violent, crazy, bonkers and a certifiable madman. These views are balanced by higher praise including genius, true artist, a force of nature, innovator, and hammer of the gods, as well as Baker's self-appointed and oft repeated appellation of "World's Greatest Drummer", which would have been surprising news I'm sure to "his close friends" Elvin Jones, Art Blakey and Max Roach, (Baker seems particularly fond of a compliment from Roach which can't be reproduced here). Film maker Bulger does his best to keep Baker on track, an impossible feat, but the film holds together in spite of, and perhaps because of, his tantrums. With the exception of Jones, Blakey, Roach, Clapton and a few others, Baker has few good words to say about anyone, especially other drummers ... Bonham was shite, Moon was shite, etc.  But Bulger smartly takes some of the sting off by including generous interviews with others who sing Baker's praises, in spite of his erratic, violent and self-destructive behavior. Interviews with the rich and infamous, everyone from Marky Ramone to John Lydon, are complemented with film footage of concert performances and, indispensably in any rock documentary, the requisite retellings of his many excesses and eccentricities, too much drug taking (way too much, Ginger!), swarming groupies and failed marriages. Bulger also includes a surprisingly effective graphic novel style animation which helps to add some much need comic relief.

 Bulger captures Baker's career from his early London jazz club scene, to Cream, Blind Faith, GB AirForce and Fela, to his straight-ahead jazz playing n the 90s, and follows him in London, LA, Colorado, Nigeria and South Africa. For me, the best part of the film is when Baker talks about how he developed his unique polyrhythmic style of drumming, his love of jazz and African drumming and his life in Africa ... "Ginger is one cool white boy".

This is an entertaining film, smartly done, and will be of particular interest to anyone fascinated with the early British rock scene, Cream, Baker's drumming or crazy people in general. Of course, the sensationalism factor can't be ignored and there's considerable attention to Baker's multi-decade heroin addiction (he came off heroin 29 times). At film's end, Baker is once again bemoaning his ill health and his new poverty having lost all the money he made in the Cream reunion by buying a fleet of polo ponies, only to lose the horses and his property to taxes. 

Suffering now with severe arthritis, Baker still makes rent money by doing the occasional tour. If you get a chance to see Mr. Baker live, and if by chance you dislike the performance, best to keep your views to yourself and by no means repeat them in hearing range of Mr. Baker, or else he might just "put you in fookin' 'hospital!" (please see link to the film's trailer below). 

Beware of Mr. Baker. Ginger Baker was born under a bad sign and Ginger Baker has anger management problems. 

Film trailer here: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5seWMYG9kk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

And in news of the weird, and as a side note, there's this latest bit of curiosity, which must be true, it's on the internet:
http://en.mediamass.net/people/ginger-baker/highest-paid.html

[Mike B.]

Thanks. I just added it to my Netflix list. I knew he was going to beat up Jack Bruce for a long time. Probably over the break up or part of it?

[Freo-1]

Thanks for posting this.  Ginger Baker is truly one of a kind.  This should be entertaining.

[Kenneth Patchen]

Mike B,

I'm not sure the Cream break-up bothered Baker that much. At the time he already had other plans. But he continues to hold a grudge against Bruce because as lyricist and composer, Bruce took the lion's share of the Cream recording money, far more than Clapton or Baker. Also, Baker expected Bruce and Clapton to follow his time ; Bruce expected them to follow his and Baker couldn't stand that. A very entertaining film.

Cheers,

KP

[Photon46]

It's also evident that in addition to anger management problems, Mr. Baker has need of financial counseling. I couldn't believe the part of the film where they're talking about how Ginger blew his last big payday from the Cream reunion Albert Hall performances on 38 Polo ponies! Imagine being 68 years old or so and you're broke. You get a big fat payday that could set you up in reasonable comfort for the rest of your days and you blow it on three dozen horses and their maintenance. Almost as crazy as some audiophiles and car nuts I've known.

[rif]

I saw this last week and was very impressed. I never knew much about him, now I'm fascinated.

At least with horses you can sell them... drugs on the other hand...

[rockadanny]

Terrific film! Fascinating! I had not noticed this thread before. Just happened upon the film on cable the other night. It is amazing what a talented person can do when they channel their anger/insanity/deep depression towards their craft. I'd been aware of some of "Mr. Baker's" projects after Cream but never pursued them for some reason, although I very much like (and own) the Masters of Reality release. Watching him play makes me appreciate his talent far more than I ever had (never saw him live before). His rock drimming is very good indeed, but now that I've seen this film I am especially interested in his jazz stuff and his time with Fela Kuti: extraordinary! Hello, Amazon? ...

[Kenneth Patchen]

Hey Rock-a-D,

Check-out "Ginger Baker The Air Force", "Horses and Trees", Ginger Baker Trio "Falling off the Roof", and "Middle Passage". "Ginger Baker The Air Force" (with Ampofo and Akuro Dyani) is particularly good and a favorite to play for friends, more than one of whom have asked if it was a recent Zwaniul recording. "Falling off the Roof" is the preferred Trio recording, but I like them all. His new record "Why" with the Jazz Confusion has been in frequent play here, very stripped down (and with Pee Wee Ellis!). Also, the Baker autobiography, "Hellraiser" is an entertaining and fast read.

I don't know much about his mid-career work but his later African-drumming inspired work is terrific
Cheers, 
KP

[doorman]

Very entertaining, thanks for the heads-up.

[vortrex]

And in news of the weird, and as a side note, there's this latest bit of curiosity, which must be true, it's on the internet:
http://en.mediamass.net/people/ginger-baker/highest-paid.html

Fake.  There was a similar story a few weeks ago saying John Paul Jones was the highest paid and also made $96M.

[stlrman]

Loved this movie!!

[playntheblues]

THanks for the heads up.

[steve f]

A good film, absolutely worth viewing.  Baker is still one of THE best drummers ever. And yep, he has a lot of issues.

[Phil A]

I watched it several months back.  Good flick.  Mr. Baker is one of a kind.