Albums That Changed Rock N' Roll: "Are You Experienced?" By The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Sigh.. I’ve been dreading this day since the moment I began “Deep In The Grooves.” This is the end… my only friends the end…(did any of you catch that reference to the Doors?). But seriously guys, I never wanted this blog to come to an end; it’s been a wicked ride, and I can’t thank you enough for all the wonderful and motivating feedback. It means the world to me, I never could have successfully completed this blog without any of you.

But let’s end it on a positive note with one last post on “Albums That Changed Rock n’ Roll.” This is my last chance to influence you guys to check out some of the classic music that has changed the lives of many, including myself, so I better do one hell of a job. The album I will be talking about today is Are You Experienced? By The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

I already know that you guys have all heard of Jimi Hendrix. He has influenced our world’s pop culture to the point where even people who can’t stand the sound of rock music love the guy. Yeah, he was just that cool.

Before I get into depth about Jimi and Are You Experienced?, I want to share my own personal story about the first time I discovered Jimi’s music. It seems  that everyone who loves rock n’ roll has their own unique story about how they stumbled upon Jimi’s phenomenal music, because almost all rock fans are bound to stumble upon Hendrix at one time or another. I remember the day as if it was yesterday. I was in the fifth grade and I was driving around with my Dad, most likely on one of regular trips to pick up a delicious Slurpee from 7/11. I remember “All Along the Watchtower” coming on the radio, and my young mind was in a powerful but incredible state of shock. I wondered “how the hell is he doing that? How does he make his guitar sound like that?” I was even more surprised when I found out that he sang too. I literally thought that Hendrix was some kind of extra-terrestrial sent down to Earth to blow the minds of thousands. I got right into Hendrix, and I’ve loved him ever since. I currently own every one of his studio albums on record, plus many of his live and post hummus albums.

Enough of my personal story, time for some Hendrix History 1.0.1

“On the night I was born. I swear the moon turned a fire red,” sings Hendrix on his song “Voodoo Chile.” 

The year was 1942, in Seattle, Washington, when the aliens brought… I mean, when Jimi Allan Hendrix was brought into this world. Music became one of Jimi’s biggest interests in the early years of his adolescence when he started discovering wonderful blues music by artists such as Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. By age 13, Jimi had become so obsessed with the guitar -- and I mean obsessed – that he used to carry a broom around when he was school, pretending that he was one of his idols strumming a few notes. It wasn’t until the age of 15 that Jimi received his first ever acoustic guitar for the ridiculously expensive price of $5. (I’m only kidding of course).

(Jimi as a child with his father, Al)

It’s easy to assume that Jimi was taught music at a very young age by a very professional music teacher, but that is not the case. The young Hendrix taught himself to play simply by the power of commitment as well as his ability to easily pick up notes. By the time he was 17, Jimi formed his own band called The Velvetones. It wasn’t until after the group was formed that Jimi Hendrix received his first-ever electric guitar.

(The teenage Jimi Hendrix during his time in the United States Army)

But bad luck was around the corner. At the age of 19, Jimi was forced to join the army after the police caught him taking a stolen car for a joyride. Jimi was the kind of person that made the best out of a terrible situation, but he only had one significant problem during his time in the army; he needed his guitar in order to keep himself sane. Luckily, Al Hendrix, Jimi’s dad, paid to have his son’s electric guitar shipped to his army base. Within two months of Jimi’s service in the army, he met a young named Billy Cox who loved jamming on the bass guitar and the two of them formed a radical jam group that provided a wonderful source of entertainment for their fellow soldiers. The cool thing is that Billy Cox and Hendrix formed a group many years later called “The Band of Gypsys” after his band “The Jimi Hendrix Experience” broke up.

(Hendrix and Cox)

 Luckily for Hendrix, he ended up getting an ankle injury, which gave him a free ticket home. Talk about luck eh? After his return, Jimi began to travel around America as a session guitarist under the name of “Jimmy James”. But he was just too damn good to be merely a session musician; Hendrix eventually formed his own group called Jimmy James and The Blue Flames in 1966.

(Jimmy James and The Blue Flames)

Being a musician has always been a tremendously difficult career. Hendrix, like many other artists, just barely made enough to survive. The guy could play the guitar like a mad man, but he had no damn money whatsoever; he struggled to pay his bills every month, which is just heart breaking. But one night, one woman recognized Jimi’s true potential, and she knew that Hendrix had the skill to become a musical sensation. The women’s name was Linda Keith, Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards’s girlfriend at the time.

(Jimi and Linda)

Linda said that she was mesmerized by Hendrix’s playing. Get this guys; Linda suggested to Jimi to play for the Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham, and their producer, Seymour Stein. The two claimed that they did not see Jimi’s musical potential whatsoever. Can you honestly believe that? Hendrix is considered to be the greatest guitarist of all time today, so it’s clear that these two assholes made possibly the stupidest mistake next to Decca records refusing to sign The Beatles.

But the two suggested that Hendrix to go to Chas Chandler, a former member of the British invasion band “The Animals” that was interested in producing and managing independent artists. Chandler really wanted a group that could recreate Billy Roberts’ song "Hey Joe". Ironically, Hendrix had already began working on his own unique version of the song; it’s seems as if fate played a part in the meeting of these two very talented individuals. Chandler instantly agreed to manage Hendrix, so the two flew to England to form The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Chandler introduced Hendrix to a bass player named Noel Reeding, and the two hit it off almost instantly; Jimi had found his future band mate. Reeding suggested that they recruit his longtime friend, Mitch Mitchell who was a highly respected R&B drummer. Hendrix saw the potential in Mitchell as well, and the Jimi Hendrix Experienced was formed.

(The original "Jimi Hendrix Experience" Line up. I dig the hair cuts) 

The band released their first single, which consisted of “Hey Joe” as well as the group’s anthem “Purple Haze.” The two songs skyrocketed up the Top 40 in the UK. Hendrix was starting to become a true sensation in the UK. That very single was the launch of something greater; A full-blown LP. In May of 1967, the group’s first album “Are You Experienced?” was released to the public in the UK.

(The original UK release of "Are You Experienced?") 

So what makes this album so special? How exactly did it change rock n’ roll music?

Unlike The Velvet Underground And Nico,” which had a variety of reasons to why it is such an essential album, Are You Experienced? changed rock and roll because of one crucial factor: Jimi’s guitar work. I actually cannot think of a single guitarist, famous or amateur, who is not influenced in some way by Jimi’s skills. I’m not kidding, look up one of your favorite guitarists and then type in “Jimi Hendrix” after their name, and I can guarantee you’ll find their opinion of Hendrix. I mean, there’s a reason why people consider Jimi to be the single greatest guitarist who ever lived. Hendrix took the electric guitar to levels beyond imagination, to the point that people were known to remark that they didn’t know a guitar could make the sounds that seemed to flow naturally from Jimi’s fingers.

This has remained true. To this day, even some of the greatest musicians alive cannot even come close to imitating the signature tone and sound that Jimi presented on Are You Experienced? In addition, Hendrix is often given credit for inventing some of the earliest forms of heavy metal music through songs such as “Purple Haze.” I mean, just listen to that piece; the sound of the guitar is so damn beautiful.

The album Are You Experienced? is also jam-packed with some of the most influential guitar riffs of all time. Songs such as “Foxey Lady” “Purple Haze” “Manic Depression” and “Fire” all have become some the most iconic guitar riffs ever. Just walk into a place where guitar lessons are offered, and you are bound to here a few young guys trying to nail the riff to “Foxey Lady”. These riffs alone would have been enough to make the album a masterpiece, but add to them Jimi’s iconic sound, and you have one of the greatest rock records of all time.

  Although the album is mainly credited for Hendrix’s virtuoso guitar playing, Are You Experienced? is also praised for its “trippy” elements that inspired an entire generation of psychedelic rock groups. Take the sone “Third Stone From The Sun” for example. It’s a perfect example of why so many people thought that Jimi Hendrix was some kind of alien. The sounds on that song sound like they are straight out of Star Wars or Star Trek.

Like I said, Jimi has influenced just about every guitarist that walks the face of the Earth. Slash, John Mayer, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Gales…the list never seems to end. But I think you guys get the point.

In 2011, Rolling Stone ranked Are You Experienced? the 15^th greatest album of all time. You have to admit, that is an exceptional honor for an album to receive. This particular recording has been influencing musicians for decades, and will continue to do so for years to come. It is the definition of an essential rock and roll album.

So, that is my riff about Jimi Hendrix and why he, and his album, Are You Experienced, changed rock and roll. I believe it’s the perfect album to mark the end of this blog. Again guys, I just cannot express my gratitude towards your supporting comments on my posts. They kept me motivated to keep writing my posts. Also, I owe a huge thanks to you Mrs. Ambos, for giving me such an incredible opportunity to write about the beauty of music. I’ve never enjoyed a project in school as much as this one. You are all amazing people, and I’m going to miss reading everyones blogs as much as ill miss writing this one.  But, hey, who knows what the future will bring? Keep an eye out guys; maybe deep in the Groves will spin again.

Thanks for tuning in.

Sincerely,

- Aidan Hunt.

Images found at the following sites: 

http://slyvinyl.com/rock/jimi-hendrix-experienced-limited-1500-purple-haze-200g-lps

http://www.praguerevue.com/ViewArticle?articleId=2516

http://www.retronaut.com/2012/06/jimi-hendrix-in-the-army-1961-1962/

http://lifeinthestocks.com/excuse-me-while-pay-respect/

http://emilyaylward12.wix.com/jimihendrix#!aspirations

http://www.polyvore.com/linda_keith_jimi_hendrix/thing?id=8443034

http://www.legacyrecordings.com/a/#/artist/the-jimi-hendrix-experience/477/

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/11/jimi-hendrixs-70th-birthday-experience/

http://www.amplifiedclothing.com/tag/peter-andre/

Information found at the following websites: 

http://www.biography.com/people/jimi-hendrix-9334756

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/jimi-hendrix/biography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Experienced