No new entry for my other blog, Music Meteorite Motion Player, but I did want to chirp a little about music.  I just finished listening to “Voodoo Chile” by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, which is a great record that I unfortunately don’t have the attention span to hear out.  However, I did today because I wanted to enjoy the virtuosity of Hendrix, who has always been one of my favorite guitarists.  I still like Clapton more overall, but Hendrix definitely was my first inspiration for picking up a guitar.

“Voodoo Chile” is a fifteen minute blues jam that soars in and out of the left and right speakers.  I remember I had a copy of the vinyl records way back when and reading the musicians that helped on this track, several luminaries in the business at the time and even to a degree now:  Steve Winwood on organs and Jack Casady (from Jefferson Airplane) on bass.  I had known Winwood for years at the point (“Roll with Me” was a hit in the household betwixt my brother and dad and me), and I knew of Jefferson Airplane.  I just remember being fascinated by the song, how Hendrix gave traditional blues steroids and feedback to create this epic track.  Muddy Waters would have been proud or was proud.

The song that followed is another long track, “A Pot in Which to Piss” by Titus Andronicus (from The Monitor record).  That track is a little more than half the length of “Voodoo Chile”, but you can hear the Hendrix influence in the track.  Granted, there are no sweeping guitar solos or superstar guests, but there is feedback and a touch of the blues mixed in.  Hendrix’ influence on electric guitar and music lives strong even in this ADD world we live.