I suppose the quick passage of time confounds everyone but, forgive me, I can't believe that Are You Experienced? and Axis Bold as Love both albums by Jimi Hendrix are 50 years old now!
Occasionally, I watch Jimi perform Voodoo Child on the Lulu (To Sir With Love hit) television program, recorded in early 1969. I think it is both stunning visually (kudos to the BBC cameramen and producer) and a great version of the song that defies characterization in portions of the sound and structure.
One of my other favorite songs is Pali Gap a post mortem instrumental that was cut from a 20 + minute jam and released in 1972, I believe. While I have heard many, many unreleased recordings and jams, I haven't been able to find that 20 + minute jam of this recording.
Of course there are many more songs. Machine Gun from the Band of Gypsys album is an amazing live work. The Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock is masterful but so is the studio version--completely different in style and tone.
Bob Dylan's All Along The Watcher Tower showcases an artist's ability to make a song his own. Bob Dylan said that he wrote the song but more or less, Jimi owned it.
I can't say it's my favorite, but it's the most memorable.
"Star Spangled Banner"
Because I saw him play it live at a rock concert.
I was in the Army, stationed on the south side of Atlanta, and a friend had a VW bus. The venue was a racetrack at Jonesboro, south of Atlanta. The program had been delayed a few hours that night by thunderstorms. I had fallen asleep in the tent and had to be awakened. I think it was around 2am when Hendrix performed and the fireworks display finally started.
Within a few hours of our arrival on the 3rd, it became a free concert. The gatekeepers and biker security were overwhelmed by the crowds. Food, water and toilets were in short supply, but I'm not sure anyone really cared. The local fire department was hauling drinking water in a tanker truck and filling shiny new metal trash cans for us. I'm probably not the only one who came down with strep throat the following week.
I survived and Jimi died a few weeks later.
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"I no longer collect, but will never abandon the hobby"
The truth is within and only you can reveal it 15 Oct 2017 06:13:27pm
re: Jimi Hendrix Albums 50 Years Old!
I was lucky to see Jimi live in 1968. He was simply awesome and second to none. I had third row center seats right in front of him which made it even better. I have to agree that Watchtower is probably my favorite but Star Spangled Banner was a marvel to see. Stevie Ray Vaughn did a great rendition of the same in concert.
Have not been to a concert for several years but I'm up for one tonight. One of my favorite bands in the last 25 years, The Pixies. My son is picking me up in a couple hours.
should be a hoot.
bobgggg President Cortlandt Stamp Club 17 Oct 2017 12:13:28pm
re: Jimi Hendrix Albums 50 Years Old!
Getting back to Hendrix... He played Woodstock with a makeshift band... The Jimi Hendrix Experience broke up two years prior... He did have his drummer, Mitch Mitchell and two guitarists, who he played with in Nashville.. Billy Cox, and Larry Lee....
He closed Woodstock with his song Hey Joe...only because Gene Autrey refused to sing Happy Trails at Woodstock.
President - West Essex Philatelic Society www.wepsonline.org 18 Oct 2017 09:21:55am
re: Jimi Hendrix Albums 50 Years Old!
Unfortunately, Hendrix was a little before my time so I never got to see him. My actual first introduction to him was a cover of Purple Haze by Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush. Some of my favorite songs are Manic Depressive, Fire and Voodoo Chile.
My most recent concert was UFO/Saxon a few weeks ago.
The long version of Hear My Train Comin' (aka Getting My Heart Back Together Again at Woodstock) is a great version from the 1970 1st show, I believe, at Berkeley.
The version Jimi played at the Royal Albert Hall in 1969 is also stellar and like most of his versions, quite different, one from the other.
Bruce
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