“Are You Experienced” is the debut studio album by
English-American rock band the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Released in 1967, the
LP was an immediate critical and commercial success, and it is widely regarded
as one of the greatest debuts in the history of rock music. The album features
Jimi Hendrix's innovative approach to songwriting and electric guitar playing
which soon established a new direction in psychedelic and hard rock music.
By mid-1966, Hendrix was struggling to earn a living playing the R&B circuit as a backing guitarist. After being referred to Chas Chandler, who was leaving the Animals and interested in managing and producing artists, Hendrix was signed to a management and production contract with Chandler and ex-Animals manager Michael Jeffery. Chandler brought Hendrix to London and began recruiting members for a band designed to showcase the guitarist's talents, the Jimi Hendrix Experience. In late October, after having been rejected by Decca Records, the Experience signed with Track, a new label formed by the Who's managers Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp.
“Are You Experienced” and its preceding singles were recorded over a five-month period from late October 1966 through early April 1967. The album was completed in sixteen recording sessions at three London locations, including De Lane Lea Studios, CBS Studios, and Olympic Studios. Released in the UK on May 12, 1967, “Are You Experienced” spent 33 weeks on the charts, peaking at number two. The album was issued in the US on August 23 by Reprise Records, where it reached number five on the US Billboard Top LPs, remaining on the chart for 106 weeks, 27 of those in the Top 40. The album also spent 70 weeks on the US Billboard Hot R&B LPs chart, where it peaked at number 10. The US version contained some of Hendrix's best known songs, including the Experience's first three singles, which, though omitted from the British edition of the LP, were top ten hits in the UK: "Purple Haze", "Hey Joe", and "The Wind Cries Mary".
In 2005, Rolling Stone ranked “Are You Experienced” 15th on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The magazine placed four songs from the album on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: "Purple Haze" (17), "Foxy Lady" (153), "Hey Joe" (201), and "The Wind Cries Mary" (379). That same year, the record was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress in recognition of its cultural significance to be added to the National Recording Registry. Writer and archivist Reuben Jackson of the Smithsonian Institution wrote: "it's still a landmark recording because it is of the rock, R&B, blues ... musical tradition. It altered the syntax of the music ... in a way I compare to James Joyce's Ulysses."
By mid-1966, Hendrix was struggling to earn a living playing the R&B circuit as a backing guitarist. After being referred to Chas Chandler, who was leaving the Animals and interested in managing and producing artists, Hendrix was signed to a management and production contract with Chandler and ex-Animals manager Michael Jeffery. Chandler brought Hendrix to London and began recruiting members for a band designed to showcase the guitarist's talents, the Jimi Hendrix Experience. In late October, after having been rejected by Decca Records, the Experience signed with Track, a new label formed by the Who's managers Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp.
“Are You Experienced” and its preceding singles were recorded over a five-month period from late October 1966 through early April 1967. The album was completed in sixteen recording sessions at three London locations, including De Lane Lea Studios, CBS Studios, and Olympic Studios. Released in the UK on May 12, 1967, “Are You Experienced” spent 33 weeks on the charts, peaking at number two. The album was issued in the US on August 23 by Reprise Records, where it reached number five on the US Billboard Top LPs, remaining on the chart for 106 weeks, 27 of those in the Top 40. The album also spent 70 weeks on the US Billboard Hot R&B LPs chart, where it peaked at number 10. The US version contained some of Hendrix's best known songs, including the Experience's first three singles, which, though omitted from the British edition of the LP, were top ten hits in the UK: "Purple Haze", "Hey Joe", and "The Wind Cries Mary".
In 2005, Rolling Stone ranked “Are You Experienced” 15th on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The magazine placed four songs from the album on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: "Purple Haze" (17), "Foxy Lady" (153), "Hey Joe" (201), and "The Wind Cries Mary" (379). That same year, the record was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress in recognition of its cultural significance to be added to the National Recording Registry. Writer and archivist Reuben Jackson of the Smithsonian Institution wrote: "it's still a landmark recording because it is of the rock, R&B, blues ... musical tradition. It altered the syntax of the music ... in a way I compare to James Joyce's Ulysses."
“Are You Experieced” este albumul de debut al trupei
anglo-americane de rock Jimi Hendrix Experience. Lansat in 1967, LP-ul a
devenit imediat un success de critica si commercial si a fost peste tot
perceput ca cel mai mare album de debut in istoria rock-ului. Albumul prezinta
inclinatiile inovative ale lui Hendrix catre compozitie si modul de canta la
chitaraa electrica, ceeaa ce foarte curand va stabili o noua directive in
muzica psihedelica si hard rock.
De pe la mijlocul anului 1966 Hendrix se lupta sa-si castige existent cantand in circuitul R&B ca si chitarist de acompaniament. Dupa ce i-a fost prezentat lui Chass Chandler, care pleca din Animals si era interest in managementul altor artisti, Hendrix a semnat un contracted management si productie cu acesta si cu fostul manager al lui Animals Michael Jeffery. Chandler l-a adus pe Hendrix la Londra si a inceput sa recruteze membri pentru o trupa Jimi Hendrix Experience, care sa puna in valoare talentul de chitarist al acestuia. Spre sfarsitul lui octombrie, dupa ce a fost refuzata de Decca Records, trupa a semnat cu Track, o noua marca formata de managerii lui Thhe Who, Kit Lambert si Chris Stamp.
“Are You Experienced” si single-urile care l-au precedat au fost inregistrate de la sfarsitul lui octombrie 1966 pana spre inceputul lui aprilie 1967, adica in circa 5 luni. Albumul a fost completat in 16 sesiuni de inregistrare in 3 locuri diferite din Londra, incluzand De Lane Lea Studios, CBS Studios si Olympic Studios. Lansat in Marea Britanie pe 12 mai 1967, “Are You Experienced” a petrecut 33 de saptamani in chart-uri, atingand locul 2. Albumul a fost lansat in Statele Unite pe 23 august 1967, de catre Reprise Records, atingand acolo locul 5 in US Billboard Top LP’s, ramanand in chart 106 saptamani, dintre care 27 in Top 40. Albumul a petrecut de asemenea 70 de saptamani in US Billboard Hot R&B LPs chart, unde a atins locul 10. Versiunea din Statele Unite contine cateva din cele mai cunoscute cantece ale lui Hendrix, incluzand primele 3 single-uri ale trupei, care desi omise de pe editia britanica a LP-ului, fusesera piese de top 10 in Marea Britanie : "Purple Haze", "Hey Joe", si "The Wind Cries Mary".
In 2005 Rolling Stone a clasat “Are You Experienced” pe locul 15 in lista celor 500 cele mai mari albume ale tuturor timpurilor. Revista a clasat 4 cantece ale albumului pe lista celor mai mari 500 de cantece ale tuturor timpurilor: "Purple Haze" (17), "Foxy Lady" (153), "Hey Joe" (201), si "The Wind Cries Mary" (379). In acelasi an inregistrarea a fost aleasa in cele 50 ale Bibliotecii Congresului, pentru a fi adaugate in Registrul National al Inregistrarilor, ca recunoastere a semnificatiei culturale. Scriitorul si arhivistul Reuben Jackson de la Institutul Smithsonian a scris :”este inca o marca de referinta deoarece este despre rock, R&B, blues…traditie muzicala. A schimbat sintaxa muzicii intr-un fel comparabil cu Ulise al lui James Joyce”.
De pe la mijlocul anului 1966 Hendrix se lupta sa-si castige existent cantand in circuitul R&B ca si chitarist de acompaniament. Dupa ce i-a fost prezentat lui Chass Chandler, care pleca din Animals si era interest in managementul altor artisti, Hendrix a semnat un contracted management si productie cu acesta si cu fostul manager al lui Animals Michael Jeffery. Chandler l-a adus pe Hendrix la Londra si a inceput sa recruteze membri pentru o trupa Jimi Hendrix Experience, care sa puna in valoare talentul de chitarist al acestuia. Spre sfarsitul lui octombrie, dupa ce a fost refuzata de Decca Records, trupa a semnat cu Track, o noua marca formata de managerii lui Thhe Who, Kit Lambert si Chris Stamp.
“Are You Experienced” si single-urile care l-au precedat au fost inregistrate de la sfarsitul lui octombrie 1966 pana spre inceputul lui aprilie 1967, adica in circa 5 luni. Albumul a fost completat in 16 sesiuni de inregistrare in 3 locuri diferite din Londra, incluzand De Lane Lea Studios, CBS Studios si Olympic Studios. Lansat in Marea Britanie pe 12 mai 1967, “Are You Experienced” a petrecut 33 de saptamani in chart-uri, atingand locul 2. Albumul a fost lansat in Statele Unite pe 23 august 1967, de catre Reprise Records, atingand acolo locul 5 in US Billboard Top LP’s, ramanand in chart 106 saptamani, dintre care 27 in Top 40. Albumul a petrecut de asemenea 70 de saptamani in US Billboard Hot R&B LPs chart, unde a atins locul 10. Versiunea din Statele Unite contine cateva din cele mai cunoscute cantece ale lui Hendrix, incluzand primele 3 single-uri ale trupei, care desi omise de pe editia britanica a LP-ului, fusesera piese de top 10 in Marea Britanie : "Purple Haze", "Hey Joe", si "The Wind Cries Mary".
In 2005 Rolling Stone a clasat “Are You Experienced” pe locul 15 in lista celor 500 cele mai mari albume ale tuturor timpurilor. Revista a clasat 4 cantece ale albumului pe lista celor mai mari 500 de cantece ale tuturor timpurilor: "Purple Haze" (17), "Foxy Lady" (153), "Hey Joe" (201), si "The Wind Cries Mary" (379). In acelasi an inregistrarea a fost aleasa in cele 50 ale Bibliotecii Congresului, pentru a fi adaugate in Registrul National al Inregistrarilor, ca recunoastere a semnificatiei culturale. Scriitorul si arhivistul Reuben Jackson de la Institutul Smithsonian a scris :”este inca o marca de referinta deoarece este despre rock, R&B, blues…traditie muzicala. A schimbat sintaxa muzicii intr-un fel comparabil cu Ulise al lui James Joyce”.
List of tracks
Side 1
1. "Foxy
Lady" 3:22
2. "Manic
Depression" 3:46
3. "Red
House" 3:44
4. "Can
You See Me" 2:35
5. "Love
or Confusion" 3:17
6. "I
Don't Live Today" 3:58
Side 2
7. "May
This Be Love" 3:14
8. "Fire" 2:47
9. "Third
Stone from the Sun” 6:50
10. "Are
You Experienced?" 4:17
Personnel
Jimi Hendrix Experience
Jimi Hendrix – guitar, lead vocals
Noel Redding – bass guitar; backing vocals on "Foxy
Lady," "Fire," and "Purple Haze"
Mitch Mitchell – drums; backing vocals on "I Don't
Live Today" and "Stone Free"
Additional personnel
The Breakaways – backing vocals on "Hey Joe"
Chas Chandler – producer
Dave Siddle – engineering on "Manic
Depression," "Can You See Me," "Love or Confusion,"
"I Don't Live Today," "Fire," "Remember,"
"Hey Joe," "Stone Free," "Purple Haze,"
"51st Anniversary," and "The Wind Cries Mary"
Eddie Kramer – engineering on "The Wind Cries
Mary," "Are You Experienced?," and "Red House";
additional engineering on "Love or Confusion," "Fire,"
"Third Stone from the Sun," and "Highway Chile"
Mike Ross – engineering on "Foxy Lady,"
"Red House," and "Third Stone from the Sun"
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