Saw the ‘rockumentary’ Beware of Mr. Baker last night. It tracks the story of Ginger Baker (most famous for being in Cream) from early music days through Cream, Blind Faith and beyond until the present day. Some reactions:

1) I had only really heard his playing in the context of Cream, which ultimately limited my impressions. While I don’t completely agree with either his (stated at least a couple times rather egotistically by him in the movie) or his bands perspective that they were the ‘cream’ of the rock talent at the time (So the Beatles and others like Jimmy Page and John Entwistle weren’t? There were others too) Cream were obviously in the top tier to be sure.

But the thing I liked about the movie was that you see a LOT more of his playing in far, far different contexts, and I definitely have a new view of his abilities as a result. I had not realized he was really a jazz drummer, he considered himself a jazz drummer, and ultimately at one or two points in the movie, he attains that lofty status amongst other top-tier jazz drummers – very impressive and he definitely more than holds his own – I have a much stronger respect for him now just seeing this footage alone. While I have to say that I’ve always preferred Keith Moon‘s drumming, and will still maintain that KM may be my preferred choice for a *rock* drummer – I now think GB is definitely a far more versatile and skilled drummer who obviously crosses many more types of music having seen this film.

2) Like other famous people (and arguably worse in many ways) – he was a disaster as a father, fairly loathsome as a family man and at many times, as even a human being. It’s one thing to be devoted to drums and music above all else – fine. But why have a family and treat them so horribly? Why not just stick with groupies and be done with it? Use a condom? The mind boggles – there’s simply no excuse. We’re all human, yes – but acting this way is simply beyond the pale.

3) He reminds me in many ways of Keith Richards from the ‘too onery to die’ standpoint – but I find it hard to believe that Keith Richards was near as irascible as GB was (and still is). The movie begins with GB literally wacking the poor filmmaker hard in the face with his cane because he was mad about the film having anyone else from his life in it! While to a certain degree (they include outtakes also as the credits roll at the end) this is funny and serves to make him even more of a curmudgeon – the word ‘beware’ is certainly applicable time and again as his story unfolds.

This is definitely a movie worth watching – may be a bit too ‘music nerd’ if you aren’t into drummers, rock stars acting like the immature freaks they often are, or musicians from the 60s – but definitely worth seeing all the same.

candybowl