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Midnight Lightning

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Released
  
November 1975

Midnight Lightning(1975)
  
Re-Experienced(1975)

Release date
  
November 1975

Length
  
35:58

Artist
  
Jimi Hendrix

Label
  
Reprise Records

Midnight Lightning httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumbf

Genres
  
Rock music, Psychedelic rock, Hard rock

Producers
  
Alan Douglas, Tony Bongiovi

Similar
  
Jimi Hendrix albums, Acid rock albums, Other albums

Midnight Lightning is a posthumous compilation album by American rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix. It was released in November 1975 by Reprise Records in the United States and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom. It was the sixth studio album released after his death and the second to be produced by Alan Douglas and Tony Bongiovi. The songs used on the album consisted of post-Jimi Hendrix Experience recordings that originally featured Billy Cox on bass and either Mitch Mitchell or Buddy Miles on drums.

Contents

Jimi hendrix midnight lightning cover by hans happe


Background

Douglas continued his controversial methods he had adopted on Crash Landing and brought in many of the same session musicians to overdub parts of songs. The only original recording (apart from those by Hendrix) was Mitchell's drumming on "Hear My Train". In response to the previous outcry from fans and critics, Douglas did not claim co-writer credit for any songs on Midnight Lightning. Despite the fact that the album included reworkings of the popular live songs "Hear My Train A Comin'" and "Machine Gun", the album was not as well received as its predecessor, peaking at #43 in the US. and #46 in the UK.

Critical reception

In a 1981 review, music critic Robert Christgau gave Midnight Lightning a "B+" and said that it was an improvement by Douglas over Crash Landing because of highlight instrumentals such as "Trash Man", overdubbed guitar from Jeff Mironov and Lance Quinn, and "the blues playing — as opposed to singing or writing". AllMusic's Joe Viglione gave it three out of five stars and felt that the enduring quality of Hendrix's music is retained in spite of Douglas's "doctoring and musicians jamming with his art after the fact."

Track listing

All tracks written by Jimi Hendrix, except where noted.

Other appearances of songs

Most of the songs on Midnight Lightning appear on more recent Hendrix compilations without the Douglas-era overdubbing.

Personnel

  • Jimi Hendrix – guitars, vocals
  • Mitch Mitchell – drums on track 3

    • Added in 1975

  • Jeff Mironov – guitar on tracks 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8
  • Lance Quinn – guitar on tracks 2, 4, 6 and 7
  • Allan Schwartzberg – drums on tracks 1, 2, 4-8, percussion on tracks 3 and 4
  • Bob Babbitt – bass guitar
  • Jimmy Maelen – percussion on tracks 2 and 8
  • Maeretha Stewart – backing vocals on tracks 2, 4 and 7
  • Barbara Massey – backing vocals on tracks 2, 4 and 7
  • Vivian Cherry – backing vocals on tracks 2, 4 and 7
  • Buddy Lucas – harmonica on track 7

    • Original recording details and wiped backing musicians

  • Track 1 recorded at Olmstead Studios in New York City, New York on April 3, 1969. Noel Redding - bass guitar, Mitch Mitchell - drums
  • Track 2 recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, New York on July 14, 1970. Billy Cox - bass guitar, Mitch Mitchell - drums, Juma Sultan - percussion
  • Track 3 recorded at Olmstead Studios in New York City, New York on April 7, 1969. Noel Redding - bass guitar, Mitch Mitchell's drums were kept
  • Track 4 recorded at the Record Plant in New York City, New York on March 18, 1969. Jimi Hendrix - bass guitar, Mitch Mitchell - drums
  • Track 5 recorded at the Record Plant in New York City, New York on January 23, 1970. Billy Cox - bass guitar, Buddy Miles - drums
  • Track 6 is a combination of several takes of "Machine Gun" and "Izabella", recorded at the Hit Factory in New York City, New York on August 29, 1969. Larry Lee - guitar, Billy Cox - bass guitar, Mitch Mitchell - drums, Juma Sultan - percussion, Gerrardo Velez - percussion
  • Track 7 recorded at the Record Plant in New York City, New York on January 23, 1970. Billy Cox - bass guitar, Buddy Miles - drums, Don [surname unknown] - harmonica
  • Track 8 recorded at the Hit Factory in New York City, New York on August 28, 1969. Larry Lee - guitar, Billy Cox - bass guitar, Mitch Mitchell - drums, Juma Sultan - percussion, Gerrardo Velez - percussion

    • Songs

    1Trashman3:16
    2Midnight Lightning3:50
    3Hear My Train A Coming5:45

    References

    Midnight Lightning Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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