Hendrix & Miles Dead at the Fillmore

Hendrix & Miles Dead at the Fillmore

It is very difficult for me to say this, but probably the most disappointing musical experience I’ll have in 1970 already happened on the year’s first day. What has Jimi Hendrix been doing up in Woodstock?

With each song of the set I found myself starting to compromise - telling myself that next song he will explode, but that next song never came. I am dumbfounded at the thought that I could predict Hendrix musically. It took me a few measures each song and I had it under my belt. I sat back miserably half amazed to wait out the rest of the song. At one point he even felt it necessary to apologize, saying that they were jamming and he thanked he audience for sitting through it. What in hell has he been doing up in Woodstock? He was enjoying it, too, giving a benign smile and nod each time the band followed one of his changes. I wasn’t enjoying it at all. I was thinking that if the audience had charged him to practice in front of them, it would have been a much better concert.

Looking at his new group: Billy Cox is an ex-Chicago bluesman who probably should have remained one. He is a more than capable bassist - better than Redding might ever be. His stage presence is lacking which is a serious fault when you are one of three. He was very smooth and chose to remain that way, instead of sticking his neck out a little to create something new. Hendrix seemed very happy with him. The only way I can begin to resolve anything in my mind about Cox is in this far-fetched speculation: if Redding played the bass on Lady land’s Watchtower, then Hendrix has definitely lost something good; but if Hendrix played that bass line, then in Cox, he has found someone that, hopefully, he will cut a good side with someday. Buddy Miles is a different story altogether. In fact, I think Miles is the biggest reason why Hendrix was unimpressive. One day Hendrix and he got together and cut Rainy Day which, up to that time, proved to be one of the biggest successes in rock music. That’s where it began for those two, and to my mind after seeing them together, that’s where it ended. Miles has very little imagination, if any - physically appearing to do much more than he actually is. He is said to have given “A Band Of Gypsys” (their name) a good soulful influence. To my mind, Hendrix always had soul - it wasn’t the Sly Stone or the James Brown type - it was the Hendrix type and it was rich. Now it is the Buddy Miles type with a lot of fast guitar work on the side. Give me Mitchell any day. He pushed Hendrix into new ideas all the time. I had always speculated on that, and now I feel confirmed. Mitchell is incredible; Miles, well, he’s a drummer.

If anyone is counting on that last “Experience” tour to materialize, don’t hold your breath. The New York Post allegedly reported an interview with Jimi in which he said that he would never even consider playing with Redding again. He also said that Miles would be taking most of the vocals, since he never felt he could sing, anyway. That makes me sick.

After having played only one familiar song during the set, Hendrix rounded out the set with a thing called Earth Blues Today. This seemed to be the only new song that leaned towards jumping the boundaries of Ladyland, but it ultimately held back. The band then left the stage as the audience applauded. One or two muffled cries for more could be heard, and then everything was quiet. No encore.

I heard the next day that the late show was much better - he based his set on already recorded material. They also had a few encores. That is very nice.

My apologies to The East Harlem Singers - I only caught their last number which sounded promising.

John Woodruff