Are You Experienced? [US] [Remaster] (CD - 1967)

This 1997 reissue of ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? is a remastered version that restores the original LP's track order and album artwork. ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? was previously reissued in 1993 (MCA 10893) with new cover art and a new 17-track running order that included all the songs on either the U.S. or U.K. versions of the original LP. That version is now out of print, and has been replaced by this one, on the Experience Hendrix label, which features remastered versions of the same 17 songs, this time in the order they appeared on the original American LP, with the extra tracks added to the end (a separate version was simultaneously released in the U.K., featuring the same songs but in the original British track order). The Experience Hendrix label is controlled by Hendrix's family.

The 1997 reissue also adds a 24-page booklet with previously-unpublished photos, the original LP liner notes and song lyrics.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Jimi Hendrix (vocals, electric guitar); Noel Redding (bass, background vocals); Mitch Mitchell (drums, background vocals).

Recorded in late 1966 and early 1967 at Olympic Studios, London, England.

Originally released on Reprise.

Includes liner notes by Dave Marsh.

One of the most stunning debuts in rock history, and one of the definitive albums of the psychedelic era. On Are You Experienced?, Jimi Hendrix synthesized various elements of the cutting edge of 1967 rock into music that sounded both futuristic and rooted in the best traditions of rock, blues, pop, and soul. It was his mind-boggling guitar work, of course, that got most of the ink, building upon the experiments of British innovators like Jeff Beck and Pete Townshend to chart new sonic territories in feedback, distortion, and sheer volume. It wouldn't have meant much, however, without his excellent material, whether psychedelic frenzy ("Foxey Lady," "Manic Depression," "Purple Haze"), instrumental freak-out jams ("Third Stone From the Sun"), blues ("Red House," "Hey Joe"), or tender, poetic compositions ("The Wind Cries Mary") that demonstrated the breadth of his songwriting talents. Not to be underestimated were the contributions of drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding, who gave the music a rhythmic pulse that fused parts of rock and improvised jazz. Many of these songs are among Hendrix's very finest; it may be true that he would continue to develop at a rapid pace throughout the rest of his brief career, but he would never surpass his first LP in terms of consistently high quality. The British and American versions of the album differed substantially when they were initially released in 1967; MCA's 17-song CD reissue does everyone a favor by gathering all of the material from the two records in one place, adding a few B-sides from early singles as well. ~ Richie Unterberger

One of the most stunning debuts in rock history, and one of the definitive albums of the psychedelic era. On Are You Experienced?, Jimi Hendrix synthesized various elements of the cutting edge of 1967 rock into music that sounded both futuristic and rooted in the best traditions of rock, blues, pop, and soul. It was his mind-boggling guitar work, of course, that got most of the ink, building upon the experiments of British innovators like Jeff Beck and Pete Townshend to chart new sonic territories in feedback, distortion, and sheer volume. It wouldn't have meant much, however, without his excellent material, whether psychedelic frenzy ("Foxey Lady," "Manic Depression," "Purple Haze"), instrumental freak-out jams ("Third Stone From the Sun"), blues ("Red House," "Hey Joe"), or tender, poetic compositions ("The Wind Cries Mary") that demonstrated the breadth of his songwriting talents. Not to be underestimated were the contributions of drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding, who gave the music a rhythmic pulse that fused parts of rock and improvised jazz. Many of these songs are among Hendrix's very finest; it may be true that he would continue to develop at a rapid pace throughout the rest of his brief career, but he would never surpass his first LP in terms of consistently high quality. The British and American versions of the album differed substantially when they were initially released in 1967; MCA's 17-song CD reissue does everyone a favor by gathering all of the material from the two records in one place, adding a few B-sides from early singles, as well. ~ Richie Unterberger

Jimi Hendrix's debut recording was an instant classic, and is as startling today as when it first hit the streets in 1967. ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? is probably the most rock-oriented of Hendrix's official studio releases, but its influences are incredibly diverse. "Third Stone From The Sun" recalls the supple octaves of jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery; the churning Afro-Cuban polyrhythms of "Manic Depression" evoke John Coltrane and Elvin Jones; "I Don't Live Today" employs ritualistic Native American drumbeats; and the title tune borrows the Eastern airs of sitarist Ravi Shankar.

The mix, beautifully refreshed on this 1997 reissue, is dark and churning, a dense wall of sound. Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding blast away with a barely controlled fury, and there's a distorted metallic edge to Hendrix's guitar timbre that has made ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? a particular favorite among rock and heavy-metal guitarists. "Purple Haze" and "Foxey Lady" helped define the power-trio format, thanks to Hendrix's full-bodied rhythm guitar and his soaring solos. ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? also established Hendrix as a singer-songwriter. His Dylanesque vocals and spacey imagery make each tune a little gem, especially on gentle outings such as the ballad "The Wind Cries Mary." minimize