I was raised on JHE by my folks among many other great bands.

I still get taken back to being a kid every time I hear it.

Steve wrote:

> A few monthe before Jimi's death in London, he, Miles Davis, and Tony Williams were talking about recruiting of all people Paul Mccartney for a supergroup.

You know... it's not too far-fetched a proposal! Think about it, what is Paul McCartney's long-suit? What was it they thought McCartney would bring to the table?

Writing and vocals.

Paul McCartney, without question, is one of the greatest song writers of the 20th century. He would have been a source of original material and... he would have been the only one in that group with a 'certified' lead singing voice. Jimi sang on his own records, but he was always honest and humble about the fact that he wasn't a 'great' singer, he did it because he had to, not because he wanted to. Miles and Tony are monster musicians, but neither one of them could sing a lick.

McCartney, in a strange way, would have been a 'smart' choice. Although, John Lennon would have been a better fit because he was such a hard core Rocker. McCartney is -softer- than John. John had that raw edge in his writing and playing that would have added some real balls to the proposed Super-Group.

I wonder what that album would have sounded like! Between Miles and Jimi orbiting Jupiter, it would have been up to Tony and McCartney to 'hold down the fort' musically and provide a foundation for Miles and Jimi's flights of fancy. I would love to have heard what came out of that collaboration.

Brew wrote:

> But, I cant imagine actually hearing Are You Experienced for the first time in 1967, like you did....like my father did. That would have been an amazing "experience" for sure!!

I can honestly say that there have only been a few 'life-altering' experiences in my life. I count hearing that album for the first time among those life-altering experiences. It blew my head clean off. Nobody had ever heard sounds like that come out of an electric guitar. Feedback from the guitar was a no-no, it was considered a bad glitch in the music (albeit accidental,) when it happened. Jimi not only intentionally used it, he incorporated it into his playing, he turned it into an art-form! Jimi Hendrix (and Mitch on drums,) reinvented the electric guitar. They didn't know how to 'categorize' the music he was playing, so AM radio didn't play it - and because he had two white-boys in the band, the black soul stations wouldn't play it either. It was only on FM radio stations that you could catch Jimi and the band.

Jimi altered the direction of music in general and Rock & Roll specifically, to such a degree, that today you can hardly hear a piece of music or a guitar riff that doesn't hark back to something Jimi invented for the first time in history out of his head. The best guitar players in the world would watch him like a hawk when he played and they still couldn't figure out how he was pulling those sounds out of an electric guitar. Another one like him, with his talent and ability, won't come along for another 1000 years.

Yes, it was -mind bending- to hear that music for the first time.

Kona wrote:

> Not that I could play anywhere near his ability...

Practice, practice, practice. You have no idea how long it took me to get some of that stuff down, to get it in my head and my hands so I could play it without thinking about it. Years! But it's do-able!

Mitch was only human; two hands, ten fingers, two feet. Whatever he did, you can do. With patience, determination and focused practice, you can do it. It only takes the 'Will' to do so. How bad do you want to be able to play like that? The answer to that question will determine how far you get in achieving the goal. Drumming consists of either single, or double strokes in various combinations. You can learn the combinations Mitch created and used. You just need to know how to work the sticks. That's why I always practice basics, rudiments everyday. I learn stick control from those exercises. Then when I go to tackle Mitch, or somebody like him, I can at least figure out how he's doing it and with practice, I can replicate it. Takes time and effort.

You get out of it, what you put into it.

John

I was being modest John.

I do now and I did back in the day....practice Rudiments. Stick Control was the first book I went through with my drum teacher.

I still would not like to compare myself to the likes of Mitchell. He had a great feel and fit for the music. A lot of the 'feel' comes with playing/jamming for hours with other musicians.

I agree John - it is do-able - but not in this lifetime....for me...pushin 65, and I'm way okay with that.

I found this little photo....for those that haven't seen it:

Clapton/Lennon/Mitchell & Richards.

The Gretsch vibe....

Hey Kona - Thanks for posting that shot! It's taken from the Rolling Stones Circus! Here ya go, bud, enjoy...

http://www.veoh.com/watch/v1468700kyDJzCGg?h1=The+Rolling+Stones+Rock+and+Roll+Circus

John

Thanks John! Enjoyed that. Makes me want to go back watch my Tull DVD's.

Did someone say Tull DVD's.I feel a Clive Bunker thread possibly starting.

Clive and Mitch have similar styles,especially listening the " This Was" album which was released around the same time as "Are You Experienced".My mind was blown at 13.

Theres a great drum solo on Darma for One. I think.I have it on vinyl.

Steve B

actually my first song of Hendrix was fire! as i (we) did not want to play any top 40, as purple was on the charts we caved later because it was too good, so we did the star spangle version off wood stock. so that was a worthy venture to this day that's still in my stable as along with haze and wind cries mary and voodoo child, hey joe

in chitown he was headlining at electric theater(kinetic playground) boy i missed it, went out with a girl that nite saw the fudge there the week before iron butterfly next month, airplane that was a cool venue any one here remember it... i feel like crying what a time we grew up in

"ill just chop it down with the edge of my hand"

as i song all his songs also...

One thing I always thought was cool was that Jim Marshall (of Marshall amplifier fame) was a drummer originally and taught lessen from his early music stores. A young Mitch Mitchell was one of his students. Later Jimi went on to become one of the greatest ambassadors for Marshall guitar amps. I always liked that connection between Mitch, Jimi and Marshall.

Steve

Some Mitch... enjoy.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5UIlM6dL6s[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJVHWhMetAs[/ame]

John

Huge fan and influence on me. Love Mitch Mitchell Yes Sir