Jimi Hendrix.

[Krazy_K]

I was talking to a friend who plays guitar and he thinks Jimi Hendrix is the best music person in the world.

He tells me that I shouldn't listen to Mudvyane and Prodigy and I tell him that I don't like Hendrix and he says I'm the only person in the world that doesn't think Hendrix is a god among music.

Now I turn to you; What do you think of Jimi Hendrix? Is he a god? Or is he overrated?

[SeanDMan]

I think he sucks. Jim Hendrix is one of the worst musicians in the world, and he has never done anything remotely interesting.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Saw that one coming, Sean doesn't agree with anything that isn't Radiohead.

I think Hendrix is a good guitarist, overrated? Yes. Nevertheless, he's good. I love Castles Made of Sand and If 6 Was 9.

[stokeriño]

Inevitably there's a group of artists who are lauded so universally that all sense of proportion is lost and they can't be anything other than overrated. Jimi Hendrix is one of those people.

But that doesn't mean he didn't make awesome music.

[Guest bukkake]

"Are You Experienced?" is a good album.

[triplexpac]

Hendrix is great. By all accounts, he was a revolution... the list goes on and on of all the guitarists that were around during his rise to fame, who were all floored by him.

His music may not be as polished as todays, and it may not really fit in any genre or whatever, but man, that guy could play.

One quote that sticks out in my mind basically said that where you could hear a lot of the influences in guitarists at the time (like Clapton), Hendrix came out of nowhere with his own thing.

[GoGo Yubari]

Inevitably there's a group of artists who are lauded so universally that all sense of proportion is lost and they can't be anything other than overrated. Jimi Hendrix is one of those people.

But that doesn't mean he didn't make awesome music.

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Exactly. Stokie wins.

[Brimstone13]

Hendrix was a good musician, but he couldn't sing worth a damn. I like him personally, but as far as him being a god, I think not.

[Steeb]

Heavily-over-rated. Not to say he's not good, but he's not worthy of all the status that was put on him. He mainly used tricks, which is what got him his fame, IMO. And I actually quite like his voice...

[Skummy]

Jimi Hendrix is by no means a good guitarist. He sounded amazing, but he didn't know what the fuck he was doing, by his own admission. Purely going on technical merits he's one of the worst guitarists to ever score a record deal.

That's all irrelevant, though, because what he does sounds amazing. He is, however, heavily over-rated.

The problem with the likes of Jimi Hendrix is that so many people are of the mentality that he's the greatest guitarist of all time, and that no one else could ever surpass him, that when someone inevitably does (and has), they don't see it, they still herald Hendrix as the best regardless.

EDIT: And your friend sounds a bit of a flapjack to me. Trying to influence someone's music tastes is one thing, ridiculing bands they like is one thing, but directly telling you what to and what not to listen to is shit.

Edited August 18, 2005 by Skumfrog

[Krazy_K]

I told him that. He can comment on my bands but I can't comment on mine.

He told me to shut up.

[The LBTN Express]

I wouldn't consider Hendrix to be one of the best, but he is one of my favourites. All Along The Watchtower is still one of my favourite songs.

[Pander Opiate]

Hendrix was revolutionary in the electric guitar. He changed music and lots of people appreciate him because of that. Obviously at time has gone by he's developed an almost god like status as his ability has been blown up out of proportion. You don't have to love his music and think he was the best ever musically but it's hard to argue that he didn't make ground breaking changes in the electric guitar and music in general

[public enemy]

Although I'm not the biggest fan of his music, I don't think there's any doubt in what he's done for music as a whole.

At the time for a black man to appear on television playing guitar the way he did was truly revolutionary; he helped pave the way forward for new music and musicians all over the world. By today's standards, people have surpassed his technical ability by some margin but at the time he was something so fresh and so new, It was extraordinary to see him play. To withstand the test of time like he has done really shows how much of a legend or cult figure he was, whether you like him or not.

[triplexpac]

Jimi Hendrix is by no means a good guitarist. He sounded amazing, but he didn't know what the fuck he was doing, by his own admission. Purely going on technical merits he's one of the worst guitarists to ever score a record deal.

That's all irrelevant, though, because what he does sounds amazing. He is, however, heavily over-rated.

The problem with the likes of Jimi Hendrix is that so many people are of the mentality that he's the greatest guitarist of all time, and that no one else could ever surpass him, that when someone inevitably does (and has), they don't see it, they still herald Hendrix as the best regardless.

EDIT: And your friend sounds a bit of a flapjack to me. Trying to influence someone's music tastes is one thing, ridiculing bands they like is one thing, but directly telling you what to and what not to listen to is shit.

←

Edited August 18, 2005 by triplexpac

[TMM]

Just out of curiosity, lets have some discussion. Who's better than Hendrix?

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Pete Townshend of the Who. I say this because I love the Who, and whenever I hear him play it always sounds awesome. In my opinion he's better than Jimi Hendrix, and is one of the best of all time, and is undoubtably one of the most influential guitarists of all time.

The thing about Jimi Hendrix is, while some may say he was crap/decent/whatever (which may be true), it's undeniable how influential he was/is. The simple fact that whenever most people ask the question of who's the greatest guitarist of all time, most people will say Jimi sorta says that for itself.

Edited August 18, 2005 by The Monkey Molester

[VerbalPuke]

Hendrix played good rock and roll, better than alot of the shit that was around during his time. I used to love Hendrix as a kid, but really don't find myself listening to him all that much anymore. Good guitar player or not (that's up to anybodys discretion), he could rock it out. I'll take him over most any modern day band, musician, solo artist, or whatever you want to say.

As for guitar players, my personal choice is Stevie Ray Vaughn. I love that man's style.

[Hobo]

Hendrix is overrated, he was an innovater but his legend is bigger than the talent imo.

[zero]

In my opinion, Hendrix is the greatest guitarist who ever lived, but that still doesn't mean he isn't overrated. Stokey said it best with his post. Of course, I'm sure there are tons of better guitarists out there, but most of them we'll never hear.

[Skummy]

Okay, that's going a bit far. One of the WORST guitarists to ever score a record deal? I understand you're saying that from a "technical" standpoint, but still... from the way it sounds, the guys songs followed basic music principals. He just went a little... out of it... for the solos. He may not have had the teachings, but he understood what made a song instictively.

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I was only speaking from a technical standpoint. I'll admit that Hendrix's songs sound amazing, but on a literal level, the guy COULD NOT play guitar. He didn't know how. I'm really just playing Devil's Advocate here, but it's true.