JIMPRESS 99 Autumn 2012
The Grundmann recording is both the most complete and the best quality, so it is convenient to use it as the primary reference source. The second-generation copy runs a little faster (nearly 3%) than the first-generation copy; that is, the audio is pitched nearly half a semitone sharper than that of the first-generation tape. The speed of the second-generation copy sounds more accurate, and agrees almost exactly with the Nötzli source, so we take it as the standard for timings.
The tape opens with a few enthusiastic words of introduction by the MC, Giorgio Frapolli, followed by a few guitar tune-up phrases, followed by sounds from the audience; the taper (or someone near him) is also audible. Following some microphonic feedback, Noel says "Good evening". More tuning of guitar and bass follows, and then a very brief (one second) false start for the first song: some scratching guitar for "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)." A four-second false start is next, followed by someone (Noel?) saying "one, two," and a bit of microphonic feedback.
VOODOO CHILD (SLIGHT RETURN)
"Voodo Child (Slight Return)" (23) (4:47) is next, in what is almost certainly its live debut. The scratchy introduction is a good one. The pentatonic theme, colored wit the wah-wah pedal, changes in tone at 0:26; perhaps Jimi steps on another pedal. The first solo (0:31-1:14) and the second one (1:58-2:55) are both good ones. Jimi's vocal melody for the first line of the second verse - "Didn't mean to take up all your sweet time" - is significantly different from subsequent versions, and he sings slightly different words in the next line: "give it right back after a while." (When he repeats the line, he sings the more usual "give it right back one of these days.") The second chorus, too, is different: Jimi extends it, singing "cause I'm a voodoo child, voodoo child, Lord knows I'm a voodoo child, baby, voodoo child, baby, voodoo child, voodoo child." Jimi plays a relatively brief outro solo and ending (3:42-4:47).
Noel says "Thank you very much, ta," but Jimi, reacting to audience members throwing beer mats up on stage, is less gracious: "Don't do that, don't do that. Hey look, we can't play if you're gonna throw those things up here, okay? No, don't do that. No, no, bad. Yeah, we can't play if you're gonna do that. If you throw any more, then we come off the stage." Jimi plays a little twelve-second burst of guitar, which blends seamlessly into the opening harmonic notes of the next song.
STONE FREE
"Stone Free" (10) (1:01) is cut short by audience misbehaviour: there is a brief guitar break (1:08-1:14), but no real solo, as the song ends just 15 seconds into the second verse. MC Frapolli addresses the audience in Swiss German; [Fans! Bitte kei Gägeschtänd uf d'Büne werfe, au kei Bierteckel. Jimi Hendrix hört susch uf schpile! Er hört susch uf! Bitte also ruhig ihm zuelose. Sini Musig brucht sehr vill Ufmerksamkeit, losed nöd nu mit em Buuch, sondern au no chli mit den Ohre!] Peter Herzig translated his comments in Jimpress 25 (February, 1994): "Fans, please don't throw any objects towards the stage, not even beer mats. Otherwise, Jimi Hendrix will stop playing! He will stop! So please listen to him quietly. His music needs a lot of attention; don't listen with your stomach only, but also a bit with your ears!" After a bit more tuning, and some microphonic feedback, Jimi speaks: "Look, I'm telling you right now, if you throw any more of those things, man, just forget it, okay? Thanks a lot." After more tuning and feedback, and some chat from the taper, we get more tuning and then Hendrix says "We'd like to do a song that we recorded off our new LP, our old one, it's called 'I Don't Live Today', dedicated to the American Indian and you people."
I DON'T LIVE TODAY
"I Don't Live Today" (14) (3:41) begins with a brief drum introduction; the guitar enters at 0:18, quickly followed by the first vocal verse. The first guitar solo (1.24-1:54) is unfortunately marred by frequent chat from the taper from 1:33-1:46. At 2:09, Jimi offers a sound painting following the line "nothing but existing"; another solo (2:21-3:41) brings the song to an end. Noel says "Thank you, thank you very much" over the applause.
Jimi says "We'd like to slow the pace - we're gonna slow the pace down. Wait a minute, wait a minute, hold on, hold on." In response to calls for "Hey Joe," Hendrix says "Yeah, yeah, okay, yeah, okay, okay, we'll do it." There is another call from the audience for "Hey Joe." More chat from the taper is audible, and there is more tuning; Jimi's guitar is quite musical (4:56-5:04). Jimi says "Thank you very much; we'd like to slow down the pace and play a song called "Red House."
RED HOUSE
"Red House" (20) (12:13) is one of the longest versions Hendrix ever played. Jimi only began to play versions longer than six minutes in March of 1968, so it's also one of the earliest long versions. The opening two choruses are beautiful instrumentals, played on a black Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar (a rare choice for Jimi); the second chorus begins with the same arpeggios that characterize the first. After the instrumentals, Jimi sings two verses. The last line of the first vocal is "in about - let's see now - 99 and one-half days." The next choruses are instrumental: chorus five features fiery guitar, with Jimi kicking in the wah-wah pedal in the ninth measure, at the dominant (5:26). The sixt chorus is again fiery, opening with bends and complex double-pull-offs. The seventh chorus is quiet, percussive guitar, with minimal accompaniment, reminiscent of Jimi's performance in Ottawa on 19 March 1968. Chorus eight gives more of the same, with some jazzy, chordal playing from Hendrix. The ninth chorus features quiet unaccompanied lead guitar, with wah-wah; the cut in the source tape at 9:34 omits about 27 seconds of music, as noted above. In the ninth verse, Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding join in, and the tenth and final verse is again vocal.
After the song ends, Noel says "Thank you very much, ta"; overlapping with Noel, Jimi says "That was "Red House." Hendrix says "Like to continue on with another song." There is a bit more tuning, as Jimi changes from the Les Paul Custom back to a [blue] Fender Stratocaster.
HEY JOE
"Hey Joe" (30) (3:44) follows the studio version quite closely. The taper is audible, saying "Hey Joe" at 1:23. Hendrix quotes from the Beatles song "I Feel Fine" (1:31-1:35) right before the first solo (1:36-1:57), and again during the next vocal (2:14-2:18). Jimi offers a brief outro solo (3:12-3:34) before the chromatic riff and end.
Jimi tunes his guitar as the audience applauds. Noel says something largely indecipherable, perhaps about tuning or the vocals.
FOXY LADY
"Foxy Lady" (31) (4:14) begins with 23 seconds of feedback, though it is not clearly audible until about 0:09. Jimi's first solo (2:14-2:53) includes Hendrix's characteristic dental tone right from the start. Audience response swells near the end of the solo (2:48-2:53), as if in response to a bit of showmanship; Hendrix plays a cadenza and brings the song to an end (3:40-4:14).
Noel says "Thank you very much, ta," and Jimi tunes up, offering a cute little thrill (4:40-4:41). Hendrix says "Thank you very much for staying this long. Like to continue." Jimi goes on to say something that sounds a bit like "The crowd does love us."
MANIC DEPRESSION
"Manic Depression" (7) (3:47) is a rare live outing: this is the second longest (and the next to last) of only eight known concert versions. The first solo (1:24-2:17) is worthy, as is the outro and ending (3:29-3:47).
Noel says "Thank you very much," as he so often does; Jimi says "I'd like to say thank you very much for coming. We have one more last number to do. And dedicated to everybody out there - and everybody there. Song goes something like this - oh yeah, we got two more songs to do, yeah." We hear a bit more guitar tuning.
FIRE
"Fire" (25) (3:09) has a rather different form from the usual one. Jimi offers some exuberant lead guitar playing (0:11-0:22) even before the initial vocal verse. Noel's vocal contributions to the choruses are audible. Jimi's first solo (1:26-1:36) follows the studio version closely. He then plays the introductory riff, and adds some wild improvisation (1:41-2:03), including double pull-offs (1:55-1:59). He offers a fine outro solo (2:30-2:50) too.
The band members thank the audience, and Jimi says "Yeah, we only have one more last number to do, so we'd like to say thank you very very much for coming - thank you and goodbye." He offers a bit more tuning.
PURPLE HAZE
"Purple Haze" (40) (6:07) closes the concert. Hendrix begins the song with a vivid sound painting lasting 2:11; unfortunately, chatter from the taper is frequently audible (and distracting) in the first minute. Jimi has some fun with the vocals, singing "kiss this guy" in place of "kiss the sky" (3:04-3:05); he also blows the lyrics in the second verse, singing "if it's day or night" in place of "if I'm coming up or down" (3:15-3.16). His solo (3:35-4:09) is initially close to the studio version, but includes improvisational elements in the latter half. In Hendrix's outro vocals, the taper is again audible, but Jimi's final cadenza and ending (5:25-6:07), including some dental playing, sounds fine.
Jimi says "Thank you very much," while the last guitar chord is still sounding. The final sounds on the tape are the words of the MC, who speaks in German this time, saying [Zum Schluss: Jimi Hendrix and his Experience. Damit ist heut unser heutiger Abend abgeschlossen. Ich danke für Ihr zahlreiches Erscheinen. Bis zum nächsten Mal. Gute Heimkehr.] "At last: Jimi Hendrix and his Experience. Therewith today's evening has come to an end. Until next time. Hafe a safe trip back home." The second night of the Monsterkonzert had come to an end.
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