THE JIMI HENDRIX
EXPERIENCE: ARE YOU EXPERIENCED (USA version)
Jimi Hendrix together with the producer Chas Chandler (former
member and bass player in ‘The Animals’) formed the ‘Jimi Hendrix
Experience’ in the UK in 1966, including Mitch Mitchell on drums and Noel Redding
on bass guitar. One of the most influential bands for the future of Rock music
had just been born! The next year they released their debut album named “Are
you Experienced”. The album was recorded in London during a 5-month period, and
it was released in the spring of 1967. There were 2 versions of this album. The
UK version which doesn’t contain all the singles that came out before the
release of this record, and the USA one that includes them.
Which are these
songs? Purple Haze, Hey Joe, The Wind Cries Mary, and Fire.
The album reached at
#2 in the UK album charts, behind “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, and
remained in the charts for 8 months.
As for the reception of the album, it has
been considered as one of the greatest ever debut
albums in Rock! The TV
channel VH1 named it the 5th greatest album of all times in 2001.
In 2003 the USA
version of this album was ranked at No.15 on ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine’s list of
“The 500 greatest albums of all time”. ‘Kerrang’
magazine listed the album at No.41 of the “100 greatest Heavy Metal (!) albums of all time’. ‘Guitarist’ magazine
ranked this album at No.1 on the list with ‘The Most influential guitar albums
of all time’ and ‘Mojo’ magazine similarly listed it as “The greatest guitar
album of all times” in 2003.
Closing this, I’m
putting a review by Keith Adams for the ‘New Musical Express’ magazine (NME),
written on April 8, 1967:
“The Jimi Hendrix
Experience are a musical labyrinth- you either find your way into the solid
wall of incredible sound, or you sit back and gasp at the Hendrix’ guitar
antics and showmanship, wondering what it’s all about”…
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