"Machine Gun" | |
---|---|
Song by Jimi Hendrix | |
from the album Band of Gypsys | |
Released | March 25, 1970 |
Recorded | January 1, 1970 (second show) |
Venue | Fillmore East, New York City |
Genre | |
Length | 12:38 |
Label | Capitol |
Songwriter(s) | Jimi Hendrix |
Producer(s) | Jimi Hendrix (as Heaven Research) |
"Machine Gun" is a song written by American musician Jimi Hendrix, and originally recorded for the 1970 Band of Gypsys album, with Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. It is a lengthy, loosely defined (jam-based) protest of the Vietnam War. [3]
At a performance in Berkeley, California, Hendrix introduced the song:
I'd like to dedicate this song to soldiers fighting in Berkeley—you know what soldiers I'm talking about—and oh yeah, the soldiers fighting in Vietnam too ... and dedicate [it] to other people that might be fighting wars too, but within themselves, not facing up to the realities.
Hendrix's 12-minute performance of "Machine Gun" for the Band of Gypsys is often lauded as his greatest, and is considered a stunning display of guitar virtuosity. [3] [4] Hendrix's long guitar solos and percussive riffs combine with controlled feedback to simulate the sounds of a battlefield, such as helicopters, dropping bombs, explosions, machine guns, and the screams and cries of those wounded or grieving. Although a proper studio recording was never realized, several live recordings exist.
Hendrix debuted "Machine Gun" in September 1969 in a performance on The Dick Cavett Show . [5] He was backed by drummer Mitch Mitchell, bassist Cox, and conga player Juma Sultan, who along with Larry Lee and Jerry Velez, performed at Woodstock as "Gypsy Sun and Rainbows". At about two and a half minutes, it is the shortest known performance of the song. Later releases vary from ten to twenty minutes. The improvisatory material revolves around a core descending riff and bassline: the song opens with a Uni-Vibe-based guitar riff intended to mimic the sound of a firing machine gun. The bass and drum patterns then commence. The rather sparse lyrics, which differ in every performance, relate the point of view of a soldier fighting in war:
Machine gun, tearin' my body all apart
Evil man make me kill you, evil man make you kill me
Evil man make me kill you, even though we're only families apart
Well, I pick up my axe and fight like a farmer
But your bullets still knock me down to the ground
With the Band of Gypsys, Hendrix's vocals are accompanied by drummer Miles's vocals. "Machine Gun" is a prime example of Hendrix's use of guitar effects, as most recordings use a wah-wah pedal, an Arbiter Fuzz Face, a Univibe pedal, and an Octavia pedal, [3] as well as heavy feedback. Two additional performances of the song appear on the expanded Band of Gypsys' album Live at the Fillmore East released in 1999. A fourth is included on Machine Gun: The Fillmore East First Show (2016). [6] Later performances with Mitchell and Cox are included on Live at Berkeley (2003) and Blue Wild Angel: Live at the Isle of Wight (2002).
A sparse studio version of "Machine Gun" was recorded at The Hit Factory in New York on the 29th of August 1969, [7] during sessions for Hendrix's intended fourth studio album. This recording was later heavily edited by Alan Douglas and released on the 1975 posthumous album Midnight Lightning . This version, which was edited to 7:30 (actual length was about 12:56), was not well received among fans, as Douglas had brought in session musicians to overdub drum, bass and even guitar parts, which had been lacking due to either poor recording quality or damage to the tapes[ citation needed ].
Further versions of the song were recorded at The Record Plant in New York in November 1969. [8] Although the Hendrix estate gained control of his recordings in 1995 and re-released what are presumed to be authentic recordings of some of the songs that Douglas had overdubbed, an unaltered studio version of "Machine Gun" has yet to be issued.
Drawing upon the protest theme, The Isley Brothers recorded a medley of the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's song "Ohio" and Hendrix's "Machine Gun" (titled "Ohio" / "Machine Gun") on their 1971 album Givin' It Back.
Edwin H. Kramer is a South African-born recording producer and engineer. He has collaborated with several artists now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, the Kinks, Kiss, John Mellencamp, GRODD and Carlos Santana, as well as records for other well-known artists in various genres.
Band of Gypsys is a live album by Jimi Hendrix and the first without his original group, the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was recorded on January 1, 1970, at the Fillmore East in New York City with R&B musicians Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums, a grouping frequently referred to as the Band of Gypsys. The album mixes funk and R&B elements with Hendrix's psychedelic rock guitar and wah pedal-based jamming, an approach which later became the basis of funk rock. It contains previously unreleased songs and was the last full-length Hendrix album released before his death six months later.
George Allen "Buddy" Miles Jr. was an American composer, drummer, guitarist, vocalist and producer. He was a founding member of the Electric Flag (1967), a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys (1969–1970), founder and leader of the Buddy Miles Express and later, the Buddy Miles Band. Miles also played and recorded with Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, and others. He also sang lead vocals on the California Raisins claymation TV commercials and recorded two California Raisins R&B albums.
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William "Billy" Cox is an American bassist, best known for performing with Jimi Hendrix. Cox is the only surviving musician to have regularly played with Hendrix: first when both were in the Army, then in 1969 with the experimental group that backed Hendrix at Woodstock, followed by the trio with drummer Buddy Miles that recorded the live Band of Gypsys album, and, lastly, The Cry of Love Tour trio with Mitch Mitchell back on drums. Cox continues to perform dates with the Band of Gypsys Experience and the Experience Hendrix Tour.
Live at the Fillmore East is a posthumous live album by Jimi Hendrix released on February 23, 1999. The album documents Hendrix's performances with the Band of Gypsys at the Fillmore East on December 31, 1969, and January 1, 1970. It is drawn from the same performances as, and can be seen as an extended complement to, the album Band of Gypsys (1970), consisting mostly of songs not on the original album. The album peaked at No. 77 on the Canadian RPM Album charts.
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Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970) was an American guitarist whose career spanned the years between 1962 and 1970. His posthumous discography includes recordings released after September 18, 1970. Hendrix left behind many recordings in varying stages of completion. This material, along with reissues of his career catalogue, has been released over the years in several formats by various producers and record companies. Since Experience Hendrix, a company owned and operated by members of the Hendrix family, took control of his recording legacy in 1995, over 15 Hendrix albums have appeared on the main US albums chart. Several of these have also placed on charts in more than 18 countries around the world.
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