The only official live album released during his lifetime, Band Of Gypsys was a project put together by Jimi, drummer Buddy Miles, and bassist Billy Cox to record an album to give to PPX Records as part of an agreement to settle an outstanding contract problem.
While PPX wasn't happy getting a live album from Jimi (they wanted his next studio project), this would be an album that not only featured Jimi playing live, but experimenting with funk, soul, rock, mixing them together to create an all new sound.
Easily the highlight of Band Of Gypsys album is the track `Machine Gun'. Everytime I hear it, I lose myself in the song. Air guitar, air drumming, you name it, you'll play it on this one. Jimi's tour-de-force, and a bold statement on the Vietnam War which was going on at the time.
A few versions of this one exist, this one, an import from the UK, features 3 extra tracks that did not appear on the original release; the 25th Anniversary Capitol release, and the 1997 Experience Hendrix release.
If you're a completist, you'll want this for the extra 3 songs. Otherwise, get the 1997 remastered version, issued by Experience Hendrix, the Hendrix family owned company. Another note, the cassette version of this also comes in multiple versions, one which features songs not on any of the Band Of Gypsys CD versions.
- Who Knows 9:31
- Machine Gun 12:33
- Them Changes 5:10
- Power Of Love 6:53
- Message To Love 5:22
- We Gotta Live Together 5:46
- Hear My Train 9:02
- Foxy Lady 6:32
- Stop 4:49
Catalog #: Polydor 847 237-2
