One of the most influential drummers of all time left his last breath at a hospital in England where he was hospitalized, yesterday, Sunday October 6th. “Dad passed away peacefully,” his daughter Nettie Baker told CNN. “He was in no pain and had recently been able to see and speak to his children, close family and special friends”, she added. Ginger Baker made the most important move of his career when, in 1962, he replaced Charlie Watts, who left to join the Rolling Stones, in Alexis Corner Blues Incorporated. From there he went to the Graham Bond Organization, where he met Jack Bruce, who shortly after with the addition of Eric Clapton formed the first supergroup and one of the most important rock bands, Cream. He followed Clapton to Blind Faith, created his own Ginger Baker Airforce and devoted himself to African music. In the ’80s he became a member of Hawkwind for a while, in the’ 90s he formed BBM with Jack Bruce and Gary Moore, while in the ’00s he participated in Cream reunions.

Explosive, anti-social, with violent outbursts, he had often ruptured with fellow musicians and fans. His relationship with Jack Bruce was stormy, with the most striking example being his knife attack against the bassist when they were in Graham Bond Organization. He has been married four times and has had three children. He fought against heroin addiction, a user from the early 1960s when he played drums at various jazz clubs in London, which he stopped 29 times. It’s worth reading his autobiography “Ginger Baker: Hellraiser” .. R.I.P.