BILLY COX ISLE OF WIGHT 1970: HE OWNED THAT NIGHT!!!

de la mocha · #1 08-11-2010, 01:31 PM

Listening to my Jimi Hendrix live at the Isle of wight DVD, Jimi is just a shadow of his former self with a few shimmers of hope such as machine gun and red house even though he was ambushed by a host of technical glitches.

But who really shinned that night and saved the show (and never got much camera time) was Billy Cox! That man was so damn smooth and so funky! He just got too much groove man! Machine gun, red house, watchtower, message to love, voodoo child slight return, he not just grooves but he fills in so many good licks and I love the way he responds to Jimi and keeps it tight and knows where jimi wants to take it!

Damn, I want to groove like him, it's so laid back like he isn't even trying and yet it just makes you bob your head it's so smooth!

Arrrrrrrrhhhhhh I wanna get like that so baaaaaaaaaad!!!!!!

dougjwray · #2 08-11-2010, 01:42 PM

Jimi was exhausted. If I remember correctly, he flew to the gig directly after the opening party for Electric Lady (his studio in New York), with no sleep entering the picture. Yes, lots of technical glitches, plus the mood of the festival was ugly. By this time, the Woodstock vibe had turned into "make this concert a free one for the people, or we'll rip the fences down." There's a story about Joni Mitchell crying onstage, pleading with the crowd to settle down and listen.
ANYWAY...
Billy Cox is great! I saw him with (of all people) Charlie Daniels, the country dude, back in the mid-'70s. He's got everything: taste, tone, time... and, by all accounts, he's a real gentleman. A lot of the riffs in Cox-era Hendrix songs were apparently co-written by the two of them, in jam sessions.

hdracer · #3 08-11-2010, 01:46 PM

Billy is great. One of my all time favorites. I specially like his frettless playing on Born under a bad sign.

jerry · #4 08-11-2010, 02:02 PM

I remember reading Billy was sick on that gig too.

markjazzbassist · #5 08-11-2010, 03:33 PM

i love billy cox. he is a groove master.

Blueszilla · #6 08-11-2010, 03:49 PM

+1.

And not just on that recording. BC is way underrated, or if not, he's under appreciated as a musician and bassist. Great player and super decent human being.

de la mocha · #7 08-11-2010, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougjwray

Jimi was exhausted. If I remember correctly, he flew to the gig directly after the opening party for Electric Lady (his studio in New York), with no sleep entering the picture. Yes, lots of technical glitches, plus the mood of the festival was ugly. By this time, the Woodstock vibe had turned into "make this concert a free one for the people, or we'll rip the fences down." There's a story about Joni Mitchell crying onstage, pleading with the crowd to settle down and listen.
ANYWAY...
Billy Cox is great! I saw him with (of all people) Charlie Daniels, the country dude, back in the mid-'70s. He's got everything: taste, tone, time... and, by all accounts, he's a real gentleman. A lot of the riffs in Cox-era Hendrix songs were apparently co-written by the two of them, in jam sessions.

Wow, that's crazy! That explains why at the end of the concert Jimi cursed and threw his guitar down and stormed off stage!

Matt R. · #8 08-11-2010, 07:52 PM

Cox is the man. I'm a Hendrix fanatic but my favorite stuff was with him and Buddy Miles

Toronto Bassist · #9 08-12-2010, 10:15 AM

Y'know, the only Hendrix I have with Cox is First Rays of the New Rising Sun (which I love)...what should I get next? Band of Gypsies?

Terry Funk · #10 08-12-2010, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toronto Bassist

Y'know, the only Hendrix I have with Cox is First Rays of the New Rising Sun (which I love)...what should I get next? Band of Gypsies?

RUN to the record store (or go to Amazon or whatever) and get Band of Gypsies immediately. Beautiful album.

Hutzbordello · #11 08-12-2010, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry Funk

RUN to the record store (or go to Amazon or whatever) and get Band of Gypsies immediately. Beautiful album.

id go live at the fillmore east with the the band of gypsies, theres two cd's and they are amazing there

dougjwray · #12 08-12-2010, 11:28 AM

This is the one to get, I think:

http://www.amazon.com/Band-Gypsys-Ji...1633840&sr=1-1

It has the version of "Machine Gun" that is not to be missed! (It's commonly referred to as "the greatest electric guitar performance in history.")
(The 2-CD "Live at the Fillmore" doesn't have it.)

hankazoid · #13 08-12-2010, 11:37 AM

Billy Cox... so awesome.

Deluge Of Sound · #14 08-12-2010, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougjwray

This is the one to get, I think:

http://www.amazon.com/Band-Gypsys-Ji...1633840&sr=1-1

It has the version of "Machine Gun" that is not to be missed! (It's commonly referred to as "the greatest electric guitar performance in history.")
(The 2-CD "Live at the Fillmore" doesn't have it.)

Not to mention the rest of the album is amazing as well. Who Knows is a great overlooked jam.

dougjwray · #15 08-12-2010, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Not to mention the rest of the album is amazing as well. Who Knows is a great overlooked jam.

Agreed. I've always loved everything on that album.

((KamiKaZe)) · #16 08-12-2010, 01:16 PM

I love band of Gypsys, Noel Redding was good too but Cox was a beast with Buddy Miles