1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: 88. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced (1967)

 

The Experience comprise Hendrix, drummer Mitch Mitchell, and bassist Noel Redding, and the three form the archetypal “power trio” of rock. Between them they shout out some hard and heavy pure rock, but it’s arguably Hendrix doing things previously unheard with a guitar that really makes the sound. Fuzz and wah-wah, tremolo bends, and the most gloriously anarchic noise you can imagine. There are some classic on here – Purple Haze, Fire, Foxy Lady, but not all of them are powerful rock, which makes the whole album that much more interesting.

Third Stone From The Sun is a trippy song with hypnotic beats, distorted vocals and noises. The Wind Cries Mary is a relatively gentle number although for me it’s never felt like Hendrix has the voice to carry of a song of this nature. Hey Joe, on the other hand, is a classic murder ballad given the Experience treatment, turning it into something that the Louvin Brothers or Ramblin’ Jack would barely recognize (but I hope would approve of).

This isn’t Hendrix’s best work, in my opinion, but it certainly turns established music on its head, and I think in albums that follow we can hear where other guitarists have taken inspiration from him.

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