Cream's Ginger Baker Bashes Led Zeppelin; Calls Heavy Metal 'Incredibly Repulsive'

There have been countless feuds in classic rock history and at the very least, various artists who weren't afraid to speak what was on their minds. Lou Reed once explained he wasn't a fan of the Beatles while Rolling Stones band-mates Keith Richards and Mick Jagger have been known for taking shots at one another. This time, Cream drummer and founder Ginger Baker spews some negativity towards Led Zeppelin and heavy metal.

"Jimmy's [Page] a good player," he told Forbes. "I don't think Led Zeppelin filled the void that Cream left, but they made a lot of money. I probably like about five percent of what they did - a couple of things were really cool. What I don't like is the heavy bish-bash, jing-bap, jing-bash bulls-."

Baker continued to point harsh comments towards the deceased Zeppelin drummer, John Bonham, stating that he wasn't "anywhere near what I am. He wasn't a musician." Baker did, however, save the bulk of his opinions for the genre of heavy metal as a whole, labeling it "incredibly repulsive." He removed himself from Cream's legacy of assisting in the creation of the genre.

"I've seen where Cream is sort of held responsible for the birth of heavy metal. Well, I would definitely go for aborting [laughs]. I loathe and detest heavy metal. I think it is an abortion. A lot of these guys come up and say, 'Man, you were my influence, the way you thrashed the drums.' They don't seem to understand I was thrashing in order to hear what I was playing. It was anger, not enjoyment - and painful. I suffered on stage because of that [high amplifier] volume crap. I didn't like it then, and like it even less now. That whole Rock and Roll Hall of Fame thing - at least half the people in there don't have a place in any kind of hall of fame anywhere, in my opinion."

Baker isn't a stranger to expressing his contempt for fellow rock and roll icons. He previously badmouthed the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and the Who. " I won't go within 10 miles of a Rolling Stones gig," he told Rolling Stone in October of 2013. His frequent argumentative attitude was depicted in the 2012 documentary film, Beware of Mr. Baker.

Tags

Cream, Led Zeppelin, Lou Reed