Why is Hendrix so revered amongst guitarists?

ToneControl

richardhomer said:

ToneControl;223478" said:

Out of curiosity, I asked my Mrs :"The guitar forum boys" (she calls this forum 'mums.net for guitarists') "are discussing Jimi Hendrix, what do you think of him?"the answer:"Over rated"I was surprised that a non-player would be critical, but why not go and ask your lady friends out of curiosity

Currently single, so not really an option.

That said, my ex-wife despised every CD I owned and frequently dismissed my playing as 'a bloody racket'. I doubt she would be any more complimentary about any guitar player. Outside of mainstream pop, she had/has no interest in music.

The fact that your 'Mrs' thinks Hendrix is over-rated does not mean she is right....

really?

Drew_TNBD

I think it means she needs a slap personally.

koneguitarist

I think the mrs is always right, that's why I'm still married after 29 years!

 Even when I thinks she's wrong I'm mistaken!

At least that's what she tells me.

^:)^

ThePrettyDamned

Listen to voodoo Chile. It's just...

Incredible. It's a whole new world. It's not about technicality and it's not about something quantifiable, it's about this incredible noise that was created by 3 people and recorded.

Yes, I think the Experience were a crucial part of him.

But he was unique - nothing before him sounded like that. I stand to be corrected, and will accept it, but hank plinking a melody through an ac30 and an echo is not *quite* the same as the sheer size and impact of the sound jimi played (invented?). Nothing against hank, and I quite enjoy some of his stuff. Apache is legendary. But it's not comparable - it's a tuneful melody.

By comparison, cream sounded thin, weedy and almost lifeless. I'm not a Clapton fan, but I do enjoy some cream, such as white room and swlabr. But it just pales in comparison to the absolute power behind everything jimi did.

I'm not even a big jimi fan, to be honest, I rarely listen to him. But it doesn't sound old yet, whereas cream records do. They sound very planned, even the improv solos, and very... Old.

I don't know how else to put it, but Jimi's work is, so far at least, quite timeless.

xSkarloey

@ToneControl

Alright, this being Sunday night I've done a bit of last minute homework. So you were right about the influence of Betty Mabry, Davis's ex-wife. She was the conduit through which a lot of late 60's cultural and musical influences (Hendrix one of the main ones natch) flowed through to Davis. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/sep/05/miles-davis-bitches-brew-reissue

Here's some interesting reading for you on how Hendrix influenced all manner of jazzers too. No direct quote from Miles among them, but plenty of other interesting asides. http://jazztimes.com/articles/20150-jimi-hendrix-modern-jazz-axis

Now for @koneguitarist! Give this a listen. The last solo and the coda at the end i one of my favourite moments not just in rock guitar music but in all music. 

It shows for me why he's s special because it's a completely overhauled and souped-up version of a blues standard. It shows his perfect sense of rhythm. It shows he was one of the greatest rhythm players who has ever lived. It shows his total command of the instrument (the way he drops a few solo notes in while he's covering the rhythm part. It shows how great he looked. It shows he was a cocky buger because he put in so much practice to go out and play with total confidence. The solo shows a complete mastery of rhythmic soloing as well as the nous to use the Fuzz Face to get some nice flowing legato passages. Complete control of the amplifier as an extension of the instrument. 

But above all it's about the positive attitude and joie de vivre in this piece of music. 

koneguitarist

But Elvis and two mates sounded nothing like all the big band stuff before him either, so very powerful and different. I think some of the Cream stuff sounds dated, some incredible, I love I feel free and crossroads etc, wasn't too keen on shit like wrapping paper and the like, but Badge still stands the test of time, more so any a lot of that era's music. To me when EVH hit the scene, that to me was the moment I thought WTF is that, Eruption was a much bigger statement on guitar than anything I have heard before or since! Absolute tour de force of what you could do on guitar, and to me no one has done much better since and made it musical!

Phil_aka_Pip

Was it Louis Armstrong who, when asked "What is jazz?", answered "Man, if you have to ask, you'll never know"?

Well, even if it wasn't him, similar applies to "why is Hendrix revered"

richardhomer

koneguitarist;223516" said:

Badge still stands the test of time, more so any a lot of that era's music.

I'm a massive EC fan but not overly enthralled by much of Cream's output. Though EC's playing was invariably superb, they too often seemed like a band in search of a song.

Which is where Hendrix scored. Great songs, great vocals, great guitar - all of which sounded like nothing before it. Arguably there was a recognisable Buddy Guy influence in his blues playing but otherwise it was from Mars.

I agree EVH was probably the next great innovator - but I don't think you can compare his influence to Hendrix's. He only really hit mainstream audiences' consciousness after his 'Thriller' solo and later hits like Jump.

FWIW, I actually prefer Clapton to both - but fully acknowledge that ultimately both JH & EVH were more ground breaking...

monquixote

To add to the survey I just asked the Mrs who was the greatest of all time and she said "Jimi Hendrix". 

She knows shedloads about music, but doesn't play an instrument.

koneguitarist

Skarloey said:

@ToneControl

Alright, this being Sunday night I've done a bit of last minute homework. So you were right about the influence of Betty Mabry, Davis's ex-wife. She was the conduit through which a lot of late 60's cultural and musical influences (Hendrix one of the main ones natch) flowed through to Davis. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/sep/05/miles-davis-bitches-brew-reissue

Here's some interesting reading for you on how Hendrix influenced all manner of jazzers too. No direct quote from Miles among them, but plenty of other interesting asides. http://jazztimes.com/articles/20150-jimi-hendrix-modern-jazz-axis

Now for @koneguitarist! Give this a listen. The last solo and the coda at the end i one of my favourite moments not just in rock guitar music but in all music. 

It shows for me why he's s special because it's a completely overhauled and souped-up version of a blues standard. It shows his perfect sense of rhythm. It shows he was one of the greatest rhythm players who has ever lived. It shows his total command of the instrument (the way he drops a few solo notes in while he's covering the rhythm part. It shows how great he looked. It shows he was a cocky buger because he put in so much practice to go out and play with total confidence. The solo shows a complete mastery of rhythmic soloing as well as the nous to use the Fuzz Face to get some nice flowing legato passages. Complete control of the amplifier as an extension of the instrument. 

But above all it's about the positive attitude and joie de vivre in this piece of music. 

Really? Out of time and tune, to me sounds a complete mess compared to this from similar period ! Or this Listen to Becks boogie at 20mins in, chucks all sorts of influences in. So lots going in late 60's Hendrix amongst them !

ToneControl

Skarloey said:

@ToneControl

Alright, this being Sunday night I've done a bit of last minute homework. So you were right about the influence of Betty Mabry, Davis's ex-wife. She was the conduit through which a lot of late 60's cultural and musical influences (Hendrix one of the main ones natch) flowed through to Davis. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/sep/05/miles-davis-bitches-brew-reissue

Here's some interesting reading for you on how Hendrix influenced all manner of jazzers too. No direct quote from Miles among them, but plenty of other interesting asides. http://jazztimes.com/articles/20150-jimi-hendrix-modern-jazz-axis

Now for @koneguitarist! Give this a listen. The last solo and the coda at the end i one of my favourite moments not just in rock guitar music but in all music. 

It shows for me why he's s special because it's a completely overhauled and souped-up version of a blues standard. It shows his perfect sense of rhythm. It shows he was one of the greatest rhythm players who has ever lived. It shows his total command of the instrument (the way he drops a few solo notes in while he's covering the rhythm part. It shows how great he looked. It shows he was a cocky buger because he put in so much practice to go out and play with total confidence. The solo shows a complete mastery of rhythmic soloing as well as the nous to use the Fuzz Face to get some nice flowing legato passages. Complete control of the amplifier as an extension of the instrument. 

But above all it's about the positive attitude and joie de vivre in this piece of music. 

I formed a theory late on yesterday that if a 40+ top-drawer star was to suddenly go electric and follow approaches from his Mrs's latest favourite artists, it wouldn't be the first time someone had a career makeover, even if their music was still good, fashions change. This article seems to cover the same sort of idea, and fair enough I would not criticise any artist trying to engage more listeners by adapting their sound/approach without musical compromise

That video, I am afraid, is exactly the sort of Hendrix stuff I fast forward through when there is some historical guitar show. My point? Not everyone thinks the guy is great. Personal taste I guess. I always preferred Cream, although most of their stuff is also now too remote in time. Strangely there are some old acts whose stuff is timeless. Nick Drake is the most obvious

ToneControl

richardhomer said:

koneguitarist;223516" said:

Badge still stands the test of time, more so any a lot of that era's music.

I'm a massive EC fan but not overly enthralled by much of Cream's output. Though EC's playing was invariably superb, they too often seemed like a band in search of a song.

Which is where Hendrix scored. Great songs, great vocals, great guitar - all of which sounded like nothing before it. Arguably there was a recognisable Buddy Guy influence in his blues playing but otherwise it was from Mars.

I agree EVH was probably the next great innovator - but I don't think you can compare his influence to Hendrix's. He only really hit mainstream audiences' consciousness after his 'Thriller' solo and later hits like Jump.

FWIW, I actually prefer Clapton to both - but fully acknowledge that ultimately both JH & EVH were more ground breaking...

The OP's question was "why so revered?", and I reckon for me an artist with a  large volume of stunning work and excellent compositions would count for more than an artist developing a new style. Do many here feel the other way round then?

xSkarloey

ToneControl said:

The OP's question was "why so revered?", and I reckon for me an artist with a  large volume of stunning work and excellent compositions would count for more than an artist developing a new style. Do many here feel the other way round then?

Hendrix forged a new style AND produced a large volume of stunning work and excellent compositions. 

Two for the price of one. Just enjoy it. 

As for thinking Hendrix is a 'mess' compared to that Ten Years After track...well I really think you just don't get it or feel it. 

This thread is a dead end. 

)

Sambostar

Ah I don't know.  Jimi is everything I aspire to be as a musician.  Not his music necessarily but his instantaneous energy, with seemingly no brainwork involved, so much feel and soul.  Listen to his peers and it was a poor thought out, often with pauses for thought running processes sterile affair.  Jimi was a thousand times more fluent than his competitors at the time and never thought or played in a linear way at all.  I tried getting into Cream but seriously I think they were one over rated act, simlilarly Clapton, he is like a Joe Bonomassa on a few years, he never did anything for me, everything about his composition and playing feels so contrived, stolen almost but very linear or one dimensional.   Now if the people who dislike Jimi want to stick to their white man's blues or country, then that is fine, but don't slag Jimi off for something you little understand.  The guy obviously had a wealth of rhythm experience, practiced intensely and was immensely talented and was far above his peers.

Sambostar

I lkike Buddy Guy a lot too, especially the way he hits hard and does what he wants to do, but his rhythm work, drive and dimensionality was never a patch on Jimi.  Although he is buckets more real than Clapton.

Dave_Mc

koneguitarist said:

ICBM said:

koneguitarist said:

Hank inspired more guitarists world wide than any other player to play the guitar.

Even now doing adverts with kids dressed like him, Apache was one the first songs every one tried to learn on guitar, his use of echo to create his sound was exactly what you are crediting Hendrix with years later.

Lol

Yes, Hank was quite an important player. Yes, he used effects. Yes, he inspired a lot of players.

Not even close to the impact Jimi had.

He nicked the look from Buddy Holly, anyway .

Do you really believe Hendrix inspired more to play than Hank? )

I suspect so. All the 60s british guitarists said Hank inspired them to play. Granted. I've read those interviews too.

After Hendrix came along, I could be wrong but I haven't read any interviews with any player who started playing post-Hendrix who listed Hank Marvin as the reason he/she started playing.

Of course, the same thing could be happening with the newer players too, saying Cobain and people like that inspired them to play and not Hendrix.

(I have nothing again Hank Marvin, fwiw, I like the Shadows.)

Dave_Mc

ThePrettyDamned said:

Listen to voodoo Chile. It's just...

Incredible. It's a whole new world.

...

I'm not even a big jimi fan, to be honest, I rarely listen to him. But it doesn't sound old yet, whereas cream records do. They sound very planned, even the improv solos, and very... Old.

I don't know how else to put it, but Jimi's work is, so far at least, quite timeless.

+1. Exactly. The very best stuff, while it's still of its time at least a bit, has a sort of timeless quality to it. It's still edgy (if it was meant to be edgy in the first place) whereas the less good stuff sounds tame by comparison.

LastMantra

Drew_TNBD

Here's an interesting thing.

I asked the missus who the best guitarist was. She ummed and aahhhhed. Said she didn't know many guitarists. I pressed her on it, and her answer was John Frusciante.

Whose style is very very very similar to Hendrix, and who was massively inspired by him.

randomhandclaps

:-O 

Most Racist Thread Ever.

Why is this thread only about the deserved reverence of black guitarists and then posting videos of white dudes that no-one cares about and saying they are better.  Just face it, the simple truth is that you can't handle the fact that a brother came along and schooled those honkies. 

"Hey fella look!  That boys holding that guitar all wrong!".       )    

KERRRRCHANNGGGGGG - WAH- WAH-WAH!!!!  In your face you cross-burning country-loving mothertruckers!

 

 

 

I am obviously joking.......a bit.