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jimi hendrix...whats the big deal?


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am i the only person who thinks that jimi hendrix is only this famous because he's dead?, i will prob upset a lot of players here when i say that i dont think he was THAT good! i love the guitar and there are a lot of players that inspire me but hendrix is not one of them, i'm not some snotty nosed new kid on the block i'm 32 and listen to the greats like jimmy page, richie blackmoore, gary moore and some fantastic technical players like steve vai, van halen, malmsteen...but i never did get this thing about hendrix that so many players bang on about, i dont own any of his music and could only name a handfull of songs that he done, ive tried listening to his music but it bores me, i like robert cray, buddy guy, albert king, but jimi does nothing for me...[cool]

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am i the only person who thinks that jimi hendrix is only this famous because he's dead?' date=' i will prob upset a lot of players here when i say that i dont think he was THAT good! i love the guitar and there are a lot of players that inspire me but hendrix is not one of them, i'm not some snotty nosed new kid on the block i'm 32 and listen to the greats like jimmy page, richie blackmoore, gary moore and some fantastic technical players like steve vai, van halen, malmsteen...but i never did get this thing about hendrix that so many players bang on about, i dont own any of his music and could only name a handfull of songs that he done, ive tried listening to his music but it bores me, i like robert cray, buddy guy, albert king, but jimi does nothing for me...[confused']

 

You had to have been there then.

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I really don't care how good or not good a guitarist is and don't compare people to other people.

Hendrix had some great tunes' date=' that matters.[/quote']

 

the reason for my post is that on the news today hendrix's voodoo child was voted greatest guitar riff of all time, so just got me thinking about how i feel about his music, dont want to open up a can of worms here and it's just my personal opinion...i dont think he was that good, all opinions welcome [cool]

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Like cookie said.

 

I'm not big on Page, I respect him (who in their right mind wouldnt) but I don't see the point. Hendrix was great end of story.

 

It's all in your opinion.

 

I love a lot of his stuff, you dont, lets all be friends... or at least pretend to be.

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Like cookie said.

 

I'm not big on Page' date=' I respect him (who in their right mind wouldnt) but I don't see the point. Hendrix was great end of story.

 

It's all in your opinion.

 

I love a lot of his stuff, you dont, lets all be friends... or at least pretend to be.[/quote']

 

Great point!!!

 

But the thing I don't understand is if you don't like a certain player, then what's the point in starting a thread about it[confused] .... C'mon there's gotta be better things to do with your time[blink] ...LOL!!!

 

Oh well...

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No worries man, nobody has to like everything. That's cool.

 

Some of the hype around Jimi Hendrix is definitely because he is dead. That's just how it is. Marketing of the Hendrix brand, and (probably slightly embellished) stories and memories of him have elevated him to another level. That being said, I really think that like 200 years from now, when electric guitars are some paragraph in an American music history class, Jimi Hendrix will still be mentioned as one of the masters.

 

I think it was a combination of his playing ability, innovation/experimenting with equipment, and charisma that got everyone's attention back when Hendrix was alive. Jimi was able to combine all that stuff into one perfect storm and that is his legacy. He was a very fluid player, and his skill improvising in live situations was unmatched at the time. He was one of the first players to string effect pedals in a line to produce various sounds with his electric guitar. And then there was his live show... He was a little before my time, but as far as I can tell, there was no one doing what Jimi was doing at the time. My uncle did get to see him play at Woodstock, and when he talks about that show, there is still magic in his words. That's probably one of the reasons why I'm a fan. All I have to go on are a handful of recordings, some live footage, and stories from people that got to see him for real.

 

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV74PsUo1dc[/YOUTUBE]

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It is simply a matter of taste, I like Hendrix but it is not even in my top 10.

 

His style is very different and was innovative at the time, trying to look at why some things were great when they came out decades ago is difficult.

 

I think a lot of guitarists see him as good because his material is tough to play because of his style, I think Jimi would not have been able to clamp on a shuffle-style rhythm like Malcolm Young does. Just a different style.

 

The one thing I do not like is when somebody tries to shove their favorite guitarist down your throat.

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am i the only person who thinks that jimi hendrix is only this famous because he's dead?' date=' i will prob upset a lot of players here when i say that i dont think he was THAT good! i love the guitar and there are a lot of players that inspire me but hendrix is not one of them, i'm not some snotty nosed new kid on the block i'm 32 and listen to the greats like jimmy page, richie blackmoore, gary moore and some fantastic technical players like steve vai, van halen, malmsteen...but i never did get this thing about hendrix that so many players bang on about, i dont own any of his music and could only name a handfull of songs that he done, ive tried listening to his music but it bores me, i like robert cray, buddy guy, albert king, but jimi does nothing for me...[confused']

 

Im with you on this one...

True, he put on a wild show and had some cool tunes but I really thought he was over-hyped.

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was hendrix talented? yep. was his sound amazing and revolutionary? yep. is he one of my favorites? nope. have i ever learned a Hendrix riff? nope.

 

i can say the same about lots of great guitar players- Vai, Lynch, Satriani, etc.

 

as others have noted, its all about preference and what touches your soul. one of my favorites is far being "the best", but the first time I heard Freddie King, I shivered.

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Sometimes, "Context" has a lot to do, with how a player is percieved, "worshiped," or whatever!

Jimi, at the time of his first Popular "burst" onto the music scene, was so different, and seemed

(at that time), such a monster player, that even the other "monster players," were blown away.

If you don't know, or didn't live during that period, it's easy to feel like he was "no big deal," NOW...I suppose?

He's always been ONE of my favorites, along with many other's from that period. Jimi loved Terry Kath's

playing. Another "Monster Player," that doesn't get nearly enough credit, IMHO.

 

I don't really care much for the "shredders," that so many folks, nowadays, seem to enjoy. I can appreciate,

and respect, their technical abilities, and do...but, it all too often, seems like musical masturbation, to me.

I like good melodies/stories, emotion, and not "too many notes!" One number, maybe, is fun...but, after that,

it gets boring! And, that goes for endless sax, trumpet, piano, or guitar solos...song after song.

Anyway, just my 2-cent's worth.

 

CB

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Nobody can deny that Hendrix was a great player, nor can they deny the effect he had on music

 

However, I think a lot of people offer up a ton of questions like: what if Hendrix was still alive?

 

He is a great player, but I would have to say his untimely young death has led to a lot of hype, and added to the mystique that he already provided.

 

I like some of his stuff, but the thing is: your opinion is your opinion. If you don't like him, cool. If you do, cool. Just don't try and argue with me about who is or who isn't. This isn't aimed at anyone, just a general statement.

:-s

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If you are really about technical prowess and wanting to ohhhh and ahhhh over some guys tone, Hendrix simply isnt your guy. Hendrix played for effect. I think too many musicians take a sort of highly calculated, overly technical sort of robotic approach to music. Hendrix is totally the opposite. Thats why I like him so much. As much as I like Satriani, Loureiro, MAB and some Malmsteen, I always end up going back to the guitar players who play more for efffect. Like Jimi

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Hendrix brought a lot of blues into mainstream music. Sure there was black blues and there was white boy blues - but Hendrix was something entirely different. He brought forth an electric blues that made no attempt at being pure or genuine. Instead, he looked ahead; his "blues" was modern, visceral, and mother****in' loud. Oh, there were some great songs as well.

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Hendrix brought a lot of blues into mainstream music. Sure there was black blues and there was white boy blues - but Hendrix was something entirely different. He brought forth an electric blues that made no attempt at being pure or genuine. Instead' date=' he looked ahead; his "blues" was modern, visceral, and mother****in' loud. Oh, there were some great songs as well. [/quote']

 

I think you nailed it...When Jimi showed up in England and played at the Bag O'Nails, Clapton, Page, Beck Harrison McCartney Lennon and the Stones were absolutely blown over. The famous all night jam between Jimi and Clapton is well documented and everyone who saw it still talk about it.

He was at his pinnacle for a short time before the drugs took his edge away.

He brought blues and even jazz to rock. If he had a manager that allowed him to grow musically and kept the drugs away from him who knows what he could have accomplished.

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He was at his pinnacle for a short time before the drugs took his edge away.

 

 

Let me correct you by saying that his managers took his edge and his lush for life. And if he had stayed away from drugs

 

 

welll... I'm not going into this discussion again. Besides, drug is the forbidden word here.

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Let me correct you by saying that his managers took his edge and his lush for life. And if he had stayed away from drugs

 

 

welll... I'm not going into this discussion again. Besides' date=' drug is the forbidden word here.[/quote']

 

His manager was the worse thing that ever happened to Jimi.

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When Jimi showed up in England and played at the Bag O'Nails' date=' Clapton, Page, Beck Harrison McCartney Lennon and the Stones were absolutely blown over. The famous all night jam between Jimi and Clapton is well documented and everyone who saw it still talk about it.[/quote']

 

I am glad someone said it. I was going to as well. I found it interesting what others in Hendrix's debut in England had to say when they first saw him. Not trying to sell you on Hendrix, I didn't care for him at first either. Naive proof - I had Are You Experienced that came with a 7' life size poster of him. I shot the album up with a bb gun. Yes, I was that young. I still have the poster somewhere, but can not find it although have looked for it on and off for the past 15 years. I know it is here somewhere. Catch the you tube interviews on what others saw and said upon seeing him for the first time. One of them said, well, I guess we are out of business...

 

Some of his songs are fantastic, like Hey Joe and many others that he dug out of his soul. His vocals turned a lot of folks off as did his unique explosions in some songs.

 

Do you like SRV or Robin Trower? More finessed but highly influenced by Jimi as one can easily tell. Like another poster stated, you had to have been there. He grew on me fast the older I got.

 

I like what Paul McCartney had to say about Jimi as well as Eric. I think he blew Clapton off the stage that night that Jaxson50 mentions, according to Eric himself.

Check out those two youtube vids, well worth it. Riverside and Surfpup said it best I think.

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