What is it with Washingtonians and rock docs all of a sudden? First we have Davis Guggenheim, blowing it up this month with “It Might Get Loud,” the guitar-focused film about Jimmy Page, Jack White and The Edge.
Now comes word that local boy Jay Bulger is working on a film that focuses on the drums. Bulger, a 2000 graduate of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, has been an Armani model, boxer, actor, director and writer. But for his latest project, he ventured to Africa to seek out Ginger Baker, the legendary British drummer who played with Eric Clapton in Cream and Blind Faith.
“I always thought he was the best drummer in contemporary music,” said Bulger, who now resides in Brooklyn. After later finding out that Baker was living as a recluse in remote South Africa, and that they had the same birthday, he thought to himself, “You need to find this guy and tell his story.”
He got in touch with Baker through Eric Clapton, but when he called Baker, the drummer “was totally not into the idea” and proceeded to berate Bulger over several phone calls. Baker finally relented. Bulger spent weeks at Baker’s ranch, collecting 60 hours of interview footage.
Bulger says the production is now fully funded, and he hopes to release it next year.
In the meantime, he turned his trip into a feature story for the current issue of Rolling Stone, entitled “The Devil in Ginger Baker.”
Bulger declares that when the film is ready, “It’s going to be the greatest music documentary ever made.”
Top, Ginger Baker; bottom, Jay Bulger
