Another Hendrix thread

[nutdog]

At times he used to make my big toe shoot up in my boot.

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by Lonesomedave

but...John McGlaughlin really was (is?) the best electric guitarist of all time...if you disagree....sc**w you...

He might be the best, I remember the first time I heard him play about 40 years ago.

I could never understand what he was playing. I guess it went over my head.

With all respect put me on the " Didn't Get It" list.

Blue

[dougjwray]

Originally Posted by nutdog

At times he used to make my big toe shoot up in my boot.

Thank you, Richard Penniman!

[LiquidMidnight]

I love Hendrix. I'm not so annoyed that he always tops the Best Guitarists list. I am, however, annoyed that those lists rarely ever mention Andres Segovia or Chet Atkins, who are probably two of the finest guitarists to have ever lived.

Unfortunately, despite the greatness of their playing, Segovia and Atkins aren't fashionable enough to sell mags to the demographic that is interested in shred or pentatonic wankers from years gone past.

[LiquidMidnight]

Originally Posted by Strat-Mangler

2. He WROTE all those songs. Plenty of bass players can play circles around Paul McCartney, but he WROTE all those amazing songs and basslines.

Despite forever being known for his guitar playing, Hendrix very much wanted to be taken seriously as a songwriter. He was a huge Dylan fan and spent a lot of time and effort on becoming a better writer.

...and if you ignore Hendrix's playing for a little while and actually listen to the songs, you'll see that he was in fact a damn fine songwriter.

[dougjwray]

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

I love Hendrix. I'm not so annoyed that he always tops the Best Guitarists list. I am, however, annoyed that those lists rarely ever mention Andres Segovia or Chet Atkins, who are probably two of the finest guitarists to have ever lived.

Unfortunately, despite the greatness of their playing, Segovia and Atkins aren't fashionable enough to sell mags to the demographic that is interested in shred or pentatonic wankers from years gone past.

+10
Back in the old days (early '70s), Guitar Player magazine would have articles on Segovia, Atkins, Lenny Breau, Julian Bream, Barney Kessel, Bola Sete, et al., right there next to Pete Townshend, Jeff Beck, Steve Howe and those guys.
That all ended some time during the '80s shredder era. As you said, there are not enough Segovia or Atkins fans buying magazines, compared to the folks interested in metal and/or fusion wankery.

[dougjwray]

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

Despite forever being known for his guitar playing, Hendrix very much wanted to be taken seriously as a songwriter. He was a huge Dylan fan and spent a lot of time and effort on becoming a better writer.

...and if you ignore Hendrix's playing for a little while and actually listen to the songs, you'll see that he was in fact a damn fine songwriter.

I'd go so far as to say that his main pursuits were really: 1) composing; and 2) trying to change the world via love via music, as naive as that might sound to some today. (He had his "Electric Church" concept toward the end, and often talked about the healing power of music in interviews.)
His guitar playing ability was obviously his ticket out of poverty and on to fame and fortune, but, by the time he died, he really was only using a guitar because he didn't have an orchestra, if you know what I mean.
(IMHO)