Follow this link to buy merchandise from the Ginger Baker Tribute concert:
www.gingerbakerccmstore.co.uk
All proceeds go to the Leonard Cheshire Charity.
More reviews on the tribute concert here:
https://www.leonardcheshire.org/about-us/press-and-media/press-releases/clapton-and-rock-legends-drum-storm-tribute-ginger-baker
Kofi Baker’s amazing drum solo on Do What You Like: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vuDf28uhNPU
All photos courtesy of George Chin
November 25, 2019: Eric Clapton announces a one-time only concert to celebrate the life and music of Ginger Baker.
Fire up the crimpers and get backcombing! Hairspray and heartbreak abound as the painted youth of the 1980s go on the rampage in a North West London suburb. Further ‘Tales of a Rock Star’s Daughter’ by Nettie, eldest offspring of Cream/Blind Faith drummer Ginger Baker, follows on from her hilarious and critically acclaimed first volume. Here she negotiates eviction and poverty and goes off the rails with a new cast of maniacs.From a 1970 meeting with Jimi Hendrix, through to Live Aid, Greenham Common, a cancer op and a brief glimpse of Cream’s 2005 reunion. This is essentially a punk rock, pub-based soap-opera like no other; set against venues long-gone and values out-dated, in the smashed-up ruins of a changing world. More Tales of a Rock Star’s Daughter…
Along with Jack Bruce’s son Malcom, and Will Johns, Kofi will play a total of three venues in the UK in November, the last being on Sunday 25 in London.
This is a rare opportunity to take part in the musical legacy of Cream celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Kofi and Malcom grew up playing music together and are like brothers – for better or for worse! They both inherited the talent of their fathers and express it in their own individual way. But if I said there was no rivalry between them on stage, as was with their fathers, I’d be telling an untruth; it seems there’s a karmic link between them that they cannot escape.
This does however give their performances the edge that Cream’s had: there’s a lot of energy, they jam as Cream did, losing themselves in another world of time and harmony, pushing themselves to their musical limits, as did their fathers before them.
I have to say, in the performances so far, there’s been a cinematic backdrop of real cream footage played behind them which seems inappropriate to me and not personally liked by Kofi himself. Although it doesn’t detract from their performance in any way, it does lay them open to criticism and comparison which is unfortunate. But they’re not trying to emulate their fathers, they’re demonstrating an inescapable continuance of a legacy that lives on in them. And that they’re accomplished musicians in their own right.
You will see Kofi deliver a unique, masterful and unforgettable drum solo on every performance – making it quite apparent that drums are his love and playing them what he lives for – a devotion that rivals his father’s. And with the play-off between him and Malcom and Will I can guarantee you will experience a rare and enjoyable once-in-lifetime performance.
They play in Glasgow on November 23, Leamington Spa on November 24, and London on November 25.
Check out kofibaker.com/shows for tickets and more information.
Tales of a Rock Star’s Daughter is Book One of a two-volume memoir that aims to take the reader on a hilarious, mad-cap ‘coming of age’ journey. This is the rackety early life of Nettie Baker, eldest daughter of legendary talent & notorious ‘wild-man’ Ginger Baker, drummer with the 60’s ‘super groups’ Cream and Blind Faith. Born into the poverty of a struggling musician’s existence, Nettie can clearly remember events covered in Ginger’s 2009 autobiography ‘Hellraiser’ (which she ghost-wrote).
The early days of Graham Bond when life-long friend, bassist Jack Bruce stayed over, through to the 1966 formation of Cream in the living room of the Baker family’s humble maisonette in Neasden. These recollections ferry the reader back and forth through the rise and fall of the family fortunes, taking in getting on stage with Rod Stewart, holidays in Jamaica, Eric Clapton’s 1979 wedding party, the vice ridden English polo scene in the 70’s, gangster John Bindon and the emergence of ‘punk’, along the way.
This is a nostalgic ‘pop culture’ fueled search for ‘lurve’ and identity that charts what it feels like to never really know in what part of society you belong. This is innocence replaced by cynicism, told in a blunt ‘Bridget Jones’ meets ‘Trainspotting’ style. One minute a 15 year-old Nettie is serving ‘Light & Bitter’ to ‘hard to get’ fit footballers in a North East London bar and the next she is surrounded by attentive stars and members of the Royal Family! Starting out in the 60’s in a run-down neighbourhood, then adjusting to mixing with children of wealth in the stock-broker belt. Then back again to realizing that all the wealth has gone, mucking out horses for money and ‘signing on’ in Thatcher’s Dole Queue Britain of the 1980’s.
Tales of a Rock Star’s Daughter is already receiving rave reviews and strong media coverage:
“Up until 6 am reading non-stop. Feeling slightly stoned now and there were times when I couldn’t remember who were the boyfriends and who were the horses. I remember going to see some polo ponies with Ginger once in their stables. Nettie must have been there ready to clean them up. Can’t wait for volume two.” Chris Welch
“I got mine a few days ago. Can’t put the book down. Nice job Nettie! Thank you. You father’s a very special man.” Stephan Chaney
Hear Nettie talking with Iain Lee on Late Night Alternative by clicking here
And Russ Kane’s WRS Interview here
Tales of a Rock Star’s Daughter is available directly from the Publisher here
For the UK only from Amazon.co.uk here
For all media inquiries please contact: Gary Hibbert
Happy Birthday Ginger!
We love ya!
Don’t forget to checkout his daughter Ginette (Nettie) Baker’s autobiography – Tales of a Rock Star’s Daughter here
Ginger celebrates his 78th year today!
Getting on but still hanging in there…. a true survivor and legendary icon from another time.
It was fifty years ago today … Cream’s first impromptu gig at the Twisted Wheel club in Manchester, UK, the home of Northern Soul… read the Cream archive of 1966
Note to the fans: Ginger’s health continues to improve…. he’s getting there.
