 | oscargamblesfro (82)
03/23/2006 |  Let's talk about instrumental prowess for a moment. Of course, it isn't everything- there are great bands with limited musical ability, and mediocre or bad ones with lots of technical skill. I regard the Jimi Hendrix Experience as THE single greatest rock band of all time from this standpoint, though NO discussion of this trio should only include that, one must consider their songs, their lyrics, the production values etc. Yes, even greater than Cream, Zeppelin, Traffic, and other giants of the music.Forgetting about Redding and Hendrix himself for the time being, Mitchell has to stand as one of the more diverse drummers in rock history- equally adept at hitting the drums pretty hard, or playing in a busy, jazzlike style like the great Ginger Baker of Cream, and yet very different. Mitchell had previously played with Georgie Fame and very briefly with The Pretty Things, and so, like Redding, he was an unknown or virtual unknown when the trio was formed. His work on 'Fire" alone would rank him in the list of great rock drummers. After Hendrix's death, he joined a couple of forgotten acts and quickly faded into obscurity for the most part, but an amazing talent in his own right. The only living member of this mightiest of rock bands instrumentally speaking.
(2 voted this helpful, 0 funny and 0 agree) |