Not Fade Away

GINGER BAKER

Legendary drum dervish (1939–2019)

Ginger Baker revolutionised the drummer’s place in rock music. Prior to Cream’s explosive arrival in 1966, drummers tended to be unshowy background types, keeping things simple while others took centre stage. But Baker’s hard-driving percussive approach – rooted in the Soho jazz scene of his teenage years – brought with it natural flamboyance, a unique sense of timing and a fascination with African polyrhythms, fostered by his mentor, Phil Seamen. As Rush’s Neal Peart stated:

“Every rock drummer since has been influenced in some way by Ginger, even if they don’t know it.” His talent sustained him through Blind Faith and into the ’70s with Air Force and

Baker Gurvitz Army, via a stint in Nigeria with Fela Kuti, before