Hendrix Overrated?

i love and have been influenced by jimi's music.

my fave stuff is from near the end of his life;

band of gypsies, & 1st rays of the new rising sun (orig. was "cry of love").

overratted? nope.

edit: because he's a dead icon (& would sign any contract put infront of him), lots of subpar stuff has been released. you can't judge him just from the woodstock dvd.

 
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because he's a dead icon (& would sign any contract put infront of him), lots of subpar stuff has been released.
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Good point that is often over-looked, Brooks.

 
Tons of people can, myself included. It's unlikely that anyone who's around my age would have Jimi as a primary influence. Instead, it would be guys like Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Ynqwie Malmsteen, etc... That's not to say that I can't appreciate Jimi's music and what he meant to guitar players in general (whether or not they know it).-Austin
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Are you claiming to have been influenced by guys like Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Ynqwie Malmsteen, but not by Jimi?

I don't see how that could be possible, seeing as he was one of their primary influences.
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I take it all back. He influenced me not to drown in my own vomit.

(Or anyone else's for that matter. After all you can't very well "dust for vomit". -Spinal Tap content fulfilled)

 
Jimmy's stuff ALWAYS sounded over the top when you we're baked off your ass.
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"Jimmy"??

Are you f**king kidding me??

Dan, please hand in your guitar players membership card.
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let me rephrase that. Over the top meaning "way, way cool and groovy"

It was meant to be praise. "BAD ASS" is more like it.

 
Jimmy's stuff ALWAYS sounded over the top when you we're baked off your ass.
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"Jimmy"??

Are you f**king kidding me??

Dan, please hand in your guitar players membership card.
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let me rephrase that. Over the top meaning "way, way cool and groovy"

It was meant to be praise. "BAD ASS" is more like it.
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He's referring to your misspelling of Jimi's first name. Once again, I'm gonna have to assume the pill inventory at the Mayo Clinic is a little light this morning.

Although I will agree with SirDan's assessment of the music. The first time I ever smoked the ganja I collapsed on the floor right next to my buddy's stereo speaker. "Manic Depression" came on and that solo wove its way through my brain in a manner I can't describe. Haven't heard it quite the same way since.

 
I find it humorous that MTM105 has ignored most posts that offer up succinct discussion.

Read JohnnyB's great post on page 2. Enough said.

 
I saw Jimi twice. The first time was in 1967 at War Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, NY...I hung around with my friends until he eventually came outside and I shook his hand. It was like shaking hands with a stalk of bananas, which may explain how he did a lot of what he did. The second time was at Woodstock in 1969. IMO, it is impossible to do him justice today given the recording technology and PA technology in the 60's. Seeing him live was (excuse the pun) an experience. He was a great player and an incredible showman. I may go to the grave a senile bag of bones but I'll never forget seeing him. The only show I ever saw from that time period that was in the same league was the Mahavishnu Orchestra (with John McLaughlin, Jerry Goodman, Jan Hammer, et al). The Experience and the Band of Gypsies brought different things to the table but I liked both a ton. Seeing a DVD or listening to a CD of Hendrix just doesn't begin to capture what it was like to be there in person.

 
I find it humorous that MTM105 has ignored most posts that offer up succinct discussion.Read JohnnyB's great post on page 2.  Enough said.
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that's OK. I read the post and it is rather scholarly. Good for him. Very knowledgable. Anyone can write a scholarly article and focus only on a single context.

What about another perspective? Jimi, may he rest in peace, is alleged to have been discharged because of homosexual urges while serving in the 101st Airborne. In other words, he was a quitter. He died under the influence of narcotics. A sick man. He became a hippie drug addict posterchild. A social degenerate. His music influenced mass disillusionment. Does that make him a success? A "hero" of mine, G Gordon Liddy, probably wouldn't concur with that kind of anti-social behavior.

There are a lot of "good" alcoholic drug addicted musicians who are dead that is considered brilliant in the music world, but I don't care for them. Kurt Cobaine. Mark Bolin., etc. Because they died infamously doesn't equate to talent.

Hendrix had talent, but to what degree? Could he walk on water? Prior to watching the DVD I felt that perhaps he could. To extend the analogy, I sense now that possibly he was a very good swimmer.

 
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His musical accomplishments are that much more impressive when considering the weight of his personal demons....

 
a guitarist who just seemed to be just an average working Joe jamming with his buddies.
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I own every legally released Hendrix DVD along with some bootlegs. I'd say the worst "released" Hendrix performance was probably Hendrix Plays Berkley...I watch the Woodstock DVD and get chills and immediately go find my strat...
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I agree the JPB DVD is for the most part awful. Hendrix blows an amp early and is out of tune frequently. Also, lot's of inane hippies jabbering about this and that and the kids breaking in was a crackup.

One thing though I think Jimi's version of Johnny B. Goode and Purple Haze from Berkeley were awesome... and keep in mind the a lot of the lead on both songs was played with his teeth or behind his head /emoticons/default_laugh.png

For all out concert jams the white album with Hendrix sitting on a stool playing a 12 string guitar, called "Soundtrack Recording from the film Jimi Hendrix" and the new DVD remastered from that WB movie is awesome. Purple Haze is unbelievable, Red House set a standard for 12 bar "hard" blues, Machine Gun I from Isle of Wight brings tears to my eyes when he goes from a screaming lead instantly to a quiet, delicate, wah-wah drenched melody. Hear my train a-comin' played on a slack-tuned 12 string is clearly a "Leadbelly" inspire pieced that is a musical treasure. Wild Thing from Monterey Pop was a legendary performance. The Uni-Vibe soaked Machine Gun from BoG is unequaled, the screaming sustain and controled feedback were stunning examples of his mastery of the guitar.

Remember most of this was recorded between 1967 and 1970.

Also, songs like Voodoo Child and Little Wing. Technically relatively easy if you see the tab, but try and play it with the same phrasing and inflection that Hendrix did. I've heard a lot of people cover those songs and only SRV really mastered them. I can play them both very well but they don't give me chills like the Hendrix and SRV versions do.

I always get people saying well what about EVH, Vai, Malmsteen, Satriani... blah... blah.. blah... yes they can play, but endless 1/64th notes, and 1/2 octave bends, et nauseum... technically difficault, yes... but to me it's musical masterbation...

Remeber as Mr. Betts so aptly put it...<paraphrasing> it's not how many notes you play, it's how many of the right notes you play that matters...

my 2 cents...

 
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What about the other half?  Jimi, may he rest in peace, is alleged to have been discharged because of homosexual urges while serving in the 101st Airborne.In other words, he was a quitter.
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Where'd you hear that. And even if he was "Bi" who cares? He broke his leg/ankle and that made him useless to the "Airborne". Maybe he did a "Clinger" to get out, I don't know, and neither do you. But even if he did who the f*ck cares. A quitter... and I suppose you've completed everything you've ever started, like a good little boy scout... /emoticons/default_blink.png

He died under the influence of narcotics.  A sick man.  He became a hippie drug addict posterchild.  A degenerate.
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Died from drugs in 1970, now there's a real uncommon thing. /emoticons/default_blink.png Do a Goggle on famous drug addicts throught history and I'd say that you'll find many of the great minds in history, and some of the most influencial and worthwhile contributors to the human condition were drug users too. "Degenrate". That's a bit extreme. Irresponsible, unwise, selfish, I'll even go stupid, but degenrate, come on... lighten up. Lets save that word for pedifiles, rapists, serial killers, etc...

His music influenced mass disillusionment.  Does that make him a success?
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"Mass disillusionment" omg I wonder why, (Viet Nam, JFK, MLK, RFK, segregation & lynchings, Watts, Kent State, Chicago Democratic Convention, Cold War "duck-and-cover", etc., etc., etc.,) Did you live through the sixties or just read about them in Social Studies? /emoticons/default_laugh.png

 
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I find it humorous that MTM105 has ignored most posts that offer up succinct discussion.Read JohnnyB's great post on page 2.  Enough said.
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that's OK. I read the post and it is rather scholarly. Good for him. Very knowledgable. Anyone can write a scholarly article and focus only on a single context.

What about another perspective? Jimi, may he rest in peace, is alleged to have been discharged because of homosexual urges while serving in the 101st Airborne. In other words, he was a quitter. He died under the influence of narcotics. A sick man. He became a hippie drug addict posterchild. A social degenerate. His music influenced mass disillusionment. Does that make him a success? A "hero" of mine, G Gordon Liddy, probably wouldn't concur with that kind of anti-social behavior.

There are a lot of "good" alcoholic drug addicted musicians who are dead that is considered brilliant in the music world, but I don't care for them. Kurt Cobaine. Mark Bolin., etc. Because they died infamously doesn't equate to talent.

Hendrix had talent, but to what degree? Could he walk on water? Prior to watching the DVD I felt that perhaps he could. To extend the analogy, I sense now that possibly he was a very good swimmer.
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WTF? that is precious stuff there buddy, you know that there are at least 2 other veterans onstage w/ Jimi @ Woodstock right? The second guitarist was in the active fire of Nam just weeks before and I'm pretty sure none of em were convicted felons, I swear how we've turned on real veterans and found new "heroes" is beyond me

 
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that's kinda funny,
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I wasn't personally dancing at the head-basher ball when the Blue-light drum corps put on their awesome stick display, but I did witness about 3 hours of it (and it was some pretty tough stuff). Those guys knew how to thump a stick . . . (and I'm sure glad I wasn't a drum that night).

Agree -- kinda funny now -- but was anything but funny back then.

I guess what would settle all this is a poll . . .

 
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[WTF?  that is precious stuff there buddy, you know that there are at least 2 other veterans onstage w/ Jimi @ Woodstock right? The second guitarist was in the active fire of Nam just weeks before and I'm pretty sure none of em were convicted felons, I swear how we've turned on real veterans and found new "heroes" is beyond me
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the fact remains according to a circulating guitar magazine a few months back that Hendrix opted out of the Army by feigning homosexuality. The fact that he broke his leg is fiction. Viewed in that context paints an entirely different picture of him as an artist. He wasn't a military hero. You don't have to be a convicted felon to be a degenerate. Particiapting in narcotic drug use is degenerate behavior. That's my opinion.

Henrix's onstage buddies don't really get credit for Star-Spangled-

Banner. I am a 12 year veteran, active duty Army presently. I apolgize if my opinion is taken out of context. I am not a neo-con. Just a seeker of truth.

 
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