Photo courtesy of Ingo Baron.

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!

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 70^th 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?

Nettie stops by on Spot Lyte On to talk about growing up with Ginger and her life since. Listen to it here

And a previous and very amusing podcast on Nettie’s birthday… here

God Bless!

Follow this link to buy merchandise from the Ginger Baker Tribute concert:
www.gingerbakerccmstore.co.uk

All proceeds go to the Leonard Cheshire Charity.

More reviews on the tribute concert here:
https://www.leonardcheshire.org/about-us/press-and-media/press-releases/clapton-and-rock-legends-drum-storm-tribute-ginger-baker

Kofi Baker’s amazing drum solo on Do What You Like: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vuDf28uhNPU

All photos courtesy of George Chin

Fire up the crimpers and get backcombing! Hairspray and heartbreak abound as the painted youth of the 1980s go on the rampage in a North West London suburb. Further ‘Tales of a Rock Star’s Daughter’ by Nettie, eldest offspring of Cream/Blind Faith drummer Ginger Baker, follows on from her hilarious and critically acclaimed first volume. Here she negotiates eviction and poverty and goes off the rails with a new cast of maniacs.From a 1970 meeting with Jimi Hendrix, through to Live Aid, Greenham Common, a cancer op and a brief glimpse of Cream’s 2005 reunion. This is essentially a punk rock, pub-based soap-opera like no other; set against venues long-gone and values out-dated, in the smashed-up ruins of a changing world. More Tales of a Rock Star’s Daughter…

Along with Jack Bruce’s son Malcom, and Will Johns, Kofi will play a total of three venues in the UK in November, the last being on Sunday 25 in London.

 

This is a rare opportunity to take part in the musical legacy of Cream celebrating its 50th anniversary.

 

Kofi and Malcom grew up playing music together and are like brothers – for better or for worse! They both inherited the talent of their fathers and express it in their own individual way. But if I said there was no rivalry between them on stage, as was with their fathers, I’d be telling an untruth; it seems there’s a karmic link between them that they cannot escape.

 

This does however give their performances the edge that Cream’s had: there’s a lot of energy, they jam as Cream did, losing themselves in another world of time and harmony, pushing themselves to their musical limits, as did their fathers before them.

 

I have to say, in the performances so far, there’s been a cinematic backdrop of real cream footage played behind them which seems inappropriate to me and not personally liked by Kofi himself. Although it doesn’t detract from their performance in any way, it does lay them open to criticism and comparison which is unfortunate. But they’re not trying to emulate their fathers, they’re demonstrating an inescapable continuance of a legacy that lives on in them. And that they’re accomplished musicians in their own right.

You will see Kofi deliver a unique, masterful and unforgettable drum solo on every performance – making it quite apparent that drums are his love and playing them what he lives for – a devotion that rivals his father’s. And with the play-off between him and Malcom and Will I can guarantee you will experience a rare and enjoyable once-in-lifetime performance.

 

They play in Glasgow on November 23, Leamington Spa on November 24, and London on November 25.

Check out kofibaker.com/shows for tickets and more information.

 

Happy Birthday Ginger!

We love ya!

 

Don’t forget to checkout his daughter Ginette (Nettie) Baker’s autobiography –  Tales of  a Rock Star’s Daughter here

 

Ginger celebrates his 78th year today!

Getting on but still hanging in there…. a true survivor and legendary icon from another time.