Cream Chronicled is the fourth book for Wymer by Ginger Baker’s daughter Nettie. Although Cream only lasted two short years (officially from July 1966 until November 1968) their live (and recorded) output was exhaustively prolific and inevitably led to the band’s burn out and sudden demise. Cream were resurrected briefly for the Hall of Fame induction in 1993 and the ecstatic reunion concerts that took place in London and New York in 2005.
Cream Chronicled is the very first time that every show has been researched chronologically with a detailed academic eye, but is far from dry and dull. Using contemporary newspaper reports, diary entries and first hand accounts, Nettie has weeded out the fact from fiction surrounding this iconic band and put all the tired old myths to bed.
Cream began in Ginger’s front room in Neasden (with Nettie present) and died on from non-stop touring, much of which she also attended.
Forget everything you thought you knew about Cream and join them as it happened on a unique and thrilling ride through the mid 1960’s popular culture boom, accompanied by never before seen photographs and rare insights from those who were really there at the time – and what’s more, can remember it!
The first limited edition will be in hardback. Following editions will be in paperback.
We are honoured to be involved in helping Melia Clapton’s worthy charity … with Kofi Baker & Will Jon’s interpretation of dad’s number Blue Condition from Cream’s Disreali Gears album.
Check out Kofi and Will performing Blue Condition and more…
I know that my late father (Ginger Baker) would want me to pay tribute to one of his two most enduring friendships. Here is my personal account of a close, yet relatively little known relationship.
From my earliest recollections of the early 1960’s, I knew the name of Charlie Watts. Apart from the fact that his mum knew my mum Liz’s aunt Pamela in Kingsbury, North London (where Charlie grew up), his proximity to where we lived in Neasden and was then The Bakerloo Line tube (now The Jubilee Line). He was revered in our house.
Charlie was forever credited with playing a major part in helping dad’s career on its upward trajectory. He had for some time very quietly admired dad’s playing in the smoky jazz clubs of late 1950’s London, where many of the seeds of the 1960’s pop culture revolution were being sown. In 1962, Charlie had secured a coveted place in the very happening Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, but he had heard about town that dad was at that time looking for a gig.
The following legend was told to me repeatedly by both my parents for many years to come:
Charlie said ‘Its not right me being in this band whilst such a great talent as Ginger Baker is out of work’, and with that, he abdicated the hallowed drum chair to dad, even helping him set up his kit at the first rehearsal. ‘I could hardly believe it!’ said dad. ‘On my recommendation’ said Charlie.
Dad again expressed his gratitude to Charlie when they got on The Bakerloo Line together one night soon after. Charlie replied that he wasn’t even sure he wanted to follow a a career as a professional musician as there was no security in it!
The postscript to this is even better and set in the legendary damp and dingy Ealing Club. Brian Jones (highly rated musically by dad) had got together with Mick Jagger and dad suggested to Brian they get a rhythm section. This they did, but in dad’s words, ‘the drummer was fucking awful’ ‘Why don’t you get Charlie Watts?’ he told them and the rest is history.
As The Stones began gigging on the same club circuit, mum & dad would often join Charlie on those little red Bakerloo Line trains to and from Town. Mum recalled Charlie’s concerns that if he became well known, how would he be sure that a girlfriend would love him for himself? She assured him he’d be fine.
Years rolled by as they do and dad and Charlie bumped into each other many times. In the 90’s, when The Stones played in Colorado, Charlie took the time to go and visit dad on his ranch there, making him laugh by saying ‘I would give you tickets, but I know you won’t come!’ In 2008, Charlie presented dad with his Zildjian Lifetime Achievement Award at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire. On stage they mentioned the ‘Bakerloo Line days’ again and backstage mum joined in with more, like any old mates reminiscing. For dad’s 70th birthday, Charlie sent an enormous white Orchid which still survives (flowering well) as ‘The Charlie Watts Orchid’. In early October 2019, as dad steadily declined, I reached out to a mutual friend to let Charlie know the lie of the land.
Soon after, my phone rang and a familiar voice asked ‘Is this Nettie? Charlie Watt’s here.’ He spoke of his love and concern for dad and I gave him dad’s number (‘have you got a pen?’ ‘hang on. Yes’). Two days later, dad passed away. I rang Charlie with the news and he was so very sad, but glad also that he’d managed to talk to him. (of course we had a chat about aunt Pamela, Kingsbury and The Bakerloo Line.) ‘I thought the world of him.’ said Charlie, ‘and he thought the world of you.’ I was pleased to reply. The human face of ‘Rock and Roll’…. or was it Jazz?
