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(#3) He Went Into The Olive Oil Business But Had Problems With The Mafia
After Baker's recording studio in Nigeria went bust the drummer relocated to Italy and operated an olive tree farm. While in Tuscany, his music career was revived when producer Bill Laswell asked him to play on a new album by Public Image Limited, a project from former Sex Pistols singer Johnny Lydon
Baker's time in Italy proved to be short-lived. Local farmers accusing him of selling drugs and his olive oil business landed him in trouble with the Italian mafia.
The mafia incident, followed by the suspicious murder of one of his dogs, prompted Baker to move to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. -
(#6) He Originally Planned To Be A Cyclist
Surprisingly, Baker's early career aspirations had nothing to do with music - and everything to do with riding bikes. He revealed in an interview that as a child, he dreamed of becoming a cyclist and worked hard at it before an accident destroyed his chances of continuing. He explained:
I was obsessed with the idea of being a cyclist when I was a kid, and I rode everywhere. One day I had a smash-up and the bike was a write-off. I had to earn some money, and this mate of mine said, ‘Why don’t you play drums?’ It’s funny – they all knew I was a drummer, and I didn’t. I was always beating rhythms when I went to jazz gigs, which I did a lot. Anyway, I went along, they sat me down at the kit, and I just did it.
The end of his cycling dreams prompted Baker to buy a drum kit and learn to play.
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(#4) He Was Estranged From His Son Who Plays Drums In A Cream Tribute Band
Baker's son, Kofi, grew up fairly estranged from his father. A drummer himself, Kofi spent a limited amount of time with his dad as a child and doesn't think of him very fondly as an adult. When asked in an interview if he felt pressure as a drummer since his father was so highly regarded, he summed up his feelings on the matter very bluntly, saying:
It wasn’t really a big deal because, for me, I was doing a completely different genre of music. I was doing originals. I didn’t really care. It’s never really bothered me because my dad is such an a***ole anyway that it’s not like I was stressed about making him proud or anything. So, no, it wasn’t really stressful.
Today, Kofi tours as part of Kofi Baker's Cream Experience.
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(#5) He Notoriously Hated Interviews
Baker was known for being extremely hostile towards interviewers, making it extremely difficult for anyone to talk to him and sometimes giving short answers simply because he couldn't be bothered. One journalist summarized his experience hosting a Q&A with Baker, explaining that the drummer was verbally aggressive with him backstage before the event even began.
"I'm told it made good viewing. And afterwards several audience members told me that at least I should consider it a success not to have turned into a gibbering wreck," the journalist wrote of his horrible encounter with Baker, who continually dismissed questions, talked down to his host, and complained that he wanted to go home.
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(#1) He Went To Africa To Get Off Drugs But Hates Treatment Centers
After the dissolution of Cream in 1968, Baker played with Eric Clapton and Traffic's Steve Winwood in Blind Faith and then his own band Ginger Baker's Air Force before relocating to Nigeria.
Baker's troubles with drugs were well documented by this time and the drummer claimed his habit was so bad that he retreated to Africa to get away from his demons.
He said in an interview.
Every time I went to Africa I got off. You have to get a good two years clear, and those two years are the most difficult. You reach a point where you can say 'no'. Then you say 'no' again. The third time a little thing goes off in your brain, 'I wish I'd said yes.' Then on the fourth time you just say 'yes' and you're back on it again. I came off something like 29 times.
Baker, who got clean cold turkey, was outspoken about his distrust and disdain for rehabilitation centers, which he's called a "con to make money and take advantage."
He opened a recording studio in the capital Lagos and Paul McCartney And Wings used the studio while recording Band On The Run.
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(#9) His Health Problems Limited His Playing Abilities
Baker's longtime health issues have severely limited his playing over the last several years of his life. In early 2016, he revealed that he'd been diagnosed with "serious heart problems" before announcing the cancellation of several performances.
"Just seen doctor … big shock … no more gigs for this old drummer … everything is off … of all things I never thought it would be my heart," he wrote on his site.
A few years earlier, Baker said in an interview that he was no longer able to play as much as he was previously physically able to - blaming it on a number of health problems. He said at the time:
It’s troubling. At the end of the gig I’m absolutely exhausted. I’ve got degenerative osteoarthritis, which is extremely painful and I’m on a regiment with a health service pain management control. Apart from that I’ve got COPD from smoking.
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Ginger Baker is a famous British drummer and co-founder of the rock band Cream. His style is a fusion of jazz and African rhythm. In 1966, with guitarist and bassist, they founded the band Cream, which has achieved great success worldwide. Behind the legendary music career of Ginger Baker, he is known for his eccentric, self-destructive lifestyle, and has struggled with heroin addiction for many years.
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