From: RMCB@DLRVM.BITNET (Paul Hosken)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.allmusic
Subject: Re: VINYL Records
Date: 15 Oct 92 18:16:49 GMT
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
              14 Oct 1992 11:37:52 EDT from <skovitz@MAGNUS.ACS.OHIO-STATE.EDU>

Sonja,

  I'd like to help you choose your 'right Hendrix to get on CD'. I'm
also on the Hey-Joe list (the Hendrix mailing list) and they would
recommend the following:

    1) Are You Experianced >  All of these have been digitally remastered
    2) Axis: Bold As Love  >--and it's purely a matter of taste as to which
    3) Electric Ladyland   >  one you prefer. (EL is available as a single CD)

    4) Smash Hits          >--Digitally remastered (also available as a CD+G).
                              If you've already got the above 3 CDs then
                              you'll already have 50% of what's here!

    5) Cry of Love         >--This was issued shortly after his death and
                              is considered my many to be his last 'real'
                              album. The CD is said to be digitally
                              remastered, but there is no mention of this on
                              the cover - but I expect it's true.

    6) Band of Gypsys      >--The story here is a little compicated, but here
                              goes: BOG was origianlly released as an LP, and
                              shortly after they realeased BOG2 with two
                              different song lists. Then came the CD of the
                              first BOG album - this sounded so poor that it
                              was withdrawn because they had so many complaints
                              about it. Alan Douglas then remastered it and
                              the CD was rereleased ONLY in the UK and Japan
                              with 3 extra tracks. The 3 bonus tracks -
                              'Hear My Train', 'Foxey Lady' & 'Stop' (partial)
                              were from the BOG2 album and are of a noticably
                              inferior quality to the rest of the CD.
                              At the moment there is no official US BOG
                              release, but rumours have it that a new version
                              will be released there in the next year. What
                              the track listing will be is unsure, because
                              they say that they've found 4 new tracks from
                              the BOG concerts.
                              As you've waited so long before getting the BOG
                              CD I'd recommend that you wait a little longer
                              and see what this new release is like.

OK, that's it for the stuff that was released during Hendrix's short stay
with us. But, 90% of the Hendrix catalog consists of studio outtakes and
live stuff that was released after his death just to cash in, and which is
of unpredictable quality! Because of this here's a list of the best of the
rest:

    7) Jimi Plays Monterey       >--This is a very good quality recording of
                                    the ultimate Hendrix concert - this is
                                    essential for any Hendrix fan (remastered)
    8) The Jimi Hendrix Concerts >--This is my favourite live CD and is approx.
                                    70 mins. long (originally a double album).
                                    This set contains the best version of
                                    'Little Wing' that I've heard (remastered)
    9) Live At Winterland        >--This is a fine quality ADD recording and
                                    is available here in Europe for 2/3 the
                                    price of a normal CD.
   10) The Radio One Sessions    >--The best of the UK Radio One studio
                                    sessions (NOT remastered but quality is
                                    good anyway). The highlights are:
                                    'Catfish Blues' and 'Drivin South'.

One last word; if the above isn't enough then you might want to consider
getting the rather expensive 4 CD set 'Stages' or the contraversial 'Crash
Landing'. Both are good quality recordings, but opinions are divided as to
their content. It is also rumoured that the complete Woodstock concert is
being considered for release - if this happens then then this could well be
up there with the live CDs mentioned above. Hendrix's set at Woodstock was
one of his best. One CD to avoid at all costs is the Jimi Hendrix/Jim
Morrison/Johnny Winter jam that usually goes under the title 'Woke Up
This Morning And Found Myself Dead' - this is good for a laugh the first
time you hear it, but after that it's just plain embarrissing (dispite the
allstar lineup. And the quality's bad). I would also recommend that you
avoid pre-Experiance Hendrix, when he played with Lonnie Youngblood/Little
Richard/Curtis Knight etc.

  I hope this helps,
           Paul

PS: In my opinion the best Hendrix book is 'Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy'.
    I forget the author, but it's become a standard work on Jimi.
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