Hendrix was a master at coaxing a kaleidoscope of original and unforeseen sounds from his instrument, often with innovative amplification experiments that produced astral-quality feedback and jagged distortion. His frequent hurricane blasts of noise and dazzling showmanship sometimes obscured his skill as a songwriter and master interpreter of blues, psychedelic jazz-funk and rock styles. He'd served his musical apprenticeship the long, mundane way in numerous R&B acts as a backup guitarist, but was unable to develop as a soloist and was limited to sideman roles. The obvious step was for Hendrix to set out on his own and when Animals bassist Chas Chandler convinced him to record as a solo act in England, he moved to London where a group was built around him, also featuring the talents of Mitch Mitchell on drums and Noel Redding on the bass. Dubbed the Jimi Hendrix Experience they set about igniting rock music and quickly became stars in the U.K., where singles
Hey Joe, Purple Haze, and The Wind Cries Mary all made the Top Ten in the first half of 1967. These tracks from their debut album,
Are You Experienced? a grand psychedelic vision. Hendrix lit up his guitar with an array of devices to accompany his crunching riffs, with wah-wah pedals, buzzing feedback solos, lightning, liquid riffs and assured songwriting backed up by a driven and synchronised rhythm section. Hendrix would only record three fully conceived studio albums in his lifetime.
Axis: Bold as Love and the double-LP
Electric Ladyland were more diffuse and experimental. On
Electric Ladyland in particular, this pioneering musician made the use of the studio as an instrument, manipulating electronics and devising overdub techniques.
Hendrix disbanded the Experience in 1969, forming the Band of Gypsies with drummer Buddy Miles and bassist Billy Cox to pursue the funkier side of blues rock. Later, he would memorably close Woodstock with his famous machine-gun arrangement of "The Star Spangled Banner." He'd been working intermittently on a new album, tentatively titled
First Ray of the New Rising Sun, when he died in London on September 18, 1970, from drug-related complications. Jimi Hendrix had a show stealing enigmatic presence whose songwriting merged cosmic imagery with some catchy hooks and meaningful sentiment. He'd recorded a massive amount of unreleased studio material during his lifetime, much of which was issued posthumously including live concerts and unreleased studio sessions. Are You Experienced? was psychedelia at its most eclectic and remains one of the most exciting and fulfilling rock albums in history
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