This album is definitely one of the greatest. I hope anyone thinking about buying it after reading this review does. The Jimi Hendrix Experience made me 100% sure I wanted to play guitar and learn music, and they'd broken up 20 years before I was born.

Would this be on the Rolling Stone top 500? I don't know if it is but with an album of this reputation I would expect it is.

Yeah, it is, at #15. I'll edit it in.

[QUOTE=badmoon349]Jimi didn't write "Hey Joe"[/QUOTE]

Same with All Along the Watchtower (sp).

But he can sure pull off a remake. :thumb:

[QUOTE=Bartender]Yeah, it is, at #15. I'll edit it in.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, btw. Sorry I forgot about the list

It was no problem.

great thing this album was, i have an original lp of it, lol i hear it fetches pretty pennys on ebay and such.

didnt know joe was a girl

[IMG]http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002P5Y.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg[/IMG]


The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Are you Experienced
1967

Members:
Jimi Hendrix- Guitar, vocals
Noel Redding- bass, backing vocals
Mitch Mitchell- drums, backing vocals

This magnificent album stands as one of the best ever crafted. Over 35 years ago, it introduced people to the talent of Jimi Hendrix. On AYE are some of Jimi's most famous and loved songs, such as "Purple Haze", "Fire", and "Foxey Lady". Hendrix is the most influentual guitarist of his time, and that is a fact. He has inspired countless guitarists's sounds ever since. Equally good are his lyrics. They range from gentle to bold, fiery to dreamy. They are always full of wonderful imagery and emotion. Also not to be forgotten are the wonderful musicians backing Jimi up. Mitch Mitchell is an excellent, just outstanding drummer, and his talents can be heard on songs like "Fire". Noel Redding is a great bassist with a great tone and just adds even more to the band. Are you Experienced is a showstopper, for sure. It's essential for any rock fan's collection and it's amazing reverberations are still being heard today.

1. Purple Haze
Perhaps Jimi's most well-known song. This amazing 3-minute masterpiece starts with one of the greatest guitar riffs ever made. It immediately catches your attention. Then Mitchell's pounding drums kick in, and it's just amazing from there. Jimi sings the famous line "Purple haze, all in my eyes/Don't know if it's day or night" and you can just see all the purple haze and clouds of color surrounding him as he plays those psychadelic chords. The guitar solo is very creative and out-there, made possible by an effect pedal that gives the guitar an otherworldly sound by taking the notes up a whole octave. This jaw-dropping song fades out as walls of color and buzzing sound surround you and Jimi yelps "oh no!"
5/5

2. Manic Depression
A somewhat less intense song, this one features Jimi's soothing voice and a very memorable guitar riff. Mitch Mitchell's drumming is also outstanding, and the song contains a time signature usually not associated with rock songs. One of the best moments, however, is Jimi's solo. ****ing amazing. So much emotion. Just amazing. This is a great song, not the most memorable maybe but still great.
5/5

3. Hey Joe
Wow, what can I say about this one? This was the Experience's first single, and it is just mindblowing. Jimi's vocals are quite good, and the drumming is great. The song has a sort of dark atmosphere, for some reason. Maybe it's just me. It's not their own song, but they act as if it is completely theirs. Just an amazing performance by the whole band. The guitar solo is to die for. No one ever since has matched Jimi's great solos and rhythm. No one.
5/5

4. Love or Confusion
Unfortunately, this one's often overlooked. But it really shouldn't be. This is definitely on my list of top 10 hendrix songs and should not be forgotten. Jimi's vocals are entrancing. He plays many psychadelic fills and whammy-bar stunts that evoke the very colors he's singing about. ("Must there be all these colors/without names, without sound.") I just am addicted to this song. The opening guitar riff has an almost country vibe to it, but the rest of the song is mostly psychadelic stuff with an amazing mood to it. Don't miss this one.
5/5

5. May this be Love
I really don't understand why so many people, even huge fans, dismiss this song as "corny". The lyrics may be a little trite, but I really love this song. It is a showcase for Jimi's softer side, and the outro guitar solo is just beautiful. One of my favorites on the album.
5/5

6. I Don't Live Today
Some complain about the sound quality on this song, but it sounds pretty good to me. It's got some great lyrics, awesome riff, great drumming and bass, and an amazing solo and outro. Jimi goes crazy with the whammy bar and feedback near he end, and there are tons of crazy effects going on, it's just hard to explain. This is just one kickass song and is sure to get you pumped up.
5/5

7. The Wind Cries Mary
In the tradition of "May this be love", though much more jazzy. Hendrix loved all types of music, ranging from jazz to R&B. This song is basically a hybrid of the two. It's a slow, soulfull kind of ballad with imaginative lyrics and a great, melodic solo. One of Hendrix's best songs. The rhythm guitar work really shines here.
5/5

8. Fire
This song just kicks ***. ****, Mitch Mitchell is an amazing drummer. The one word that can explain this song is... "Fire." The whole band are at their best here, and Jimi's vocals are especially entertaining. A great song.
5/5

9. Third Stone from the Sun
Coming in at almost seven minutes, this song is a stark contrast from the other 3-minute masterpieces. There aren't any real lyrics, only Jimi talking, pretending to be an alien. The song has a lot of weird bits, ranging from soft jazz to crazy whammy bar madness. One of the most memorable is the song's main theme, with is an extremely pleasant rhythm guitar part that sounds nice with the jazzy bass and drums. Though it's quite long, this song still maintains the freshness of the rest of the album.
5/5

10. Foxey Lady
This is a very, very funky track. Jimi's lyrics may be a bit dated but it's still highly enjoyable. Near the end it gets a little bit repetitive but the awesome vocals and groove of the whole track pretty much make up for it. Not my absolute favorite but definitely a good song.
4/5

11. Are you Experienced
If I'm correct, this was the first song ever to feature a whole band being played back backwards on tape. The studio trickery is fresh and entertaining, and Jimi's lyrics are nice. In addition there is an amazing, emotional backwards guitar solo. This is an awesome closing song for a perfect album. It ends with the memorable line, "Have you ever been experienced/Not necessarily stoned, but beautiful." Great, great song.
5/5


It's nearly impossible to sum this album up in just a paragraph. It's amazing. It has this great freshness to it that most great debuts have. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was one of the greatest bands to walk the earth, and Are you Experienced is just a small part of their amazing musical legacy. I highly recommend checking out their other releases if you haven't.

5/5
Case closed, no doubt about it. A+ :smash:

check out my review of Electric Ladyland, too...
http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197516

EDIT: I don't think this has been done before... oh ****... i worked so hard on this review...

I would be suprised if this hadn't been done before.

Ok, I merged it, next time check the reviewed list before you review an album.

I had an interesting discussion with my guitar teacher the other day. He had a poster in his classroom of Jimi at Woodstock. We were discussing just how amazing he was. He then asked me, "Would he be still as famous and still making music if he was alive today, or would he be doing something for Wal-Mart?" He had a valid point, I thought. With the state of music as it is now, would he still be as respected?

This is one of my favorite cds.It is genius and beautiful.

To Iai:

Very true, just wondering. I think I might take that to r & m later.

[QUOTE=enpsychopedia]To Iai:

Very true, just wondering. I think I might take that to r & m later.[/QUOTE]
It's a bad idea to bring Hendrix into R & M. It would instantly become a flame thread. Just a warning, but the classic rock thread would welcome it.

[QUOTE=Woodstock]It's a bad idea to bring Hendrix into R & M. It would instantly become a flame thread. Just a warning, but the classic rock thread would welcome it.[/QUOTE]


thanks for the warning.

wow i didnt expect this to get almost all 5's.

Get the new version of the CD. Stone Free, 51st Anniversary, Highway Chile, Can You See Me?, Remember, and Red House are all on it.

[QUOTE=jimi_hendrix]wow i didnt expect this to get almost all 5's.[/QUOTE]
Well, if a person would listen to this for the first time, they'd love every song. I rated from a standpoint of never hearing these songs before, and every song really is a masterpiece.

great review. hendrix is awesome. all great songs 5/5