posted
In the spirit of "John or Paul" and "Roger or David", here's mine:
I grew up on Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. I started with Hendrix, had the album Smash Hits when I was 16, and just loved his playing. I'd never heard anything by Clapton at that point, but deliberately sought out his stuff (he was with Cream at that time) and while finding him very different from Jimi, loved him too.
While happy to admit that Hendrix was the more revolutionary and groundbreaking player, it's always been Eric that was able to give me goosebumps and make me amazed. Even now.
My favourite Hendrix song is All Along the Watchtower, his playing is beautiful, and the bass lines he plays underneath the lead are just fantastic, but Voodoo Chile epitomises his playing. I have or had, mostly on vinyl, the aforementioned Smash Hits, Band of Gypsies, Rainbow Bridge, and the compilation cd that came out a few years ago, along with the dvd of his performance at Woodstock.
I've got a variety of Clapton stuff, DVDs and cds, old and new. He showed at the Cream reunion what an absolute master he is, and his music is still capable of giving me chills.
Of the two, Eric is my favourite. A purely emotional, subjective choice.
posted
Yeah, I was shocked when I heard a famous musician from the sixties and seventies used heroin, like, twice (ETA:allegedly. Any evidence that he ever actually did is nonexistent.)
ETA, again: Now if you wanna talk about LSD, speed, booze or pot, you'd be right on target.
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posted
My dad saw Jimi Hendrix live and thus that's the sort of music I grew up on. It's really to say which of those two is better as Hendrix was more innovative but Clapton had a staying power that hasn't aged (it's hard to say if Hendrix could have stayed around long, I'd argue not).
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posted
When Hendrix died his music was going through a transformation into a 'cleaner' sound, less feedback and effects (although that's probably not a good word, as it makes what he did sound contrived). He got booed at some of his last concerts because he wasn't doing the flashy stuff that the dumbutt fans wanted to see. I'm sure the musical progression would have been worth seeing.
As far as staying power re lifestyle, drugs, who knows. Clapton had his own struggle with heroin and alcohol, managing, just, to survive. I think he had more support, less 'leeches', than Jimi though.
(I know which is the one who's cool to have on t-shirts amongst kids who weren't even thought of when he died though, in this country at least.)
(edited for spelling)
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posted
Jimi was amazing, semi divine. His guitar playing was like visits from angels. I loved Eric but definitely think Jimi was on a higher plane musically. My favorite of his is "Little Wing". He effortlessly tosses off beautiful soul-reaching music like it just spills out of his fingertips. He embodies the guitarist's credo "to be a perfect guitarist, first become a perfect person, then just play naturally".
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quote:Originally posted by Synesthesia: Too hard to decide... Perhaps Jimi Hendrix, but he makes me mad because of HEROIN!
I had the understanding that there was no heroin found in Hendrix's body when examined after his death. His family also claimed he had an irrational fear of needles.
You know I confess to having WAY more exposure to Hendrix then to Clapton, but I've got a buttload of Clapton on my ipod, and since I have nothing better to do I am going to listen to Clapton for the next 1-2 hours and maybe decide how I feel about them when my shift at work ends.
edit: Are there any tracks by Clapton I should keep an ear out for? I've heard Tears In Heaven a bajillion times, so anything but that.
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posted
Ugh, Tears in Heaven is not a good representation of his best stuff. My favorite song is White Room. If you listen to Layla, Duanne Allman is playing the slide guitar in the second half. Purty stuff.
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quote:Originally posted by vonk: Ugh, Tears in Heaven is not a good representation of his best stuff. My favorite song is White Room. If you listen to Layla, Duanne Allman is playing the slide guitar in the second half. Purty stuff.
Is Allman also playing in the live unplugged album? So far I think comparing the two does not make much sense, their styles are worlds apart.
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posted
No, just the studio cut. He happened to be practicing in the same studio that Clapton was recording in, Clapton heard him play and asked him then and there to lay down some improv slide licks. Pretty cool, and a testiment to to Duanne's skills.
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posted
Well I am about done for the day and I've listened to all the Clapton I've got.
I think its a bad comparison. But here are my thoughts, as if any of them are THAT interesting.
1: Clapton is a better guitarist technically speaking. He definately has that blues finger dancing down. Hendrix is certainly no loser when it comes to the guitar, he is very talented, but part of his genius came from experiementing in ways nobody else was willing to.
2: Hendrix died when he was only 28 years old, he had arguably MOST of his career ahead of him when he died. Clapton has had a long time to hone his skills and put out albums. But I guess we will never know what a Hendrix who was alive today would sound like, or what direction if any his music would have taken.
3: Hendrix and Clapton were close friends. Clapton had a new left hand stratocaster that he was going to give to Hendrix the day he died. I am CERTAIN that had Hendrix not died there would have been a degree of influence that both artists would have had on each other. As it is, I think both artists would have done some VERY interesting things by working together or even listening to each others music.
I really enjoyed Lonely Strang by Clapton, I listened to it 5 times in a row. But so far I think I like Hendrix better. I have a really cool version of, "Here Comes Lover Man," and it rocks my socks.
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