Sad news for the music world, but how he actually lived as long as he did is probably more the question?!
For me, the sound of his drums and Jack Bruce's bass and vocals were the sound of Cream before Eric even played a note!
For those reading this not knowing who we're talking about, then watch this (and turn it up loud) and this was recorded when he was in his late 60s!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gze0PxDKgQ
He'd not long since had a liver transplant, hence him sitting on a stool for a while during the first couple of nights. He'd been playing a fretless base for many years before that (a Warwick, a lovely thing with dimly illuminated LEDs along the top of the neck to mark the octaves, etc.) so he was well used to it.Interesting how Jack Bruce really couldn't hack it for those gigs, and he's not even doing something that demanding (5 string fretless didn't help).
Besides, if you think this is someone who couldn't 'hack it' then I believe you've got cloth ears (how's your eyesight too? Would you like to show me that 5th string?)!
I think he and Eric were just having a bit of fun during the intro to Toad, perhaps a sort of 'here we go again, a 12 minute Baker solo', and they both looked like they were enjoying themselves rather than struggling, but coming back into time perfectly when it mattered?You're correct about the 5th string.
But not hacking it: he looks tired, a couple of notes opening that song sounded off, and he disappears into the mix quite quickly in a way that wasn't characteristic of his playing. I've spent a fair bit of time watching the Cream reunion videos over the last few years, and TBH JB really looks like he's struggling to keep up. That's not surprising if he'd just had a liver transplant, but a fretless bass is harder to play than fretted, and would contribute to any difficulties he was having.