All about The Jimi Hendrix Experience: the band's history, success and breakup

The 1960s were the heyday of rock bands, which later became the pioneers of various genres. It was the generation of the sixties that saw the created legendary bands, how their most successful albums and songs came to be, and how the bands discontinued its existence.

That's the kind of story we'll explore in our article: how the band's pioneering talent was born The Jimi Hendrix Experience and how, at the height of their popularity, the musicians decided to stop working together.

The great band of the 1960s - where did the story of The Jimi Hendrix Experience begin?

The legendary Jimi Hendrix Experience began in 1966, when the Seattle-based guitarist James Hendricks made an acquaintance with Chaz ChandlerHe had already left The Animals and wanted to promote little-known musicians. Chaz had already seen Jimi perform in a club in New York and realized that the young guitarist had a chance to success.

Soon the musician and his manager moved to the capital of England, where the manager of Animals joined the development of the talented musician Michael Jeffrey. That's when the recruitment of musicians for the new band began. After a while, Hendrix met the bassist Noel ReddingJimi was able to jam with him onstage on the first day. Later the guys were joined by a drummer Mitch MitchellHe was previously in a British rhythm and blues band.

Debut The newly formed band performed in early October at the Olympia concert hall in France. A month later the band appeared on stage at The Bag O'Nails. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was attended by all famous musicians at the time: Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, John Lennon and others. The public took the band's appearance with disbelief, but was surprised mastery young performers.

In the winter of 1966, the band released a track «Hey Joe» on the Polydor Records label. It was almost in the top five of the UK music charts, and the same success overtook the following The band's two songs: "Purple Haze" and "The Wind Cries Mary", which successfully entered the music charts. At the beginning it was not easy for the musicians, because they had no permanent job and did not give concerts, but after the success of their singles the guys began to stars. It was precisely the Jimi.

During the band's very first tour in 1967, journalist Keith Eltham advised the band to shocking show on stage. That's when Jimi came up with the idea of arson guitars.

In May 1967, the band's first album was released. Are You Experiencedwhich contained songs of different genres. This record was enthusiastically received by critics and the public, and later Are You Experienced would be called greatest album of all time. It was No. 2 in the U.K.; surpassed by The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Opening the Savile performance, Hendrix played title song of the Liverpool Four albums than struck McCartney and Harrison who were present that night.

...And where it all came down to: fame, money, and dislike

The song "Hey Joe" was not a success in the USA. In America, the band became popular through an appearance at the Pop Festival in MontereyThe musicians were recommended by McCartney to attend.

On June 18, 1967, The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at the festival, starting off with a quick arrangement of the song "Killing Floor". Next came compositions by B.B. King, Bob Dylan, and four original band tracks. At the conclusion of his set list, Jimi Hendrix Fabulous He set fire to the guitar right in front of the audience and scattered the rest of the guitar across the stage. This is the moment critics describe as the most memorable in the history of rock and roll. The band later played several successful performances in the States.

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At the end of 1967, the band released their second album Axis: Bold As Lovewhich took longer than the previous one to record. This was due to the fact that the guys began to argue more and more with Chaz about what should be sound album. The musicians wanted to themselves to determine the direction of the music, and eventually Chandler drifted away. Then Jimi himself took over the recording of the album. At the same time, there began to be a disagreement inside of the group: the perfectionism of the leader often became a hindrance to the record.

Before you write down your Third album, the band went on a small tour in which they managed to play with Jim Morrison. In the spring of 1968 the recording began Electric Ladyland, which was also complicated by disagreements between Hendrix and Chandler. Not everything was smooth with Noel either, because the work at the studio was becoming unbearable for him. Jimi had to yourself to record the bass lines in some of the songs. This album was warm The film was received by the critics; they noted in it a great realization of the skill of the performers.

In the late '60s, Redding finally made the decision to about leaving from The Jimi Hendrix Experience. The reason for this was the abnormal studio sessions and creative disagreements between the guys. The last time the original lineup of the band performed at a concert In Denverwhere Redding was angered by a reporter's comment about replacing Noel with a bass player Billy Cox. With the new lineup, Jimi began preparing to perform at Woodstock; The Experience officially ceased to exist.

Appearance of the Band of Gypsys

To speak at the Woodstock Music and Art FairIn addition to Cox, who was already in the band, Hendrix invited guitarist Larry Lee and percussionists Juma Sultan and Jerry Velez. When the festival opened and the slightly expanded lineup of The Jimi Hendrix Experience took the stage, Jimi explained that the band name had been changed, and they would now be called Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, or Band of Gypsys. Hendrix's image at Woodstock has become iconic For all the music of the '60s.

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Album Band of Gypsys was released in March 1970. At that time Hendrix worked with Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. The trio began their work as early as the middle of the fall of 1969. Hendrix's manager at the time, Jeffrey, realized that the new band's record could be live album, and then the musicians began rehearsing and preparing for the already planned concerts. The album Band of Gypsys included elements funk, soul, rhythm and blues, and other musical genres.

Hendrix's new works were quite unlike to the ones he created in The Experience. In the new band, Jimi turned more to rhythm and blues. The songs were mostly created at active musician sessions; Hendrix's new style was also influenced by the playing of his new colleagues.

Before the release of the album, the Gypsys performed Madison Square GardenThe guitarist was not in the best of health during which Hendricks was not at his best. According to some reports, Jeffrey gave the guitarist psychotropic drugs before the performance, in order to make the leader's behavior sabotage the new lineup of the band. This concert was last in the life of Jimi Hendrix.

Jimi's untimely passing and the further creative endeavors of his comrades

Jimmy Hendrix died in hospital on the evening of September 18, 1970. Monica Dannemann, his girlfriend, found the musician unconscious in the morning and called the paramedics. After being admitted to the hospital, the doctors stated doomThe patient had been in the hospital for a long time, presumably due to asphyxiation caused by ingestion of psychoactive substances.

In 1971, a posthumous album was released The Cry of LoveThe album is a compilation of compositions written by Hendrix shortly before his death. Later on, there were minor problems with the copyright of all the guitarist's compositions.

Meanwhile, the former guitarist of The Experience Noel Redding He had already left the band Fat Mattress, which he formed in 1968, and had only recorded with them one album. In spite of this, many of his other compositions would appear on the band's next albums. By 1972 the musician had formed Noel Redding Bandwhich released a couple of records and toured successfully, but soon broke up due to a disagreement with the label. Redding soon released an autobiography titled Are You Experienced? He also performed with Keith Dion and his band in the '90s and 2000s. In 2003, Noel. dead from bleeding due to cirrhosis of the liver.

John Graham Mitchell, known as Mitch MitchellAfter a short break with Jimi's band, he later returned. After the U.S. tour and Hendrix's death in 1970, Mitch organized new bands and produced young musicians, but he had already become very popular. didn't have. In 2008, Mitchell was found deceased at the Portland hotel where he was staying while participating in the Experience Hendrix Tour.