There is no contractual obligation for all band members to be amicable with one another as the tour rider. Interactions between band members can vary greatly. While maintaining a cordial atmosphere may lead to smoother experiences, it’s not uncommon for artists to occasionally feel frustrated with their bandmates. They may wish for a different approach. Although Ginger Baker had a reputation for being difficult to work with throughout his career, tensions reached a breaking point with Jack Bruce. This occurred while performing the Cream song ‘We’re Going Wrong‘.
If there were awards for the most enduring rivalries in music, Bruce and Ginger Baker would certainly be strong contenders. Before Cream’s formation, the duo had gained a reputation for engaging in intense conflicts. This occurred during their time in The Graham Bond Organisation. One notable incident involved Bruce throwing his bass at Baker while they were performing on stage.
It would have been logical to separate those two individuals, but there was a slight issue…their combined talent was simply monstrous. When Eric Clapton joined forces with them, the already impressive rhythm section of the band reached a whole new level. Their energy became explosively heightened.
Imagine the convergence of two exceptional rhythm players with a guitarist who had earned the moniker of a divine being. It seemed like a recipe for perfection, right? Initially, there wasn’t much happening, as everyone was on their best behavior while creating albums such as Fresh Cream. There were some tensions, but things didn’t start heating up until Wheels of Fire. That’s when Clapton and Baker decided to continue as Blind Faith without Bruce. Their final album, Goodbye, served as their farewell.
The separation between rock fans and the living legends only intensified their admiration when the 2000s arrived. While The Beatles were experiencing renewed popularity, Cream decided to reunite. They performed a series of farewell performances at The Royal Albert Hall. This included the exciting reunion of the two talented musicians on stage once more.
As anticipation grew among the crowd, the much-anticipated moment finally arrived when the band took the stage at Madison Square Garden. During the band’s performance of ‘We’re Going Wrong‘, Ginger Baker and Bruce found themselves in a heated disagreement. Bruce claimed that Baker was playing the song incorrectly.
According to Baker’s recollection, this incident was particularly significant. In his book “Hellraiser,” he describes, “The experience at the Albert Hall was unlike anything I had encountered before.” As we were jamming to ‘We’re Going Wrong’, out of nowhere, Jack abruptly spun around and exclaimed, ‘You’re playing it way too loud‘…I felt incredibly embarrassed as I found myself in a situation where I was being publicly scrutinized by a crowd of 20,000 people. Needless to say, it was a rather unpleasant ordeal. This time, filmmakers captured everything on film, and they have left the tapes at Madison Square Garden untouched for that very reason.
After completing the gig, the band decided to part ways. Clapton expressed his belief that they should have ended things on a high note at the Albert Hall instead of pursuing opportunities in the US. After the unfortunate passing of both Bruce and Baker, “We’re Going Wrong” stands as one of the last explosive moments the band experienced. They embarked on their solo projects shortly thereafter.
