Jimi Hendrix - The Ultimate Experience

YOURZ

Oh boy, here is another artist who evokes such rabid support from critics and fans alike, it is hard to know where to start writing about him.  A very large amount of books have been written about Hendrix's influence on modern music, his prodigious abilities with both the guitar and the ladies and using him as a kind of starting pin on the map of modern rock.

I've only ever read Charles Shaar Murray's effort, Crosstown Traffic: Jimi Hendrix and the Post-War Rock 'n' Roll Revolution.  Despite the thesis-like title, this fascinating read doesn't do anything to contain the myth of Hendrix but instead, reverently parlays the sounds of the time into an well-written, intellectual and very-readable look at the way blues music has influenced music, with Hendrix's tracks acting as the guiding light.

I can't recall a time when I wasn't hearing Hendrix.  He has been on my musical spectrum since I was a young lad first learning to play the guitar.  Songs like Hey Joe and All Along The Watchtower were constants at my parent's parties in the early 70s while tracks such as Voodoo Chile (Slight Return), Foxy Lady, Manic Depression, Fire and Crosstown Traffic became party favourites of mine and my friends years later.  

In fact, it is Crosstown Traffic I often reference as being one of the pinnacle tracks of influence for me.  It is one of my funeral playlist songs (yeah, my friends are gonna rock out at mine wake, for sure).  Hendrix has the privilege of being the only artist, apart from The Beatles, to appear a number of times on this playlist, the other track being the gorgeous Little Wing.  After all, who can not fail to be touched by this:

When I'm sad, she comes to me

With a thousand smiles, she give to me for free

It's alright she says it's alright

Take anything you want from me,

Anything.

Fly on little wing

VERDICT: TURN IT UP


MINE

So, let me preface this by stating for the record: I'm not particularly a Hendrix fan.  No, back!  Stop pelting me with those rocks!  It's not because the tunes aren't good, because HELL YEAH they are great.  But there's two things abut Hendrix that stop me being a real enthusiast.  

One is, I lack whatever gene it is that finds guitar solos entertaining.  It's kind of how mostly everyone except drummers feels about drum solos.  I don't have that Guitar Hero inside of me - and I use that term advisedly, I'm not a fan of the game, either.

The second is, I kind of hear a lot of it as stripper music.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm as fond of ecdysiasts as the next person (being in this case, YourZ) (YourZ sez: see, how could I not love this lady) but mental images of tassels, pasties and feather boas tend to distract me from the tunes themselves.  It's not a problem, just a mental tic.  Nothing to do with the cover of Electric Ladyland, either.  What?

I also have to admit that while I never experienced the famous mondegreen for Kiss The Sky, I still do a mental double-take every time I see Voodoo Chile because I think it's talking about a a bowl of magical food.

I did have fun listening to this CD.  And as a side note, the London apartment where he lived in 1968 has just been open to the public, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his death.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information http://www.jimihendrix.com/us/home

Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg

YOURZ

Okay, I'm gonna do my damndest to avoid using any of the cliched descriptions that have been used to describe Wolfmother in the past.  Nope, you won't read that they sound like a cross between Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.  Nor will you see me saying Stockdale takes his vocal cues from a combination of Chris Cornell and Robert Plant, with a little Jack White thrown in the mix.  I won't mention stoner rock, blues rock, Kyuss or Hendrix either.

Now, with all those unmentionables out of the way, lets talk about Cosmic Egg.  Erm...  Well, it rocks like...  ah, nope, can't say that.  They rock out like...  can't say that either.  And Stockdale's voice, well...  Bugger it!

Okay, how about I try it this way.  If you like any of the bands above, in any form, then you will dig Wolfmother.  They are, with a doubt, one of the best revivalist rock bands in the world.  Some of the biggest names in music profess to be fans and they attract an unusal amount of attention from b-list celebrities as well.  But then, I suppose any road to success is a good road.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

I suppose the advent of Wolfmother won't deter any of those boys who want their own version of Led Zeppelin from doing it - but it should.  This is how it should be.

How can I tell?  Because while I was listening to this CD it really didn't matter what volume I used, low or soft, I could clearly hear the lyrics and understand what was being sung, while at the same time enjoying every layer of A-grade rawk accompanying them.  OK, this type of music isn't generally a favourite of mine, but I had no difficulty listening to any of these songs from beginning to end.

It's good music, done well.  Now, will all those other spotty boys trying to do the same thing pay attention?  Probably not.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.wolfmother.com/