Jim Clash from Forbes Magazine conducted an exclusive interview with legendary Cream and Blind Faith drummer Ginger Baker as he talks about heavy metal, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles. Here are a few excerpts from the chat:

Forbes Magazine: What is your take on heavy metal?

GB: These people that dress up in spandex trousers with all the extraordinary makeup – I find it incredibly repulsive, always have. I’ve seen where Cream is sort of held responsible for the birth of heavy metal. Well, I would definitely go for aborting [laughs]. I loathe and detest heavy metal. I think it is an abortion. A lot of these guys come up and say, “Man, you were my influence, the way you thrashed the drums.” They don’t seem to understand I was thrashing in order to hear what I was playing. It was anger, not enjoyment – and painful. I suffered on stage because of that [high amplifier] volume crap. I didn’t like it then, and like it even less now. That whole Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame thing – at least half the people in there don’t have a place in any kind of hall of fame anywhere, in my opinion.”

Forbes Magazine: Are there bands that came from Cream’s influence you consider to be good, maybe Led Zeppelin?

Baker: “Jimmy’s [Page] a good player. I don’t think Led Zeppelin filled the void that Cream left, but they made a lot of money. I probably like about 5% of what they did – a couple of things were really cool. What I don’t like is the heavy bish-bash, jing-bap, jing-bash bullshit.”

Read more at Forbes Magazine.



Last year Baker released A Hard Day’s Baker, a collection of live material comes from the official bootleg series, and has been re-mastered with seriously improved packages from the original releases. The various bands featured on these recordings are Ginger Bakers Air Force, Ginger Baker & Salt, The Baker Gurvitz Army, Ginger Bakers Energy, Ginger Bakers Nutters, Ginger Bakers No Material, and two tracks are from Ginger Baker Live at the Jazz Cafe 2009. The remainder of the recordings span from 1972 through to 1987.

A Hard Day’s Baker features the following tracklisting:

Disc 1:

"I Got the Answer"
"Free Kings"
"Don’t Care"
"Sunshine of Your Love"
"Improv Track 1"
"White Room"
"Night People"
"Don’t Be So Serious"
"Countin’ On You"
"Help Yourself"

Disc 2:

"Perfect Nation"
"Where Are You"
"I’m So Bad"
"Lost In Space"
"Sunshine of Your Love"
"Piece 2"
"Piece 3"
"Ants In the Kitchen"
"Iko Beiya"