# Jimi Hendrix Experience vs. Band of Gypsies



## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Which do you prefer?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Good question. Pity BoG never stuck around and made it to the studio as they could have laid down some of the hardest funk ever. I would probably still vote for the Experience because of the amount of looseness and space that Redding/Mitchell offered, but that's not to diss Miles/Cox - they were more about the groove and would have anchored Hendrix without actually restricting him.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I don't think either is better. But since most of the classic Hendrix material was recorded with the Experience, they get my vote for the more significant contribution. I'm also a fan of The Cry Of Love which features all four rhythm members.


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## ando (Apr 18, 2021)

starthrower said:


> I don't think either is better. But since most of the classic Hendrix material was recorded with the Experience, they get my vote for the more significant contribution. I'm also a fan of The Cry Of Love which features all four rhythm members.


Quite.

Why can't we have it all?


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## Jay (Jul 21, 2014)

I can't abide Miles; flat-footed and ham-fisted, about as funky as a German marching band, even Jimi got fed up with him. With chops and ideas, Mitchell could hang with Hendrix, allowing him to soar!


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## Eva Yojimbo (Jan 30, 2016)

The Experience were better if only because they were around longer. Band of Gypsies easily could've become just as good, if not better, were it not for Jimi's untimely death.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

On *Electric Ladyland* many of the bass guitar parts were played by Hendrix himself.

In fact, *Redding* only played bass on 5 of the 16 tracks (and acoustic guitar on a 6th). On *Voodoo Chile* the bass was played by Jack Casady (and guest Steve Winwood played Hammond organ). Buddy Miles played drums on _*"Rainy Day, Dream Away"*_ and _*"Still Raining, Still Dreaming"*_.

*Hendrix*' studio tracks are instantly scrubbed from *Youtube*. You can find plenty of sound-alike tracks, sometimes masquerading as the real thing, but the original tracks are not there.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Seems people either love or hate Band of Gypsies. I'll take them both. Would probably be easier to choose between two Experience albums.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Mitch Mitchell - no-one compares .........


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## Jay (Jul 21, 2014)

pianozach said:


> On *Electric Ladyland* many of the bass guitar parts were played by Hendrix himself.


And they are killer parts!


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

There is also a third hybrid lineup featured on the film _Rainbow Bridge_, that has Mitch Mitchell on drums and Billy Cox on bass. Maybe that is the best line up? It is probably the one Hendrix would have continued working with had he lived longer. Mitch Mitchell and Billy Cox seemed to have good chemistry.


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## Jay (Jul 21, 2014)

Cox was a more solid--and stolid--player than Redding but, unlike Mitchell, neither was really bringing much to the music, imo. If Jimi could only have cloned himself as bassist....


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

I'll take Redding and Mitchell.


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

SanAntone said:


> Which do you prefer?


Both.

I literally can answer your poll.

Are You Experienced? changed my life.


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

pianozach said:


> On Voodoo Chile the bass was played by Jack Casady .


I love Jack, just love him.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

I believe there are some interviews or quotes from Hendrix something to the effect that he had grown tired of playing with the British white guys and wanted to get a blacker sound. I think had he lived longer he would have continued to play with Band of Gypsies, or the same kind of band, and delved deeper into soul, funk, and jazz - similar to the trajectory that Miles Davis took.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

pianozach said:


> On *Electric Ladyland* many of the bass guitar parts were played by Hendrix himself.


I didn't know that. I used to have a link (not working anymore) to an article where when Tommy Shannon (bassist for Johnny Winter, then SRV) told the story of when he was at a club with Johnny and Jimi wanted to play his bass, so of course Tommy handed it to him. Tommy commented that Jimi played that bass like a bass player would, not like a regular guitarist would. Apparently Jimi was familiar with playing bass. In fact here is a photo of Jimi with Tommy's bass:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

SanAntone said:


> I believe there are some interviews or quotes from Hendrix something to the effect that he had grown tired of playing with the British white guys and wanted to get a blacker sound. I think had he lived longer he would have continued to play with Band of Gypsies, or the same kind of band, and delved deeper into soul, funk, and jazz - similar to the trajectory that Miles Davis took.


Man, it's too bad he and Edgar Winter didn't get a chance to play together.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Hendrix was an accomplished bassist. Years on 'the chitlin circuit' taught him to be flexible.

Of course, nothing like his guitar skills.....


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

SixFootScowl said:


> I didn't know that. I used to have a link (not working anymore) to an article where when Tommy Shannon (bassist for Johnny Winter, then SRV) told the story of when he was at a club with Johnny and Jimi wanted to play his bass, so of course Tommy handed it to him. Tommy commented that Jimi played that bass like a bass player would, not like a regular guitarist would. Apparently Jimi was familiar with playing bass. In fact here is a photo of Jimi with Tommy's bass:


And Buddy Miles on drums?

Imagine - you're a left-handed guitarist borrowing a right-handed bassists bass and then playing it even though the strings are upside down for a left-hander. Was there nothing that man couldn't do?


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

elgars ghost said:


> And Buddy Miles on drums?
> 
> Imagine - you're a left-handed guitarist borrowing a right-handed bassists bass and then playing it even though the strings are upside down for a left-hander. Was there nothing that man couldn't do?


I'd always heard that Hendrix played a right-handed guitar strung for a right-handed player. My impression was that he played the guitar upside down, and not re-strung.

But I've just taken a look at some photos of him with his electric guitar, and it appears he DID restring RH guitars.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/music/a17922/jimi-hendrix-backwards-stratocaster/

Some interesting facts on Jimi's preference for restringing. But he didn't always have time or permission.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

tdc said:


> There is also a third hybrid lineup featured on the film _Rainbow Bridge_, that has Mitch Mitchell on drums and Billy Cox on bass.


On this subject, I recently picked this up:

Jimi Hendrix live in Maui
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08HGP1BN9...jqiBIedaScX5Ps5sjBMyVLhzzPRm0oq0QwS4iSQxwKHSI

High quality live concert footage in stereo and 5.1 surround sound. Also includes a documentary in blu ray and 2 audio cds of the concerts. The packaging and booklet are nice, I'm happy with this purchase.


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