The estate of Jimi Hendrix opposes plans for an upcoming Jimi Hendrix biopic and says “no such film, were it to include original music or copyrights created by Jimi Hendrix, can be undertaken without its full participation,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

Experience Hendrix LLC, the family-owned company that manages the late guitarist’s music and publishing, first announced their opposition to the project in July 2011. However, according to recent reports, All Is By My Side will begin filming in Ireland later this month, with André 3000 playing the role of the legendary guitarist.

Janie Hendrix, the sister of Jimi and CEO of Experience Hendrix, added that the company “has not ruled out a ‘biopic’ in the future though producing partners would, out of necessity, have to involve the company from the inception of any such film project if it is to include original Jimi Hendrix music or compositions.”

Update: According to the Los Angeles Times, a statement for All Is By My Side says it’s “based on interviews and archival materials and “captures the energy, the charisma, [and] the mind-boggling talent of a legend whose musical influence still resonates around the world today.” A representative for the film would not comment on the statement from the Hendrix estate, nor would say whether the film will feature Hendrix’s music.

The on-again off-again Jimi Hendrix biopic starring André 3000 is officially green-lit. According to the Irish Film & Television Network, All Is By My Side is currently in pre-production in Wicklow, Ireland, with principal photography to take place in three weeks in Wicklow and Dublin.

The film will document the legendary guitarist’s period in England from 1966-1967 when he recorded his acclaimed debut, Are You Experienced. John Ridley, who previously wrote the scripts for Three Kings and U-Turn, will serve as director.

There are two songs most college kids play again and again on their acoustic guitars (typically in dorms or the campus quad): Sublime’s “What I Got” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing”. Kudos then goes to Janelle Monáe for covering the latter and obliterating any past beer-washed memories from yesteryear. During last night’s gig in Papantla, Mexcio, the young superstar segued into the ’60s classic, injecting her trademark soul and feverish yelps. What was already a sexy song just became, well, sexier. No word on whether or not she’ll add a twist to Knowell’s past anthem. In the meantime, check out the cover below.

Of the releases, one will come in the form of a four-CD, eight-LP deluxe reissue of Hendrix’s 1987 live album, Live at Winterland. According to Exclaim, the box set expands on the 11 tracks included on the original release with 24 additional live recordings, a 36-page booklet, and an audio interview. All of the material included was drawn from six shows that took place during three days at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom in October 1968.

A reissue of Hendrix’s 1972 live album, Hendrix in the West, will also be released on September 13th. Available on CD and 2-disc LP, the expanded edition will include five additional, previously unavailable performances, plus a 24-page book filled with rare and previously unseen images captured by Jim Marshall.

Finally, Legacy will release two concert films: a reissue of the 2002 DVD Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix at the Isle of Wight, and a compilation of Hendrix’s appearances on The Dick Cavett Show, aptly titled Jimi Hendrix: The Dick Cavett Show.

Check out the tracklists for Winterland and Hendrix in the West below.

Jimi Hendrix Experience- Winterland Tracklist:
Disc One – 10/10/68 Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco
01. Tax Free
02. Lover Man
03. Sunshine of Your Love
04. Hear My Train A Comin
05. Killing Floor
06. Foxey Lady
07. Hey Joe
08. Star Spangled Banner
09. Purple Haze

Disc Two – 10/11/68 Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco
10. Tax Free
11. Like a Rolling Stone
12. Lover Man
13. Hey Joe
14. Fire
15. Foxey Lady
16. Are You Experienced
17. Red House
18. Purple Haze

Disc Three – 10/12/68 Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco
19. Fire
20. Lover Man
21. Like a Rolling Stone
22. Manic Depression
23. Sunshine of Your Love
24. Little Wing
25. Spanish Castle Magic
26. Red House
27. Hey Joe
28. Purple Haze
29. Wild Thing

Disc Four – Bonus disc Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco
30. Foxy Lady
31. Are You Experienced
32. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
33. Red House
34. Star Spangled Banner
35. Purple Haze
36. Jimi Hendrix: Boston Garden Backstage Interview

Hendrix In The West Tracklist:
01. The Queen
02. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
03. Little Wing
04. Fire
05. I Dont Live Today
06. Spanish Castle Magic
07. Red House
08. Johnny B. Goode
09. Lover Man
10. Blue Suede Shoes
11. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

Collins first began work on the forthcoming 16-track LP in 2008 during the sessions of a James Brown tribute album. “That [project] really got me thinking about all these great cats who are no longer around and how people are just forgetting about them.” Collins told Billboard.com. “Since I’m still here, I really wanted to connect those dots…so young people can see that what they think is so new isn’t so new.”

Never one to be subtle, Collins has linked together some world class dots. Tha Funk Capitol of the World features Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Chuck D, on “Hip Hop @ Funk U”, Bobby Womack and “Catfish” Collins on “Don’t Take My Funk”, plus George Clinton, Buckethead, Bela Fleck, and non-musical talents like Samuel L. Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton. And just in case that wasn’t enough, Jimi Hendrix can be heard speaking on “Mirrors Tell Lies”.

Tha Funk Capitol of the World is set for release April 26th via Mascot Records. A tracklist, with featured artists, can be found below. While no live dates have currently been set, all the featured acts are reportedly on board and a future tour is just a matter of scheduling. But with so many huge names, that may take some time.

Tha Funk Capitol of the World Tracklist:
01. Intro
02. Hip Hop @ Funk U (feat. Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, & Chuck D)
03. Mirrors Tell Lies (feat Jimi Hendrix)
04. JB-Still the Man (feat. Rev. Al Sharpton)
05. Freedumb (feat. Dr. Cornel West)
06. After These Messages (feat. Samuel L. Jackson)
07. Kool Whip (feat. Phil Ade & iCandice)
08. The Real Deal (feat. Sheila E. & iCandice)
09. Don’t Take My Funk (feat. Catfish Collins & Bobby Womack)
10. If Looks Could Kill (feat. Bela Fleck, Zionplanet10, & Dennis Chambers)
11. Minds Under Construction (feat. Buckethead & (Z-Class))
12. Siento Bombo (ftfeat Olvido Ruiz & Ouiwey)
13. Garry Shider Tribute (feat. George Clinton & Linda Shider)
14. Stars Have No Names (They Just Shine) (feat. Nick Arnold & Chrissy Dunn)
15. Chocolate Caramel Angel (feat. Faith Daniels, Ronnie Racket, & Casper)
16. Yummy, I Got the Munchies (feat. Musiq Soulchild, Razzberry Hershey & Tom Joyner)

Let us move on; this is about the music. I love live albums, no matter who the artist is. To me, seeing a band live or listening to their live album is hearing music how it was meant to be heard– it’s real. There are no over-dubs; the vocals are raw. It’s just the band playing and nothing else. The 1999 version of Woodstock had a great line up when you consider that Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Kid Rock were some of the biggest acts at the time. They all panned out really well.

Volume I of the Woodstock disc consists of the harder rock, as opposed to Volume II which highlights some of the lighter acts that also played the festival. Volume I opens with the head banging “Blind” from Korn. I remember watching this from home on MTV and Pay-Per-View and watching the crowd just turn into a sea of chaos when Korn opened with this track.  I was very happy I was watching at home at that point and not in the middle of that mess (although I may or may not have started a mini mosh pit of my own in my living room).

My favorite track on Volume I is “Four” by Lit, from their debut A Place in the Sun. It is actually one of my favorite Lit songs, and to hear this live version, played with a little more tempo than the original, is a highlight for me. In fact, I only listen to the live version now. I always considered Lit a little underrated, and I was ecstatic when I heard they were going to play Woodstock. Ever since I heard the opening riff to that song, I was hooked.

Sometimes when I hear a live track, it can make me appreciate a song more than I might have before. This happened with “Lit Up Again” by Buckcherry. The guitar solo at the end of the song gets me about as jacked up as the high Buckcherry speaks of in the song. He certainly does enjoy his cocaine. I really could care less for Buckcherry on a normal basis, but when it comes to compilation albums like this, a single song can stick out above the rest. Although the vocals leave something to be desired, it really is a great party song.

“Bawitdaba” from Kid Rock and “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the Machine really sound great live. You can feel the energy that the crowd was experiencing during these bands. Say what you will about Kid Rock or Zack De La Rocha; they are incredible entertainers. They are oozing with talent and purify what being a frontman is all about. Charisma, poise, and presence are all qualities that are expressed on stage from both acts. To not be entertained by either is damn near impossible. Throw in the fact that guitar God Tom Morello is shredding next to De La Rocha, and try to keep your head and feet still during a performance (just go get a beer when Kid Rock starts playing “Picture”).

Closing out the first disc is Red Hot Chili Peppers version of “Fire” by Jimi Hendrix. Lead singer Anthony Kiedis claims they did not perform this song because of the rampant fires that were torching the festivals grounds, but because of a request from Hendrix’s daughter. You can hear Kiedis at the beginning of the song say “Do you wanna do it?” Flea replies, “Fuck yeah.” I can only imagine being the band, looking out into the blaze and for a split second thinking “Maybe we shouldn’t do this.” It proves to be a true rock moment, no matter the reason the song was played, and a great tribute to a Hendrix, a Woodstock legend.

Volume II shows the softer side of the festival with the opening track “Tripping Billies” by Dave Matthews Band. Eleven years in the future, Matthews and his band turned out to be one of most successful acts featured at the festival. If you enjoy violin, you can hear it loud and clear on this track. As one of the more eclectic acts on the bill back in 1999, I didn’t really see a reason for them to be performing at this show. I didn’t see them as “Woodstock Material”. Actually, I felt this way about many of the bands on the second disc back then; today I can see their relevance. This was a celebration of music, not just the top acts of yesteryear. Woodstock’s past had a lot of chiller, more acoustic-based acts. That is where Jewel, G. Love & The Special Sauce, Alanis Morrisette, and others came in. Time has opened both my eyes and my ears.

A very intimate version of “Alison” by Elvis Costello is my favorite part on the album. It was another track I wasn’t as familiar with, and it instantly became a favorite. The crowd sounds sparse during the performance, possibly due to being too young to know who Costello was, but you can hear those who were paying attention screaming Alison’s name.

Things do spice back up with a must-hear version of “Adrenaline” by The Roots from their dominating set on the West Stage. The Roots have completely mastered their craft if you look at them today. They can play just about any type of genre they choose, and they do it with ease. This track is raw hip-hop from back before they began getting the recognition they’ve earned. It’s fun to look back at a band coming up and see how far they’ve come.

It’s great to pop in these discs and look back at the positives of Woodstock ’99 and not focus on the negatives. Many of the bands and artists from then are still making music today, although many were in their primes around this time. When you listen to it top to bottom, you can relive the end of the century and see where rock music was at that point. You should never let Woodstock 1999 collect too much dust.

The film was set to star Anthony Mackie (Tupac Shakur in Notorious) and to feature a script by Max Borenstein, with director Paul Greengrass (United 93) set to head the production. However, they forgot one small detail: to ask the notoriously difficult Hendrix Estate for permission. Legendary Pictures chief Thomas Tull said that because the estate is known to shoot down projects like this, their hope was to assemble the pieces and present them with a more definitive and fleshed out look at one of rock’s finest. As you can tell, it didn’t work out so well.

“Legendary proceeded without our permission, direction or involvement. It didn’t ‘fall apart,’ it never was. When we do the Jimi Hendrix feature film bio we will be involved and in control from the beginning,” said Hendrix’s sister Janie Hendrix in a statement.

Well, at least we can still pretend to be him…. thanks to our Xbox!

We know you weren’t good this year. At CoS, we know our readers and figure that a good portion of the naughty list finds a way to stop by our website regularly. But, we embrace our own kind. We figure that no matter how many drunk tanks you’ve awoken in, how many boyfriend’s you have cheated on, or how many Justin Bieber songs you can recall by name, you will still get presents.

Music has always been a go-to for me, because it is easily located and something you know for sure that the person would never spend their own money on. Plus, back in the day, there was the clever tactic of buying people CD’s that you also wanted and then asking them to burn you a copy. Before the internet, you had to be creative as well as shady to get free music. So CoS used its “all encompassing” knowledge to create a gift guide that can appeal to all types of music fans.

If you’re shopping for the picky-as-hell, vinyl-only, pretentious know-it-all in the family, you might be willing to fork over the cash for 69 Love Songs on vinyl. Or maybe you have a rock and roll die-hard sharing your bedroom. Check out the Bruce Springsteen reissue or, perhaps, the Green Day singles box set. They’ll love you forever. And what about the millions who logged on every G.O.O.D. Friday? Apparently there’s a pretty big record around the bend. But if less effort is preferred, why not play it safe with Michael McDonald’s This Christmas? A holiday record from everyone’s favorite former Doobie? Done deal.

And we’re just dipping our toes in here. Check out the CoS gift guide and have a happy end to your year.

Note: We’ll be adding new items to the guide throughout the holiday season, so please check back often.

Collectibles

How do you know you should be shopping for collectible music items for your loved one? If they even know how to use a record player, this section is a safe bet. Another tip-off could be their insistence on decorating with posters, despite being over the age of 22. For people like this, the holiday season brings a host of new releases featuring colored vinyls, gate-fold packaging, individually numbered artwork, and complete discographies whose most notable trait is that they come in a box. The holiday season also brings people willing to buy this often ridiculous, but often awesome, indulgence. Check out some must-haves for the most serious of music-fans, ranging from the individual reissue to the absurdly extensive demo collections.

Joy Division – + -

Joy Division to the world! For a band that existed for around four years, released one album during that time and one post-humous one, all more than 30 years ago, these always seems to be more music seeing the light of day. This collection contains 10 7-inch remastered singles from the bands brief history and is limited to 5,000 copies. The first 500 sold also receive an art piece from Peter Saville. This is for the rabid fan, but will surely be appreciated. Order here.

Price: Sold Out, but you can try eBay…
Buy: Again, try eBay!

Bruce Springsteen – The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story

This collection is already out and its new tracks are getting solid reviews, from what I’ve seen. But did you need someone to tell you that The Boss released something worth listening to? One of rocks most consistent and genuine voices put together six discs to tell the story of one of his classic albums. Yeah, that’s a long story, but the Boss can talk for hours once he gets going. Twenty-one new tracks populate the set, along with live concert footage and a reproduction of his notebook, complete with notes. Perfect for your dad or an aspiring stalker. Or just get the abridged version (two CD’s of the new stuff) for fans of reasonable enthusiasm.

Price: $79.99
Buy: Amazon

The Decemberists – The King is Dead Box Set

Okay, so it’s not out until January, but c’mon, it’s The Decemberists. Arguably set to be next month’s hottest release, The King is Dead is another agreeable foray into Colin Meloy’s trademark folk rock. This time around, however, fans can expect a sound that hearkens back to the early days of R.E.M., which makes sense given that R.E.M.’s Peter Buck appears on three tracks. If you know a certain someone who enjoys either party, then you might reckon on nabbing this ambitious box set. In addition to being limited in number (2500, to be exact), you’ll receive “a one-of-a-kind Polaroid photograph by Autumn de Wilde from the Impossible Project/Decemberists series, a 72 page hardcover book featuring over 250 unique Polaroid photographs by Autumn de Wilde and illustrations by Carson Ellis, Pendarvia DVD – a 30 minute short film by Aaron Rose, documenting the making of the album, a limited edition Giclée print illustrated by Carson Ellis,” in addition to the actual album on both CD and 180 gram white vinyl. There’s more, but go check it out for yourself. Think of it as an adventure.

Price: $165, $180 (w/ shirt)
Buy: The Decemberists.com

T-Rex – The Slider

Originally re-released in 1972 and out of print since 2003, this reissue of the classic album is the first in a series of reissues and a good gift option that won’t break the bank.T-Rex is beloved by both hipster trash and middle-aged accountants, so both the compact disc and remastered vinyl are available for their intended audience. Order from Fat Possum.

Price: $15.18
Buy: Amazon.com

Score! 20 Years of Merge Records (Box Set)

Released last year to honor one of the generations most influential record labels, this set offers a host of rare tunes for the indie fan in your life. Fourteen CDs with original cover art and bonus content from curators such as Kara Walker, David Byrne, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, and more. Bonus content includes exclusive new recordings from The Minus 5, Lou Barlow, Destroyer, and others. Andrea Zittel, Zach Galifianakis, David Chang, Miranda July, and Phil Morrison provide exclusive videos for their comps. Plus a covers album, remixes album, poster, book and a box to put it all in. Yeah, it’s cool, but there are only 200 copies remaining.

Price: $219.00
Buy: Merge Records

The Magnetic Fields – 69 Love Songs vinyl box set

This has been on my wishlist for a couple years now. One of the landmark albums of all-time, this contains all 69 love songs remastered for vinyl on six 10″ vinyl records, all housed in a super-sized 69 Love Songs box, with a 10″ version of the original booklet featuring liner notes written by Lemony Snicket author Daniel Handler. If you have yet to discover this album, trust me and know that it will make most music fans very happy as a gift.

Price: $99.98
Buy: Merge Records

The White Stripes – Under The Great Northern Lights Box Set

Alex Young is probably angling someone for this. Released last March, this set sees the duo on tour in Canada circa 2007, for which a documentary of the same name was filmed. The set includes a DVD of the film itself, a DVD of White Stripes 10th anniversary show (dubbed The White Stripes Under Nova Scotian Lights), a 16-track White Stripes live album recorded during the Canadian trek on both 180 gram vinyl and CD, a live 7″ (featuring “Icky Thump” and “The Wheels on the Bus”), a 208-page book with photos from the tour by Autumn de Wilde (and a foreword by Jim Jarmusch), and a silk screen print. That’s a lot of stuff, but these White Stripes fans might be temporarily satiated by the haul.

Price: $229.00
Buy: Amazon

The National – High Violet Expanded Edition

One of the more celebrated releases of this year gets the deluxe treatment and includes the new version of “Terrible Love” that Alex Young got a surprisingly reasonable explanation for in his recent interview with Aaron Dresner. Seven other bonus tracks populate the two disc collection, which will be available on November 23rd from 4AD.

Price: $13.99
Buy: Amazon

Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz (LP)

Another one of 2010′s standouts might have worried some of the vinyl collectors when only the cd version was released in October. But, alas, the double-vinyl edition has hit stores and will be a great afordable gift for the music fan in your family. Maybe give it to non-music fans as well, it will probably blow their minds.

Price: $18.99
Buy: Amazon

Tom Waits Reissues

While many of our gift options come with choices of the format you wish to receive, T0m Waits makes it easy to decide by only offering vinyl for his albums. Waits is serving up his first four albums — his 1973 debut Closing Time, 1974’s The Heart of Saturday Night, 1975’s Nighthawks at the Diner, and 1976’s Small Change — on 180-gram heavy vinyl, with each LP featuring its original artwork. Early birds can get red vinyl (first 1,000) but later birds get guaranteed pre-Christmas delivery for orders made before December 18th.

Price: Ranges from $24.99 – $37.99 depending on the release
Buy: Kings Road Merch

Modest Mouse Reissues

While many reissues highlight great releases that have been forgotten by time, Modest Mouse offers up up works for the completest only, The Fruit that Ate Itself and Sad Sappy Sucker. But the album that fortunately wasn’t their debut and their early E.P. show young men finding their voice and hinting at future greatness. Non-fans will be bewildered, but devoted mouse-heads will be thrilled by the collections.

Price: $14.98 (CD); $21.98 (LP)
Buy: Glacial Place Recordings

Green Day – 7-Inch Singles Collection Box Set

Michael Roffman was drooling over this gathering of the Bay Area’s rebels’ singles, all on 7-inch vinyl and grouped in a cool carrying box. 42 songs are spread over 21 records, including nine #1 hits. Your boyfriend can bring it to a high-school dance and pretend that you’re living in the 60′s. And that you are still in high school. He might be arrested. But waiting for him in 36 hours will be his Green Day singles. Order them here.

Price: $150
Buy: Green Day Music

The Tim Burton and Danny Elfman 25th Anniversary Box Set

The famous collaboration between filmmaker and musician turns 25, with a commemorative box set available for Christmas and other seasonal holidays. The list of what is included is impossibly long, but 16 cds with original Tim Burton artwork are the meat of the collection. Good for a close relative who is more of a movie buff than a music fan. Or just send it to me. Please. I’ll even tell you where to order it…

Price: $499
Buy: Burtonelfman.com

Tegan and Sara – The Official Vinyl Collection

I’m not sure if there is an unofficial vinyl collection floating around, or if maybe only Tegan approved an older version, but not Sara. Regardless, this is the official collection . The set offers six albums (Sainthood, The Con, So Jealous, If It Was You, This Business Of Art) and the exclusive bonus record, Home Recordings, which features nine demo tracks.

Price: $99
Buy: Because Sound Matters

Bad Religion 30th Anniversary Box Set

Another vinyl-only offering, but this one is limited to only 3,000 sets. Basically, it is every Bad Religion album ever produced on red vinyl and then put in a cool box because everyone loves things in boxes. If you are wondering about the quantity of records, because Bad Religion has been around for 30 years, well, you are right, there are a lot of records in the collection – 15 in fact. Get the records for your husband, keep the box for yourself. Order here.

Price: $224.99
Buy: Kings Road Merch

Matador at 21 Box Set

Released in conjunction with one of the best music festivals of the year, this box set is one of the rare occasions where the CD edition is more collectible than the vinyl – especially given that the CD set is currently out of stock (which should be available soon). In addition to 6 CDs, all spanning the label’s history, the set is boxed with 36 custom poker chips in three values, an 85-page perfect bound book with history of the label, photos, ephemera, emails, and more. The vinyl edition, however, only features disc five of the set, but it’s also much less money and, arguably, could be a creative gift for the hard-to-shop-for type. Get it here.

Price: $12.00 (Double LP); $35 (CD)
Buy: Matador Records

Linkin Park – A Thousand Suns Deluxe Fan Edition Box Set

While many of the other gift ideas offer choices in the format you wish to order, Linkin Park says why not have them all. For the hard rock or rap fan and particularly for fans of both, this gift includes a custom hinged box, two 12 vinyl records, a CD Digipak of A Thousand Suns, a DVD Digipack of the documentary Meeting Of A Thousand Suns and a hardcover art book. Fans of the band will be pumped. Non-fans will give you a strange look while thinking “they don’t know me at all.” But hey, no risk, no reward.

Price: $99.99
Buy: Linkinpark.com

My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: California 2019 Edition

Judging by internet chatter and pure speculation, the new My Chemical Romance album finds the group having to rebuild a little after such a long absence. But they still have a loyal following, and this deluxe version of the new album will probably excite them more than you’d imagine. Along with the album, this set comes with “1 of four different 12-inch collectible ray guns made out of poly resin with four separate color schemes representing each band member’s gun with a clear acrylic stand and placard for display, an exclusive EP with three songs by The Mad Gear & Missile Kid, 1 of 4 wearable masks, 1 ‘Bad Luck Beads’ wooden bracelet, a 48-page photo booklet entitled Art Is The Weapon.” Actually seems like a good deal compared to some of this other stuff. Order it here.

Price: $69.99
Buy: Mychemicalromance.com

Music of The Beatles

Yes, I know, music from the fabulous four is by no means new. But in the week since Apple announced they had convinced The Beatles to come to iTunes, nearly 45,000 Beatles albums have been sold. So even if you own their entire discography, quite a few people apparently do not. That it mind, let’s be honest: tangible compact disks are still reasonable choices, and chances are whoever you are buying for is savvy enough to place that CD into their computer and upload the songs, then add them to their mobile device. And sure this sounds like work, but it also sounds like you get more for your money, like album art and something to open on Christmas morning. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Price: $1.49 and up.
Buy: iTunes (Digitally); Amazon (Physically)

Weezer – Pinkerton Deluxe Edition

Odds are you own this already. But, in the slight chance you don’t, there isn’t a beter time to pick up this classic than now. Originally panned by fans and critics alike, Weezer‘s sophomore diamond, Pinkerton, remains one of the most definitive albums in alternative rock. For physical enthusiasts – which should be all of you – you’re in for a treat. Not only do you get the original album remastered, but you also have the opportunity to enjoy 25 additional tracks, which includes unreleased tunes like “Tragic Girl”, some B-sides, and a slew of live material. Maybe it’ll get you jazzed enough to check the band out on their Blinkerton Tour. They do have some pretty sick openers.

Price: $20.46 (CD), $52.12 (Vinyl)
Buy: Amazon

November 22nd and Beyond

Reissues are not the only gifts for the music lover in your life. In fact, a good haul of new music has still yet to see the light of day in 2010. Here is a very brief rundown of a few highlights that would make for affordable and desirable presents for people of all ages…mostly for younger folks though.

Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Never heard of it? Well it’s supposed to be good, you know, for “rap”. In truth, if you just bought this for everyone you know, the world would be an interesting place. And it is a shame that many people will ignore this album based on who Kanye is (or who they think he is), when I have never heard the phrase “I hate him, but that album its really good” more often…

Price: $9.99
Buy: Amazon

Jay-Z – The Hits Collection Volume 1

Jay-Z will be competing against himself, as he is featured prominently on the Kanye West album. But this hits compilation is looking for more of an endurance race, setting itself up to be one of those classic records that introduces the next generation to the New York rapper. There are multiple packages ranging from modest CD’s to a collector’s edition box set.

Price: $17.99 – $199.98 depending on package
Buy: Island Def Jam

Daft Punk – Tron: Legacy Soundtrack

Something for a different fan base (or not, Kanye did use Daft Punk prominently at one time), Daft Punk return to the scene with their score of the new Tron movie. While it is hard to imagine it being successful as both a dance album and a soundtrack, if anyone could pull it off, it is Daft Punk. Order the album for a hip stocking stuffer today.

Price: $11.99
Buy: Amazon

Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday

And look, another Kanye collaborator, it’s like six degrees of Kevin Bacon, but it’s one degree of Kanye. Much less fun than the original game. But this album has the possibility to be just as big as the more established names listed here. Expect to hear this name a lot in the coming years.

Price: $12.99
Buy: Amazon

Christmas Albums

Yeah, we know that holiday albums can be the worst things in the fucking world. When I was growing up, the rotation was John Denver (actually not so bad), Johnny Mathis (yuck!), and Willie Nelson (yeah, this should be the coolest, but it was the worst. Willie just has a bad playlist). But Christmas doesn’t have to be so bad. Many of your favorite bands have made Christmas singles over the years, but few have made full-on Christmas albums. Here are a few of our picks to piss off your parents the one time of year when you usually have no say on the music.

The Raveonettes – Wishing You A Rave Christmas

This mini-album from a couple years back offers a choice in Christmas tunes for the more rebellious members of your family. A perfect, digital stocking stuffer for the teens.

Price: $3.33
Buy: Zunior

Bright Eyes – A Christmas Album

In 2002, Bright Eyes was Conor Oberst on the verge of manhood, struggling with all the complexities in life, only more vocally than most. This Christmas collection was made around the time Lifted... was being supported, so that makes Oberst a 22-year-old making one of the most mature of career moves. Get this for the younger music fans in your life and watch them enjoy this sort of time capsule from one of our most intriguing artists, who now is hardly the same as the boy on this record.

Price: $11.00
Buy: Saddle Creek

Sufjan Stevens – Songs for Christmas

This is an old set, but, well, there just aren’t a lot of Christmas albums by artists that young people like. So why not revisit this Sufjan Stevens holiday collection. A fun fact is that Stevens actually hated Christmas carols and took on creating a new CD of Christmas tunes nearly every year, beginning in 2001 until 2005. This is the collection of that work, for a very reasonable price. Enjoy one of America’s great artists tackling one of our great traditions and order here.

Price: $13.99
Buy: Amazon

Low – Christmas

This is another older collection, but is notable this year in that Low is touring in December behind the first ever vinyl release of Christmas. The record features a mix of classic tunes with Low originals. all with seasonal messages and or implications. Order it here.

Price: $7.81
Buy: Amazon

Michael McDonald – This Christmas

If you have a secret Santa, get them the Michael McDonald Christmas album, titled This Christmas. Then write in the comments field what their reaction was. It will be funny, right?

Price: $9.99
Buy: Amazon

Gift Wrapped 2: Snowed In

When I originally put the gift guide together, it was hard to find many Christmas albums that I could recommend to our younger audience, so I was pleased to see the announcement of Gift Wrapped II: Snowed In, a new Christmas record featuring up and coming artists next to the biggest names in the music world. Of note: Tegan and Sara take on “The Chimpmunk Song” anf The Flaming Lips offer their live-take on “The Little Drummer Boy”. Neil Young, Regina Spector, and Devo also appear, so buying this for your mom could be a smart long-term investment for your continued mental sanity as the years filled with the same music start to add up

Price: $8.99
Buy: Amazon

Record Store Day

Record Store Day returns with another event for music fans (this should really be called Record Store Days). I could list out everything that is going to be at your local record shop on Black Friday, but that is another post altogether, so let me just highlight a few of the best gifts that are only available through certain stores and in limited capacity. All the relevant information you could want is available at Record Store Day’s website. Here is just a bit of what you can find:

– Soundgarden - Telephantasm 7″ featuring the previously unreleased track “The Telephantasm” , and previously unreleased live version of “Gun.

– The Gaslight Anthem  -Tumblin Dice 7″ Never before released cover of Rolling Stones song. B-side is NOT the Beatles song, it’s an original Gaslight anthem song. Four colors of vinyl; cover art matches vinyl color. Randomly distributed.

– The Black Keys - Brothers Double 12″ with bonus 10″. The six tracks on the 10″ are live tracks, all performed by the quartet: Side A:” Everlasting Light,” “Next Girl,” “Tighten Up” Side B: “Howlin’For You”, “She’s Long Gone”, “Too Afraid To Love You”.

– Frank Sinatra – Jolly Christmas 12” vinyl reissue. Originally released in 1957, Sinatra’s first holiday release has been certified platinum, and is released for the first time in 40 years on vinyl, exclusively to indie stores.

– Jimi Hendrix – Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 10″ green vinyl single

– Pantera- Cowboys from Hell: The Demos on 180 gram vinyl

Maybe Something Practical

While box sets and vinyl are awesome, they are more appreciated for their value and rarity than their actual functionality. And I don’t know about your corner of the country, but mine is still having some hard times. And though it might not be as sexy, sometimes a practical gift that will actually save your loved one time and/or money is the better way to go. Here are some of our more reasonable gift ideas.

Rhapsody

Rhapsody is a music lovers dream resource, all for a lower price than nearly everything in the “Collectibles” section. More than 10 million songs are available to hear on you phone, computer, MP3 player, iPad, car stereo, or pager (probably not). Unlimited downloads are now available for iPhones and Droids, and soon for Blackberrys. Plus you can gift it for 10 bucks a month. Kind of a no-brainer for pleasing a relative without having to know, really, anything about them. Also a safe bet for people you suspect do not know how to download free music illegally (i.e. not men 14-25). But for the rather large demographic that are  a not these men, order it here.

Record Stores

Though we have readers everywhere, we want to encourage supporting your local record stores. We obviously can’t list them from everywhere, but here are some links to find gift certificates or other items on this list.

Chicago

• Dave’s Records
• Reckless Records
• Laurie’s Planet of Sound
• Vintage Vinyl Records
• Jazz Record Mart
• Dusty Groove America
• Permanent Records

New York

• Other Music
• Generation Records
• Sound Fix
• Earwax Records
• Academy Annex

Los Angeles

• Origami

LA/Bay Area

• Amoeba

Concert Tickets

How is seeing live entertainment practical? Concerts can lift the spirit, create a sense of belonging, and offer up lasting memories, which says more than I can say about box sets. In defense of box sets, they do come in cool boxes. But check out the wide range of tickets available at Seat Geek and put them in a cool box. It’s the best of both worlds. Shop here.

Subpop Winter Wear

My favorite thing to do when I get a sweater as a gift is to pretend I’m El Guapo from three amigos, and announce “It’s a sweater!”. It gets a laugh, I let the person know that I think their gift is worth joking about, and, in the end, I have a practical keeper of warmth that I will never truly appreciate. If it said Sub Pop on it, I would like it more. Buy something here.

Sub Pop Auction Items

On a somber note, Sub Pop recnet lost one of their own to a car accident recently. The music community seems to really be banding together to raise some money for Andy Kotowicz’s wife and daughter, to try to make this difficult time even slightly easier. The auction is already underway, and features items from Pearl Jam, Muse, The White Stripes and tons more. For those seeking one of a kind music items, the money will help bring happiness to the gift recipient and comfort to the Kotowicz’s.

Also for people near Seattle or Ann Arbor, a great idea would be to take the family to one of the benefit concerts that Sub Pop has planned. Fruit Bats, Vetiver and Mudhoney are just a few of the bands involved.

Price: Seattle on December 4th – $20, Ann Arbor on Decemeber 8th – $5
Buy: Seattle Tickets
Ann Arbor Tickets
Auction

Animal Collective shoes

Anyone who thinks shoes and music are strange companions hasn’t seen my badass No Age sneakers. Animal Collective is in on the shoe game as well, with each member designing a shoe to raise money for Socorro Island Conservation Fund. More importantly, the shoes look cool and come with a cassette tape featuring one new song from each member, I like Panda’s camouflage ones. Pre-order for March shipping here.

Mastadon Backpack

People who like metal also like wearing backpacks, it’s a weird bit of chemistry. Or maybe most people grow out of metal about the time they stop needing a backpack for school. One thing is for certain, though, no one is too old for Mastadon or a Mastadon backpack. Buy it here and give the gift of storage for the person on the go. Or for students.

Wavves… uh… shirts?

Well, it’s practical! Though it is hard to find right now, the Wavves weed grinder is probably the coolest merch item around and would be a good collectors item for the non-420 friendly. Wavves also sells shirts. Oh, and music. He also sells music here.

Not Just Albums

Because sometimes, just sometimes, it’s nice to give the ears a rest and the eyes a treat. Plus, what else are you going to do wrapped up in that Weezer snuggie (that was so last year, by the way) on the couch? Exactly.

When You’re Strange: A Film About The Doors

Directed by Tom DiCillo, and narrated by Johnny Depp, this film sets out to capture The Doors exactly how they were. If you’re still distraught and up in arms over the 1991 bio-pic from Oliver Stone, then this film’s for you. It’s filled with rare archival footage, which really gives you a personal and intimate look at the group. So, if you’re still convinced Jim Morrison was nothing but a “drunken bafoon”, well, here’s something to settle the score. Sort of.

Price: $13.99
Buy: Amazon

Regina Spector – Live in London

Of course we have to give a nod to the person our website is named for. She has her first live album now available for Channukah gifts for all your extended family. She is the best ever, so buy, like, 20.

Price: $22.99
Buy: Amazon

Phish – Alpine Valley 2010

Phish fans are a special breed. I’m sure most of them have this set on cassette tape with soundboard quality audio that they traded by mail for a bag of oats. But in case you have a loved one who may not have this particular Phish concert, a DVD/CD combo of it would be a hell of a gift. This will also make for a good last-minute shopping item, as it will be released on December 14th and should still be in stock around Christmas.

Buy: $19.22
Price: Amazon

The Merge Records Companion and Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records

Though nothing says “I’m a nerd” like reading, this might be a good gift for someone in your life who needs to toughen up. This book will surely bring ridicule and scorn to them, but it might be a growing experience. Plus, if you must read, these books are good place to do it, offering histories of Merge and the records that make it elite. Order them together and keep one for yourself.

Price: $30.98
Buy: Merge Records

The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria DVD

If you are not familiar with the Big Four, it’s a grouping of the four biggest and baddest metal reputations to ever come to fruition. Just the names alone would strike fear in my young heart in the 80′s, especially my brother Ride The Lightning shirt. Not as scary as his Iron Maiden gear, but still intimidating. Well, this golden marketing scheme that put all of these groups together gets a DVD set for anyone who missed the events. The viewable music pieces come with five audio pieces, which could mean one nastily headache after many hours of straight headbanging.

Price: $55.99
Buy: Amazon

Velvet Revolver – Live In Houston DVD

Relatives come in all shapes and sizes. The ones who you just can’t peg, who might be motorcycle rider or a homeless heroin addict, they are equally hard to shop for as they are to show up for their court date. But I know the type and one thing they love…is Guns N’ Roses. But Velvet Revolver is also probably up there and this live DVD would be a great present to have waiting when they get outta the slammer in August.

Price: $13.99
Buy: Amazon

Jonsi - Go Live

Though it seems a little early to remember this tour, Jonsi wants you to remember it nonetheless. While you won’t experience him in a small room anytime soon, with Go Live, you can watch it with the recipient of the DVD/CD set in any small room you want. And for our grandparents out there, if you notice a young person in your family taking a liking to Indian-inspired attire, this is the gift for them. Trust me.

Price: $15 (Digital); $20 (Physical)
Buy: Jonsi.com

Feist – Look at What the Light Did Now

When Feist had her screening of Look at What the Light Did Now in LA, it happened to be the same night LCD Soundsystem played the bowl. But now me and the millions of others across the nation who didn’t get to see her one-off screenings will be able to purchase the documentary. If you have a Feist fan on you shopping list, there is a quite good chance that they have not seen this film. If they have, though, then you could probably buy it for them pretty safely, anyhow, as any fan would want this. Order it today!

Price: $24.49
Buy: Amazon

Roky Erickson & The Black Angels – Night Of The Vampire

Though Okkervil River brought the legendary 13th Floor Elevator’s singer Roky Erickson back to a largest audience this year, it was The Black Angels who helped him regain his performance footing with a full band, which is documented on this DVD made available for Record Store Day and continuing sales at local record shops. The film, directed by Grant James, captures a Halloween concert from the two artists at L.A.’s El Rey Theater in 2008, mixing live footage, interviews and backstage footage. What was surely a special night can be relived by your lovable stoner nephew, and it could work as both inspiration and entertainment for the little dead-beat.

Price: Unknown
Buy: Your Local Record Store, try here after Friday.

Ridiculous/Fun

Wherever there is money, there will always be pointless merchandise. But sometimes, this is the best kind of gift because it could inspire laughter or even sentimentality. Though they are often completely useless, the thought that goes into getting them for the right person is often better than the actual gift.

CBGB

Sure, you could get the punk fan in your life a shirt or some records from the late 70′s, but the ultimate in punk nostalgia is available to the highest bidder. Yes, it is CBGB. No you don’t get the historic club. What you do get is the marketing rights and the name to do as you wish. Just don’t screw it up or you’ll have to give it back. No word yet on when the bidding begins, but if I know anything about eBay and auctions, making an offer soon is for the best.

Daft Punk Tron Edition Headphones

Have you ever watched old Daft Punk performances and thought, “Goddammit, I wish I could look that cool.” Well, odds are, you’ll probably never be that cool. But, there’s a slim chance you might at least feel cool – even if it’s for a few minutes. This Christmas, in light of the new film Tron: Legacy, Daft Punk has issued a set of headphones (seems to be the trend these days) in the style of the new Disney event. For the “easy” price of $349.95, you can be the coolest cat in your neighborhood. Then again, as Dana Grossman pointed out recently, “This could either be very fun (if you’re alone) or incredibly annoying (if I’m sitting next to you on the subway), so keep that in mind.” Also, if $349.95 isn’t in your budget, then perhaps $299.95 is? Amazon.com is selling a strictly Tron-edition set, with no affiliation to Daft Punk, that’s more geared towards gaming. However, looking at the two headphones, they’re essentially the same thing. To quote Lindsay Buckingham, “You can go your own way.”

Devo Energy Dome DJ Headphones

We are not men, we are Devo consumers. Pretty shiny stuff catches our eye all the time. Devo’s Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh understand that. They also know how crucial high-definition audio is to the dedicated listener. That’s why they’ve taken their trademark Energy Domes and have designed a sleek, retro pair of Devo-endorsed headphones. Their website insists they’re “made to channel a mix of quality audio & hearty orgone energy to your head”, so by all means get your energy fix today. They do cost a penny or two ($50), but quality doesn’t come cheap, ya’ll.

The White Stripes… Whatever This Is.

First of all, the idea of anyone spending 500 bucks on records is crazy to me. But if someone wants to buy this pretty damn cool, in the completely frivolous kind of way, collection, I would gladly accept (and then sell it for $400). The turntable explains the cost, but fanatics of boxes receive two here, so, yes, it pretty much is the ultimate box set. Only 333 were made, so be sure that your Jack White fan gets what his little heart desires. Order here.

Third Man Records Custom ‘Master Blaster’ Headphones

Between The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather, there are more than a few ways to support Jack White and his commitment to the arts. And his commitment to rocking. Well, he also has a record label which could use some of your supporting. These Third Man Records headphones both look cool and and have all kinds of technical information which leads me to believe they work well, too. But who cares if they work well as long as they look cool. Order them here and give the gift of social acceptance this holiday season.

Sub Pop Slip Mat

If a cover for your record player’s platter seems pointless, read this frightening product description from Sub Pop:”Let’s face it, one of the greatest problems facing our nation—our world, even—is an unadorned turntable platter. Records are scratched due to harsh platters—or worse yet, records aren’t scratched because of too much friction from platters!” Yeah, well I think it might not be totally needed, but it says Sub Pop. Order it now.

Foxy Shazam Stuff

I have found no evidence that this exists, other than the picture. I suggest looking toward Warner, as they are the ones who are pushing it. Totally awesome.

Paul Westerberg & The Replacements Tab Book

Ever find yourself walking home alone, wasted after a night with friends, only to turn to your guitar (and drink some more)? If you’re a sappy, wishful songwriter, sure you have. Well, now you can perfectly soundtrack the night yourself, all thanks to Hal Leonard. He recently published Paul Westerberg & The Replacements, a guitar tab book featuring some of Westie’s best stuff. You can learn “I’ll Be You”, hum over the right chords for “Dyslexic Heart”, and then moan unintelligibly over a (most likely) horrible rendition of “Unsatisfied”. Who says being alone on a Friday night, doing the whole frozen pizza thing, is a bad idea? It isn’t now! Pick up the book here.

Taylor Swift Guitar Picks

If your family gatherings tend to be long and boring, why not try to spice it up with Taylor Swift guitar picks. When your sister pulls them out of her stocking, stand up and announce that your cousin Sandy should have the picks because she is a better guitar player than your sister. And because you are drunk. Laugh hysterically while your sister runs away crying and finally, keep the picks for yourself. Start this chain of events today by shopping here.

Fatburger

With their tasty egg and bacon sandwiches, kind of creepy but strangely filing Island Banana shakes and of course, the King Burgers, it’s no surprise that everyone wants to own their own Fatburger. But now that Kanye West is in on the franchise, it will be a much different situation.

When the kids see that Kanye got himself a Fatburger, the restaurant might become the new pony for kids under the age of eight, a gift desired for the sole reason of wanting to make their parents feel inadequate. I just want more Fatburgers. Yum.

Price: Everyone will hate you and take shots at you at any opportunity, despite the quality of your work.
Buy: Fatburger

The track, which you can listen at RollingStone.com, is available on the upcoming West Coast Seattle Boy anthology due out later this month. Originally found on The Basement Tapes, the 1975 collaboration album between Dylan and The Band, “Tears Of Rage” does the same justice to Dylan and co-writer Richard Manuel’s little ditty as Hendrix does to Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower”, all while still sounding as if Hendrix himself forged it from some acid-induced cloud of rock and roll inspiration.

West Coast Seattle Boy – The Jimi Hendrix Anthology hits stores November 16th via Legacy Recordings.

Photo courtesy of noquedanblogs.com

This got me thinking about so many contemporary songs that feature samplings or interpolations of previously recorded material. In today’s musical landscape, the use of another’s material is a bit ubiquitous and, at times, overwhelming. When samples are used with skill, the listener often doesn’t even realize that the song isn’t truly original; so, it’s almost forgivable (to a point) when mistakes like MIA vs. The Clash pop up.

Despite today’s prolific tendencies of borrowing, this is by no means a new phenomenon. Instead of sampling, artists just simply covered songs, especially if they had to fill up space on an album. Many times, though, the cover song became bigger than the original, to the point of overshadowing the original songwriters or performers. Below is just a small sampling.

“Crazy” – Patsy Cline / Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson wrote “Crazy” in 1961. At the time, he was a songwriter named Hugh, working his way up as a journeyman by providing material for artists like Faron Young and Billy Walker to perform. Patsy Cline, however, was one of the biggest names in country music. After years of developing his craft as a songwriter, Nelson’s “Crazy” would be the song that clinched it.

The song, as sung by Cline, is very obviously a ballad. However, Nelson’s original version somewhat defies a simple categorization. “Crazy” is not written like a traditional country song. Nelson borrowed heavily from jazz and classic pop songwriting when composing the tune. The verse and chorus smoothly meld into one another rather than standing rigidly separated like in most country songs. This jazz-like lean is most often recognized when Nelson performs the song live, never performing it the same way twice.

Originally intended for, but declined by, Walker, Nelson managed to get a demo of the song to Cline after meeting her husband, Charlie Dick, at a Music Row watering hole. Nelson’s style of speaking his lyrics rather than singing them did not sit well with Cline, who rejected the song upon initially hearing it. After her producer, Owen Bradley, rearranged the song as the ballad we’ve become familiar with, Cline fell in love with it, recording the vocals in a single take. Though it didn’t have the success of her previous hit, “I Fall To Pieces”, the song did signify Cline’s return to music after surviving a near fatal automobile accident. “Crazy” was released in 1962, peaking at number two on the country charts.

I remember as a child hearing stories about Cline (or someone in her camp) stealing this song from Nelson. I can’t remember if it was just my grandfather spinning a yarn, a Jessica Lange movie filling in my historical blanks, or what, but I found no such evidence indicating those sentiments. In 1993, Nelson said that he felt Cline’s version was his favorite song of his that anybody had recorded. Maybe at the time he got a little less than what he thought he should once the song became a hit. Regardless of any of the fine print, the success of Cline’s version not only cemented Nelson’s reputation as a songwriter, but it also opened the door to his own recording career. Based on the success of “Crazy”, Liberty records signed Nelson to his own recording contract.

“Head On” – Pixies / The Jesus and Mary Chain

Admittedly, this one might be stretching it somewhat, as most people might not even realize that an alternate version of this song exists. “Head On” originally appears on the Jesus and Mary Chain’s 1989 album, Automatic. Engineered by future shoegaze mastermind Alan Moulder, the song features the signature feedback sound that JAMC were known for, and it ups the tempo into a fabulous pop song. The ambiguity of its lyrics can give the impression that the song could either be a boy-meets-girl ditty or a psychedelic drug experience swirling around your head.

The true ambiguity of the song comes from the Pixies’ cover version. Around 1990, a year or so before the Pixies would release their fourth album, Trompe Le Monde, they had begun covering “Head On” in concert. The original version of the song started to achieve a moderate level of popularity on modern rock radio on its own merits, but with the Pixies covering it, an argument could be made that the song received a Colbert style “bump.” The Pixies version became slightly famous for the video and the production behind the making of the video. The band had agreed to provide a video for the single only if it was recorded live. Using 12 cameras divided among the four band members, the song was played, the video was recorded, and everybody was happy. I don’t know the reason for the band’s (or perhaps Black Francis’s) stubbornness regarding the making of the video. Maybe it stems from a time when the band was covering “Head On” during a show, and Francis looked down into the audience to see Jim and William Reid, the song’s writers, looking back at him. True story.

“There She Goes” – Sixpence None the Richer / The La’s

This misconception is more an American mistake, as I find it almost impossible to believe that anyone in the UK would not know that the La’s originally performed “There She Goes”. Originally written by Lee Mavers and performed by his band The La’s, the song was released at least three times before it finally achieved any kind of chart status. In fact, the third version was a remix by Steve Lillywhite, who produced the band’s self-titled debut in 1990. Helped by the song’s inclusion on the album, the band finally had a taste of success, peaking at 13 in the UK and just barely missing out on the US Top 40.

The song’s popularity throughout the 90s is most evident by its inclusion on at least four soundtracks from the era. The soundtrack to So I Married An Axe Murderer features both the La’s version and a Boo Radleys version, which bookend the album. Despite appearing in Hollywood heavy-hitters like The Parent Trap remake, Mavers found his biggest success when Austin, Texas, band Sixpence None the Richer included a version on their self-titled third album. The Sixpence version broke the US Top 40 and the Top 10 on most AOR charts. To this day, this is the version you will most likely hear on US AOR/Adult Contemporary radio stations. The Sixpence version also achieved a boost in popularity after appearing on yet another soundtrack, one for the film Snow Day. I find it darkly ironic that so many family oriented films have chosen to use a song that at one point in its history was accused of being an ode to heroin.

“I Want Candy” – Bow Wow Wow / The Strangeloves

The Strangeloves were a “band” comprised of 3/4 of the songwriting team behind “I Want Candy”.  The song was written by Bert Berns, Richard Goettehrer, Jerry Goldstein, and Bob Feldman, all of whom (sans Berns) were the Strangeloves. Assuming the personalities of three Australian ex-sheep-herding brothers named Giles, Miles, and Niles Strange, The Strangeloves recorded their hit in 1965. Oddly enough, though, all writing, recording, and performing credits are under the band members’ real names. The alter egos were just for publicity.

The song achieved a second bit of recognition when, later in the same year, Brian Poole and his band the Tremoloes hit the UK Top 25 with their cover. However, the song’s biggest boost in popularity came not from the mod scene or the swingin’ hipsters of the 60s but rather from new wavers of the early 80s and a cover version by a new British band, Bow Wow Wow.

Bow Wow Wow was a project assembled by Malcolm McLaren, the guiding force behind the Sex Pistols. Never one to shy away from exploiting the sexuality of a teenager, McLaren discovered his singer, a mohawked Annabella Lwin, in a launderette at the tender age of 14. With dollar signs in his eyes, he absconded with the Ants from Adam and the Ants to round out Bow Wow Wow’s lineup, leaving Adam all alone. The band had a series of minor hits in the UK, but “I Want Candy” was pretty much their only success State-side.  Appearing ubiquitously on “One Hit Wonder” lists and “Best of the 80s” types of countdowns, “I Want Candy”, with one of the most recognizable intros since the hand claps on “Car Wash”, may have provided Bow Wow Wow with a bit more immortality than it did the song’s creators, but I would place bets that Annabella is back doing her delicates at the launderette.

“After Midnight”/“Cocaine” – Eric Clapton / J.J. Cale

Clapton has recorded at least three J.J. Cale songs throughout his career: “Cocaine”, “After Midnight”, and “Travelin’ Light” are the most important three. The first two are so closely associated with Clapton that, unless you read the liner notes, you may never have even thought that they weren’t his songs. “After Midnight” was on Clapton’s solo debut in 1970 and immediately became a hot single for the guitarist.

An upbeat, slightly funky number, “After Midnight” features Clapton leaving the experimentation of Blind Faith and the heaviness of Cream behind for a smoother, simpler approach. Cale first recorded a demo of “After Midnight” four years earlier in 1966, which features Cale’s signature laid-back feel. When listening to Cale’s playing, it’s easily as relaxed as any of Clapton’s work. And when listening to Clapton, especially during this period, the influence of Cale is greatly felt.

When Clapton recorded his version in 1970, Cale, apparently, was totally unaware. Dirt poor, scraping by, and barely able to feed himself, Cale was nonetheless pleased to begin receiving royalty checks. In fact, Clapton’s success with Cale’s song led Cale back to the studio to record his own music once again. Cale’s own re-recording of “After Midnight” even managed to chart on Billboard at #42. Clapton would re-re-record the song for a Michelob beer commercial in the late 80s.

Ten years after penning “After Midnight”, Cale wrote “Cocaine” for his 1976 release, Troubadour. The style and arrangement on Cale’s and Clapton’s versions are pretty much the same, with the only major difference being that Clapton’s is a bit cleaner, Cale’s a bit rawer. The famous guitar riff opening the song (and carrying it throughout) is a bit grittier on Cale’s version. His songwriting allows for the music and lyrics to live on their own terms and provide the listener with a chance to absorb both. The message is rather clear in its anti-drug position; however, Cale is careful not to beat the message over the listener’s head. Clapton said once “…from a distance…it just sounds like a song about cocaine. But actually, it is quite cleverly anti-cocaine.”

Produced by Glyn Johns and appearing on Clapton’s 1978 Slowhand, the song was originally a B-side to “Lay Down Sally”, only to be re-released as its own single in 1980. “Cocaine” became one of Clapton’s (and by default, Cale’s) biggest hits, eventually becoming a concert staple and a fixture on contemporary classic rock radio.

“Me and Bobby McGee” – Janis Joplin / Kris Kristofferson

Kristofferson, much like his friend Hugh “Willie” Nelson, began his career in country music as a songwriting journeyman. The first recording of his song “Me and Bobby McGee” was actually by fellow country songwriter Roger Miller in 1969. Kristofferson himself recorded it for his self-titled solo album in 1970. There have been countless cover versions of this song, mostly by country artists; however, none stand out as much as Janis Joplin’s, featured on her final album, Pearl.

Joplin recorded the tune in October 1970, just a few days before her death. As a friend and lover of Joplin’s, Kristofferson had presented the song by singing it to her. She was taught the song by fellow singer Bob Neuwirth and recorded it with her group Full Tilt Boogie in the fall of 1970. Kristofferson was unaware of Joplin’s cover until he heard it a few days after she passed away. He claims that the song was not written for Joplin but that to this day the song is and will be associated with her. Her version of the song became only the second posthumous single in US chart history to hit number one (following Otis Redding’s “Sitting On the Dock of the Bay”).

“Respect” – Aretha Franklin / Otis Redding

Originally written in 1965 by soul legend Otis Redding, “Respect” was composed just as the artist was finishing up his third (and most critically acclaimed) album, Otis Blue. The song’s story is basically of a man pleading for respect from a woman (possibly a gold-digging, over-demanding woman, but I may be reading too much into it). Written as a blues number, Redding’s performance is far funkier than the Franklin version and even comes off a bit more aggressive. Redding’s phrasing often stagnates slightly between verses, delivering the pleading theatrics of the song’s protagonist, whereas Franklin’s impassioned rendering of the song takes the same lyrics and turns them into the strength of a woman announcing her independence and freedom.

Redding managed some chart success, breaking the Top 5 on the Black Singles chart and even crossing over to the pop charts for a second time (following the earlier chart success of “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long”), peaking at #35. True success for the song was found, however, with Aretha Franklin’s recording in 1967. Atlantic Records producer extraordinaire Jerry Wexler took the song to Franklin after hearing Redding’s version. Smelling a hit record, Wexler tweaked the Redding track ever so slightly. There were no lyrical changes, but the producers added a bridge and included King Curtis on saxophone. The overall production was far smoother at Atlantic Records than it was for the Stax production of Redding’s tune, helping to boost its popularity amongst the white audience.

The genius of this song is in Franklin’s delivery. The meaning the listener derives from listening to her version is a complete 180 from the original.  Where Redding’s song was more of a plea from a man to his significant other, Franklin’s version became a rallying cry for women and the feminist movement (and, to a lesser extent, the Civil Rights movement).

Franklin recorded “Respect” on February 14, 1967. Four months later at the Monterrey Pop Festival, Otis Redding, while introducing the song, described it as the song “that little girl done stole from me.” Joking of course, Redding knew the effect that Franklin’s version of his song had. As a result, Redding pretty much gave the song to Franklin (though I am sure he kept the writing credits). It almost begs the question as to just how many in the Monterrey audience knew that Redding had originally penned “Respect”.  Six months after his performance at Monterrey, in December 1967, Redding was killed in a plane crash. In the spring of 1968, Franklin claimed two Grammy awards for her recording of “Respect”. It is her recording of “Respect” that also appears on all of the “Greatest Songs” lists and was even inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2002.

“All Along the Watchtower” – Jimi Hendrix / Bob Dylan

To say that Bob Dylan is one of the most prolific songwriters in music history is an understatement’s understatement. Dylan wrote so much material in the 60s that it almost seemed as if any and every artist on CBS’s roster at the time had to cover at least one of his songs. Despite so many covers, more often than not, the listener was well aware that a Byrds or Baez song on the radio was originally penned by Dylan. Of all of Dylan’s songs (there are approximately 17,345,298, give or take eight), “All Along the Watchtower” stands out from the others not so much because of who wrote it but rather who performed it.

The original recording first appeared on Dylan’s 1968 comeback album, John Wesley Harding. After taking time off to recover from a horrific motorcycle accident, the songs on JWH marked a significant change in Dylan’s songwriting and topicality. Settling into family life, Dylan turned away from the excesses of the city and began to slow things down a little. He even began exploring biblical themes and imagery.

Dylan’s recording of the song was made on a single day in November, 1967. Five takes later, the song was completed by splicing in elements from the third and fifth take. “All Along the Watchtower” was the session’s first track and the second single released from John Wesley Harding. This recording session stands in stark contrast to Hendrix’s recording of the song.

Less than a month after Dylan released John Wesley Harding, Jimi Hendrix commented to Dave Mason of Traffic how he wanted to do a version of Dylan’s song. A few days later, the two men (along with Hendrix’s drummer Mitch Mitchell) entered the studio to do just that. Dylan’s slow-paced, relaxed number was about to get a facelift of raging guitar and psychedelia that would change the song’s appearance forever. The Jimi Hendrix Experience began their cover version in late January 1968.

Hendrix’s session was so chaotic and frustrating that bassist Noel Redding split the studio midway through, leaving Dave Mason to fill in. However, according to session engineer Eddie Kramer, Hendrix ended up playing the final bass part. In less than five days, the recording was complete and the problems began. Hendrix was immediately dissatisfied with the result of “All Along the Watchtower” and began re-recording and overdubbing parts. As he went on, he got increasingly frustrated and unhappy with the product. What began as a four-track recording ended up on a 16-track machine. Everytime Hendrix would listen to the recording, he would hear new nuances and subtleties that he would want to incorporate. The finalized version was released in September 1968, almost eight months after recording began, a far cry from Dylan’s single-day recording session.

The biggest culprit in mis-identifying Hendrix over Dylan as the song’s author is probably Dylan himself. Dylan once described his reaction to the Hendrix cover: “It overwhelmed me…He found things that other people wouldn’t think of finding in there. He probably improved upon it by the spaces he was using.” The first time Dylan performed “All Along the Watchtower” live was in 1974, four years after Hendrix’s death and a full seven years after the initial recording. Of the live performance, Dylan said, “I liked [Hendrix’s] record of this and ever since he died I’ve been doing it that way…I always feel it’s a tribute to him.”

“Hound Dog” – Elvis Presley / Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton

“Hound Dog” differs from the above songs most significantly in that neither the first performer of the song, Big Mama Thornton, or the performer who is most famous for it, Elvis Presley, actually wrote it.  The song was written by Jerry Leiber and Michael Stoller in 1952 for Thornton and was also the first record the songwriting team produced themselves. Thornton’s recording hit number one on the Rhythm & Blues charts in March 1953 and stayed there for over two months. In April 1953, five separate country versions for five separate labels were recorded. The song’s popularity was undeniable.

Thornton’s roots in the blues and jazz worlds lent perfectly to the call-and-response improvisations she added during Pete Lewis’ guitar solo. She even suggested the band bark and howl like dogs as the song ended. With her flexible phrasing and altering syncopations on top of drummer Johnny Otis’s (father of guitar legend Shuggie Otis) solid backbeat, Thornton would hop from the upbeat to the downbeat, stressing different parts of each line, never repeating where she would place the accent. With her straight to the point, no-nonsense delivery, Thornton belted out the innuendo and double entendre-laden lyrics. During the recording session, a Habanera variation as well as a Habanera-mambo arrangement were also recorded.

By the time Presley recorded his much more sanitized version of “Hound Dog” in 1956, numerous covers, sequels, follow-ups, and rip-offs had already filled jukeboxes and record shelves.  Ironically, because of all the other versions of “Hound Dog” around, when Presley made his famous recording, he was apparently unaware that Thornton’s recording even existed. History has shown us that countless black artists were robbed by white artists. However, in this case, I don’t think that was Presley’s intention.

Presley had based his version of “Hound Dog” not on Big Mama Thornton but on a cover version by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys. Bell had rewritten the lyrics slightly in an effort to appeal to a broader audience, and as a result, much of the original sexuality of the song was rendered limp. In yet another twist of irony, Presley was playing as a second billing in, of all places, Las Vegas. While in Vegas, Presley and his band would catch the Bellboys set nightly, and he eventually asked Bell for permission to cover the song. Presley’s version went on to top the charts until it was replaced by another Presley song, “Love Me Tender”.

Though Presley’s version of the song is certainly the most famous, much of its fame is not due to the recording but rather to its performance. Presley’s first performance of “Hound Dog” was on The Milton Berle Show. It was this performance that featured Presley vamping at half-tempo while staring at the audience, all the while rotating and thrusting his hips. It was here that “Elvis the Pelvis” was born, and it was here that Presley managed to restore, both physically and visually, the lyrical sexuality of Thornton’s original.

Legacy Recordings has announced West Coast Seattle Boy – The Jimi Hendrix Anthology, a five-disc (one of them being a DVD) box set of rare and unreleased music. We’re talking over four hours of music here and 45 tracks in total. These tracks will include demos and alternate versions of album songs, alongside live performances and songs we’ve never heard before.

This deluxe box set will be made available on November 16th, rounding out an amazing year of Hendrix celebration. If you’re curious about what to expect on the album, look below for the massive track listing.

West Coast Seattle Boy – The Jimi Hendrix Anthology Tracklist:

Disc One
01. Isley Brothers – Testify (1964)
02. Don Covay & the Goodtimers – Mercy, Mercy (1964)
03. Don Covay & the Goodtimers – Can’t Stay Away (1964)
04. Rosa Lee Brooks – My Diary (1965 – written by Arthur Lee)
05. Rosa Lee Brooks – Utee (1965)
06. Little Richard – I Don’t Know What You Got But It’s Got Me (1965)
07. Little Richard – Dancing All Around The World (1965)
08. Frank Howard & The Commanders – I’m So Glad (1966 – written by Billy Cox)
09. Isley Brothers – Move Over And Let Me Dance (1965
10. Isley Brothers – Have You Ever Been Disappointed (1965)
11. Ray Sharpe – Help Me (Get The Feeling) (Part I) (1966)
12. The Icemen – (My Girl) She’s A Fox (1966)
13. Jimmy Norman – That Little Old Groovemaker (1966)
14. Billy Lamont – Sweet Thang (1968)
15. King Curtis – Instant Groove (1969)

Disc Two
01. Fire(1967) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
02. Are You Experienced (1967) – Previously Unreleased Recording
03. May This Be Love (1967) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
04. Can You See Me (1967) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
05. Love Or Confusion(1967) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
06. Little One (1967) – Previously Unreleased Recording (featuring Dave Mason on sitar)
07. Mr. Bad Luck (1967) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
08. Cat Talking To Me (1967) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
09. Castles Made Of Sand (1967) – Previously Unreleased Recording
10. Tears Of Rage (1968) – Previously Unreleased Recording
11. Hear My Train A Comin’ (1968) – Previously Unreleased Recording
12. 1983 (A Merman I Shall Turn To Be) (1968) – Previously Unreleased
Recording
13. Long Hot Summer Night (1968) – Previously Unreleased Recording
14. My Friend (1968) – Previously Unreleased Recording
15. Angel (1968) – Previously Unreleased Recording
16. Calling All The Devil’s Children (1968) – Previously Unreleased Recording
17. New Rising Sun (1968) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording

Disc Three
01. Hear My Freedom (1968) – Previously Unreleased Recording
02. Room Full Of Mirrors (1969) – Previously Unreleased Recording
03. Shame, Shame, Shame (1969) – Previously Unreleased Recording
04. Messenger (1968) – Previously Unreleased Recording
05. Hound Dog Blues (1969) – Previously Unreleased Recording
06. Untitled Basic Track (1968) – Previously Unreleased Recording
07. Star Spangled Banner (1969) – Previously Unreleased Original Mix
08. Purple Haze (1969) – Previously Unreleased Original Mix
09. Young/Hendrix (1969) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
10. Mastermind (1969) – Previously Unreleased Recording
11. Message To Love (1969) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
12. Fire (1969) – Previously Unreleased Recording
13. Foxey Lady (1969) – Previously Unreleased Recording

Disc Four
01. Stone Free (1969) – Previously Unreleased Recording
02. Burning Desire (1970) – Previously Unreleased Recording
03. Lonely Avenue (1969) – Previously Unreleased Recording
04. Everlasting First (1970) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording (featuring Arthur Lee)
05. Freedom (1970) – Previously Unreleased Recording
06. Peter Gunn/Catastrophe (1970) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
07. In From The Storm (1970) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
08. All God’s Children (1970) – Previously Unreleased Recording
09. Red House (1970) – Previously Unreleased Recording
10. Play That Riff [Thank You] (1970) – Previously Unreleased Recording
11. Bolero (1970) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
12. Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) – Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording
13. Suddenly November Morning (1970) – Previously Unreleased Recording

Additionally, his songs were celebrated earlier this year in Experience Hendrix, a tour featuring an all-star lineup of musicians performing his music. In keeping with the Year of the Hendrix, the tour is set for yet another round of performances this fall.

The first performance will be in Pittsburgh on October 26th, and the tour will make a stop in Canada before returning to the States for further dates throughout the rest of the month in the Eastern U.S. It wraps up on November 20th in Indianapolis.

Guests to be featured this round include Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Susan Tedeschi, Robert Randolph, Jonny Lang, Steve Vai, Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas, Eric Johnson, Ernie Isley, Living Colour, Chris Layton (of Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble) and The Slide Brothers.

Tickets are already on sale, but considering that we’re talking about Jimi Hendrix’s music here, we’d suggest jumping on them pretty soon if you’re thinking of attending.

Experience Hendrix 2010 Tour Dates:
10/26 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Benedum Theater
10/28 – Toronto, ON @ Sony Center
10/29 – Quebec City, QC @ Grand Theatre
10/30 – Montreal, QC @ Place des Arts
11/02 – Buffalo, NY @ Center for the Arts
11/03 – Morristown, NJ @ Community Theatre
11/04 – Mashantucket, CT @ MGM Grand @ Foxwoods
11/06 – Albany, NY @ Palace Theater
11/07 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theater
11/09 – Hershey, PA @ Hershey Theatre
11/10 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
11/11 – Baltimore, MD @ Hippodrome
11/12 – Richmond, VA @ Landmark Theater
11/13 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Caesars Casino
11/16 – Columbus, OH @ Palace Theater
11/17 – Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theater
11/18 – Detroit, MI @ Fox Theater
11/19 – Merrilville, IN @ Star Plaza Theater
11/20 – Indianapolis @ Murat Theatre

So then it would seem that a new take on some older Jay-Z songs may seem listless and stagnant. Nevertheless, DJ Fatty Hezlop mashed together some classic Jay-Z cuts with some uber-classic Jimi Hendrix cuts to make Jigga Hendrix (via Hypetrak). Is it important? Nah. Do we need it? Nah. Is it kinda fun? Yeah, it’s pretty fun. Stream and download the album below.

Jimi Hendrix: Blues is a re-release of the 1994 album of the same name. A collection of blues classics and originals, the compilation will be upgraded with an extended version of Hendrix’ segment in Martin Scorsese’s documentary The Blues. The other record, BBC Sessions, contains the same tracklist as it did in 1998 except for the addition of “Burning of the Midnight Lamp” from a 1967 episode of Top of the Pops. Included is a DVD with some of Hendrix’s BBC appearances, including his cover of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love.”

Oh, there’s also a new four-disc compilation titled West Coast Seattle Boy, which will feature demos, alternate takes, and other previously unreleased recordings from throughout his career. West Coast Seattle Boy will be bundled with a new Hendrix documentary by director Bob Smeaton.

Yeah, we’re going to be broke too.

Janie Hendrix, CEO of Experience Hendrix, the family company responsible for managing the legend’s image and music estate, told Rolling Stone that her family combed the vaults to make more material available to fans that wanted to delve even deeper into her father’s musical musings. She acknowledged the recordings’ sometimes poor quality, but insisted Dagger was the only way to go about releasing it.

“I used to see a lot of bootleg albums and I, too, was one of the victims of high prices and shabby product,” she said, “Obviously, not all of the material is of the commercial and sonic quality of the core titles, so Dagger was devised as a means to market these recordings honestly to offer new insights into Jimi’s creative process for those who are most interested.”

Only four albums are currently available for purchase, but here is a complete listing of future digital releases, and a video from Hendrix’s last performance ever — a 1970 live set at the Isle of Fehmarn.

Jimi Hendrix at the Open Air Love & Peace Festival on Sept. 6, 1970

Jimi Hendrix bootlegs/demos on 320kpbs MP3:
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live At The Oakland Coliseum
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live At Clark University
Morning Symphony Ideas
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live In Ottawa
Jimi Hendrix: Baggy’s Rehearsal Sessions
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Paris 67/San Francisco 68
Hear My Music
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live At The Isle Of Fehmarn
Burning Desire
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Paris/Ottawa 1968
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live At Woburn

Debuting in the States as Pirate Radio, the United Kingdom-based film centers around an illegal radio station positioned in the North Sea. Displeased with a traditionalist British government that prefers to broadcast jazz, Radio Rock plays rock and pop all day and all night. Fittingly, The Kinks’ “All Day and All of the Night”‘s simple, sliding power-chord riff introduces and concludes the film, sending the undisputed message that the only time any of the shipmates feel all right is when music is by their side.

Speaking of the shipmates, the crew’s sense of humor is best conveyed in The Turtles’ “Elenore” and John Fred and His Playboy Band’s “Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)”. Both songs run under the three-minute mark and are accompanied by amusing tales. “Elenore” was written as a satire of one of The Turtles’ earlier pop hits, “Happy Together”. After many requests from label executives to create another chart topper, the band recorded “Elenore” as a parody of the type of happy-go-lucky pop songs they themselves had been performing. However, they deliberately used cliched and nonsensical lyrics such as “Your looks intoxicate me/Even though your folks hate me/There’s no one like you, Elenore, really”; and “Gee, I think you’re swell/And you really do me well/You’re my pride and joy, et cetera …” Ironically, the 1968 single charted at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.

In the same vein, “Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)” was inspired by Fred mistakenly believing that the lyrics to The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” were “Lucy in disguise with diamonds.” Coincidentally, the single went on to trump “Hello, Goodbye”, another Beatles’ tune, for two weeks in January 1968 as the Billboard Hot 100′s number 1.

Beefing up the first disc of the double-disc soundtrack are the longer tracks from the equally as lengthily named Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass and Tommy James and The Shondells. Alpert’s “This Guy’s in Love with You” and James’ “Crimson and Clover” both use simple lyrics to convey their unrequited lust. Their all-encompassing adoration is mirrored in the feelings Radio Rock’s DJs have toward rock and pop music. These songs set the tune to the crew’s dedication in providing music fans with their hearts’ desire.

Disc two weighs in with prestige as The Who, Cream, and Jimi Hendrix grace the soundtrack. “My Generation” aptly describes Radio Rock’s aesthetic. Inspired by the Queen Mother, who allegedly had The Who’s Pete Townshend’s 1935 Packard hearse towed because she was offended by the sight of it, the song is used to address the government’s distaste with Radio Rock’s generation. The psychedelic facets of Cream’s “I’m Free” and Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary” provide the soundtrack with an accurate glimpse into the late 1960s’ more experimental music, which has a heavy blues influence paired with the innovative guitar work of Hendrix and Cream’s Eric Clapton and an undeniably groovy feel.

Rounding out the heavy hitters, David Bowie provides one of the few tracks recorded after the ’60s. The 1983 single “Let’s Dance” is one of Bowie’s most well-known tracks. The radio-touting (“Let’s dance to the song/They’re playin’ on the radio”) dance anthem introduced Bowie to a new younger audience oblivious to his former career in the ’70s with its commercial appeal. Emulating this idea, Radio Rock devotedly introduces teenagers to the wonderment of rock ‘n’ roll and the British government to the quintessential “damn-the-man” attitude.

Although the film, which is loosely based on Radio Caroline, concludes with an actual shipwreck and a horrible “Free Willy” impersonation by Hoffman, it also leaves the viewer with a compilation of chart toppers and this resonating quote:

By the summer of 1967, The Golden Age of Pirate Radio was over, but their big dream never died; with 299 music stations across the UK, they play rock and pop all day and all of the night. And as for Rock and Roll, well, it’s had a pretty good 40 years.”

Rumors of a Hendrix sex tape are swirling around the Internet, and Valley’s of Neptune, his first disc of new material in 42 years, was released on March 9th.

Now his 1967 album, Axis: Bold As Love, will be available as downloadable content on Rock Band this Tuesday. (Sorry PS3 users, you have to wait until April 1st).

While videogame geeks and Hendrix worshippers salivate over the chance to use their plastic axes to tear through “Little Wing”, the experience may leave some wanting more.

Necromancers who want to slip into Hendrix’s virtual skin and bastardize his best songs from the comfort of their La-Z-Boys are going to have to settle for South Park’s Eric Cartman singing Lady Gaga.

Avoiding a Kurt Cobain-esque controversy, Rolling Stone reports that Rock Band still hasn’t worked out the details of creating a Jimi Hendrix avatar with Janie Hendrix.  She is the CEO of Experience Hendrix — the family company responsible for managing the legend’s image and music estate.

While the new single “Valleys of Neptune” is available in the package, fan’s won’t be able to recreate the distorted madness of the album’s opening track, “EXP”, which was omitted from the download.

Indiviual songs will be available for $1.99 and the entire package will retail for $19.99

Axis: Bold as Love -  Rock Band Edition Tracklist:
01. Up From the Skies
02. Spanish Castle Magic
03. Wait Until Tomorrow
04. Ain’t No Telling
05. Little Wing
06. If 6 Was 9
07. You Got Me Floatin’
08. Castles Made of Sand
09. She’s So Fine
10. One Rainy Wish
11. Little Miss Lover
12. Bold As Love
13. Valleys of Neptune *

* = Bonus Track

Valleys of Neptune, the first new Hendrix studio album released in more than a decade, assembles 12 previously unreleased recordings, which include long-sought-after studio originals, reworked arrangements of Hendrix classics, and studio versions of covers Hendrix often played in concert. The bulk of these tracks were recorded in early 1969, as The Jimi Hendrix Experience worked on what was to be the follow-up to Electric Ladyland. This record captures the final studio output of the original Experience lineup and, with Billy Cox playing bass on three tracks, hints at what Hendrix would soon be moving on to with the Band of Gypsys.

Extracts of lead single “Valleys of Neptune” have surfaced in the past, which made obtaining a complete version of the song a major priority for die-hard Hendrix fans. A single listen will make it clear that this song was well worth the wait. From the opening riff and first lines of “Lord I feel the ocean swaying me/Washing away all my pain,” everything about “Valleys of Neptune” sounds like an immediate revelation. The other studio rarity that really resonates here is the bluesy “Hear My Train A Comin’”.  Most listeners will already be familiar with the 12-string acoustic version of this song, but being plugged in and backed here by a full band allows Hendrix the amplitude to reach additional emotional levels both vocally and on guitar.

However, the title track and “Hear My Train A Comin’” are by far the most realized and polished of the less familiar songs on Valleys of Neptune.  Other tracks like “Lover Man”, “Ships Passing through the Night”, “Lullaby for the Summer”, and “Crying Blue Rain” are little more than extended jams still waiting to be turned into songs. But at the same time, you would have to be dead not to be floored by the variety and innovation of Hendrix’s guitar mastery. These recordings may only be rough sketches of would be songs, but some of the most compelling material on Valleys of Neptune comes in these least likely of moments—when it seems that Hendrix is searching for something that he’s not ready to find quite yet.

Listeners will undoubtedly appreciate this album’s alternate take on three of Hendrix’s most indelible songs. “Stone Free”, which opens the record, grooves harder than the original and features distinct and trippy backing vocals that give this classic barnburner a new vibe. The arrangements of “Fire” and “Red House” have been expanded upon to give the feel of a stage performance. “Red House”, in particular, benefits from this treatment, as Hendrix has the time and space to wander, explore, and fully solo on guitar between succinct vocal parts.

The two cover songs on Valleys of Neptune also rank as highlights. Hendrix takes blues legend Elmore James’ straightforward “Bleeding Heart” and transforms it into his own inimitable style of funk rock that rollicks and soars. In 1969, Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” was a concert staple of the Experience, and Hendrix maneuvers through this classic with the meticulousness of a surgeon, his play ranging from bold and brash to restrained and intricate.

Valleys of Neptune is in no way a proper studio album. It’s largely a collection of riffs, solos, and songs in their infancy, destined to be fleshed out, transformed, or even scrapped all together. It’s a glimpse of Hendrix at work, trying to figure out what comes next. More than anything, Valleys of Neptune gives fans a chance to listen and wonder about what could have been.

Hendrix’s stepsister, Janie, who currently controls his estate, revealed the news in a recent interview with the LA Times (via Billboard): “At the time the deal was completed,” read the article, “Sony vowed to make his music ‘available through every type of media’ — including a new edition of ‘Rock Band’ that Janie Hendrix says should appear before the end of this year.”

Officials at “Rock Band” publisher MTV Games or developer Harmonix have not commented on the report. If accurate, the game would join a recently announced Green Day version as one of two forthcoming Rock Band editions set to be released this year. Since that sort of thing has never happened before, G4tv.com is speculating the Hendrix release could be limited to a “big track pack collection.” Either way, get your thumbs ready.

Update: According to a rep for Harmonx/MTV, “in no uncertain terms” are there plans for a standalone version of a Hendrix Rock Band.

Despite the cover song’s negative associations, rock and roll has greatly benefitted from and was largely built upon the practice of borrowing material and recording alternative versions. As a result, the rock and roll canon is absolutely loaded with cover songs. Case in point, Rolling Stone‘s infamous countdown of the 500 greatest rock songs of all time features 13 songs in its top 100 that had been previously recorded by other artists. Without these classic re-recordings, and others included here on our list, our world would be a much poorer place. And that’s what this list is all about. (You won’t find that killer version of “Free Bird” you heard back in the summer of 1984 in Key West on open-mic night in that dive bar at that time in your life when you were wearing headbands, dabbling in glassblowing, and carrying a pocket-size copy of the Kama Sutra around. So don’t get worked up when you don’t find it here.) These are the very best of the redos-songs that reached their true potential on the second, or even seventh, go around. Consequence of Sound gives you our top ten cover songs of all time.

10.  Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Higher Ground” (Original Recording by Stevie Wonder)

Stevie Wonder is a difficult (damn near impossible) act to follow. Wonder, who began as a child prodigy for Motown, has done more for funk music than just about anyone this side of James Brown and George Clinton, so maybe it’s fitting that the band that had the collective balls (not to mention tube socks) to cover “Higher Ground” was the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who have acted as the unofficial caretakers of funk rock for nearly three decades. Anthony Kiedis & Co. remain fairly true to Wonder’s rollicking version but amplify the proceedings with bouncing guitars, banging drums, and the track’s signature group choruses. Is some of the political and spiritual message lost in this remake? Maybe. But it just rocks too hard to worry about. An’ Stevie knows that, uh, no-body’s gonna bring me down.

9.  Johnny Cash – “Hurt” (Original Recording by Nine Inch Nails)

I wonder if Trent Reznor somehow knew he was working on a Johnny Cash song when he wrote and recorded “Hurt” for his own masterpiece, The Downward Spiral. Regardless, Reznor openly admits that the song doesn’t really belong to him anymore. Under the careful guidance of legendary producer Rick Rubin, Cash resurrected his career late in life with a series of unlikely cover songs, none more surprising then this reworking of Nine Inch Nails. On “Hurt”, Cash manages to take a song about youth’s isolation and despair and transform it into a personal confession of an old soul who is not long for this world. The song carries the most emotional weight when coupled with director Mark Romanek’s dark and affecting music video, which was shot in the ailing star’s Tennessee home. In the video, Cash’s frailty is both visible and audible, as his hands and vocal chords tremble; his regret becomes palpable. The listener/viewer feels like he or she can reach out and touch both life and death at the same time. “Hurt”, strange as it may seem, could very well become The Man in Black’s most enduring legacy.

8.  Elvis Costello and the Attractions – “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” (Original Recording by Nick Lowe as a member of Brinsley Schwarz)

Elvis Costello’s penchant for writing biting and scathing songs with a poison-tipped pen made him a unique brand of songwriter when he emerged in the late seventies, but the song that will most likely go down as his finest came from a different pen all together. UK new wave icon and Costello’s long-time producer Nick Lowe allowed Costello to have a go at Lowe’s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” and included the version as a b-side on his own single, “American Squirm”. Costello’s b-side cover ended up becoming the hit, and the song has belonged to Elvis ever since. “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” features the glowing guitar, the driving drums, and that smart ass sneer that came to define Costello on his classic records. This song is three and a half minutes of the blistering best that new wave/pub rock has to offer, and there’s nothing funny ‘bout that.

7.  Jeff Buckley – “Hallelujah” (Original Recording by Leonard Cohen)

Jeff Buckley, like so many great artists, was taken away much too soon. Less than three years after the release of what would be his only proper studio album, Grace, Buckley drowned in a tragic swimming accident. While fans will never know what this talented, young man might have gone on to create, we are left with one masterpiece that hints at what would have been a remarkable future. Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is one of the great vocal performances of the last 20 years. Accompanied by only a simple guitar part, all the power of this song comes directly from Buckley. His voice whispers and soars, and the listener can hear him strain and struggle for every note as he nears each chorus. It’s so rare when a singer can create that sort of tension-that feeling that something significant hangs in the balance-in something as unassuming as a song.

6.  Jimi Hendrix – “Hey Joe” (Original Recording by Billy Roberts)

Did you know that “Hey Joe”  isn’t a Jimi Hendrix original? I confess that for years I simply assumed that Hendrix was the sole genius behind this tale of infidelity, murder, and flight. But all writing credits and registered copyrights aside, I think it’s fair to say that “Hey Joe” has become a de facto Hendrix song. “Hey Joe” was the first single ever released by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and it holds the ineffaceable distinction of having been the final song played at Woodstock. And it also isn’t the greatest cover song Hendrix ever recorded. How’s that for foreshadowing?

5.  The Animals – “House of the Rising Sun” (Traditional)

Part of the mysterious quality of “House of the Rising Sun” stems from the fact that artists and musicologists alike can’t quite agree on where or how this song originated. The Animals began playing it as their set closer while on tour with Chuck Berry in 1964. The song proved so popular that the band went into the studio to capture it once and for all on record. After only one take, the band had the version that would become arguably the world’s first folk-rock song. I don’t mind admitting that this song has always creeped me out. Eric Burdon’s howling vocals suggest a man possessed by some demonic force, and the backdrop of Alan Price’s hypnotic organ playing completes the chilling effect. Never has pop music better captured the vibe of a soul being tormented and haunted by past transgressions. The Animals’ version of “House of the Rising Sun” is one of the building blocks of rock as we know it.

4.  Joe Cocker – “With a Little Help from My Friends” (Original Recording by The Beatles)

I used to tune into reruns of The Wonder Years each afternoon to hear the theme song’s abridged version of Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from My Friends”. (Okay. I also wanted to know if there was any veracity to the rumors that Paul Pfeiffer actually grew up to become Marilyn Manson.) Cocker’s energetic (bordering on spasmodic) rendition of the Fab Four’s more subdued version is one of the touchstones of rock and roll. A large part of the appeal is that the song is really a performance piece-a theatrical stage for Joe Cocker to do whatever it is that Joe Cocker does. Watching Cocker perform “With a Little Help from My Friends” is almost a rite of passage for music fans. He staggers about stage, throwing wild fits and unleashing some of the most primitive sounds the human body has ever produced…and somehow it just works. ( For a comedic take on Cocker’s unique stage mannerisms, track down a clip of John Belushi’s hilarious and spot-on imitation performed on Saturday Night Live.)

3.  The Beatles – “Twist and Shout” (Original Recording by the Top Notes)

Long before a lip syncing Ferris Bueller was a twinkle in John Hughes’s eye, “Twist and Shout” was making young people, well, twist and shout, as “Beatlemania” swept across America. “Twist and Shout” was the very last song recorded during the Please Please Me sessions. Producer George Martin saved the song for last due to the vocal strain it put on an ill John Lennon. The band was only afforded one take before Lennon’s voice gave out, and the resulting recording holds an indelible place in rock and roll history. Lennon’s raw and ragged vocals set a precedent for what rock and roll singing could be. The perfect voice hitting all the right notes was no longer the priority. Hell, you could scream, wail, and shout if you wanted to…and John did just that.

2.  Aretha Franklin – “Respect” (Original Recording by Otis Redding)

It’s difficult to think of Aretha Franklin as anything other than the “Queen of Soul,” but the ultimate diva’s career began in anything but regal fashion. Franklin struggled for nearly a decade as a jazz singer before she found her niche working with the producers and songwriters at Atlantic Records. In 1967, Franklin laid claim to her future royal title when she recorded a groundbreaking version of Otis Redding’s “Respect”. The cover, complete with a feminist makeover, would go on to become Franklin’s signature song and go down in history as arguably the best vocal performance ever.

1.  Jimi Hendrix -  “All Along the Watchtower” (Original Recording by Bob Dylan)

After hours of narrowing down lists and wrestling over which song belongs where in the final countdown, I appreciate Jimi making the number-one spot a no-brainer. The original recording of “All Along the Watchtower” first appeared in 1967 as an ear-catching but relatively tame, acoustic fable on Bob Dylan’s John Wesley Harding. In January of 1968-after getting hold of Dylan’s version through a publicist-Hendrix entered the studio and began formulating his own take on the song. After several months of tweaks, overdubs, and complete overhauls, Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower” was released on Electric Ladyland. Tour de force doesn’t even begin to describe this recording. Hendrix’s guitar work manages to sound both revolutionary and primal at the same time, and his vocals, which he was often self-conscious about, resonate and give this strange rendezvous between a joker and a thief an apocalyptic sense of urgency. It’s no wonder Dylan has been playing Hendrix’s version ever since. When Jimi Hendrix covers you, apparently, you end up covering him.

Honorable Mention:

The Byrds - ”Mr. Tambourine Man” (Original Recording by Bob Dylan)
Eric Clapton – “I Shot the Sheriff” (Original Recording by Bob Marley & The Wailers)
The Clash – “I Fought the Law” (Original Recording by Sonny Curtis and The Crickets)
Cream – “Crossroads” (Original Recording by Robert Johnson)
Led Zeppelin – “You Shook Me” (Original Recording by Earl Hooker and Muddy Waters)
John Lennon – “Stand By Me” (Original Recording by Ben E. King)
Nirvana – “The Man Who Sold the World” (Original Recording by David Bowie)
Elvis Presley – “Hound Dog” (Original Recording by Big Mama Thornton)
Rage Against the Machine – “The Ghost of Tom Joad” (Original Recording by Bruce Springsteen)
Santana – “Black Magic Woman” (Original Recording by Fleetwood Mac)
Stevie Wonder – “For Once in My Life” (Original Recording by Jean DuShon)

“My brother Jimi was at home in the studio. Valleys of Neptune offers deep insight into his mastery of the recording process and demonstrates the fact that he was as unparalleled a recording innovator as he was a guitarist,” explains Janie Hendrix. “His brilliance shines through on every one of these precious tracks.”

Ahead of the album’s March 9th release date, Spinner is now streaming “Valley of Neptune”. Yep, a brand new, 40-year-old Hendrix for your listening pleasure! Last time I checked, this type of thing doesn’t happen all too often.

Highlighting the effort will be its title track, which was said to be unearthed nearly 40 years after it was recorded at Hendrix’s final sessions. Covers of “Bleeding Heart” and Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love,” plus rerecorded versions of “Fire”, “Red House” and “Stone Free” are also set to be included.

“My brother Jimi was at home in the studio. Valleys of Neptune offers deep insight into his mastery of the recording process and demonstrates the fact that he was as unparalleled a recording innovator as he was a guitarist,” explains Janie Hendrix. “His brilliance shines through on every one of these precious tracks.”

The family also intends to reissue all the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s studio albums, 1967′s Smash Hits, and the 1997 release of First Rays of the Rising Sun in the months ahead. The releases will be packaged with a documentary by Beatles Anthology director Bob Smeaton and will feature interviews with the Experience’s Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding, and producers Chas Chandler and Eddie Kramer.

Of course, all this will follow a previously announced new Hendrix live album, tribute tour, and fictionalized film. 2010 marks the 40th anniversary of the death of the acclaimed musician.

Valleys of Neptune Tracklist:
01. Stone Free
02. Valleys Of Neptune
03. Bleeding Heart
04. Hear My Train A Comin’
05. Mr. Bad Luck
06. Sunshine Of Your Love
07. Lover Man
08. Ships Passing Through The Night
09. Fire
10. Red House
11. Lullaby For The Summer
12. Crying Blue Rain’

Alicia Keys:

What: Tour dates for North America

When: February – April

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

“Experience Hendrix”:

What: North American tribute tour featuring Joe Satriani, Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford, and more

When: March

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

Julian Casablancas:

What: Tour dates for Boston, MA and Philadelphia, PA

When: January

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com and Livenation.com 12:00 PM EST

Killswitch Engage:

What: Tour dates for North America

When: February – March

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM CST

Mariah Carey:

What: Tour dates for North America

When: January – February

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

Muse:

What: Tour dates for North America

When: March

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at at 10:00 AM EST

STS9:

What: Tour date for Las Vegas, NV

When: February 26, 2010

Tixs: $18.00

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM PST

Umphrey’s McGee:

What: Tour dates for North America

When: January – February

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

The Used (w/ Atreyu):

What: Tour date for North America

When: January – February

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

As NME reports, recordings of two Hendrix performances at the Paris L’Olympia Theatre (October 9, 1967 & January 29, 1968), as well as one from Ottawa’s Capitol Theater on March 19, 1968 will be packaged as part of a limited edition CD/vinyl. Also included as part of the package will be a poster and postcard set, badges, an iPod skin, guitar picks, and a t-shirt — so you can rock your new Hendrix album on your new Hendrix-styled iPod while wearing your new Hendrix shirt. Nice!

As previously reported, 2010 will likely see the release of a number of Hendrix related release. Experience Hendrix, which controls the musician’s catalog, has previously announced a long-term licensing agreement with Sony Music, which will begin a new Hendrix reissue campaign in 2010.

Then there’s the whole tour and two films, one which you can read all about, compliments of CoS reader/ film’s director R.H. Greene, by clicking here.

The Bamboozle:

What: Two-day festival in E. Rutherford, NJ featuring Weezer and Paramore

When: May 1-2

Tixs: $125.00

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 12:00 PM EST

Big Ears Festival:

What: Three-day festival in Knoxville, TN featuring Vampire Weekend, Joanna Newsom, The xx, and more

When: March 26-28

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: bigearsfestival at 10:00 AM EST (Inner Ear Weekend Festival Pass)

Eric Clapton (w/ Roger Daltrey):

What: North American tour

When: March

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

Furthur:

What: North American tour featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir

When: February – March

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

“Experience Hendrix”:

What: North American tribute tour featuring Joe Satriani, Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford, and more

When: March

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

We’ll start off with with the forthcoming fictionalized indie film about the legendary guitarist. After all, what’s better than a fictionalized indie film telling the story of two gangsters, desperately trying to get away from a mob boss they double-crossed, who inadvertently kidnap Hendrix, then at the height of his career and drug addiction? And we haven’t mentioned that the plot continues with Hendrix ultimately teaching one of the gangsters about honesty, and Hendrix learns to clean up his act. Yes, what you just read is not only real but will actually be be a feature film. According to the Hollywood Reporter, R.H. Greene, best known as being the author of Incarnadine: The True Memoirs of Count Dracula, will write and direct the project, which is titled Slide. Get it? Update: R.H. Greene comments on the film’s actual story…

This is not to be confused with the Hendrix biopic rumored to be in the works. However, there hasn’t been much of an update with that since we told you about it back in August.

Also coming soon will be an all-star tour honoring the fallen musician. As Variety reports, the fourth incarnation of the “Experience Hendrix” trek will feature a number of high-profile guitarists — Joe Satriani, Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford, Doyle Bramhall II, The Isley Brothers’ Ernie Isley, and Living Colour’s Vernon Reid — playing music written and inspired by Hendrix. The rhythm section will include longtime Hendrix friend and collaborator Billy Cox (bass) and Double Trouble’s Chris Layton (drums). What’s more, select tour dates will also included appearances by David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, Susan Tedeschi, and Robert Randolph’s Sacred Steel. Find tour dates below; tickets will go on sale beginning Friday, December 11th via Ticketmaster.com.

Experience Hendrix, which controls the musician’s catalog, has also announced a long-term licensing agreement with Sony Music, which will begin a new Hendrix reissue campaign in 2010.

So, remember when I said it was going to be quite the Hendrix filled year? I wasn’t lying.

“Experience Hendrix” 2010 Tour Dates:
03/05 – Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
03/06 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint
03/07 – Mesa, AZ @ Ikeda Theatre
03/09 – Friant, CA @ Table Mountain Casino Events Center
03/10 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
03/12 – Reno, NV @ Silver Legacy Resort Casino
03/14 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
03/16 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theatre
03/17 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
03/18 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
03/20 – St. Louis, MO @ Fox Theatre
03/21 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theatre
03/23 – Akron, OH @ Akron Civic Theatre
03/24 – Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theatre
03/25 – Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basic Theatre
03/27 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre

Easy Rider is one of the best representations of the end of the ’60s as a cultural movement. The film follows two bikers nicknamed Captain America (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) as they ride across the nation hoping to make it to New Orleans in time for Mardi Gras. On the way, they run into a hippie commune trying to survive outside of society, a square ACLU lawyer, and two prostitutes with whom they experience a bad acid trip. The surprising end of the movie unintentionally sums up the way that 1969 has gone. It starts hopeful but ends in spiritual failure.

The soundtrack to Easy Rider by itself does a wonderful job in conveying this idea. It kicks off with Steppenwolf’s “The Pusher”, one of most blatant songs about drugs from the ’60s. Within the first minute,  John Kay’s declared that “the pusher don’t care/if you live or if you die.” “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”, this isn’t. Rather than sticking with the whole idea of free drug use, the song works to distinguish between drugs like marijuana and hard drugs like heroin. In the movie, the song’s accompanied by Captain America stuffing the cash he got from a drug deal into his fuel tank, adding a visual layer to the track’s meaning.

While “The Pusher” tells a more cautious lesson, “Born To Be Wild” pushes in the opposite direction. The second Steppenwolf song on this record is all about going on a great adventure. What better images to support it, than shots of the two riders starting their adventure across the country. With Doors-style keyboards and one of the heavier guitar riffs to come out of the decade, “Born To Be Wild” shuns the responsibility of the soundtrack opener for the chance to “explode into space.”

Next up, “The Weight” by The Band plays over scenes of the two riders moving through the desert with a passenger they picked up. As the sun sets over the rocky territory, the track creates a feeling of community. It works for the hippie ideal of everyone living together in peace and sharing what they can. The next number, “Wasn’t Born To Follow”, by The Byrds, exemplifies one of the problems with this idea. Everyone has their own personal goals for what they want their life to be like. Living in a community that shares everything would leave nothing for the individual. In the song, the narrator wants to go everywhere from “the valley beneath the sacred mountain” to “beneath the white cascading waters” where he wants to die. Jimi Hendrix’s “If 6 was 9″ also shows this problem as Hendrix states that he’s got his “own world to live through.”

“If You Want to Be a Bird (Bird Song)” by The Holy Modal Rounders is a juxtaposition in its musical delivery. Where the lyrics are fairly uplifting (“Why be shackled to your feet/When you’ve got wings/You haven’t used yet/Don’t wait for heaven/Get out and fly”), the music sounds like a demented circus soundtrack. It’s psychedelic but in a bad acid trip way. The piano sounds out of key and the vocals sound like they’re drunkenly yelled from the bottom of a well. During the movie, George Hanson (Jack Nicholson) has joined the two riders as they continue moving across the country. The track fits here because where Hanson would like to have the freedom the two riders have, he can’t break out of his shell enough to really do so. He also experiences the problem of true freedom firsthand when he’s violently killed by a group of Louisiana men who are angered by the trio’s looks and behavior.

Though many of the tracks so far have had some sense of ’60s hope for the future, Bob Dylan’s “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” contains none. A cynical tale of the world’s problem follows over the next five minutes of the track. By now, the winter of 1969 has set in and the cultural changes of the decade have stalled. The death of Hanson and their bad trip in New Orleans cause Wyatt to say, “You know Billy, we blew it.” The journey was a failure, as they didn’t find the spiritual release they were looking for. The song is made even more tragic as their journey ends violently when the duo is gunned down on the road.

As a whole, Easy Rider highlights both the ups and downs of the final year of the ’60s. However, the focus is clearly on the downs. While great cultural strides had been made, the hippie movement couldn’t live up to its own ideals. Even though the movie wasn’t made with the specific problems of 1969 in mind, it really caught on to the subtle shift as the world moved into the next decade. The soundtrack that supports it only makes the changes all the more powerful.

Easy Rider Soundtrack
01. The Pusher – Steppenwolf
02. Born To Be Wild – Steppenwolf
03. I Wasn’t Born To Follow – The Byrds
04. The Weight – The Band
05. If You Want To Be A Bird – The Holy Modal Rounders
06. Dont’ Bogart Me – Fraternity of Man
07. If Six Was Nine – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
08. Kyrie Eleison Mardi Gras – The Electric Prunes
09. It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) – Roger McGuinn
10. Ballad Of Easy Rider – Roger McGuinn

The news comes from The Playlist, which reports that Legendary Pictures, the company behind such films as Beerfest and Watchmen, has begun work on a biopic about the one and only Jimi Hendrix. Legendary has tapped Max Borenstein (What Is Life Worth?) to write the script and will present it to the Hendrix estate for approval.

All this being said, the idea of a Hendrix biopic is nothing new, with everyone from Outkast’s Andre 3000 to  Quentin Tarantino having been involved in previous attempts to make such a film. The biggest obstacle appears to be Hendrix’s aforementioned estate which is said to be heavily protected by family members. In other words, they either want something really good… or nothing at all.

As The Playlist goes on to note, Legendary does have some experience in the whole guitar God genre. Legendary head and producer Thomas Tull was involved in the upcoming rock documentary It Might Get Loud. Perhaps he can work his Voodoo again…

So, I won’t be that guy. But I could be. It’s so easy to be. Hendrix might be the biggest name in rock and roll history. His legend looms larger than anyone else’s I can think of. But I’ll show restraint. There’s a lot to get to before “Foxey Lady” and “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return).” Lots of ground to cover before Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland, all recorded within a year and a half. Damn! Play it cool, man. Pace yourself. Okay. So, for our purposes, Jimi Hendrix will be the afro-sporting, guitar string-flossing, gypsy elephant in the corner of the room that we’re not going to talk about…just yet.

Trippin’ back to the fifties…

Decades before doing commercials for Geico and Taco Bell, not to mention a regrettable Full House cameo, Little Richard was dubbed the “Architect of Rock and Roll” and for good reason. While Elvis spent the fifties all shook up, Little Richard was laying the foundation for modern rock and roll as we know and love it: the charged piano, the raspy wails and howls, saxophone funk, and pulse-racing, spine-tingling barnburners like “Tutti Frutti” that hit audiences in the fifties like a speeding freight train. Good Golly Miss Molly!

Care to challenge Reverend Richard’s influence on rock and roll? (Reverend? He actually became an ordained minister.) Bob Dylan wrote in his high school yearbook that he one day wanted to be in Little Richard’s band. Jimi Hendrix, who recorded with Little Richard’s crew in the mid-sixties, said, “I want to do with my guitar what Little Richard does with his voice.” Talk about references.

Little Richard

“Good Golly Miss Molly”

If Little Richard was the “Architect of Rock and Roll,” you might say Chuck Berry was the Construction Foreman, because he built rock and roll. He brought in country and western influences, rhythm and blues, and the double-string guitar lick that soon became his trademark. If you want to find rock’s heart and soul, search no further than Chuck Berry’s guitar.

Do you know what I admire most about Berry, though? And, no, it’s not that he was melting faces before it was legal in most states. It’s those rapid-fire lyrics in his songs. Listen to “Johnny B. Goode” or “Roll Over Beethoven.” He stuffs every last syllable he can into his mouth and spits out these rock lyrics to kill for. “Roll over Beethoven/Tell Tchaikovsky the news.” Translation: Check this shit out.

Chuck Berry

“Johnny B. Goode”

You can’t talk about rock and roll without mentioning the late, great Bo Diddley. He’s right up there with the great bluesman, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry as fathers of rock; in some circles he’s even known as the “Grandfather of Rock.”  I could talk about the “Bo Diddley Beat,” his tremolo bar and cigar-box guitar, or his one-of-a-kind stage presence, but I won’t. Instead, I’d like to remind everyone of an important but often overlooked part of this man’s legacy. Right up until his death in 2008, Diddley was one of the most outspoken artists about cheating and scandal in the music industry. Throughout the decades, hundreds of black artists, including Diddley, have been underpayed, ripped off, and signed to crooked contracts by those who tried to make record labels the new plantations. These artists gave us some of our most beloved music, and this was the thanks they got. It’s a damn shame, and praise should be given to Diddley for never letting this injustice rest.

Bo Diddley

“Hey, Bo Diddley”

I don’t have prejudice against meself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don’t dip on nobody’s side. Me don’t dip on the black man’s side nor the white man’s side. Me dip on God’s side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white. ~ Bob Marley

While our focus today is on rock and roll, not reggae, we’d be remiss not to take a moment and look at the black experience beyond America. And who better to look at than the iconic Bob Marley? Marley only lived thirty-six years before cancer stole him away, but he used those years to create an indelible legacy and impact. He introduced reggae music to the entire world. And even more importantly, he used his gifts to speak out against the racial hatred and prejudice that has torn apart societies the world over. Marley, as much as any guitarist and singer, reminded us that music can at times have a purpose but should always have a heart and soul.

I’m a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which happens to be where Bob Marley gave his final live performance at the Stanley Theater (now the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts) in 1980. I only learned this fact a few months ago after years of attending concerts and plays at this theater. Needless to say, this old building has taken on new meaning for me. To be able to take the feelings Marley’s music invokes and connect them to a concrete place that can be visited only helps to keep his memory alive and his message strong.

Bob Marley and the Wailers

“Concrete Jungle”

I’m beginning to feel a bit like the Ghost of Rock and Roll Past. There is so much more I want to show you. George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly and The Family Stone, and so many others, but our time together (and my column space) grows short.

So on to that Jimi guy…

Everything about Jimi Hendrix seemed bigger than life: the afro a mile in circumference, the ragdoll and gypsy fashions, the crazy feats on stage, but most of all the sounds he managed to extract from that Stratocaster or Flying V. Sometimes we forget about all the different elements he brought to rock and roll and how they’ve changed the genre forever. The wah-wah peddle and distortion effects. The alarming riff on “Purple Haze.” The delta blues influence on “Hey Joe.” And the dylanesque lyrics of “The Wind Cries Mary.” Hendrix mapped it all out. He built and paved roads in every imaginable direction for future artists to travel down.

The argument over whether or not Hendrix was the greatest guitarist ever has been debated ad nauseum and will continue to be argued over for as long as rock and roll survives. However, what I think is clear is that Hendrix got more sounds out of the guitar than any artist before or since. Some say he expanded the vocabularly of the guitar; to me, it sounds more like he invented an entirely new language.

I’m going to say goodbye with the video below featuring Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.  It’s funny. When Jimi played with his teeth or lit a guitar on fire, it was self-expression. When the rest of us do it, we’re just pulling a Jimi. That’s the difference. He’s just doing his thing. Anything he did instantly became his thing. The rest of us are just paying homage. We’re just doing his thing.

Jimi Hendrix

“Wild Thing”