Jack Bruce

[HowardKennitby]

Did anyone see yesterday's prog on BBC2 at 9:00pm

Ginger Baker has not worn well has he?

[andy-hughes]

Ginger suffers from serious arhritis which means he is in pain for a lot of the time.

I interviewed him a couple of years ago for Drummer magazine, he was home in South Africa, and he lives way out in the bush, so we had to talk via radio telephone which had a one second delay each way. It's not impossible, if you remember the delay and try to avoid talking over each other, but Ginger, being one of the most famously cantankerous men on the planet did not take to it well. I got through it, but he could start an argument in an empty room!

[HowardKennitby]

Andy-H

Thanks for that. I was not aware of any physical problems. I did know that he and JB tended to be a bit sparky - professional jealousy?

[douglas9401]

Saw the programme, enjoyed it. Mr Bruce is on the equally famous Mr Ken Bruce's Radio 2 show all this week in the Tracks Of My Years.

Ginger Baker looked at death's door in the late '60's. He's looking alright considering.

[andy-hughes]

Messrs. Bruce and Baker famously loathed each other throughout their tenure in Cream, although to be fair, Ginger is renowned for loathing anyone breathing the same air as him!

I know GB suffered from heroin addicition, but seems to be clean and sober now - and enjoying his horses. It's unlikely he will be able to play again, his arthritisi is too advanced, and that is a great shame, he is a wonderful player.

Hint - if you ever speak to him, always refer to him as a 'jazz drummer', and make sure you bone up on his major hero Phil Seaman - Ginger thinks not knowing who Phil Seaman is deserves a punch up the bracket!

[douglas9401]

But to be completely honest Andy, drumming aside, he is a complete c'ant.

[andy-hughes]

I can only speak as I found - and he was seriously abrasive, but he may be wonderful to his friends and family, and just not like journalists or other musicians!