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Track Listings
| 1. Who Knows |
| 2. Machine Gun |
| 3. Power To Love |
| 4. Message To Love |
| 5. Changes |
| 6. We Gotta Live Together |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
48 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
"Band of Gypsys" is a fine album, and the blueprint for funk-rock, funk-metal and a hundred other funks which, ironically enough, languish in the CD players of a multitude of twenty-first century white kids. Buddy Miles' soulful songs of love and life are a refreshing contrast to Hendrix's new-found didacticism (witness "Message to Love"), and the whole thing is spolighted in an uncluttered performance, Cox and Miles a solid rhythm section a million miles from the flashy Experience.
The high-point on this album, recorded live on New Year's Eve, 1969, is "Machine Gun", Jimi's musings upon the Vietnam War, made shockingly real by the guitarist's otherworldly playing and Buddy Miles' onamatopoeic percussion. Other classics are the groovesome opener "Who Knows" and Miles' effervescent "Changes".
As well as being arguably the most successful live album of all-new material ever issued, "Band of Gypsys" shows Hendrix as less of a band-leader and more of a band-member. Furthermore, it grooves, it rocks, and it's excellent. Anyone who cares a jot about rock, funk or twentieth century popular music in general ought to purchase this.
34 of 37 people found the following review helpful
By The Rocker
Format:Audio CD
This is quite simply the most amazing live guitar album ever. Everything on this album is perfect..I cannot find a single fault and I've listened to it many many times. Jimi's masterpiece Machine Gun is the most amazing piece of guitar work I've ever heard in my life......and the bass and drums throughtout the entire album are spot perfect. If you like Hendrix...or a big fan of guitarists like me....you just have to own this album. It's like a law of the universe.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By E. Mathiasen
Format:Audio CD
Band of Gypsys is an album that must belong in every serious music collection. I think that it is the greatest rock album ever, live or studio included. There are many components that add to the overall success of the album, but what sticks out the most is just the raw, natural sound of music created by this amazing trio! Buddy Miles on drums and vocals is really on fire here: He's inventive, passionate and just all around in the music. His drive is incredible and his vocal solo on Who Knows is just classic, probably the best vocal solo I've heard outside of jazz. Billy Cox has a natural sound and time that really fits the overall expression of the group very well.
But let's not forget about the true star here: Hendrix. He is amazing here; his soloing and storytelling transcends anything I've heard and his sound is amazing. Considering the era in which this album was released his sound is unbelievable, almost superhuman. The bass and drum serve as his canvas and he's painting effortlessly and freely while still keeping his interaction with Cox and Miles intact. It really is incredible how wide the sound is, considering it is just a trio.
I think Machine Gun is the best take on the album and the greatest piece of rock ever recorded. The way Hendrix sets the mood and tells the story is really second to none. Machine Gun is a trip in itself, just raw expression from Hendrix. But don't worry, the music on this album isn't all abstract. Who Knows will satisfy anyone with a thirst for rhytm and Power of Love is just a great, intense rock song(listen to Miles' shout at the break after the intro. Woo!). We Live Together also features one of the best riffs ever.... Read more ›
But let's not forget about the true star here: Hendrix. He is amazing here; his soloing and storytelling transcends anything I've heard and his sound is amazing. Considering the era in which this album was released his sound is unbelievable, almost superhuman. The bass and drum serve as his canvas and he's painting effortlessly and freely while still keeping his interaction with Cox and Miles intact. It really is incredible how wide the sound is, considering it is just a trio.
I think Machine Gun is the best take on the album and the greatest piece of rock ever recorded. The way Hendrix sets the mood and tells the story is really second to none. Machine Gun is a trip in itself, just raw expression from Hendrix. But don't worry, the music on this album isn't all abstract. Who Knows will satisfy anyone with a thirst for rhytm and Power of Love is just a great, intense rock song(listen to Miles' shout at the break after the intro. Woo!). We Live Together also features one of the best riffs ever.... Read more ›
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
What did Jimi Hendrix do best?I know,quite a leading question but in respect of this album an important one I think.In my opinion it isn't so much the plug my soul into the cosmos style of guitar playing or even the very direct almost preternatural song writing.More than any other artist I get very possesive of Jimi and when people ask me why do I rate him so highly I always end up calling him the Mozart of popular music.For me his single greatest ability was to absorb and reinterpret not just all the music he had around him but also a specific sense of time and his place in it.
Star spangled banner at dawn anyone?
This particular album loses that feeling for me.It sets a template of sorts for early seventies funk.Think Eddie Hazel and a below par Bootsy Collins here.Basically too much of one thing and not enough of the other.I could be wrong here but to my ears Hendrix live at least found his imagination fired by the space affored to him by Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding.On this album there's a controlled four to the floor vibe going on.As a result Jimi plays in a far more regimented style than on earlier takes.
No more axis and maybe no more dawn.
Star spangled banner at dawn anyone?
This particular album loses that feeling for me.It sets a template of sorts for early seventies funk.Think Eddie Hazel and a below par Bootsy Collins here.Basically too much of one thing and not enough of the other.I could be wrong here but to my ears Hendrix live at least found his imagination fired by the space affored to him by Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding.On this album there's a controlled four to the floor vibe going on.As a result Jimi plays in a far more regimented style than on earlier takes.
No more axis and maybe no more dawn.
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
Joe Satriani once described jimi's playing on this album,as the best live guitar work ever.Machine gun the centerpiece of this album sends shivers down your spine,pure genius.Together with miles (Buddy) power drumming.And (Cox) Billy steady bass lines.Hendrix seems free to just play from within. Anyone who likes MUSIC MUST OWN THIS.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is the original CD release of Hendrix's `Band of Gypsys', recorded over four concerts on 31st December 1969 and 1st January 1970 at the Fillmore East. Fans of Jimi's music will know that this experimental trio replaced `Experience' members Noel Redding on bass with Jimi's ex-Army buddy Billy Cox, who had by this time been playing and rehearsing with Jimi for several months, and Mitch Mitchell on drums with Buddy Miles.
This release differs from the more recent Sony/Hendrix family release only in that it's in a plastic CD box instead of cardboard sleeve, and lacks the amber-and-purple square sticker on the cover: for legal reasons you can no longer buy this new, but the Sony release contains exactly the same material.
The Fillmore concerts used some of the `Experience' numbers as time-fillers, but none of Jimi's previous recorded material appears on this album; only the new stuff. This collection has a more soulful - some say `funky' but it's not really anything like 1970s `funk' - feel to it, and both Jimi and drummer Miles share the vocal work. In contrast to the psychedelia and playfully imaginative song themes of the `Experience' years, the song lyrics on BoG lean towards the political and socially-aware. This is especially true on the star track of the album, `Machine Gun' on which Jimi actually makes the sounds of full-on 20th century warfare with his fender, as he pleads for humanity to the machine-gunner; for context to younger readers, this was during the Vietnam war which was a VERY big deal politically at the time, filling the TV news around the world night after night and inciting violent mass protests all over America.
Buddy Miles shares the compositional credits.... Read more ›
This release differs from the more recent Sony/Hendrix family release only in that it's in a plastic CD box instead of cardboard sleeve, and lacks the amber-and-purple square sticker on the cover: for legal reasons you can no longer buy this new, but the Sony release contains exactly the same material.
The Fillmore concerts used some of the `Experience' numbers as time-fillers, but none of Jimi's previous recorded material appears on this album; only the new stuff. This collection has a more soulful - some say `funky' but it's not really anything like 1970s `funk' - feel to it, and both Jimi and drummer Miles share the vocal work. In contrast to the psychedelia and playfully imaginative song themes of the `Experience' years, the song lyrics on BoG lean towards the political and socially-aware. This is especially true on the star track of the album, `Machine Gun' on which Jimi actually makes the sounds of full-on 20th century warfare with his fender, as he pleads for humanity to the machine-gunner; for context to younger readers, this was during the Vietnam war which was a VERY big deal politically at the time, filling the TV news around the world night after night and inciting violent mass protests all over America.
Buddy Miles shares the compositional credits.... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's got to be heard to be believed...
It really is that great... the best Hendrix I have heard... great quality sound, awesome tunes with great build ups, riffs and technically has everything along with that live and... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Semko
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hendrix at a moment of creativity turning
This has the feel of something coming together. Not quite in full flow-not the signature support of the Experience but more collaborative. Read more
Published 24 days ago by "Belgo Geordie"
5.0 out of 5 stars
2010 remaster
There is no reason to take any stars away from this re-issue. Fantastic sound on the Bose System. My old copy will be given away. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Keith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Its great
Great to get this on plastic again. It sounds so fresh. Defo worth getting if your in to Jimi's stuff
Published 2 months ago by marc
5.0 out of 5 stars
Band of Gypsys
Don't need to review it as my copy had near-on worn out so bought it as a replacement,very good value for money
Published 3 months ago by Ness Satow
5.0 out of 5 stars
Band of gypsys vinyl
Lovely limited edition band of gypsys red vinyl in a gatefold sleeve turned up which was was a very pleasant surprise as i fought it was just a normal 1would highly recommend.
Published 3 months ago by Rich
5.0 out of 5 stars
UNSURPASSED MOLTEN IMPROVISATION
This album contains the greatest electric guitar playing of its time. It remains the best overall official document of Hendrix as a live performer. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Stephen Goldsmith
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Great Live Albums
Only three musicians on stage, but a real treat for fans of
classic rock, blues or funk.All six songs have something going
for them. Read more
classic rock, blues or funk.All six songs have something going
for them. Read more
Published 4 months ago by showgate
5.0 out of 5 stars
A note about the rhythm section
Most reviews focus on Hendrix understandably, but it has to be said that Buddy Miles and Billy Cox are a stunning rhythm section. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr. P. A. Mountford
5.0 out of 5 stars
AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING
THIS IS WITHOUTOUT DOUBT THE BEST THING HENDRIX HAS EVER DONE....LIVE ALBUM WISE THIS IS ONLY BETTERD BY "LIVE AT FILLMORE EAST" BY THE ALLMAN BROTHERS. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Warren
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