JIMI HENDRIX –
FIRE/ARE YOU EXPERIENCED (CBS)
For obvious reasons
“Fire” is my favourite Hendrix track.
It works for all seasons and serves as one of Hendrix hardest and most
direct compositions. Whereas on far too
many Hendrix songs the rhythm section often took a background role, here all
elements coming crashing through playing at the peak of their powers and
managing not to get lost in the mix.
Then within the blink of an ear the song is done and the listener
wonders “what the fuck just smashed me over the skull?” Also in addition to that, this is one of the
few songs to contain a call out to a dog.
Basically it holds good stuff all over.
The version on this
seven inch is a live one taken from The Jimi Hendrix Concerts album on CBS that
was released in August 1982 with both tracks of this release being recorded at
Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco in 1968.
Unfortunately it has
to be said that this is not the strongest take of the song that has ever been
heard. It is too noodly, feels rushed
and here the rhythm section fails to star.
Who the fuck selected this version for release? They should be shot.
Fairing better on the
flipside is the version of “Are You Experienced”. Opening with the customary feedback the band rev up before they
kick in and soon get in the stride of vocally questioning, boasting then
grandstanding. This is one of the more
lumbering tracks of the Hendrix catalogue and it does not take him long to
begin wailing and souring. The freedom
displayed and suggested in the playing really should have been taken more
seriously by an audience that never really crawled off first base. Shame.
Basically Hendrix was
one of those artists that were never overrated.
Thesaurus moment:
fusillade.
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