Sleepy Time Time

[Smackie Chan]

Dirtnap time time for Ginger Baker.

[Derron]

Dude was bat shit crazy. Some of his YouTube interviews, if you can understand his gibberish are pretty entertaining. He was nothing special as a drummer, pretty much steady and on time, Cream being his best gig. He claimed to have kicked heroin 29 times.

I imagine that him and Jack have already had a couple of blasts, played a couple of tunes, told each other to fuck off, and are backing having another round.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCc00pX_pFA

[BSmack]

If there were some fairytale afterlife, imagine Ginger Baker would be doing something he would want to do. Probably playing bongos with a bunch of African drummers.

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[Smackie Chan]

He claimed to have kicked heroin 29 times.

This time, though, he prolly means it.

[smackaholic]

Batshit crazy?

Without a doubt.

Major dick?

Undoubtedly.

Nothing special as a drummer?

Bullshit.

He pretty much invented the heavy metal drum solo. Look at what he was doing 3 years before anyone knew who John Bonham was.

Bonham was better, in my opinion. His feel and grove are better.

But Ginger belongs in the drummer hall of fame for doing what he did, when he did it.

[smackaholic]

He claimed to have kicked heroin 29 times.

This time, though, he prolly means it.

Yeah, Satan's rehab clinic has a sterling record.

[Dr_Phibes]

He was a jazz drummer after all - in a hard rock band, never went for power or knock-out punches like Bonham. Subtlety shouldn't be confused with lack of skill.

[smackaholic]

Not so sure about that Phibes. Watch the Toad solo at Royal Albert Hall. He's pretty much swinging for the fences there.

Very Moby Dick-ish. But not as good.

[Dr_Phibes]

Not surprising, it's not his element. Doesn't take away from him though.

[Derron]

He was a good drummer. Not in the John Bonham or Neil Pert class though.

[Imus]

He claimed to have kicked heroin 29 times.

This time, though, he prolly means it.

Yeah, Satan's rehab clinic has a sterling record.

First time I seen him smile in years . . .

[BSmack]

First time I seen him smile in years . . .

Any and all George Jones resets will get racked.

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[smackaholic]

He was a good drummer. Not in the John Bonham or Neil Pert class though.

Not quite in Bonzo's class for sure, but similar, and pretty close.

As for Neil.....I was a YUUUUUUUUGE Peart fan and still am, actually, but "drummer" pointed something out a while back, that still bugs me.

WTF ever happemed to drummer, anyway? I miss that dude. He definitely knows drumming.

Anyhoo, one day he says, "neil swings like a rusty gate". All real drummers can swing. And Neil can't.

And as Duke Ellington said, it don't mean a thing if you ain't got that swing.

I was like "fukk you dude!!!! Neil can swing. He's fukking awesome!!!!

Drummer was like, go listen to him again. He. Can't. Swing.

SO, I go back and listen to a bunch of Rush stuff and fukk me, drummer is right. Neil don't swing. I mean, he sort of does, a little at times, but mot much.

It has fukked up my Rush listening a little. Every time I listen to a Rush time, I think, damn, what would this sound like with Steve Gadd on the kit?

For those of you not familiar with Steve, he is the motherfukking Marianas Trench of groove.

Tath being said, nobody does a cleaner fill that Neil. Just wish he had a little groove to go with it.

Ginger, btw, can swing. He is a jazz drummer, after all. And if you are a jazz drummer, you better be able to swing or you will be a former jazz drummer soon.

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

Ginger Baker could play circles around Bonham any day of the week.


Toad > Moby Dick

[Kierland]

Especially from late ‘80 till last week.

[Smackie Chan]

Ginger, btw, can swing. He is a jazz drummer, after all. And if you are a jazz drummer, you better be able to swing or you will be a former jazz drummer soon.

As Ginger now is.

Not quite in Bonzo's class for sure, but similar, and pretty close.

I'm no musician and certainly no drummer, and to my knowledge, neither are you. I watched "Beware of Mr. Baker" the other night, and when Bonham and Keith Moon were brought up, Clapton and others interviewed for the documentary essentially did the ol' and said there was no comparison - that Ginger basically ran circles around them. The argument can be made that Clapton is biased, having been a friend and bandmate of Ginger, but I'll take their opinions as accomplished professional musicians over those of individuals who aren't. Everyone, including me, is entitled to an opinion as to who they prefer listening to and who they think is "better." There may have been things Bonham could do better than Baker, but the consensus among those who know a thing or two about making music is that Baker was a more accomplished and technically superior drummer.

[smackaholic]

Ginger had the jazz chops and technique down for sure. And I am a huge fan of jazz drummers, but.....Bonzo wins on feel for me. His feel and groove are off the charts.

There is certainly an argument to be made for either.

[Kierland]

Saw the ‘crats at SLO Brew like 5 yrs ago. It’s a bar that holds maybe 75 people. Great show. Dude’s drumming was phenomenal. Left with a Dinsdalian skank.
Good times.

[smackaholic]

You get to a point where you start getting as good as some of those guys, and it really does become apples and oranges.

That being said - none of them are on this guy's level:

Yeah, Marco is fukking unreal. There really are so damn many really good drummers out there, so once you get to a certain level, it does just come down to personal taste, as with any other instrument.

Remember how Van used to gush over Steve Vai? Vai's talent is indisputable, but he did absolutely nothing for me. I just don't like his tone.

[smackaholic]

You get to a point where you start getting as good as some of those guys, and it really does become apples and oranges.

That being said - none of them are on this guy's level:

All three of the Aristocrats have other-worldly talent.

Are they still together?

[smackaholic]

Someone with too much time on their hands, should count his bass pedal kicks for that solo. My guess is 8,295,394.

[smackaholic]

Good to see they are still together and touring....in Europe, unfortunately.



That may be the best song title ever.

[smackaholic]

It's criminal that the 'crats get no run on alleged rock stations. I wonder if they took on the right front man and started incorporating lyrics, maybe they might get some.

But, I guess there really aren't any new rock acts that have gotten much airplay. Rock is pretty much dead on radio, outside maybe a few college stations no one listens to.

[Ban Kierfag]

Clem Burke eats Keith Moon for breakfast and shits out Ginger Baker at lunch.

[Kierland]

It's criminal that the 'crats get no run on alleged rock stations. I wonder if they took on the right front man and started incorporating lyrics, maybe they might get some.

But, I guess there really aren't any new rock acts that have gotten much airplay. Rock is pretty much dead on radio, outside maybe a few college stations no one listens to.

Not if it means I get to see them in front of 75 people. I’m greedy like that.

[smackaholic]

It's criminal that the 'crats get no run on alleged rock stations. I wonder if they took on the right front man and started incorporating lyrics, maybe they might get some.

But, I guess there really aren't any new rock acts that have gotten much airplay. Rock is pretty much dead on radio, outside maybe a few college stations no one listens to.

Not if it means I get to see them in front of 75 people. I’m greedy like that.

Rack you for getting to see them in a small club, but my concern is that if they don't have enough success, they look for other gigs. MM auditioned for Dream Theater, partly, I am sure for a steady paycheck. How the fukk they didn't take them on is beyond me.

[Smackie Chan]

if they don't have enough success, they look for other gigs. MM auditioned for Dream Theater

He's in two other bands now - The Mute Gods and The Sea Within.