THE BEAST

Legendary CREAM drummer Ginger Baker is "critically ill" and in the hospital, his family has revealed.

"Please keep him in your prayers tonight," the family wrote in a brief statement posted to Baker 's official Twitter account on Wednesday afternoon.

Baker , who turned 80 in August, has experienced a number of health issues in recent years. In 2016, he underwent open heart surgery, which forced him to cancel a run of tour dates. During recovery, a fall also left him with swollen legs and feet. In 2013, he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and he is also said to ber suffering from chronic back pain as a result of degenerative osteoarthritis.

During his musical beginnings on the London jazz scene of the late 1950s, Peter "Ginger" Baker forged a name for himself for his unconventional drum setup and flamboyant style. In 1966, after seeing Eric Clapton play in London, he formed the power trio CREAM with Clapton and bassist Jack Bruce . Over the next two years, CREAM sold 15 million albums, scoring such hits as "White Room" , "Strange Brew" and "Sunshine Of Your Love" .

Baker , who gained a reputation as the most uncontrollable musician on the scene, was the subject of a 2013 documentary, "Beware Of Mr. Baker" , which painted the title character as a chain-smoking, profanity-spewing, mean-spirited, entitled, grouchy, vile and self-destructive man with otherworldly talent and tragic flaws.

The Baker family are sad to announce that Ginger is critically ill in hospital. Please keep him in your prayers tonight

— Ginger Baker (@GingerBDrums) September 25, 2019

Via Blabbermouth