Jimi Hendrix at the Isle of Wight

First of all, Jimi Hendrix did NOT WANT to play this concert and you can really tell while watching this. Hendrix was a great guitarist and showman, but the sound out of this performance is terrible! Unlike Hendrix's earlier, enthusiastic concerts, this concert misses the mark by looking (and sounding) very tired and uninspired throughout, DIE HARD JIMI FANS WILL LOVE THIS, but if your just interested in the man, I wouldn't suggest buying this video as it's hardly the best introduction to Jimi Hendrix. BUY JIMI HENDRIX LIVE AT WOODSTOCK for his best live performance and enthusiastic playing. (and of course there is THAT version of THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER! lol)

One of my many regrets in life is not being old enough to have seen performers like Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin etc. perform live. But thanks to video, one can see what it was like it the late 60's-early 70's, to have gone through all the turmoil that was going on back then. The world as a whole is a better is not only a place, but only exists because of dreamers like Jimi Hendrix, David Crosby and John Lennon. The list goes on and on. This is a great movie, probably not his (Jimi's) best performance ever, although I consider it a great performance, it is still so moving because he (Jimi) passed away so soon after this movie was filmed. I revere Jimi, Jim, Janis, Keith, Duane, Berry, and all who have gone before us to give us the music that inspires and moves us every day of our lives.

Not to sound trite but this performance was indeed one of Hendrix's mediocre concerts. However, (still sounding trite) this is a must see film for die-hard Hendrix fans and others considering that he died 18 days after the show. One reviewer mentioned that The Isle of Wight had scheduled Hendrix to perform early in the morning. Yes, that is true but also at this time Hendrix was consuming a large amount of drugs which eventually led to his state of depression and respectively accidental death. This latter factor had also played a part in his inability to play as well as his previous shows --ie, Monterey Pop and Winterland. Nevertheless, the lineup had considerably worked with enough energy to crank out some of Jimi's new compositions, some that already appeared on Band of Gypsies, and others that were about ready to be put on New Rays of the Rising Sun, Hendrix's next album. Some of this new songs "Freedom" and "In From The Storm" and "Machine Gun" were presented hastily and rough compared to there polished studio versions. In addition, some old songs (All Along The Watchtower, Spanish Castle Magic) were performed as well. Unfortunately, Jimi died before the releasing of his new album New Rays so producer Alan Douglas distributed them in several posthumous collections. Alan Douglas, the "butcher" as some Hendrix historians called him, had released several rearranged (and rerecorded) tracks that Hendrix left unfinished. In other words, some studio musicians was ordered by Douglas to taped over some of Jimi's guitar tracks and add other wall of sound instruments in order to fool fans that they were buying unissued gems. Douglas's name is featured in credits of the Isle Of Wight video as producer. It's not surprising to me that he took his little carving knife and embellished some of what we're watching as well. These embellishments were apparently (I had to listen clearly) added audience cheers, double vocals and backstage chatter, and edits of long songs, ie Machine Gun. My suggestion for the die-hard fans is to seek out the posthumous LPs Live at the Isle Of Wight vol. 1-2 and compare to difference of the record from the video. All in all, Isle of Wight could have presented more accurately but check out the film anyway considering it being a part of rock n' roll history.

This does not contain Hendrix's complete performance, but there is material on here that has not been officially released before. Many regard this as a not particularly good Hendrix performance, by his own standards, and it's true to say that Hendrix was tired (he went on stage at 2am) and travel-weary. However, I regard the performances on this video as superb. Jimi Hendrix below par was still better than any of his contemporaries. It's unfortunate that the new songs Hendrix played here hadn't been available to his audience on album prior to the concert -- they could have familiarised themselves with them. As it is, with hindsight, we can appreciate his live performances of new material such as "Freedom," "Dolly Dagger" and my favourite: "In from the Storm. This video has been superseded by the release in 2000 of "Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix at the Isle of Wight" which contains 18 performances. But this one is a good start.

When Hendrix played this show, the years of drug abuse began to show on him. This is generally regarded as one of his worst performances and you can tell by the quality of his playing. Also, he was beginning to forget the words to his own songs. Hendrix should not have performed at this show but he needed the money to finish construction on the Electric Lady studios in New York. Too bad he died before it was finished and before he could make beautiful music in the premier studio he had especially built.