by Robert Wilkinson
August 19 was the birthday of one of the most famous drummers in the world, as well as a huge hitmaker of the mid-60s courtesy of Lennon-McCartney. Today we have Cream and Merseybeat!
We begin with Billy J Kramer (19 August 1943), one of the first Merseybeat singers who made it big as a result of being managed by Brian Epstein (who coincidentally was also the manager for the Beatles!) The Beatles in the early 60s aspired to be a songwriting team who wrote for others as well as themselves, and gave away more than a few tunes to other acts who turned them into hits. Billy J. Kramer was one such act.
He only had a few, but they were big in the mid-60s! I’ll bet some of the songs are familiar. Time to dance to Beatle music never done by the Beatles!
Here was his first record, penned by Paul McCartney: “Do You Want To Know A Secret” On the flip side of “Do You Want to Know a Secret,” here’s the original studio version of Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas doing the early Paul McCartney tune that was obviously inspired by Buddy Holly “I’ll Be On My Way”
From the album Unpublished, here are the Beatles performing "I'll Be On My Way"
We now move to a live performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1965 of BJK's huge #1 hit from 1963 written by John Lennon, “Bad to Me.” Here’s another television appearance where they perform “Bad to Me”
Here's an interesting video of the early Beatles which show them in an informal setting with this song in the background. This is classic footage of the early Beatles in the studio. "Bad To Me"
Here’s the original demo by John Lennon from the Summer of 1963 of “Bad To Me”
Live on Shindig in 1964, Billy J and the Dakotas doing another of their hits, also written by John Lennon! This was the B-side of “Bad to Me,” “I Call Your Name”
Here’s the Beatles’ BBC delay drenched studio version of “I Call Your Name”
Here they are live doing yet another Beatles’ tune written by John and Paul, “From A Window”
Here's the Beatles' version: "From A Window"
Now for Billy J live on UK tv in 1964 when it was all Beatles all the time, especially it seems in Birmingham! From the pen of Paul McCartney, “I’ll Keep You Satisfied”
Here’s a television lip-synched performance (in color, no less!) of his 1964 hit, the first not written by a Beatle. “Little Children,” and from Top of the Pops in 1964, “Little Children”
From Shindig, a b/w video of Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas performing "Little Children."
From 1965, a live television performance of his last hit “Trains, Boats, and Planes”
Here's a brief interview on CBS Good Morning in January 2014! Billy J Kramer Interview on CBS 2014
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We now turn our birthday greetings to Ginger Baker (19 August 1939- 6 October 2019), famous for his drumming with Cream and Blind Faith. He was also an extraordinary jazz drummer who went on to explore world beat and become a master of more percussion instruments than I can name here. For your enjoyment, a few moments of the great Ginger Baker!
From back in the day, Cream live and very loud performing “Sunshine of Your Love”
Also from the Revolution Club, "Spoonful" and "Tales of Brave Ulysses."
From the album Disraeli Gears, Ginger’s bizarre composition “Blue Condition”
Here’s 12 minutes of Ginger live in 1968 at the Royal Albert Hall performing his signature piece that defined the era of the drum solo, “Toad”
Here it is on the original studio album by Cream: “Toad”
That first album from 1966, Fresh Cream, blew a lot of doors down! For your enjoyment, the entire breakthrough sound of Fresh Cream
Here’s 11 tracks from Cream’s Farewell appearance at the Royal Albert Hall! The Cream Farewell Concert at the Royal Albert Hall 1968Here’s Cream in September 1967 in a highly distorted 10 minute audio-only live performance of a tune Ginger wrote, “Sweet Wine,” From the same gig, “Sittin’ On Top of the World,” which we'll follow with "NSU" and finish with “Rollin’ and Tumblin’”
Here’s Ginger’s composition on the studio album Goodbye Cream, “What A Bringdown”
I found it again! For your enjoyment, the entire 1968 double studio album Wheels of Fire
With great gratitude and all smiles across the miles, from Wheels of Fire, one of the weirder songs ever done by anyone! For your enjoyment, the very strange “Pressed Rat and Warthog”
Here’s a treat! From their live 2005 reunion concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Ginger taking lead vocals on a great performance of “Pressed Rat and Warthog”
After Cream, he did a one-off with Eric, Stevie Winwood, and Rick Gretch that is considered to be the first “supergroup,” and it literally changed music history! Here’s the only studio album they did, with bonus tracks! For the last number in this tribute, you get their 1969 Hyde Park Concert. Link at the end of the show! For your enjoyment, Blind Faith
Last year I had a 2 hour and 13 album titled Blind Faith – Deluxe Edition – Acoustic and Jams but it’s disappeared. Instead, I found this hour and 11 bootleg album from March 1969, Blind Faith – Rehearsals
I also found this bootleg album from 1969! Blind Faith – Bootleg Album from Gothenburg 1969
After Blind Faith, in 1970 he founded Ginger Baker’s Air Force with Stevie Winwood, Rick Gretch, Denny Laine, Ron Wood, and others. Since the 2 hour live show from December 1970 is gone, here’s the hour and 18 album! Ginger Baker’s Air Force
Last year I had a full 51 minute video performance from 1970 of Ginger Baker’s Air Force Live at the Beat Club in Germany 1970, but this year it’s disappeared. There are some individual clips of that show, so you can begin with this one, and when you’re there you’ll find plenty more! Ginger Baker’s Air Force Live at the Beat Club – “Sunshine of Your Love.”
Ginger then went on to be part of the Baker Gurvitz Army, where he did some pretty heavy rock! We’ll begin with the BGA on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1975 giving us a 10 minute live show! Baker Gurvitz Army Live on TOGWT in 1975
Last year’s 43 minute live video 1975 show at the Beat Workshop is gone, as is the hour and 19 Live in Derby. So instead, here’s a 28 minute audio of Baker Gurvitz Army Live at Reading University 1975
Here's the audio-only studio cut from the album of the same name, “Hearts on Fire”
From 1988 in Frankfurt, 27 minutes of some great jazz! Ginger Baker Trio in Frankfurt
I found it again! Here’s the full 55 minute show from 1995 at the Deutsches Jazz Festival in Frankfurt with Ginger on drums, Bill Frisell on guitar, and Charlie Haden on bass! The Ginger Baker Trio at the Deutsches Jazz Festival - 1995
From that gig, here are two clips. We’ll begin with “Ginger’s Blues,” and then move into a 12 minute clip titled The Ginger Baker Trio in Frankfurt. This is the beginning of a list of performances which will autoplay as each clip ends, so enjoy!
Here’s a great 5 minute video of Ginger titled Ginger Baker Drum Clinic 1968
We'll close with a very rare 14 minute video from 1973 featuring Ginger and Art Blakey doing a drum duel! Ginger Baker and Art Blakey Drum Duo
For our encore, Ginger’s drumming in the amazing one-off group effort! I found a full one hour documentary with a live concert by Blind Faith featuring Ginger, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, and Rick Gretch. Simply amazing! Blind Faith Live in Hyde Park 1969
Our second encore is the entire 2005 Royal Albert Hall reunion performance by Cream! For your enjoyment, 22 songs at the Cream Reunion Concert at the Royal Albert Hall 2005
I was in awe of his drumming then, and I remain in awe of his drumming to this day. He was a world class crank, but he was still one of the most accomplished drummers of his day.
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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