Mission Statement: to do very little, for very few, for not very long. Disappointing the easily pleased since 1819. Not as good as it used to be from Day One. History is Bunk - PT Barnum. Artificially Intelligent before it was fashionable. Fat camp for the mind! Nothing lasts, but nothing is lost. The Shock of the Old! Often bettered, never imitated. "Wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein" - Pauly Shore.
After yet another Axis barrel-scraping money-grab from the dunderheads at "Experience Hendrix"PLC©®™, we get a deluxe that's worthy of the name.
ReplyDelete@320: https://workupload.com/file/c7KhPU79SUs
Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteI've become a complete convert to the view that Alan Douglas' Hendrix tapes made albums of exceptional quality. Certainly, I still love "Axis" and the parts I love of "Ladyland" even more, but... good music, good production, good musicians, so what's not to love?
D in California
Douglas did the right thing, in the most musicianly way possible, to make the best records he could from the material he had, and got kicked to bits for it. The anti-Douglas mania will exist as long as there's a Steve Hoffman music forum.
Deletedeadhendrix.blogspot.com
I spoke with Douglas at length. He was transparently honest and even kept things back about Kramer and Janey "Hendrix" (which I learned from another very close connection) that were damning, because he didn't want to be vengeful and bitter.
Voodoo Soup is a terrific album, better written/played/produced than Axis, but the chances of it being considered "canon" are slim to none.
Has a band ever released an album that was basically nothing more than tryouts for a full time guitarist? There were some good songs on the original lp, but it was not one of the Stones' better efforts. Did make you wonder what would have happened if they had chosen Mandel for the gig.
ReplyDeleteThe Stones could release an album that was basically nothing more than tryouts for a full time guitarist, or outtakes from previous albums (Tattoo You), and they'd still be great albums. Anyone remaining slatey of mien or chopfallen with this playing louder enough to worry the livestock is Amish.
DeleteNo bigger fan than je of Mandel, nor smaller of Gear Demonstrator Beck, Hero Of The Trade Fairs, but Woody was right for the gig.
DeleteOh Wood was the best of the lot for that role (Mandel would have maybe taken them down the road of a slightly jazzier feel, like Taylor did occassionally), but wish they had figured out a way for Taylor to stay.
DeleteA drunk musician in Austin once tried to tell me the Stones considered Carla Olson...who of course recorded an album with Taylor...ridiculous, but can you imagine them with a gal in the band...Kelly Johnson mighta pulled it off, though
DeleteBonnie Raitt? She'd have fit right in, I reckon.
DeleteA female guitar player who could have pulled it off is Carolyn Wonderland.
Deletegood call; seen her a few times in Austin--2legit2kwit
DeleteLast saw her perform at JF probably 7 years ago. Was a great two fer in the Blues Tent with Roy Rogers following her set. What made the Rogers set really memorable was a guy standing up and playing an orchestral harp the entire set, and twirling it at times (he was a large man).
Deletethis stones album was not a fave at the time. it seemed off. we expected masterpieces every time and were pissed when all we got was great rock and roll. what do they call that? thank you for this.
ReplyDeletedespite being severely wounded they remain still a thrill. that track on the the clifton chenier tribute comp is nothing less than a killer. i cannot believe jagger sings like that on his road to his own "90s".
Black and Blue *sounds* fantastic all the way through, and the outtakes (only two here) should have made a double album. The audition jams are good to hear but won't be keepers for me, and the live concert is a blast. I'm not a cheerleader for Steven Wilson, but I can hear the improvement. Like a lot of Stones records, it's best not to overthink the experience - they didn't!
Deletei have not thunk in a long time. there is no other way to survive our current world but i do sort of miss those old initial reviews of stones albums by writers who overthought most grandly in the ancient Rolling Stone magazine.
DeleteMe too. I can't think of a single contemporary rock reviewer I admire and enjoy.
DeleteTBH, you and this krewe are all the rock reviewers I need
Deletechopfallen is my new favorite word. i'm not going to search it. i want you to tell me what it means. no longer able to play the guitar well?? is my guess.
ReplyDeleteFrom Mirriam-Webster:
DeleteLess common variant of chapfallen
1having the lower jaw hanging loosely
2 cast down in spirit : depressed
(I mined it from the inexhaustible treasure trove of SJ Perelman)