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Jimi Hendrix Tribute: Red House

Posted 11/18/10 3:00 pm EST by in Music


I don't normally go see cover acts, mostly because of the constant belly aching from my friends in "real" bands about how those "Freebird" playing yahoos are always taking money out of their pockets. And after getting burned one too many times by lame tribute acts (OK, just that once, but you know who you are and you should be ashamed!), I was wary of the "Experience Hendrix" tribute tour because I love Jimi Hendrix and refuse to let some hack ruin him for me.

But with a lineup that includes Jimi's original Band of Gypsys and Experience bassist Billy Cox, guitar wizards Steve Vai, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, Aerosmith's Brad Whitford, Eric Johnson and Robert Randolph, in addition to Living Colour, members of Los Lobos, Ernie Isley, Susan Tedeschi and former Stevie Ray Vaughan drummer Chris Layton, you kind of couldn't lose, right? I mean, this was not some bozo with a Hendrix jones butchering "Hey Joe" at the local coffee house.

Even so, when I walked into the Taft Theater in Cincinnati on Wednesday night (November 17), I arrived with modest expectations.

Living Colour helped kick thing off properly with a funked up "Power of Soul" and a punk-edged "Crosstown Traffic" complete with whammy bar lightning solo from guitarist Vernon Reid and some double kick drum thunder. Bassist Doug Wimbish even got in on the action by playing a solo with his teeth.

Each act wisely chose not to mimic Hendrix or overcompensate, which would explain why Texas slinger Johnson gave his tunes a reverb-heavy outer space blues shimmer for classics like "Are You Experienced?," on which he showed off his hand-blurring hummingbird strum.

Susan Tedeschi, assisted by Aerosmith's Whitford, gave "If 6 Was 9" and "Spanish Castle Magic” a dirty Texas blues vibe, while Los Lobos' David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas put a barrio twang on a fast and loose "Can You See Me."

Cincinnati's own cosmic funkateer Bootsy Collins came out with slide great Robert Randolph for a loose and sanctified "Purple Haze" (how loose? Bootsy appeared to be referring to a magazine with the lyrics as a cheat sheet). Moments later, Glover, Hidalgo, Rosas and Randolph teamed with Cox for a gospel shout version of "Them Changes."

What became clear was that the veterans were having a blast playing these songs and jamming with each other on the tunes they cut their teeth on as up-and-comers.

Lang was a perfect example. Read More...

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Wear Purple On Your Playlist Today With Gogol Bordello, Jimi Hendrix And Prince

Posted 10/20/10 2:00 pm EST by in Music


If you see more people than usual wearing purple today, it's not because people are paying tribute to the Grimace or celebrating Barney the Dinosaur. Rather, GLAAD (the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has declared today Spirit Day, meant to be a day of support and solidarity against anti-gay bullying (which has become a national talking point in the wake of the recent suicides of Tyler Clementi and other gay teens). Since purple represents "Spirit" on the official LGBT flag, it made sense that people could show their support via a little splash of eggplant or puce.

The trend has been catching on. Multiple television personalities (including Ryan Seacrest, Ellen DeGeneres and Khloe Kardashian) have included purple into their ensembles today, and the hash tag "#SpiritDay" has been floating around Twitter for most of the day.

But while it's easy to add a little purple to your clothes, it's also quite simple to make your playlist a little purple today as well. Of course, you have to start with Prince, who has a closet full of purple clothes and an album called Purple Rain to match. There's also the Purple Ribbon All Stars, the hip-hop crew lead by Outkast's Big Boi who scored a hit with "Kryptonite" not too long ago. If that doesn't float your boat, then perhaps D12's "Purple Pills" (or "Purple Hills," depending on your capacity for naughtiness) might work better for you (as will late Houston rapper Big Moe's 2002 album Purple World). And if all else fails, there's always Jimi Hendrix's timeless "Purple Haze."

But to properly get into a celebratory Spirit Day mood, look no further than gypsy punk terrorists Gogol Bordello and their rollicking anthem "Start Wearing Purple."


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Katy Perry's Nude Cover Elevates Her To The Top Of The Naked Albums List

Posted 7/22/10 2:30 pm EST by in Music


On Wednesday night (July 21), Katy Perry unveiled the album cover for her upcoming LP Teenage Dream (which is set to hit store shelves on August 24). In typical Perry fashion, the cover is eye-catching, provocative and sexy, featuring a nude Perry ensconced in pink cotton candy (a continuation on the themes set up in the video for her chart-topping single "California Gurls"). Perry is no stranger to nudity (she is starkers in the "California Gurls" clip and once tweeted a photo of herself eating a pizza while soaking naked in a bathtub), so the cover isn't a surprise.

But the practice of putting naked people on album covers is as old as rock and roll, and though there are a handful of classic nude covers, Perry's tops them all. Here are her new peers. (Obviously, all of the links below lead to some level of nudity, so click with caution.)

Jimi Hendrix, Electric Ladyland
The guitar legend's final album (during his life, at least) originally had a cover that featured a series of nude women. Though that cover was actually released in the U.K., the United States version was changed to a blurred image of Hendrix's head because the other was considered indecent.

Nirvana, Nevermind
Though cover model Spencer Elden was only three months old when his photo was taken for the cover of Nirvana's breakout album, his exposed genitalia was still considered inappropriate for mass consumption. When retailers refused to stock the album because of the image, Nirvana's label prepared an alternate version that airbrushed out Elden's tiny penis.
Read More...

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Is Kanye West's The College Dropout The Best Debut Album Of All Time?

Posted 2/11/10 11:50 am EST by in Music


On Wednesday (February 10), the MTV Newsroom blog celebrated the anniversary of the release of The College Dropout, the watershed debut from Kanye West. It generated quite a bit of discussion here in the Newsroom and among the followers of MTV News on Twitter, mostly surrounding a key question: Is The College Dropout the best debut album of all time?

It's a distinct possibility. Obviously West made a big commercial smash on the back of hits like "All Falls Down" and "Slow Jamz," and The College Dropout was almost universally adored by critics (it has a Metascore of 88, which suggests "Universal Acclaim"). But the thing that makes the album truly remarkable is how completely it presents both West's sound and his point of view. He arrived fully formed and made an immediate impact because of it.

Of course, there are plenty of other candidates for the prize. Here are a handful of other nominees that deliver in the same way that The College Dropout did.

The Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die
Like West, Biggie Smalls arrived on the scene already fully-formed. The man born Christopher Wallace had a clear point of view that he was able to deliver in a distinct way. When you add in the best production that Diddy has ever done, you get a total package that ranks up there with the best hip-hop records in history.

Oasis, Definitely Maybe
As the rest of their career has taught us, Liam and Noel Gallagher are only really good at one thing, but on Definitely Maybe, they did that one thing better than anybody ever had before. Big, loud, heavily melodic and decidedly English, Definitely Maybe basically 11 singles, as every single one sounds great when cranked up on the radio.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced?
For a guy who experimented as much as Hendrix did, his first (and best) album is an incredibly confident work. Read More...

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'New' Jimi Hendrix Album Coming In March

Posted 1/11/10 12:56 pm EST by in Music


For all the accolades foisted upon him and how much he changed the way people perceive guitar music, it's sometimes jarring to remember that Jimi Hendrix only put out three albums in his brief career before dying of a drug overdose in 1970 at age 27. Since his passing, his estate has been in shambles, and there are dozens of terrible-sounding releases that claim to have unreleased Hendrix music on them but are really just recycled demos or poorly-tweaked live tracks.

But that's all about to change with the release of Valleys of Neptune, a 12-track collection of previously unheard or rarely heard tunes culled from some of the last sessions of the artist's life. The album, which will be released on March 9, helps kick off the 2010 Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project and also commemorates the 40th anniversary of Hendrix' death.

The track list is a cornucopia of titles whispered about among Hendrix devotees. The title track — which will double as the first single — was recorded in 1969 (as many of the other tracks do). The track list includes an instrumental take on Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love," an alternate arrangement of "Fire" and an early recording of "Mr. Bad Luck," a track some believe may be the first original tune he ever performed.

Valleys of Neptune is only the beginning, as the other Hendrix releases — Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, Electric Ladyland and First Rays of the New Rising Sun — will also get the deluxe reissue treatment.

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Phish Finalize 'Festival 8' Details, So Here Are More Musical Costume Suggestions

Posted 7/24/09 4:22 pm EST by in Music


After a few weeks of rumors and nail-biting, Phish have announced that they are returning to the festival game with an event they are simply calling "Festival 8," which will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California (the same venue that houses the annual Coachella festival). Over three days this Halloween weekend, the band will play a total of eight sets, and one of those sets will be another grand Phish tradition: The "musical costume," where the band plays a set that consists only of a classic album in its entirety.

In past years, the group has taken on epics like the Beatles' White Album, the Velvet Underground's Loaded and the Who's Quadrophenia. We've already made a handful of suggestions about what the group could tackle this year (it'll remain a mystery until they play the first note on Halloween night), but here are a few more ideas.

U2, The Joshua Tree
Trey Anastasio probably wouldn't be able to handle Bono's vocals, but the rest of the band would be able to capture the grandeur of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and Larry Mullen, Jr.'s rhythms would be excellent fodder for expert skinsman Jon Fishman.

Jimi Hendrix, Axis: Bold As Love
Anastasio has borrowed a lot of his guitar technique from Jimi (who hasn't?), so it only seems right that he pay homage to the man. The bluesy runs on "Little Wing" would probably melt a face or two.
Read More...

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Michael Jackson's Posthumous Music: How Will It Compare To Tupac, Biggie And Kurt?

Posted 6/29/09 5:31 pm EST by in Music


If reports are to be believed, Michael Jackson may have as many as 100 unreleased songs that he left behind. Though it may be quite some time before any songs ever get out, it's certain that fans will be clamoring for songs they've never heard.

But if pop history has taught us anything, it's that posthumous music releases can be a bit of a nightmare both for the people in control of the estate and the fans craving new music. In fact, sometimes that music actually hurts the legacy of the artist.

When Jimi Hendrix died in 1970, he left behind at least one incomplete album and many more unfinished tracks, demos and outtakes. But for decades, the previously unreleased songs were released haphazardly and were underproduced. It wasn't until Hendrix's sister managed to gain control of his catalog that the recordings were considered reasonable enough for commercial release. Hendrix albums have slowed and there are still legal battles over Hendrix's legacy, but the reconstructed First Rays of the New Rising Sun and the restored Live at Monterey are both keepers. But be warned: A lot of the post-1970 Hendrix releases are horrible.

The same could be said of Tupac, but in reverse. Read More...

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Reliving Classic-Rock History Through Alan Herr's Jimi Hendrix Photos

Posted 11/14/08 10:31 am EST by in Classic Rock


By Nick Neofitidis

It's 1969, New Year's Eve in New York. You're 15 years old, and your dad just dropped you off in front of the Fillmore East on Second and 6th in the East Village. The marquee above you reads, "Jimi Hendrix LIVE Tonight - SOLD OUT." You're armed with unease, excitement and the small Pentax camera your grandfather gave you.

You walk into the venue. Some of your past photos already adorn the walls. Legends such as Frank Zappa refer to you as "the prodigy," and backstage, Jimi Hendrix hands you a funny-smelling cigarette. Somewhere in between all that, you take a couple of amazing photos from the stage — photos that nearly 40 years later hold more significance than you ever could have imagined.

Sound like the best night of your life?

Read More...

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For The Record: Will.I.Am, 'The Hills,' Hendrix & More

Posted 4/29/08 11:23 am EST by in For The Record


WillIAmFTR

· Will.I.Am refuses to take part in the human-rights boycott of China, saying the Black Eyed Peas have no problem playing there.

· OMG, maybe Heidi and Lauren from “The Hills” do have something in common after all! They both love John McCain.

· Talent from “The Simpsons” and “Arrested Development” are creating a new animated show -- and you know it’s got a good chance of being amazing.

· Behold the Jimi Hendrix sex tape -- um, alleged, of course.

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