Baker Gurvitz Army
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Founder | Ginger Baker, Paul Gurvitz, Adrian Gurvitz |
| Defunct | 1976 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, compilation albums |
Baker Gurvitz Army was a British rock ensemble recognized for combining hard rock with Ginger Baker's distinctive drumming style, which incorporated elements of jazz and Afrobeat. Their eponymous first album included the notable song "Mad Jack," achieved placement on the US Billboard 200 chart, and reached number 22 on the UK Albums Chart. The following two albums preserved a comparable musical approach but did not attain chart success in either the UK or US markets.
History
Following the breakup of Cream in 1968, Ginger Baker became a member of Blind Faith in 1969, a project that experienced limited success. He then established Ginger Baker's Air Force in 1970. In 1974, brothers Paul and Adrian Gurvitz—previously part of The Gun and Three Man Army—joined forces with Baker to form Baker Gurvitz Army. The group produced two studio albums in 1975 and another one in 1976. The band ceased activities after the passing of their manager in 1976. A compilation album titled Flying in And Out of Stardom, released in 2003, featured four newly recorded live performances.
Studio albums
- Baker Gurvitz Army (1975)
- Elysian Encounter (1975)
- Hearts on Fire (1976)
Live albums
- Live in Derby '75 (2005)
- Live Live Live (2005)
- Still Alive (2008)
- Live in Milan Italy 1976 (2010) – Released as part of The Official Ginger Baker Bootleg Series
Other release
- Flying In & Out of Stardom – The Anthology (2003) (compilation)
Members
- Ginger Baker: drums
- Adrian Gurvitz: guitar, vocals
- Paul Gurvitz: bass guitar, backing vocals
- Mr Snips a.k.a. Stephen W. Parsons: lead vocals
- Peter Lemer: keyboards