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Post by whitefang on Oct 10, 2019 10:01:47 GMT -5
One of the musical icons of many "boomers" passed away and we let it go unmentioned! That's just a shame. I hope I did this right, so here's a link for those unaware. www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49827436Many (on other forums) typically mention his work with CREAM and BLIND FAITH, but Baker was well regarded before then from his association with this band: (Pay 'ttention 1:31 in---) And then there's this post Blind Faith band--- Baker was the first rock drummer most ever saw use double bass drums. And after he became a household name it seemed everybody started to "double up". He will be missed. Rest in peace, Bro. And DBM---his Dad was a bricklayer. I thought that'd interest ya. Whitefang
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2019 12:50:36 GMT -5
RIP Ginger Baker, you were an inspiring player.
@ the Fangster; Eric Claptons grandfather (the man who raised him) was also a bricklayer. That trade would make anyone want to do something else to make a living. Now that said, masonry is a wonderful skill set. Working for a production brick company however is mucho hard work because it is always hurry up, get that wall up, etc. etc. I did think it was a craft after I went into business for myself, then I could focus on quality and pride in my work. (Pride in my work was allowed working for the big company while I was an apprentice, after that it was hurry up, get that wall done).
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Post by whitefang on Oct 11, 2019 9:34:48 GMT -5
All I know about bricklaying is, after helping a buddy put up a barbecue I was glad to be an autoworker! Found out after I left he went back and tore down what I had done and redid it correctly. Anyway, I've always heard it was Clapton that was a constant peacekeeper between Bruce and Baker, and perhaps (based on your info) it was a combination of his father also being a bricklayer and respect for his skill and talent is why Clapton got on better with Baker than Bruce did. But, just guessing here. Whitefang
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Post by earleg on Oct 11, 2019 18:11:28 GMT -5
Sad but he had quite a life. Ringo story: Ginger delayed the Cream reunion as he was in training process for getting his fireman engine driver license In Denver, CO.
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Post by jbone on Oct 12, 2019 7:20:52 GMT -5
At the risk of being unpopular, I have to admit I just didn't get Cream. And past a point, The Who, Zeppelin, and all the other screaming guitar proto metal bands kind of left me behind. I just did not get why anyone NEEDED to make all that wall of sound. I saw some big outfits in the 70's. The Who, Jethro Tull, Head East, Johnny Winter, and others. SRV in the 80's. Mostly what I took away from those shows was hearing damage. I still have it today. It was fun at the time but even then I didn't get it.
I truly began my live electric harp playing experience in the mid 90's, about when SRV had died. I lived in north Texas. Every third guitar player at any jam night was striving to do what he did, guitars, amps, the whole mess. Some decent copy players but ultimately it became just a big wall of noise. During that time, I was trying everything I knew to hear and be heard on harp on super loud stages. More hearing damage. A lot of $$ spent on rigs that neither kept up sound wise nor had any tone qualities at the end of the day.
One big irony I have to mention is, I tried to work with 2 different blues rock guys in Arkansas, both of whom were known for very big volume even in hole in the wall joints, and both wore custom earplugs!
I've played in front of some very good drummers I want to add. I just never could deal with the huge volume on a stage, which is set by the drums first off.
So I may be unpopular but there's my $.02.
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Post by whitefang on Oct 12, 2019 10:24:29 GMT -5
And you're entitled to it. Everyone has different tastes. Me and another guy on another forum are currently discussing the different tastes of different generations. Like his parents and my Mom (I was raise by a single Mother until I was 8) even until I was in my late teens would have "mock" arguments about "my" music vs, "hers". In all actuality, I grew up liking and still do like a lot of her generation's '30's "swing" and '40's Big Band output, and she did kinda like some rock'n'roll, like Roy Orbison, and too liked a few Beatles tunes.( and she thought that, despite Paul McCartney being "cute", she thought George Harrison was the handsomer of the four(She liked his "dark, piercing eyes" ). While being a huge fan of Johnny Winter(still after his death, and I did/do like him more than SRV) I will agree that many an otherwise good electric blues guitarist went over the top on the decibels. James Taylor too, had a disdain for them one time on a early taped performance did roll his eyes while saying of them, "As if volume equaled soul..." But even some of the older "masters" (Buddy Guy, Abert King, Albert Collins et al, would crank it up too. So did B.B. And too, many rely on volume to mask the fact they have very limited imagination, like(IMHO) Ted Nugent. Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Oct 12, 2019 11:08:25 GMT -5
Good points Fang. And in the 70's Johnny Winter worked with Muddy Waters and kind of toned it down some. Look where Eric went post Cream and all.
I know when one plays in huge arenas and halls sound reinforcement is necessary. It's when it's not needed but used anyway that I take exception to.
My Gramps played a bit of everything at the time on harp. When I was 3 he was playing with a ragtime band at K of C in the hometown and it was hard to hear over all the other instruments. I doubt anyone had an amp.
I saw Buddy Guy in the 90's with Tom Petty. Liked Petty better. Carlos Santana with Chris Whitley as opener. Both were outdoor concerts and the sound was right. Of course Buddy cranked much more than needed but I think people wanted that from him.
Summer Jam in '74 at Watkins Glen in NY state, I never got closer than about 1/2 or 3/4 of a mile to the main stage but the sound was hearable even over tens of thousands of fans.
I was guilty early on of using tube amp volume to cover up my lack of chops on harp. I did learn a much better way later even if I can't reach thousands of audience members with ease. And really, my solution personally was to drop wattage and work with like minded musicians to keep the volume where patrons could actually converse out front. True we never played to more than maybe a couple hundred, so definitely not rock god status.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2019 12:42:25 GMT -5
The only band that hurt my ears was Grand Funk Railroad, now that was a painful concert. The Electric Factory in Philly was the premiere spot for up and coming bands but far to small for the wall of amps Grand Funk had going.
The rest of the big names I saw in great big venues like The Spectrum and the Arena in Philly, so the huge volume was mitigated quite a bit by the large rooms. I never saw the Cream live, although I did see 2 of the Creams band members in different bands later on (Clapton and Bruce). I don't think I ever saw Ginger live. But I can easily say that I wore out the Cream LP's multiple times, and replaced them.
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Post by whitefang on Oct 13, 2019 10:04:09 GMT -5
STILL insist on callin' them "the" Cream, eh? Well, no matter. I once related that me and a friend saw Cream at Detroit's now long gone OLYMPIA Stadium(in which the Red Wings hockey team used to play and several other events took place) on one leg of their "Farewell" tour. Sometime in late '68. We sat behind the band(and several rows up) as they were performing "in the round". They did sound good despite Olympia's jenky acoustics, and Baker's energy was unbelievable! I only saw Grand Funk once, sometime in late '70 at the much smaller venue of the Eastown Ballroom near downtown Detroit( once an old movie house). Sure, they were a bit loud, but not TOO, and it's when I first heard this tune which, after all these years, still remains their ONLY tune that I like. Whitefang
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2019 15:27:43 GMT -5
OK Fangster. There is a difference in calling them "The" Cream and "the" Cream. See the difference? One has a capital on the word "The" calling them "The" Cream is a band name, "the" Cream is saying "the band" Cream. It is all a matter of semantics.
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Post by whitefang on Oct 15, 2019 10:38:13 GMT -5
Well I'm not gonna argue this thing again. It's my contention that if they wanted to be called "The Cream" they would have named themselves that. And NOT just CREAM. And don't forget that tale I mentioned from back in the "day" I was in a band called simply "Magic Lamp".( well, it was the '60's ) and how the keys player's cousin, a "greaser" type girl from the '50's kept calling us "THE Magic Lamps"! (It doesn't make sense" she'd whine) Well, there WAS no "The" OR a pluralized "Lamp" And, like nobody EVER called them "The" Vanilla FUDGES to my memory. Whitefang
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2019 6:18:06 GMT -5
I was going to post something, about his passing, but thought someone else would beat me too it. I maybe a youngster hear at 48, but I had heard of Cream and their music, and Ginger Baker. Amazing drummer, hell of a temper though. I heard he had hit a documentary filmmaker with has cane in 2013, because he did not want to be bothered participating in a film about hie life. Hence the title Beware of Mr. Baker.
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Post by whitefang on Oct 17, 2019 9:41:20 GMT -5
You "maybe a youngster hear"? So, what does it sound like? That first part does sound a bit like YODA, eh? Whitefang
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2019 17:59:11 GMT -5
Lol! Okay, so I misspelled here!
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Post by whitefang on Oct 18, 2019 9:33:26 GMT -5
'S'okay. Just havin' fun with ya. Whitefang
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