Recording Are You Experienced?

[yorkey]

Hello, just for interests sake..

I just have a question regarding Jimi's recording and writing Are You Experienced, the album. When he landed in London in September 1966, how long did it take for him to get into the studio and start the Experieced sessions? Also did he write most of the material for the album while touring, and get it all done in a few days, or was it song by song over a few months?

Hope someone who knows can help me out, thanks :-)
Devon

[purple jim]

Even when Jimi arrived in London, he already had some songs under way in his head. Linda Keith said that she recognized some things on Are Yu Experienced that she had heard Jimi toying with back in New York. Billy Cox also said that when he heard "Foxy Lady", he already knew the riff as "Piledriver", which is what he and Jimi called it, when the two of them jammed on the riff in their "chitlin' curcuit" days.
As The Experience began touring in October and November of 1966, Jimi got seriously down to putting his songs together and writing new ones.
Recording for the album began in mid December and continued into the first months of 1967, so before and during that period he must have been penning those songs.
Check out this timeline:
http://hendrix.guide.pagesperso-orange.fr/timeline.htm

[dino77]

Even when Jimi arrived in London, he already had some songs under way in his head. Linda Keith said that she recognized some things on Are Yu Experienced that she had heard Jimi toying with back in New York. Billy Cox also said that when he heard "Foxy Lady", he already knew the riff as "Piledriver", which is what he and Jimi called it, when the two of them jammed on the riff in their "chitlin' curcuit" days.
As The Experience began touring in October and November of 1966, Jimi got seriously down to putting his songs together and writing new ones.
Recording for the album began in mid December and continued into the first months of 1967, so before and during that period he must have been penning those songs.
Check out this timeline:
http://hendrix.guide.pagesperso-orange.fr/timeline.htm

The early Foxy Lady was called "Stomp Driver" according to Billy (not that it matters).
Jimi did say in an interview that most of AYE was written before London.

[Fenders Fingers]

The early Foxy Lady was called "Stomp Driver" according to Billy (not that it matters).
Jimi did say in an interview that most of AYE was written before London.

Musically, lyrically or a bit of both?
As a jobbing musician he would have had plenty to bring to the table in London. It probably needed that move to focus him, along with someone as “industry” experienced as Chas.

[scoutship]

Jimi did say in an interview that most of AYE was written before London.

During his days on the Chitlin' Circuit, according to what he said in the filmed interview, fwiw.

[dino77]

Musically, lyrically or a bit of both?
As a jobbing musician he would have had plenty to bring to the table in London. It probably needed that move to focus him, along with someone as “industry” experienced as Chas.

Exactly, before Chas gave him a change there's wasn't really an outlet for Jimi to record his own songs ie no motivation to get his stuff together.
We can probably assume that many of the "new" songs were based on old riffs and chord progressions...I always found it hard to believe that he knocked Stone Free together from scratch in one night for example .

[MourningStar]

^The 'motivation to get his stuff together', I believe, was primarily due to Hendrix learning that he was to go into the studio asap. It was, what, just weeks after landing on the island?

[manfree]

One Majestic Album. That still sounds Jaw droppingly Good 45 odd yrs later.
But, you all knew that, Didn`t Ya?

[MourningStar]

... But, you all knew that, Didn`t Ya?

[purple jim]

An interesting book about the sessions.

[manfree]

Oh C`mon, You of all people!

[yorkey]

You guys are brilliant. I'll go looking for that book, thanks purple jim!

[Lord Summerisle]

An interesting book about the sessions.

I've never read this book, is it worth buying?

[purple jim]

Absolutely!

[Horizon]

I've never read this book, is it worth buying?

It's a good book but I don't like how the author almost totally dismisses Jimi's later career. He critiques Electric Ladyland and calls Voodoo Chile "boring and patience wearing" and sees Hendrix's career by 1970 as in a artistic decline. He calls Jimi's solos on First Rays "boring" and says Jimi was unable to come up with songs as good as those on 'Are You Experienced'. Most of the book is great as he obviously focuses on the making of 'Are You Experienced' but his evaluation of Hendrix's later career at the end of the book is woeful.

[manfree]

It`s one of my more favored books, I understand Horizon`s point, but I sill think it`s a Damn Fine Read
And should be read by all Jimi Fans.
If you`re here.....You`ll enjoy it.

[dino77]

It's a good book but I don't like how the author almost totally dismisses Jimi's later career. He critiques Electric Ladyland and calls Voodoo Chile "boring and patience wearing" and sees Hendrix's career by 1970 as in a artistic decline. He calls Jimi's solos on First Rays "boring" and says Jimi was unable to come up with songs as good as those on 'Are You Experienced'. Most of the book is great as he obviously focuses on the making of 'Are You Experienced' but his evaluation of Hendrix's later career at the end of the book is woeful.

Brit music journos tend to argue this point, England made Jimi. And US writers tend to boost Band of Gypsys. Best to ignore both camps

[Lord Summerisle]

It's a good book but I don't like how the author almost totally dismisses Jimi's later career. He critiques Electric Ladyland and calls Voodoo Chile "boring and patience wearing" and sees Hendrix's career by 1970 as in a artistic decline. He calls Jimi's solos on First Rays "boring" and says Jimi was unable to come up with songs as good as those on 'Are You Experienced'. Most of the book is great as he obviously focuses on the making of 'Are You Experienced' but his evaluation of Hendrix's later career at the end of the book is woeful.

Thanks for that. Im interested in the making of AYE, not in the authors assessment of Hendrix's later work. I've been listening to Hendrix long enough to not be bothered by people's criticisms. Anyway, I've ordered it.

[MourningStar]

Brit music journos tend to argue this point, England made Jimi. And US writers tend to boost Band of Gypsys. Best to ignore both camps

No conflict of interest here, therefore I embrace both camps.

[J.Lucas]

June 12.2012....

Interesting little radio show(26mts) posted on Hendrix.com.(in news) about 'Are You Experienced'..
can listen or save(26mb .mp3):
http://www.inthestudio.net/redbeards...h-anniversary/
from:
http://www.jimihendrix.com/us/news/e...45-inthestudio

'Experiencing Rock's Greatest Debut at 45 'InTheStudio'

• The Jimi Hendrix Experience recording engineer plus biographer discuss Are You Experienced? on anniversary
• Posthumously includes rare interview with Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell