Midnight Lightning

Updated on Dec 12, 2023

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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

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.

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