56 years ago today, the nascent Jimi Hendrix Experience played a short gig at the London Astoria on Charing Cross Road, at the end of which young James doused his guitar in lighter fluid for the first time, struck a match and lit up. If Setlist is to be believed, the last song in the set was, appropriately enough, Fire, a Hendrix composition that was set to appear on the band's first album two months later.
The version I want to feature here though was recorded in Studio 2 of Broadcasting House's sub-basement just three days earlier, for an edition of the BBC Light Programme's Saturday Club which aired on 1st April. It was later released on what remains my favourite Hendrix album, Radio One (despite predating the launch of that station by four months - it was subsequently reissued in expanded form as the more accurately titled BBC Sessions). The Beeb track sounds more dynamic, and better recorded, than the version that appeared on Are You Experienced. Plus the BBC intro, terribly well spoken but trying to sound cool, adds something, I think, not to mention Jimi's little mid-lyric chuckle at 1:45. See what you think.
Honestly, if you only have space for one Hendrix album in your life, Radio One is the one to have. I'm trying to avoid saying it's an incendiary set of songs but it really is - an absolute juggernaut of confident, limber playing that somehow manages to be both tight and loose at the same time, machine-gun R&B from three men at the top of their game. And it still sounds utterly fantastic, more than half a century later. As Jimi himself sings, "Radio One ... you're the only one ... for me ..."
Bought this on cassette when it came out in 89. Loved it then and now. Although I no longer have the cassette.
ReplyDeleteI had it on cassette too, later upgraded to CD. I genuinely think there is no better compilation of JHE, it really is the album you need if you only want one. I even put it in the Every Home Should Have One masterlist way back when I was doing that...
DeleteI also deafened and possibly annoyed my hall-mates in my first year at uni, with repeated loud playing of Drivin' South... :)
DeleteRadio 1 was the first Hendrix album I bought, on double vinyl, from WH Smith in Bristol for the bargain price of £5.99. Sadly, I flogged/traded it during a vinyl cull when I was particularly strapped for cash and have regretted it every since, although I did buy the BBC Sessions 2CD and recreated my Hendrix mixtape, which I posted last year https://dubhed.blogspot.com/2022/02/is-it-tomorrow-or-just-end-of-time.html
ReplyDeleteIt's "Young" Jimmy Young doing the intro/announcement for Fire, isn't it?
Great post, Martin, many thanks!
Yes, it is Jimmy Young. And cheers for the post link, will have a read of that.
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