JIMI HENDRIX IS THE GREATEST , MOST INFLUENTIAL , MOST INNOVATIVE GUITAR PLAYER OF ALL

TIME , THREE MASTERPIECE ALBUMS 1. ARE YOU EXPERIENCED ? 2. AXIS BOLD AS LOVE !

3. ELECTRIC LADYLAND ! JIMI HENDRIX PAVED THE WAY FOR LED ZEPPELIN DUDE !

I cant believe some of the nonsense I am reading here. Jimi Hendrix is hands down the best guitar player to ever live. There is no comparison. Some of the morons who post here are obviously extremely desperate for attention. The bottom line is, if you think that Hendrix is untalented and unlistenable, then you are just someone who really should not be playing or for that matter even listening to music. To say Jimi had no talent is like saying that Leonardo Davinci's paintings are garbage. It is something that is just so ridiculous that you must question the intentions and sanity of the people writing this shit. Some one who thinks Hendrix had no talent is someone who thinks the world is flat. His music is powerful and some may fear and not understand it, so they go into their hole of ignorance. Jimi was, is, and will always be the best guitar player ever. What he innovated in his short career was more than a whole two generations would have done on their own. Jimi will live forever and if you cant handle it, its too heavy for you.

Of course he was a tremendous innovator and had great technical skill.  He was an extremely articulate player and wrote some very solid tunes.  He played with passion, great style and elan.  His version of "All Along The Watchtower" is one of the greatest covers ever.  His songs, "Little Wing" "If Six Were Nine," and "The Wind Cries Mary" are truly grreat pieces.  To get a deeper appreciation of this guy's talent, get the CD compilation on which he only plays blues guitar.  You'll see that he is a master of virtually every major blues guitar style, and you'll get a feel for his influences.

A great, and groundbreaking, guitarist whose peers were in awe of him when he hit the scene. They knew the ballgame had changed forever. Jeff Beck's initial response was "What the hell am I going to do tomorrow? Get a job at the post office." After Clapton first heard him, se said in an interview" "My life was never the same again." Hendrix, being rated as low as he is, is a joke.

A great guitarist and revolutionary but by far not the best guitarist

This is a VERY touchie subject.  I guess it would depend on how you look at music. Jimi to me was a great artist because music to me is still an art.  maybe he couldn't read Beethoven scripture but he was a great entertainer and was very abstract with the music.  What you call "noise" I would look at it as art.  Drugs or not he was very influential on the music industry.

Hendrix by himself was The best ever next to the Beatles(who to me suckass0
and Led Zepplin(who after Communication Breakdown i listen 2 regulary)

A great and immeasurably influential guitarist who loved music and wrote and performed some truly legendary songs. Although he died some twenty years before I was born, I know from experiencing Hendrix's albums that music was never the same again without him.
Hell, I was experienced!

i sawr things on here discounting jimi because of his drug use. no doubt a post by some puritan who thinks their doing society a favor by badmouthing hendrix. go bad mouth hemingway, fitzgerald, Po drank absinthe, and so forth the list can go on and on.back to the review, listen to jimi live (concerts etc) if you have any question of his actual ability, not "hiding" behind a studio. i belive you will find yourself surprised to find his fire intensity even more then you suspected!! and yes, jimi was a brilliant lyricist, he was in the bob dylan school of isolation lyrics, which i personally love to death. jimi didnt just make some noise, he wouldnt have made every guitarist curse under their breath as Jimi went to London and nearly set the town on fire with his intensity, proficiency and showmanship. They called him Dylan, James Brown, and Eric Clapton all rolled into one!! He really was. Ive seen Dylan and James Brown. Jimi is all that and a extra large bag of chips. his singing is very gospel influenced, especialy on the medium paced numbers. He was like Jim Morrison. Crazy innovator. Nuff said

Hendrix is still a big reason why guitarists pick up the instrument. Like it or not, he is still a big icon in the field. I have listened to a 15-minute snippet of Hendrix at Woodstock, and I am still suprised by what he was able to do with a guitar. I have yet to hear many other guitarists who can keep up.

I keep reading praises of Jimi Hendrix that include: pioneer, genius, legend, icon, best guitar player ever, greatest musician ever, and so on and so on. He is not any of these...he is nothing more than a drug addict that made a few wierd noises a little bit different on his guitar than the other guitarists in his time. Please stop saying that all guitarists can trace their craft back to him. He is so overrated that it almost hurts...no genius would abuse drugs in the way that he did. The fact that anyone would look up to him is also nauseating just for that fact alone. For some reason, a huge fad started to go around telling everyone how cool Jimi Hendrix was after he died, that is all it really is, a fad. The music he performed is nothing but complete and pointless noise pollution. And I would NEVER recommend his music to teenagers, let alone anyone else. Garbage......we could say Lindsay Lohan is wonderful and a pioneer, too. She is an excellent actress...but abuses drugs. But that is the difference with today and back then. It was more cool to be an artist hooked on drugs than it is now...

  I can understand if someone prefers other players, or thinks that Hendrix wasn't a great singer. Personally, I don't have a problem with his voice, okay, maybe it's not of the caliber of a Winwood or an Eric Burdon, but it didn't have to be. It's a matter of taste, but I do find the claim  that he was' talentless' bizarre- at best. I mean, should he have been born say 5 years later and just recorded songs about partying all night and the power of rock and all of that bullshit like mid to late 70's and beyond rock acts? Forgetting about Hendrix the singer, and Hendrix the guitar player, and Hendrix the live act, and Hendrix the producer, and Hendrix the guest musician, and Hendrix the innovator....Hendrix the psychedelic rock master, the blues guitarist, the influence/ foundational figure of fusion, of funk, of jazz/ rock, of early heavy metal, Hendrix the song interpreter, etc, his lyrics are usually a hell of a lot better than a hell of a lot of people's.... If someone says well I  just don't like  the sci- fi kind of psychedelic lyrics, that's ok, but how many acts in his wake, inspired by him, could have written, say, "I Don't Live Today?" Or " Angel?" or 'Little Wing?" "Castles Made of Sand?"

Read Flick's review, it says it all in my view...

I can not understand why this guy gets so much support and praise for his inability to play the guitar well. His voice was horrible and unlistenable, and his playing was sloppy at best. No other artist in the history of Rock & Roll has gotten so much credit for NO TALENT then Hendrix.

The weakest argument being made here is being "the first", is Jackie Robinson the greatest African-American baseball player of all-time because he was the first black baseball player in the Major Leagues? Is George Washington the greatest President of all-time because he was the first President? Is Charles Lindbergh the greatest pilot of all-time because he was the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean? I can go on and on, so being the "first" doesn't mean anything and too much importance is placed on being the first when it shouldn't be. 

Jimi was unique in a number of ways, many of which have been written about both here and in countless articles over the years. People have written about his style, his sound, his studio innovations, his electrifying live performances, and his showmanship, all of which is true. But in my view the greatest element which made Hendrix so unique was the fact he was one of the first, if not the first, Black rock and roll guitarists who took music forward from old school guitarists like Bo Diddly and Chuck Berry. Jimi was a blues guitarist who had a different kind of music in his veins. While other blues guitarists such as Eric Clapton learned their licks by emulating what they heard on records, Jimi was sharing the stage with many of the soul and blues legends of his day. From spring 1963 until he was discovered by Keith Richard's girlfriend who introduced him to Chas Chandler in 1965, Jimi played the Chitlin Circuit in the southern US. The Chitlin Circuit was a string of musical venues where soul food was served and in the 50s and 60s these tours were crucial for many black artists because true soul music had very little mainstream coverage. Although too numerous to name them all here, some of the people Jimi played with were Slim Harpo, Curtis Mayfield, Steve Cropper, Albert Collins, Ike and Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, and Larry Lee, who became a  longtime friend and played second guitar with him at Woodstock. Jimi played with the Isley Bros and joined the Sam Cooke tour which included Jackie Wilson and BB King. He toured with Little Richard but tempers flared as Hendrix would sometimes steal the spotlight. He met with Arthur Lee and recorded two songs with Lee's band "Love." The list goes on and on but the point is Hendrix was not an overnight success in the world of Rock music. He was there at the right time and the right place rubbing elbows with the music greats, while searching for his own individual style. Jimi didn't just copy licks but built his style on the foundation of his predecessors. Before Hendrix, groups like the Yardbirds and even the Beatles were experimenting with sound but right from the start Hendrix's guitar work sounded like something from outer space and seemed light years ahead of his contemporaries. Ironically, once Jimi became famous as a rock guitarist he was shunned by many in the Black community as having sold out. People didn't understand he came from a blues and soul background and was giving us rock music as seen through the eyes and played through the hands of a blues playing Black man who paid his dues on the Chitlin Circuit. I wish I was able to expand in greater detail because there are layers upon layers of points I would like to make but there's just too much to say here in this limited space so I'll conclude with this: Around the time of the British invasion there were many black musicians but almost no black rock guitar players other than the originals of rock and roll. Jimi was the first in many areas and gave us sounds and music that pushed the limits of 1960s technology. Though he is given credit for many musical firsts it is often overlooked Jimi was a Black rock guitarist who took electric blues, fused it with the new (at the time) acid rock, and gave all guitarists from that point forward a new height to achieve. Just as Jimi built upon the foundations of his predecessors I think he would be the first to encourage guitarists who would come after him to take what he gave us and continue to build. There are many great guitarists in almost every genre of music but there was only one Jimi Hendrix and in my opinion, when taken as a whole, he was the best rock guitarist of all time. The limited writing space here does not allow me to do him justice. 

what's sad about hendrix is how the radio whores only play the same 5 songs of his over and over and over and over....

he actually has some much better stuff which you will never hear on the radio.... "and the God's made love" is one of my favs, just make sure you've got at least 4 speakers for it.

Ya Know, This site really blows, I Just got done writing reviews for Jimmy Page and Eddie Van Halen, and guess what this site gave em 3 stars. And now Hendrix too, You guys Just dont know your music. Hendrix was one of the greatest, I would love to see you go up there and play a Few of his songs on stage. Ya Right.

Obnoxiously overrated. I mean his sound was sloppy and his playing was bush league. If find his reputation mindnumbing. He was a simple blues rock guitarist that experimented with distortion and wailing riffs. (rather poorly I might add).

BirdEagl202 is pretty much spot on with their review concerning Jimi Hendrix. He never ceases to amaze me with his talent. The man played the guitar unlike anyone I had ever seen and even Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton were quoted during that time from NME magazine that they had nothing but absolute admiration for the guy and the way he played not to mention slight jealousy as he was going into territory that no artist had ever gone before. He hasn't got the best singing voice, but his voice complimented the music he was playing easily. "Hey Joe", "The Wind Cries Mary" and "Crosstown Traffic" are absolute classics.

Jash, you are right in that Hendrix copied playing with his teeth by Buddy Guy, but he did not imitate Pete Townsend by smashing his guitar. He smashed guitars before he had even heard of The Who. Just wanted to clear that up. Anyway, Jimi Hendrix is not overrated people. To fully appreciate his music, you need context. Hendrix played in a time when music was strictly classified as white or black. He was one of the first musicians to draw influnces from blues as well as early rock, and bring black music to segregated America. He was a trailblazer.

Jimi Hendrix is one of the best guitarists ever, from being talk down on by 'never-beens'--(he was playing too loud) To being one of the greats is quite of an accomplishment, for anyone who says he's not good or overrated is first off..being disrespectful and not giving his props, is simply saying "i wish that could've been me...", oh and his version of star-spangled banner was well played and express the U.S.to the 't', if he was alive now...there'll be no 'decent' bands to enjoy, he'd still be kickin ass...did god take 'em away because of that...hmm...who knows...LOL! :^)

jimi hendrix sucks people will say that hendrix was the best guitarist ever BUT why? clapton or vaughn can did everything he did or more hes way overrated. His solos were okay but everyone knows theres better stuff out there. he's good but not anything special, i dont know whats going through your ears!

unparalleled with the guitar in his hands, but brings on a pretty unparalleled headache with his music, too. noise-making pioneer.

Overrated. He was nothing special. He copied playing with his teeth and behind his back from Buddy Guy. He copied destroying guitars from Pete Townshend. His solos are predictable and boring and just pure noise. If you want to hear pure virtuosity, listen to John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton and Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.

fabulous guitar player so so lead singer

Jimi Hendrix was by far the most innovative, talented, and influential guitarist that ever lived. He could do all the rock styles, play the guitar with his teeth, play the guitar with one hand, play it with one hand behind his back, and pushed the limits of his guitar to create a breathtaking range of sound. He also created a unique rock style that no one has been able to imitate ever since. Music will never be the same......beyond legend.

When analyzing Hendrix, one must look at the entire package. Of course, Jimi is immortalized as THE MAN with the guitar, but he was a poet as well. Just ask The Axis........he knows everything! Hendrix was a musical medium, like Louis Armstrong, Miles, Trane and Bird before him, he was sent to us to forever change the way we listen to music. They were ALL lights for us to admire with astonishment & awe! He was our Mozart, if you will..........music has never been the same, and his music will live forever as with any true genius. Art at this level is TIMELESS!!!!!!!!!

hes way overrated he's really not that great at all people only think he is good becuase of his wah peddle without it he sucks

I think Jimi Hendrix was an amazing composer and producer besides being the best guitarplayer ever. A recording like 1983 is unique. Machine gun is a way of social commentary that has never been seen. Jimi Hendrix covered Dylan's All along the watchtower, and as soon as Dylan had heard Jimi's version he started to perform the song the way Jimi recorded it. Hendrix knew music. He played guitar 24 hours a day. His guitar was his love. He died too young, he could have done so much more. He wanted to do new things, but his managment made him tour continuesly.

Great guitar player, horrible singer, severely overrated because of his drug overdose at a young age.

James Marshall Hendrix was at least 20 years before his time. Sort of like Wilt Chamberlain and Bobby Orr, he did things that had never been done before. For some reason, he did not like his voice. It was average but not horrible.

The man was a legend!

Hendrix was the best rock guitarist in history. In a class by himself. Music for the ages. Way ahead of his time.

People go on about how good Hendrix was, just because he did amazing things with the guitar like play it with his teeth. Boring!! He was for his time (like Jesse Owens was a good sprinter for his) a reasonable guitar player taht did things differently. Truth is up against modern players who are far more proficient, faster and slicker with their licks Hendrix dosen't stand a chance. He has now become so over blown with myth and legend that he is truley overrated!

One of the greatest guitarist of all time. Could make the guitar do anything he wanted . Inspired many a guitarist.

Anyone who thinks jimi hendrix is bad is an idiot. He is by far the best guitar player that ever lived. People say he was bad for using drugs, SO WHAT. He made the music, it sounded great and doing drugs didn't change that.

4.5. And true CtvFan47, drugs are bad, but Jimi Hendrix played pretty good music back then

Greatest guitarist ever without a doubt, but I only like a few of his songs.

No thanks. Drugs are bad.

Hendrix was hands down the greatest musician of the Rock Pantheon.NOBODY was playing anything like what he put out until they heard HIM.In a short career,he changed music forever after.His output was prolific,and of superb quality.He was still expanding his already humungous style when he passed away.

if you dont like jimi hendrix you obviously are an idoit who cant tell music from his own dick i think he is a great guitarist i seen someone who called him punk you must listen to pop or something oyu idoit

Jimi can play a better guitar solo with his TEETH than most people can play with their hands.

a hard rocking musician

Jimi Hendrix is the most versitale, innovative guitarist of all time. When I see him playing with his teeth or behind his back, it just makes my jaw drop. Every aspiring guitarist should follow Jimi's music.

Watch this guy live.... Amaaazing... he is guitar

Just simply........ THE MASTER!! Enough said........

Like duh!!!!

The first Punk rocker

Musical genius. His music...is so energetic and great to listen to. His songs have good messages and he is a mad man at the guitar! WE MISS YOU JIMI! 1942-1970

One of the best rock guitarists of all time, in a class with Clapton, Collins, Plant et al. How anyone rates him below five stars is beyond me.

Three stars?! Who in there right mind would give the best guitar player of all time only three stars? Wow...that is really sad. That overall rating makes me sick! Let me explain why he is a five! For one most of these other classic rock groups that you gave a higher score than him were inspired by him, including the beatles! He was so inspired by his guitar that he slept with it every night and when he got his first guitar they only had right handed ones, he was left handed so he switched the whole board of the guitar around on his own. The guy played the guitar until his hands bled and the music was incredible. For all those that have tried to play guitar should understand he is a five all the way!