Jimi Hendrix

Are You Experienced - 1967

One of the most brilliant album debuts in rock history, and one of the definitive albums of the psychedelic era. On Are

You Experienced?, Jimi Hendrix synthesized various elements of the cutting edge of 1967 rock into music that sounded both

futuristic and rooted in the best traditions of rock, blues, pop, and soul. It was his mind-boggling guitar work, of course,

that got most of the ink, building upon the experiments of British innovators like Jeff Beck and Pete Townshend to chart new

sonic territories in feedback, distortion, and sheer volume. It wouldn't have meant much, however, without his excellent

material, whether psychedelic frenzy ("Foxey Lady," "Manic Depression," "Purple Haze"), instrumental freak-out jams ("Third

Stone From the Sun"), blues ("Red House," "Hey Joe"), or tender, poetic compositions ("The Wind Cries Mary") that

demonstrated the breadth of his songwriting talents. Not to be underestimated were the contributions of drummer Mitch

Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding, who gave the music a rhythmic pulse that fused parts of rock and improvised jazz. Many of

these songs are among Hendrix's very finest; it may be true that he would continue to develop at a rapid pace throughout the

rest of his brief career, but he would never surpass his first LP in terms of consistently high quality. The British and

American versions of the album differed substantially when they were initially released in 1967; MCA's 17-song CD reissue

does everyone a favor by gathering all of the material from the two records in one place, adding a few B-sides from early

singles as well.

Track List:

Purple Haze

Manic Depression

Hey Joe

Love Or Confusion

May This Be Love

I Don't Live Today

The Wind Cries Mary

Fire

Third Stone From The Sun

Foxey Lady

Are You Experienced?

Stone Free

51st Anniversary

Highway Chile

Can You See Me

Remember

Red House