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Post by mightyjack on Apr 21, 2007 11:12:26 GMT -5
The 60s gave us some great music, the Stones, Cream, the Who and on and on the list goes... but my big 3 are the Beatles, Dylan and Hendrix. I don't know drums or keyboard, but I do know guitar... and among a list of genius ax-men, Jimi stands atop the list for me. The dexterity, fluidity, speed was unmatched. Before a show the man would play a 2 hour practice set, then go on stage, then play some more after the gig was over. He walked around with his guitar, slept with it and recorded reels and reels of demos trying to get the perfect sound. Unfortunately, after Jimi's death, some bad people released a lot of material never meant for release, or they altered takes... Thankfully after a long legal battle, the Hendrix family secured the rights and since the late 90s have worked hard to tidy up the mess. Here's are my thoughts on essential Hendrix... The first and still his greatest! In fact I'd rank it as one of my top all time favorites: You got the classics: Purple Haze, Hey Joe, The Wind Cries Mary and Foxey Lady, as well as the title track and Manic Depression. But the rest of the material is choice as well, the poppy, "May This Be Love" has a gorgeous melody, "Remember" and "Red House" are classic blues anthems and the anniversary song is yet another winner that could have easily earned radio play. If you only own one Hendrix album, this is the one to get! Axis: Bold As LoveJimi's studio album is tight as a drum, and speaking of drummers... Mitch Mitchell is incredible throughout. In an attempt to keep the tunes under the radio friendly 3 minute mark, sometimes the songs feel like they were left unfinished; The classic "Little Wing" comes and goes so fast that I ache for more! (There are two longer tunes, and both rock... "If 6 was 9" and "Bold as Love") A hippy treasure, Jimi's lyrics are solid (I especially liked "Castles made of Sand"), Reddings Bass is fluid (though his songwriting/singing contribution "She's So Fine", seems out of place). This is so good that in "School of Rock", Jack Black gave it to a student as homework! Electric LadylandOkay, I don't mean to make anyone mad, I know this is considered a classic by more than a lot of people... but for me it's very uneven. Self indulgent long jams -Voodoo Chile- (Crows Jerry Garcia illustrated that too much of even a great thing, can get annoying), and the non stop noodling on "1983" gets so tedious I can never get through the song. Both might be great in a live setting, or while getting stoned... but it's all too much for a general sit down and listen session (again, for my gentle ears) - It also has the one Hendrix song I really hate, "Have You Ever Been To Electric Ladyland" - Geez, I can't stand that tune, it's just not my style and I avoid it like the plague. There are a few good songs scattered within, but it isn't until I get deep into the record that I find those tunes I adore. "Burning the Midnight Lamp" gets the album on track and the project closes with a huge bang with 3 classics... "House Burning Down"; the brilliant cover of Dylan's "All Along the Watch Tower" and the pure genius of "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)." Which feature some great lead riffs. I know I'm in the minority here, but for me, it's uneven and many of the songs simply aren't my cup of tea. More thoughts soon... but right now I gotta get to work!
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Post by mightyjack on Apr 21, 2007 12:49:30 GMT -5
First Rays of the New Rising SunFinally, after so many years, the Hendrix family gets the rights to his catalog and releases Jimi's planned 4th double album. After his death this material was spread out over 3 poorly hashed out LPs, so it's nice to have the material remastered and collected under one title as Jimi had intended. We'll never know exactly what the final product would have sounded like. There are unfinished slices he was working at at the time of his death ("Heaven has No Sorrow", "Valley's of Neptune") as well as pieces that never were recorded and existed only as ideas that played within his mind, ("This Little Boy", "Locomotion") But what we do have shows that Jimi, always looking to grow on each album, was bringing the heavy guns for his 4th release. The songs on this CD smoke, Freedom, the great "Izabella" and the proposed single, "Dolly Dagger". Aside from the strange inclusion of the Dylanesque, "My Friend" (a nice number but one that was never intended for inclusion on the album - it probably should have been replaced with the Dylan cover, "Drifters Escape", which the Hendrix family released on their second effort) and the pretty but basic, "Belly Button Window" (With his track record, this song probably would have change considerably) this is probably pretty close to what Jimi invisioned and is essential listening for Hendrix fans. DVD: Jimi at MontereyThere's also a CD release of this but for me, you gotta see this Criterion release and be wowed. The man played and carried the guitar like he was born with it. He is so fluid, so naturally at ease with the instrument. Compare that to Mitch Mitchell -a great artists as well- but Mitch seems almost at war with his drum kit. Woodstock gets a lot of press, and that DVD should be viewed as well. But this performance is better, the band was better, Jimi was in better form (even though he was hi as a kite after taking some of the Grateful Deads acid). Sadly some of the footage is lost due to equipment malfunction, but right out of the gate Hendrix is smoking, witness his stunning rendition of "Killing Floor" - Christmas, there's no way to improve on perfection and Jimi's guitar licks on Floor are perfect. You also get to hear him cover the newly released Beatles song, Sgt. Pepper, and see the famous footage of him burning his guitar. Classic! On My Wish ListSouth Saturn DeltaThe second Hendrix family release is rougher, akin to the Beatles anthology. But for purists, this gives us a glimpse into some ideas the artists was playing around with. it also restores some material edited out or erased during the evil Douglas era! Gasp!! Along with Drifters Escape it offers up "Power Of Soul" Band of Gypsy's or Live at the FillmoreDue to contractual obligations, Hendrix was forced to release this. "Band of Gypsy's" was his effort, "Fillmore" was the Hendrix family release which restored a few more tracks. The songs are overlong, but I want to get it for "Machine Gun". At 13 minutes it'll kill me, but is the one Hendrix classic that never received a serious, formal studio recording. Live At The BBCThe BBC stuff is always a blast (I love the one with the Beatles) - I want this if for nothing else, than the cover of "Day Tripper"
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Post by Phantom Engineer on Apr 21, 2007 17:56:30 GMT -5
MJ, what's the name of the album with "Drifters Escape" I've heard it on a bootleg but I didn't know it had been officially released.
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Post by mightyjack on Apr 21, 2007 18:45:19 GMT -5
Deep DiscountThat's "South Saturn Delta" - Lots of rough stuff on this, ala the Beatles anthology, but this is the Hendrix mix, and not the re-mix that was done after his death. His family has done a good job of restoring these lost gems, after Douglas spent years butchering 'em.
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Post by TV's Cowboy on Apr 22, 2007 7:06:06 GMT -5
Reddings Bass is fluid (though his songwriting/singing contribution "She's So Fine", seems out of place). When I first heard that song I was thinking "what the hell is this doing on a hendrix record" but after a while it grew on me and it's one of my favorite tunes on Axis:Bold as Love. So got any reviews on the Douglas era stuff because I never listened to that stuff and I'd like to know what in particular was butchered.
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Post by mightyjack on Apr 22, 2007 10:23:45 GMT -5
Na, I got nothing on the Douglas stuff. There are books that have talked about what he cut etc. I know there were some bits that he flat out erased! And then brought in other musicians to re-record.
The catalog really is a confussing deal, you can probably download everything from somewhere. There's a box set that includes a lot of unreleased, demos he'd been working on. Like "Cherokee Mist", and something like "Valley's of Neptune" has an offical bootleg release from Dagger Records. He had enough material and ideas to cover him for a few releases.
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Post by mightyjack on Apr 22, 2007 10:42:10 GMT -5
And there's still loads of litigation going on... www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=70391 and tons of material the Hendrix family has to release (The legendary, "Black Gold" master which was thougth lost, but Mitch Mitchell had it stored with him for years, but he forgot that he had it!! And I should amend my statement, I actually have a Big 4 from the 60s... Simon and Garfunkel ought be on that list.
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Post by mightyjack on Apr 25, 2007 15:24:24 GMT -5
Back to Douglas - Voodoo Soup, I've heard, isn't that bad. But for me and a lot of other purists, you don't take away what Jimi put in there.
Buddy Miles wasn't the best fit for Hendrix as a drummer, replacing his work (With the Knack drummer believe it or not) isn't so horrible in and of itself. Buddy only lasted 3 months with Jimi. He was too tame and mannered, but if your gonna change those drum bits to create a more consistent sound... the only man you bring in is Mitch Mitchell and his fusion style drumming which fit Jim's style perfectly.
Heck, had he lived and included the songs he worked on with Miles, Jimi probably would have re-recorded them with Mitchell.
But overdubbing Hendrix work was criminal. I don't care if it was rough, never EVER, replace his stuff with anything else. I don't care if Jesus himself is on the ax.
In Douglas' defense, he was trying to get the definitive sound, attempting to make a polished studio LP as Jimi would have done it. But Jimi is gone, we'll never know what he would have done, so unless he left notes or instructions... I'm in the school of thought that says, let us hear it as he left them. Warts and all.
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Post by mightyjack on Apr 26, 2007 4:11:11 GMT -5
The original puppet cover for "Band of Gypsies... I remember this one, wish I had it.
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Post by Chuck on Apr 26, 2007 17:45:22 GMT -5
MJ, I don't know how old you are, but I was there was the lps were released. And it was exciting. It was so different and delicious and wonderful. And he grew as an artist. Electric Ladyland is a masterpiece.
That was an amazing time in music. So much good was happening.
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Post by mightyjack on Apr 27, 2007 13:28:26 GMT -5
I'm old enough to be your dad. ;D
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Post by mummifiedstalin on Apr 27, 2007 14:16:25 GMT -5
I appreciate Hendrix. And, I might add, so does my three year old son. He always surprises me with his musical taste. I'm serious. ;D
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Post by siamesesin on Apr 27, 2007 15:01:05 GMT -5
You're absolutely right. My godkids have awesome taste too. Kids are cool that way.
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Post by mightyjack on Apr 28, 2007 12:05:39 GMT -5
I like reading that. Gives me hope for our musical future.
I get on these kicks all the time. Well the Beatles are a constant. I was on a Dylan kick about 2 months ago, but there have been so many threads (and arguments) about the man I didn't feel like starting a new thread.
But the Hendrix/Ramones cupboard was pretty bare. The Ramones have been pushed aside for the past week. Jimi's had all my attention.
I'm reading a new book about him. Very interesting, I never knew that he once played rhythm to Tommy Chong's (of Cheech and Chong fame) lead in a band. (He also once had a brief, very brief encounter with Bruce Lee in the early 60s - Lordee, two giants meet before they're giants!)
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Post by mightyjack on Apr 28, 2007 15:43:10 GMT -5
MJ, I don't know how old you are, but I was there was the lps were released. And it was exciting. It was so different and delicious and wonderful. And he grew as an artist. Electric Ladyland is a masterpiece. That was an amazing time in music. So much good was happening. But seriously - My mothers side of the family were very musical. My Uncles taught me songs on the guitar and I'd go listen to their albums for hours. The Band of Gypsies cover always captured my eye. What I remember of Electric Ladyland was that I'd always skip the 3rd side Even today the album sags in that section. I adore the mournful guitar work on 1983, but after 4 minutes it shifts to Mitch noodling on the cymbals for another 4 minutes and though I'm older and wiser, I can't get through it. I just don't hang like that ;)1983 will always be a 4 minute song through the miracle of personal editing. lol
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