Despite dying in 1970, Hendrix has this reputation for being an innovation if not the best guitarist in history. I’ve asked several respected musicians the “Who would you invite for dinner?” question and most of them say Jimi Hendrix.
But hey, guess what, I don’t agree. There are other far more talented non-mainstream guitarists around at the time and in present day who people seem to forget about. In my opinion, if it wasn’t for the whole Woodstock thing, Hendrix would still be seen as a mediocre artist with little but a couple of songs to see him into retirement.
Electric Ladyland is Hendrix’s third and final album. This is the one with all the tracks everyone associates with Hendrix on it, Voodoo Chile, All Along the Watchtower and Crosstown Traffic to name but a few.
At one point in the late sixties/early seventies, to own this album would have held you in high regard amongst your music loving friends, much like how owning a copy of Jeff Waynes War of the Worlds or Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells shows you’re part of an elite music loving club. You might have gathered with friends in your new town home wearing your cheesecloth and manly moustache like some sort of cast line up for the musical Hair or porn film. While congregating with your associates, you might have popped Electric Ladyland onto your gramophone with a mayonnaise like smoothness and smoked Woodbines, talking about socialist politics.
Just before the power cut.
Stegzy's Music Project 