The Jimi Hendrix Thread

[Analogman]

Did anyone get the Winterland box and Hendrix In The West?

 

I will be checking them out when I get home today.

[TLF18]

i've lost track of what's come out this year!

[Analogman]

It's madness. But - I keep buying them.

[TLF18]

sorry for all the shameless self-promotion, but anyone this deep into a Jimi thread will appreciate this one:

 

 

 

http://bumslogic.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/nfl-to-exhume-hendrix-for-next-super-bowl-halftime/

[Analogman]

My first thought is the old album sounds better. The new cd isn't so bad. But - they have changed some of the tracks.

 

When I say toilet paper, that's when you come rolling out.

[Analogman]

It's good to see Janie throw some business to Sundazed. They are a great bunch of people.

SUNDAZED AND EXPERIENCE HENDRIX RECAPTURE THE JIMI HENDRIX VINYL EXPERIENCE!

ROCK’S GREATEST GUITAR LEGEND’S VINTAGE RECORDINGS RETURN TO THEIR VINYL ROOTS WITH HISTORIC 7” SINGLE SERIES!

In an historic alliance, the renowned reissue label Sundazed Music has partnered with Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. to release a series of new 7" picture-sleeve vinyl singles featuring unique and hard-to-find vintage performances by Jimi Hendrix.

The ongoing series launches in April with an initial release that combines a pair of historically significant recordings from two different Hendrix 1967 BBC sessions. One is a raucous reading of Bob Dylan's "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?”. Hendrix recorded his version on October 17 for BBC Radio's Rhythm and Blues show. Dylan’s original version, one of history’s most notable and enduring musical enigmas, wasn’t released on a legitimate album for more than 10 years after its first issue. This Jimi Hendrix Experience version was a highlight of the BBC Sessions double album issued by Experience Hendrix/Sony Legacy in October 2010.

“Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?” is paired with a fascinating, newly discovered take of the Hendrix original "Burning Of The Midnight Lamp," as performed on August 24,1967 on BBC Television's Top of the Pops, just a week after the song's original studio version had been released as a single in Britain on Track Records. In keeping with strict Musician Union regulations, Jimi was to sing live atop the song's instrumental backing track. The Top Of The Pops presenter announced the Experience, but then ‘The House That Jack Built’ by the Alan Price Set began to play. A few seconds in, Jimi, ever polite, offered an apology, “I'm sorry man but I don't know the words...” As panic no doubt ensued within the studio's control room, the program's flustered presenter apologized and implored Jimi to try it once again.

Both sides feature the classic original Jimi Hendrix Experience lineup of Hendrix on guitar and vocals, Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums, and capture the band just as it was beginning to emerge as a major force on both sides of the Atlantic.

As with every release in the series, it will feature a color picture sleeve incorporating rare vintage Hendrix photos that capture the legendary artist's distinctive persona and pioneering spirit.

Janie Hendrix, President and CEO of Experience Hendrix L.L.C. commented: When the Jimi Hendrix Experience first burst into the world’s collective consciousness, it was through vinyl 45 rpm singles. Our vinyl single release program with Sundazed honors that brilliant history and, even expands on it in a very real way. It is traditional yet innovative, as Jimi certainly was.

Bob Irwin, President and CEO of Sundazed Music, Inc. commented: We are thrilled and highly honored to be partnering with Experience Hendrix on this wonderful series. I’m positively elated that my most favorite musician of all time will now be a part of Sundazed.

In a recording career that spanned only three and a half years prior to his tragic death in 1970 at the age of 27, Jimi Hendrix revolutionized the role of the electric guitar, and radically altered the face of contemporary music. He became rock's first guitar superstar, with an effortless charisma that matched his visionary talent and intense performing style. His overwhelming influence continues to live on in virtually every electric guitarist who has followed him, yet none have ever equaled Hendrix's talent and imagination.

ABOUT SUNDAZED MUSIC INC. In its 22-year history, Sundazed Music has earned an international reputation for its painstaking preservation of vintage rock, garage, soul, surf, R&B and country sounds on vinyl, CD and digital download, consistently maintaining unmatched quality standards for mastering, packaging and pressing. The current Sundazed catalog encompasses over 800 titles, including timeless classic recordings by such artists as Jeff Beck, Booker T. & the MGs, the Byrds, Bob Dylan, Albert King, Wes Montgomery, Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Velvet Underground and hundreds more.

ABOUT EXPERIENCE HENDRIX L.L.C. Founded by James ‘Al’ Hendrix, Jimi’s father, in 1995, Experience Hendrix, has been managed since its inception by family members personally chosen by Al during his tenure as Chairman. It is the official family company charged with managing the music, name, image and likeness of Jimi Hendrix. As a part of its daily operations, under President and CEO Janie Hendrix, Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix oversee Jimi’s timeless legacy on a worldwide basis. In connection with its mission, it produces the continuing Experience Hendrix tour of all-star musicians.

 

Another new album:

 

People, Hell, & Angels

[Analogman]

I saw this on Billboard.com:

Rock legend Jimi Hendrix's new archival album, "People, Hell and Angels," is set to debut at No. 2 on next week's Billboard 200 chart -- so say industry sources. The album might sell around 70,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on Sunday, March 10.

 

That's pretty amazing. According to Eddie Kramer, this is the last studio out-takes album they are going to release.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

I feel dirty. I went out and bought this thing.

If ever a release cried out to be illegally downloaded, this is it. Hendrix had THREE stuido releases, One best of and one live record while he was alive.

His estate is squeezing every last nickel out of his corpse.

[jff]

I feel dirty. I went out and bought this thing.

If ever a release cried out to be illegally downloaded, this is it. Hendrix had THREE stuido releases, One best of and one live record while he was alive.

His estate is squeezing every last nickel out of his corpse.

 

I bought it and I don't feel dirty. There's some good shit on there, and the packaging/quality of vinyl is possibly the best I've ever seen.  Worth it to hear more from Jimi backed by Billy Cox and Buddy MIles. 

[Analogman]

It is somewhat odd, but I buy them all - and always will.

 

And it is great to have real liner notes to read.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I wonder how much of this material has been shared online. Maybe I already have it all!

[makeshift]

I really love the band of gypsies.  This new release is good, but no better than some of the other recent comps.  First Rays.., South Saturn Delta etc.  He was a genius.

[Analogman]

I'm not much for Buddy Miles playing. I prefer the Hendrix/Cox/Mitchell line-up.

 

Some of the releases are terrible, and some are great.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I think most of us posting on this thread have at least a version or three of these songs (though perhaps with some different titles). I can listen to sound clips all I want on Amazon, but would like to know what people really think.

So, those of you who have bought it: thoughts? Comments? The more, the merrier.

[choo-choo-charlie]

I gave "People, Hell and Angels" multiple listens when NPR was streaming it, and thought it was great. I'm also not one of the hardcore fans who has a lot of the bootlegs and previously released stuff -- so I may not be the best judge.

[Analogman]

I think most of us posting on this thread have at least a version or three of these songs (though perhaps with some different titles). I can listen to sound clips all I want on Amazon, but would like to know what people really think.

So, those of you who have bought it: thoughts? Comments? The more, the merrier.

 

I have not listened to People, Hell, and Angels yet. Some of the tracks are different takes, or tracks that came out on those Alan Douglas albums - Crashing Landing/War Heroes/Midnight Lightning - without the overdubs he put on the tracks.

 

I do own just about every Hendrix release there is, but I don't think I have any studio bootlegs. I do have a live SBD show or two, I think.

 

Valleys of Neptune is not so great. First Rays of The New Rising Sun is really the one to have. Hendrix In The West is the live album to get.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I don't think I have any studio bootlegs.

I was going to offer to send you some, but then I remembered that you're not big on mp3 versions of ill-gotten unreleased material.

[Analogman]

I think I have one studio bootleg - on vinyl. I forgot about that. I got it years ago. I've seen the stuff around. I think there's even a dedicated Hendrix torrent site out there.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

Most of it is pretty subpar, soundwise and materialwise, but some of it is okay. When I want to listen to Jimi, I usually put on one of the first three records or a live show.

[Analogman]

At times goes on, I am more partial to the later day stuff. Songs such as Dolly Dagger/Straight Ahead/Freedom/Hey Baby (New Rising Sun).

[Mr. Heartbreak]

Here is a very detailed (and harsh) review from someone on Amazon who is much more familiar with the material than I am. Of course, I can't speak to its accuracy, but it is interesting. Long, but maybe worth it if you are debating.

People, Hell and Angels is for Jimi Hendrix completists only.

This is a very disappointing release that is FAR from “12 new studio recordings” as being advertised by Experience Hendrix. Almost all of these songs have been released in far superior versions on readily available retail releases. They have duplicated multiple songs from the Valleys Of Neptune album they put out just a couple of years ago also, including the second single from that album!

I’ll break down the technical details of each song so you can see what you’re truly getting here.

1. Earth Blues - Several years ago, John McDermott, one of the producers of this album and Hendrix catalog manager said in his book Ultimate Hendrix that this song was “loose” and non-cohesive with it being ultimately abandoned due to tuning and tempo issues. Now he’s changed his opinion to calling it “stripped-down funk.” Interesting change of heart when it comes time to put together a “new Hendrix album.” Additionally, the final studio version mixed by Jimi was released on First Rays Of The New Rising Sun, and then re-released in a deluxe version just a few of years ago. This version on People, Hell and Angels is far inferior and simply a demo that lacks many of the overdubs and embellishments that Jimi himself later added to the version released on First Rays of the New Rising Sun. Confusing as to why they would include this inferior track and call it a “new studio recording.”

2. Somewhere - Firstly, Jimi’s guitar work shreds on this song. However, this song has a lot of technical issues. Listening to the song carefully, especially the last half, it’s easy to notice the amateurish “cut and paste” job Eddie Kramer did on this track, and it’s disconcerting to say the least. This song was made up of several takes, and put together in shoddy fashion. During the breaks after Jimi’s verses, you can hear how his vocals were inaccurately pasted into this song. This is most noticeable at the break around 3:00, his vocals don’t match up and aren’t in time. The timing when the instrumentation comes back in after Jimi’s ending vocals is so off, it makes one wonder if Mr. Kramer has any sense of timing at all. The vocals are from an entirely different take of the song than the instrumentation, which isn’t a problem in and of itself, but Kramer’s mixing of the song is horrible. Also, you can hear how Jimi’s guitar breaks out of the field of sound field a bit in places because it was part of a studio rehearsal, not a “new studio recording,” as advertised. Not something that sounds good played loudly like most Hendrix fans enjoy. And all these issues on the lead single off the album? A version that is actually “in time” was released on the Jimi Hendrix Experience Boxed Set in 2000 in better quality, and the vocals are in time. Can’t believe the shoddy cut and paste jobs they are doing to Jimi’s work, very sad Eddie Kramer

3. Hear My Train A Comin’ - How many times do we need to see this song released? Studio versions of this song have been released at nearly a half-dozen times on official releases by the Hendrix estate over the years, including being released on their last “new Hendrix studio album,” Valleys of Neptune, just a couple of years ago! The song was released twice on the single disc Blues release, again on the Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues album, on The Jimi Hendrix Experience Box-set, etc. Not to mention the numerous live versions that have been released all over the place. This version on People, Hell and Angels is inferior to all of them and is NOT a studio version, this is from a practice run-through session of the band and they are mis-labeling it as a studio version, which is easily observable when listened to. It sounds like it was recorded in a garage and is the first time Jimi got together with Buddy Miles and Billy Cox to practice songs. Keyword being “first time” and “practice.” Sound quality speaks volumes on this one as you hear Jimi’s vocals distort in places.

4. Bleeding Heart - This song was released as a SINGLE off of the Valleys Of Neptune album they released just a couple of years ago and they release it again already? Two times in a row? Yet another studio version was released on South Saturn Delta. Here on People, Hell and Angels we get a far inferior version that is nothing more than a studio rehearsal, not a completed studio recording. The sound quality almost sounds like it was recorded in a bar and there is nothing fantastic about this take.

5. Let Me Love You - One of the truly “new” songs on the album and Jimi doesn't sing a single word in the song. This is actually a Lonnie Youngblood song that Jim just plays guitar on. A good song though.

6. Izabella - This song has been released multiple times. The definitive studio version has already been released on First Rays of The New Rising Sun. An alternate studio version from this same recording session was released on The Experience Hendrix box-set in 2000. They released yet another version on the Burning Desire album. The version we have here on People, Hell and Angels is far inferior to the already released versions.

7. Easy Blues - This is a purely instrumental song released on the Nine To The Universe album. Experience Hendrix claims that this “new extract” is nearly twice as long as the Nine To The Universe release, which is untrue. The Nine To The Universe release was 4:30 and this version is 5:57, a mere 1 minute and 27 seconds longer. It’s the same version, with another minute and a half of instrumental. Not sure if someone forgot how to do arithmetic or what.

8. Crash Landing - This song was released on the album Crash Landing, with the original instrumentation replaced by Alan Douglas, which a lot of people thought was insane to do. Here we get the original version, although Jimi’s vocals have been pasted from another take, and one beat behind, not in time! Eddie Kramer, how are you doing this to multiple songs on the same album? Better yet, how did this pass quality control after that glaring mistake? A shameful hack-job. Additionally, Eddie Kramer (producer) and John McDermott (catalog manager) both stated how horrible this recording was in the book they released, Ultimate Hendrix, stating that this song was “uninspired.” Now that they want to release it as some “newly found gem,” McDermott has changed his position from calling it “uninspired” to saying “it’s really good.” Interesting.

9. Inside Out - Yet another early instrumental version of Ezy Ryder, no vocals at all. They released two more early Ezy Rider jams on the “new studio album,” Valleys Of Neptune, and the Fire CD single from that same album just a couple of years ago! Add in even more Ezy Rider jams released on the Hear My Music and Burning Desire albums, and we’re just about at a half-dozen releases now. So now we’re getting alternate versions of recently released early versions of songs?

10. Hey Gypsy Boy - Released on the Midnight Lightning album with Alan Douglas overdubs, here we have the original version as Jimi intended it, which is nice to hear.

11. Mojo Man - Yet another song that Jimi has no vocals on. This isn’t a Jimi Hendrix song, it’s a Ghetto Fighters song with Jimi guest appearing on rhythm guitar. And when I say “rhythm guitar,” I means exactly that because there are not even any guitar solos by Jimi on this song. Additionally, it’s obvious a lot of tinkering was done to the song long after Jimi’s passing, none of which is very flattering. This song was also already released as a single by the Ghetto Fighters just a mere year ago – Not unreleased by any means.

12. Villanova Junction - John McDermott, one of the producers of this album and Hendrix catalog manager said in his book Ultimate Hendrix that this song was “disjointed,” but in a recent interview flip-flopped and said that it was “a sweet way to bring the record to a close.” This was what I expected to be one of the shining points of the album, but this is merely a 1 minute and 45 second excerpt of this instrumental that fades out in the middle of the jam, unbelievable. For an album that barely clocks in at 50 minutes long, it’s pretty obvious they could have, and should have, included the full Villanova Junction jam. Additionally, there was a 5 minute version of this song released on the Burning Desire album.

To Casual Fans – Avoid this release completely. If you are a casual fan of Jimi Hendrix, this release is going to be sorely disappointing to you as almost all of theses songs have been released in superior versions on other retail releases. Additionally, this collection is not a fair representation as to the quality of Jimi’s studio material. Go with Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold As Love, Electric Ladyland, or First Rays Of The New Rising Sun.

To Completists – Obviously a must-have, but be prepared to be disappointed in order to add this “new studio album,” to your collections when hearing some of the amateur cut and paste jobs on Jimi’s vocals, leaving them off beat in some songs (Somewhere, Crash Landing, etc.). Experience Hendrix created a sub-label called Dagger Records many years ago, which they use to release albums of alternate versions of songs, demos, and songs that didn’t have a place on mainstream studio albums. People, Hell and Angels belongs on that label as a release for Jimi Hendrix completists only.

This is a pretty low cash-grab on the part of Experience Hendrix.

[jff]

 

So, those of you who have bought it: thoughts? Comments? The more, the merrier.

I have it, and I think there is some very strong material on it, and much of Hendrix's playing on it is absolutely beautiful.  Some songs are a bit of a head-scratcher, such as the Lonnie Youngblood tune.  And who needs yet another version of Hear My Train A Comin'?   They put that on every release, I think.  It's boring.

 

I've read some of the Amazon reviews, and a lot of people give it bad reviews because a lot of the material is studio jams and not finished tracks with zillions of overdubs.  I happen to think Hendrix's studio jams are badass and wail all over most bands output, finished or not, so I don't see a problem there. 

 

Ultimately, I'm glad to own it and I don't see any problem with Jim's music being sold, and sold, and sold.  Why shouldn't it be?   Should they stop selling Coca-Cola just because John Pemberton is dead?  

[Analogman]

Here is a very detailed (and harsh) review from someone on Amazon who is much more familiar with the material than I am. Of course, I can't speak to its accuracy, but it is interesting. Long, but maybe worth it if you are debating.

 

I bet Eddie and John sometimes regret the things they said in the book. I mean - they have now made a living off the estate for the past several years. And at least Billy Cox gets some money. I have that book. The review you posted sounds about like Valleys of Neptune. In the back of my mind, I know they are scraping the barrel at this point. But - there are still some gems to be found here and there. The last box set is a good example of that. I hope from here on out they concentrate on the live stuff, and the film archives.

[makeshift]

The San Diego 1969 show from the stages box is great.  There have been two other box sets in the last fifteen years, with all the comps. and dagger records releases. It's been quite a lot of stuff. 

[Analogman]

Stages is one thing I don't have. Although I do have one disc from it - Atlanta 1970.

 

Ok - after listening to People, Hell, and Angels I have to say it's mostly junk. If you are not into buying all the Hendrix releases, I'd say you don't need it.

Edited March 13, 2013 by Analogman