ALEX LIFESON [Rush guitarist]: It was the summer time of 1967 and I used to be at [original Rush drummer] John Rutsey’s home – and his brother Bill had simply bought Are You Experienced. He dropped the needle and “Purple Haze” performed by means of that tiny speaker and altered our world instantly.
ULI JON ROTH [ex-Scorpions guitarist, solo artist]: I noticed him reside twice – the primary time when he was on the peak of his musical zenith. That was the final Experience tour that he did in Europe – January ’69, in Hamburg. And then I used to be at his final present – the Isle of Fehmarn [on September 6, 1970], only a few days earlier than he died.
I used to be fortunate sufficient to be backstage, and I took loads of photographs. I did not meet him – I used to be proper subsequent to him, however I did not dare discuss. He was clearly preoccupied with one thing and I used to be simply 15 years previous. I did not wish to “intrude.” There had been many individuals there. But I definitely won’t overlook that. And I used to be fortunate to be at very shut quarters throughout that present, and I took in the entire present. I used to be proper in entrance of him.
KIRK HAMMETT [Metallica guitarist]: I sincerely assume that Jimi Hendrix invented heavy metallic – with that first Jimi Hendrix album. Cream…they had been on to one thing. The Jeff Beck Group…they had been on to one thing. The Yardbirds…they had been on to one thing. But it was Jimi that basically, actually introduced all of it collectively and created the instance that everybody else adopted. And for those who have a look at what occurred post-Hendrix – ’71/’72 – the musical tendencies had been to be progressive and heavy. Which is precisely what Jimi Hendrix was already.
Quite a lot of the albums that got here out round then by loads of bands – Zeppelin, Yes, Jethro Tull, Sabbath, Purple – they needed to be heavy. Post-Jimi, they put out heavier albums. Because that is what folks needed and that was the pattern. You might see that there after which how a lot of an affect musically he had on his friends.
STEVE VAI [Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth & Whitesnake guitarist, solo artist]: Axis: Bold as Love was the Jimi file that I found after I was studying my chord vocabulary on the guitar. Because if you go to be taught chords on the guitar, you normally get a listing of tablature chords and you employ your open chords, your main and minor barre chords, perhaps you are studying some cool seventh chords, or major-minor chords, and chords from tensions. I used to be actually huge on discovering chords that sounded actually lush. I bear in mind after I found an E flat main seventh six 9 sharp eleventh chord – it opened up a universe for me. And I knew why it was known as all that – I had nice musical coaching.
KIM THAYIL [Soundgarden guitarist]: Some of the lyrics are psychedelic and trippy, and have some profundity to it. Some of the lyrics on Are You Experienced are a pleasant problem and embrace of surprise – each artistically and soulfully. And some are form of vapid and pedestrian – I imply, there’s not an entire lot to the lyrics of “Fire,” actually. But then once more, “Are You Experienced” is superb – and “Manic Depression” and “The Wind Cries Mary” are lovely lyrics.
RICHARD LLOYD [Television guitarist]: His voice was nice – regardless that he did not prefer it. Because, who likes their very own voice? Not that many individuals. Like, John Lennon was all the time asking to make it sound like he was underwater or by means of a megaphone or something to alter his voice. Jimi was simply shy. They needed to flip the lights off when he was singing – to get into it. But he acquired into it reside – that is for certain.
EAST BAY RAY [Dead Kennedys guitarist]: It was like, “Keep it catchy… however assume outdoors the field.” The well-known songwriter, Cole Porter, he had a line – one of many issues he tried to do was “Make the acquainted sound completely different, and make the completely different sound acquainted.” I believe that is why the songs final for thus lengthy, and I believe that is undoubtedly with Hendrix. It was simply outdoors atonal jazz, however he would move by means of episodes of that. And much like the Dead Kennedys – there are episodes which are actually outdoors, after which we move by means of it however go elsewhere.
DOUG PINNICK [King’s X singer/bassist]: Maybe not like Jimi did, however there are guitarists that modified the course of rock n’ roll. Jimi mainly pulled the veil up from over our eyes, and stated, “Look what you are able to do,” after which he allow us to run. Like, Eddie Van Halen took a few of these issues and made an entire profession out of it. I believe Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles and Led Zeppelin are three artists which you could all the time get impressed by – for those who put their information on and take heed to how they wrote songs, how they delivered them, their adventurousness in how they did it, and the way nice the songs had been on the time.
BILLY SHEEHAN [David Lee Roth, Mr. Big. & Sons of Apollo bassist]: I all the time check with him as “the good man that ever lived.” Because he was cool. He did not get excited on stage – he’d simply say one thing on the mic. He would not get excited or upset – simply laidback and funky, he knew what he was doing, assured, bang, bang, bang. I simply thought he was the good human being that ever lived.
SCOTT GORHAM [Thin Lizzy guitarist]: It’s a type of days the place you go, “Anybody however him.” I bear in mind pondering the identical factor when Stevie Ray Vaughan died. We all know everyone’s not going to reside eternally and they will die, and it form of bounces off you – “What a drag.” But then, there are “these guys,” that once they go, it form of impacts you. And undoubtedly, Hendrix and Stevie Ray had been the 2 guys that did it to me.
ADRIAN BELEW [Frank Zappa, David Bowie, & Talking Heads guitarist, King Crimson singer/guitarist, solo artist]: Sometimes I ponder, “What would Jimi be doing now? What would the ‘mature artist Jimi Hendrix’ be writing and singing? What would have he product of guitar synthesizers? Or sampling? Or the myriad of results accessible now which might have little doubt excited his creativeness?” In a way, he gifted that to the world – the curiosity that guitar gamers have had ever since and funky sounds and completely different kinds and pedals and the number of guitars and amps, has to return to him. He’s the daddy of it.
REVEREND HORTON HEAT [singer/guitarist]: As the architect of recent heavy metallic guitar. But additionally, as a blues man. He performed with Little Richard – he was extra of a “blues/rock n’ roll man” than a “heavy metallic man.” But he was doing wild stuff. There’s some previous TV footage, if you see Hendrix when he was sporting a band outfit with the opposite guys within the band, and instantly, you’ll be able to inform it is him. And he is doing all this over-the-top stuff with the guitar. He was headed in that path – even when he was a sideman.
DON FELDER [ex-Eagles guitarist]: He was a magnetic, highly effective, artistic power, that was just about unequaled for that point interval. And you knew it the minute you heard his guitar sound – no matter file it was on, no matter radio station – as quickly as you heard him play, you knew who it was. Extremely distinctive identification as a guitarist. But everyone has an especially distinctive identification as a guitarist. And for those who do not, then you have not been in a position to develop your individual type, your individual tone, and your individual phrasing – then you definitely’ve simply grow to be a copycat that does covers of different folks.
Greg Prato is a longtime AllMusic contributor and creator of a number of books, together with Avatar Of The Electric Guitar: The Genius Of Jimi Hendrix.
