TOM WILLS PRODUCTIONS: No. 139: Like Painting For The Ears

Saturday, December 24, 2011

No. 139: Like Painting For The Ears

Listening to Jimi Hendrix taught me how to think spatially, as an artist, writer and musician. His sound showed me that everything isn’t up and down, right and left, vertical, horizontal, black or white.

Dusted by a dollar

There’s also around, inside, between, rainbows, moonbeams, Castles Made of Sand.

My Space.

My 19-year-old mind was dusted after hearing “Are You Experienced?” It was a beat up copy that I’d found for a buck at the old Record Exchange in Niles, Ohio. The used record sticker is still on the cover. Didn’t matter that it was scratchy. The notes went above, beyond and away from the vinyl surface. It was like painting for the ears, all blended and drippy.

Backward and forward

Was he playing backward or forward? Both? Didn’t sound like he was even trying; it was just happening.

I'd never paid attention until that point.

The live recordings are far better than the studio albums, because in-house engineers really couldn't handle the volume and tones Jimi was trying to put on tape. They sound weak. On stage there were no restrictions, including time constraints, and that's when the floating above notes began. That was the experience.
There are dozens of concert recordings, and more keep coming, because they are all different. Just like no painting or sketch can be an exact copy. There is different flavor.

There are hundreds of tremendous guitarists. There was one Jimi Hendrix. We are still playing him today, still finding new versions, unreleased performances, new sounds. His music has no boundaries. Spatial.