You might be thinking this is yet another excuse for Mr. Mod to dig Clapton’s Look, especially in contrast with his ugly bandmates, but I’d really like to learn more – from a drummer’s perspective – about what exactly highly touted drummer Ginger Baker brought to the table. Here’s one of the first songs I ever heard by Cream.
For the 37 or so years I’ve been conscious of (and liked) this song, all I’ve ever thought about when considering the drum part is the monstrous, clodhopper fill that Baker seems to play in an endless loop. Is there a drummer in the house who can explain the degree of difficulty of this one fill? Are you drummers hearing anything else from the drums that impresses you in any way? Is Baker’s part supporting the song in a manner you could help me better understand?
Here’s another well-known Cream track, but this time with Baker leading his own band, Ginger Baker’s Airforce.
With the horns punching out the key beats, does it even matter that Baker sounds like he’s doing nothing more than rolling around the toms while keeping that counter-rhythm pulse? He does open things up a bit during the first horn solo, but then, with the clock counting down to 10:28 and the the chorus part of the music coming back in, Baker reverts to those thunderous paradiddles that seem to be what he lives for. Go to the 5:03-mark, when the band is into its next song, for some more of the intense tom-tom fills that give Baker’s life meaning!
Drummers, when you were young and learning your craft, did you take anything special out of the lessons set by Mr. Baker?
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