Machine Gun - Jimi Hendrix & Band of Gypsys

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Run time: 09:31 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqVjw8cFdas   Posted on YouTube: December 05, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 06, 2008 By DU Member: Amerigo Vespucci Views on DU: 758

 

[Catch22Dem]

1. One of Jimi's all time best

Highly underrated song...unless you're a guitar player. ;)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. It was one of the greatest examples of controlled tension in his entire catalog...

...you're right: "unless you're a guitar player" (I am)...

The thing that strikes me most about the song is the "low-boil" tension (the "ooooooooooooh" and "let your bullets fall like rain" section). There's an indelible image of Hendrix igniting his guitar at Monterey and the chaos that ensued. "Machine Gun" was a different animal.

The late Bill Graham used to do weekend "Guest DJ" stints on San Francisco's KSAN, sitting in with Rolling Stone's Ben Fong-Torres. One show will remain in my memory banks forever. Graham discussed the Band of Gypsys concerts...the first show of the evening was the "Prince" Jimi...the sex, the theatrics, playing the guitar with his teeth, the whole "Foxey Lady" persona.

After that set, Graham supposedly offered Jimi a bit of unsolicited career advice. He told him that his act had regressed into a "rock show," that he was better and bigger and more talented than the "Whoo shucks, Foxey Lady" dog & pony show.

Hendrix, as you might imagine, was a little less than appreciative of this. But he went out and did the midnight set...the one that included "Machine Gun," the one that was released as the "Band of Gypsys" album. As he walked offstage at the end of the set, he approached a beaming Graham. He looked him straight in the eye and said "Happy NOW, motherf**ker?"

100% true story, according to (and told by) Bill Graham.

:toast:

[Catch22Dem]

6. That's an incredible story

I've never heard that. Thanks for sharing!

[psychopomp]

9. Mr. Graham (RIP) cannot get credit for Jimi's transformation

It is common knowledge that Jimi was unhappy with the expectation people had for him to smash is guitar, grind on amps and generally put on performance that was more shock than musical. He escaped this straight-jacket by forming the Band of Gypsies with friends from his time in the military.

"Machine Gun" is my favorite out of Jimi's catalog. What is really stunning is that only four years earlier he was doing this:
http://www.youtube.com/my_favorites?pi=1&ps=20&sf=none&sa=0&sq=&dm=1#

:toast:

[livetohike]

2. Thanks! Nothing like Hendrix on a snowy day in PA

:hippie:

[panader0]

3. I hate my computer!!

I can't watch youtube on this pos dial-up. I love that tune!

[yowzayowzayowza]

8. Start it playin, then immediately pause. It'll continue downloading ...

while paused and you can come back to it when itz done loadin. Always werked fer me.

:hi:

[rocktivity]

5. Thanks, but I've got the album on vinyl

And when a record label sent a me 20th anniversary edition of it (on cassette, remember those?), I wrote back, "thanks for making me feel so young!"

As for the song that I consider to be Jimi at very his best, well, who knows?

:headbang:
rocknation

[lib2DaBone]

7. He played guitar left hand.... that is just amazing.....

..just stringing the strings on the guitar backwards would do me in.....

[balantz]

10. I LOVE JIMI n/t